Seeing an OBGYN on NHS

We had a nice guy on here who was a US Physician and is now a UK Consultant (if he's still in the UK!)  - and posted once on a thread about how to be your own patient advocate:

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=61696.msg879559#msg879559

Yeah, the ingredient exists, but somehow (as it's been explained to me), it's not the same. They are eye drops. And the patent for the original drug is still in effect, so no generic or alternate brand (yet).

I am not sure this is right.  As chary also mentioned, olopatadine hydrochloride 0.1% (which is the chemical name for the drug that is sold under the trade name of Patanol in the US) is available in the UK.  It is the exact same manufacturer as well.

The discussion of patents and brands/generics is relevant to the US market but that doesn't translate to the UK market.  Patents are a country by country thing and not applied internationally.

People have had great experiences and terrible experiences using the US healthcare system, and great experiences and terrible experiences using the NHS. I'd venture to guess that, in both cases, the great experiences outweigh the terrible ones.

So. All we can say to you, GGTL, is that you'll have to wait and see. The thing is, as Sara Smile said, the NHS is the system that operates in the country you've chosen to move to. It's the system you're going to have to work with. There's no escaping that. You'll probably learn to love it, as most of us have. But you can't really expect an American-style system when you're moving out of America.

And who knows - you may discover that you prefer the NHS to old American system. And you may even find medications available here that work better for you than what you were using before. And you may wind up with a brilliant GP.

But already finding problems with a system you haven't even tried yet? That's not going to help you at all.

I just want to preface this next bit by saying it's NOT directed at GGTL. But this whole thread just has me thinking about different sorts of expats and the way they choose to adapt to their new home.

First there are the 'adapters' who fit in well and don't find much to complain about. Sure they get homesick from time to time, but that's just natural. And they look forward to their holidays back in the US.

Then there are the 'non-adapters' who don't fit in at all from the start. They're the ones we hear from a lot on this forum because they have the most to say. And in my experience (I've been on UKY for 7 years now and have seen a lot of people come and go), most of them suffer from constantly comparing the UK with the US. And most of them try to live their lives with one foot on either side of the Atlantic.

Again, I just wanted to stress that I don't think this is you at all, GGTL. In fact, from the chatting we've done here and on FB, I know there's a lot about the UK that you love. I think you'll do just fine. But remember - you're not in Georgia anymore! (or you won't be, at any rate)

First there are the 'adapters' who fit in well and don't find much to complain about. Sure they get homesick from time to time, but that's just natural. And they look forward to their holidays back in the US.

Then there are the 'non-adapters' who don't fit in at all from the start. They're the ones we hear from a lot on this forum because they have the most to say. And in my experience (I've been on UKY for 7 years now and have seen a lot of people come and go), most of them suffer from constantly comparing the UK with the US. And most of them try to live their lives with one foot on either side of the Atlantic.

I really dont think this is fair.  I am very happy here and I have very easily adapted to things like driving on the left, roast dinners instead of my traditional family dinners, unfamiliar Christmas traditions, language, accents, customs, and a whole lot of other things I thought/think were/are very strange, but when it comes to your health and you feel like you aren't being taken seriously and feel that your health may be at risk, this is not a case of being an "non-adapter" 

Again, I just wanted to stress that I don't think this is you at all, GGTL. In fact, from the chatting we've done here and on FB, I know there's a lot about the UK that you love. I think you'll do just fine. But remember - you're not in Georgia anymore! (or you won't be, at any rate)

Don't underestimate the freak-out factor that occurs (for a lot of people anyway) in the run up to the actual move, when you realize the magnitude of what you are about to do, and what you are about to lose.  When you actually get down to living out a suitcase, selling off your car and saying goodbye to the people and things you love, it can be very distressing!  I know it was for me anyway  

I really dont think this is fair.  I am very happy here and I have very easily adapted to things like driving on the left, roast dinners instead of my traditional family dinners, unfamiliar Christmas traditions, language, accents, customs, and a whole lot of other things I thought/think were/are very strange, but when it comes to your health and you feel like you aren't being taken seriously and feel that your health may be at risk, this is not a case of being an "non-adapter" 

My adapter/non-adapter theory is obviously pretty basic and represents the two extremes. Most people, like you, will fall somewhere in the middle. But I still maintain that what I've said is valid.

I think a lot of people tend to write off things that fall in the luck category, much like how rich people in the US write off how lucky they were to have the family back ground that they do and it wasn't them making all the right moves.

If you were barely scraping by in the US and you move here and move in with someone (which already increases your standard of living) who has a good job, friends, perhaps owns a house and whatever else then your adjustment will be easier.  Perhaps you find a job easily and make good friends there, or you become friends with your spouse's friends then extra good.  Some of that is down to what you do, but a lot of it is down to just good fortune.  If you like horror movies and so does the person you are sitting next to at work, you have an automatic talking point.  If they only like romances and think liking Halloween makes you a serial killer than things are a little frosty right off the bat.

I loved living in Glasgow and would move back in a minute (I lived there for two years before marrying my husband), but my husband's job and his family are keeping us where we are and I am not a big fan of the area.  So here we are.

A lot will depend upon where you are living.  In some areas there may not be easy access to private health care even if you wanted it - specifically GP/Primary level care.  I know there are no private GPs within striking distance of where I live.  If you're in London, Birmingham or any of the other large cities I'd guess you might find some - but in most areas although you might get private specialist care, private GP level care is non-existent.  So if you're keen on private care at that level and don't live where they do you might have a long journey to see someone!

Also in many areas private insurance may speed things up but you will probably see the same people you would have done anyway as many private patients are dealt with by the same doctors who work for the NHS too.  You're just jumping the queue not necessarily seeing a better person.

Also in many areas private insurance may speed things up but you will probably see the same people you would have done anyway as many private patients are dealt with by the same doctors who work for the NHS too.  You're just jumping the queue not necessarily seeing a better person.

Yeah, exactly. Both my mum's best friend and my grandmother had hip replacements done a few years ago.

- My mum's friend had recently inherited some money and so decided to pay for her surgery privately (I think it cost about £10,000) - she had her operation within 4 weeks of being referred.

- My grandmother decided not to bother paying privately and just have the operation done on the NHS, and so she was put on the 12-week waiting list and had the surgery done about 3-4 months after being referred.

I believe the same surgeon carried out both operations.

In fact, my grandmother's hip dislocated twice after the surgery and she had to have two more operations to fix it. In total, she was in the hospital for about 6 months... and she didn't pay a penny for any of the surgeries or for the 6-month hospital stay.

Yeah, exactly. Both my mum's best friend and my grandmother had hip replacements done a few years ago.

Definitely.

My husband had laser eye surgery last month. He wound up having it done by the top eye person in the area and only had to wait about 2 weeks. I've since been told by others that a lot of people with private health insurance specifically request that same consultant because of his reputation ... but it costs them. Ours was free.

Forgot to say - you might even be in the same hospital just on a private ward!