Reply to: NHS experience

[Scoobos]

How was it? I've got to have one, and have to decide whether or not to have sedation. They do a throat spray thing anyway. I think I'd prefer to know what's going on, but heard it can be pretty horrible.

Regularly have these and take it like a true nurthener.

[Lockhouse]

To summarise my limited experience of the NHS. At the sharp end (I mean that literally - when operations or emergency stuff needs doing) it is excellent. All the stuff around getting to that operation, and the aftercare can be variable and is usually very mediocre.

Exactly, with cancer for example your actual treatment will be great but you might die of malnutrition whilst on the ward and no-one will notice.

[Doggy Styles]

How was it? I've got to have one, and have to decide whether or not to have sedation. They do a throat spray thing anyway. I think I'd prefer to know what's going on, but heard it can be pretty horrible.

I've had two. For the first I was concious with the throat spray. It was horrible, I couldn't stop gagging the whole time.

When I went back for the check-up, I had a general anaesthetic. Much better.

[Doggy Styles]

Well a week later and I've got one Co-codomal tablet left. I had weaned myself off them, eventually taking just half a tablet at a time because they appeared to give me deleterious side effects, and while I still have pain, it's not severe. They certainly knocked pain on its head, but in hindsight I'd take just one tablet rather than 2 as per prescription as they are potent medicine.

Aha! That must explain why you were on here advocating that athletes amputate their legs to compete against superior prosthetics.

[TimberWolf]

Well a week later and I've got one Co-codomal tablet left. I had weaned myself off them, eventually taking just half a tablet at a time because they appeared to give me deleterious side effects, and while I still have pain, it's not severe. They certainly knocked pain on its head, but in hindsight I'd take just one tablet rather than 2 as per prescription as they are potent medicine.

[ctdctd]

How was it? I've got to have one, and have to decide whether or not to have sedation. They do a throat spray thing anyway. I think I'd prefer to know what's going on, but heard it can be pretty horrible.

I had one with the spray only. It was tolerable but I was gagging a bit while it was done.
Couldn't see the telly either to see what they were doing - not sure if that's good or bad

[Gentile]

How was it? I've got to have one, and have to decide whether or not to have sedation. They do a throat spray thing anyway. I think I'd prefer to know what's going on, but heard it can be pretty horrible.

I had to have one of those years ago. It wasn't very pleasant, unfortunately, but survivable. With regard to sedation, they told me it was a hypnotic they'd use if I wanted that, which is neither a general nor a local anaesthetic but just something that makes it so you don't remember and are unable to resist. I didn't like the sound of that, so I just did it fully conscious. I think I would choose to do it conscious again, all things considered.

Good luck!

[mudskipper]

By contrast...

I was having issues swallowing (yes very funny) so I called my GP and got an appointment the next day. I was referred to a nearby hospital for an endoscopy the day after which involved hardly any waiting, a nice team of people and a clear diagnosis.

Maybe the NHS is only good for more urgent stuff? I know NF was very impressed

How was it? I've got to have one, and have to decide whether or not to have sedation. They do a throat spray thing anyway. I think I'd prefer to know what's going on, but heard it can be pretty horrible.

[sasguru]

To summarise my limited experience of the NHS. At the sharp end (I mean that literally - when operations or emergency stuff needs doing) it is excellent. All the stuff around getting to that operation, and the aftercare can be variable and is usually very mediocre.

[Scoobos]

As a cost cutting exercise I went NHS for the dentist. Over 18 months it cost me £230 for obvious poor quality work. Two months since that last checkup that gave me the all clear, the NHS work has failed. As a result I am not going back there and instead I am going back to my old dentist in Prague. Prices in Prague have gone up considerably but at least the work is first class.

Now NHS dentists... now you do have a point.

Dentists seem to be bandits, I don't mean this as a racial slur of any kind - but it is a profession in the UK that seems to only attract non EU nationals straight from training ; before they go onto maxiplasty??!!??, facial trauma reconstruction or something.

The UK national dentists seem to immediately go private and spend all their time bleaching teeth and producing dentures.

The cost difference between NHS and Private , for me, is not that great either - I should go private (I am missing a lot of teeth due to my psycho sporting history and have dentures etc; it is not uncommon for a dental trip on NHS to still cost me over £300)

[Scoobos]

The NHS is appalling. There should be a way of opting out of paying for it which mandates that you must have alternative cover.

Compare that to my NHS doctor, I ring up on Monday and first appointment is Friday. I could either be well by then or dead.
.

Whatever...

The NHS is far from appalling , the work they do "Free at point of use" is amazing - if you had one of the 22% of children born with "complications" you may think differently.

Regarding the NHS doctor, they aren't a call out service - you aren't that special.

If you think theres a risk of death then go to a drop in centre or call an ambulance. Private sector will call you an ambulance to an NHS hospital anyway.

[SueEllen]

Yep, then when it all goes wrong, your doctor will probably be on the golf course.

When they eventually get through to the doctor after some delay, they will get an NHS ambulance to cart you to the nearest NHS A&E hospital.

If you need to go private then make sure your care takes place in an NHS hospital which has an A&E. Also avoid having operations on Fridays if you have to stay in overnight.

[Paddy]

As a cost cutting exercise I went NHS for the dentist. Over 18 months it cost me £230 for obvious poor quality work. Two months since that last checkup that gave me the all clear, the NHS work has failed. As a result I am not going back there and instead I am going back to my old dentist in Prague. Prices in Prague have gone up considerably but at least the work is first class.

[TimberWolf]

Ah, noticeable swelling on one side of the face now. This can peak in 3 days or more, so I may start getting stares if it does get much worse. No mention of the use of hot face swabs under 'after 24 hours care', perhaps these are regarded as a bit pseudo sciency. Will try a hot swab or two anyway and the recommended warm salt mouth washes.

[escapeUK]

The NHS is appalling. There should be a way of opting out of paying for it which mandates that you must have alternative cover.

I go to a cracking private dentist, which means each check up costs me £70, but they use all the latest technology, no scraping with a metal hook its a tool that sprays high pressure salt water. She would open the practise up at a weekend for me if I needed it, and I have her private mobile number just in case.

Compare that to my NHS doctor, I ring up on Monday and first appointment is Friday. I could either be well by then or dead.

One time I hurt my back, and I was literally crawling on the floor to get between rooms. I had moved away to the other side of the city, and my doctor refused to come out to me.