visiting family doctor visiting, doctor, family

jingjing

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the appropriate thread, but I want to ask how often do you visit the family doctor? I make an appointment to see mine even if I have minor discomfort/illness, and that's about 1 time every 2 months. When I get there, I feel that my family doctor is neglecting me because she thinks I go find her when it's only small matters...but isn't that what we paid the medical care for??

So just wondering, how often do you visit your family doctor?

jingjing

thanks for sharing your thoughts!

i usually make appointment withy family doc about acne or skin problems, self-suspected internal hormonal imbalance, frequent leg cramps, backaches.
on the other hand, i never see the doc when i have a cold or flu (because to me, I don't want to take drugs if i could avoid it..so I usually sleep one whole day and it gets well faster that way)
so when i say little matters, its never cold or runny nose, but those matters that are not urgent and just long term lasting illnesses.

ani

i guess it depends on what kind of small discomfort/illness?
but i think once every 2 month is a bit much for a healthy person @@..
even elderly ppl.. usually visit their doctors once every 3 months
(Pharmacare pays for up to 3 month of drugs.. so doctors usually write them prescription with 3 months worth of drugs.. then the elderly go back visit the doctor when they are done with their drugs, see if they need any changes.. etc etc)
of course, the visit can be more frequent if there are other issues...

i only visit my family doc unless i needed to.
small matters can usually be solved by visiting a pharmacy..

i am sorry if i sound a bit harsh
i know you pay for medical care
but then there are levels of urgency to be considered
because you made the appointment with your doctor, may actually take the spot from someone that really needed it..

i don't even remember when was the last time i visited my family doctor (maybe last year)
this tues, i had the worse stomach ache ... it hurt so much, i kept wanting to throw up, and i was shivering all the time. finally couldn't take it anymore. went home sick from work.. wanted to see my family doctor.. but he was too busy. the receptionist said i had to wait for about 4 hours.

so i decided to go to a walk in clinic, waited for 1 hour, then the doctor told me to go to emergency because i needed surgery.

i guess if my family doc can pick between seeing a patient without real illnes vs. someone with appendicitis, i think it's probably the latter.

[ 本帖最後由 ani 於 2008-6-27 10:44 編輯 ]

myversa

While I was in Malaysia, I tried to go to see doctor whenever I had small problems because it's very cheap.  The total fee including diagnosis and medicine is no more than 6 bucks Canadian dollars.

When I am in Canada, I do not go to see my family doctor that often because of the long waits and the fact that I can only go visit her during weekdays.  

Most of the time for emergency, I would just go to visit walk in doctors if I really need to see a doctor right away.

布小熊

I guess I am lucky. I used to see my family doctor every month for my allergy shots. The receptionist recognizes me. She usually just let me go in as soon as I arrived and get my shot. (cos it's usually VERY VERY fast.)
Now I have quit my long 6 years of allergy shot treatment, I still visit her. Last 2 times were from a bad flu. I knew that she cannot do much but the flu had been dragging on too long (>5 days) and I cannot stand it. So I went to her for confirmation/advice. She still take her time and talked to me and explain to be that I can only rest and drink more water. But she suggested me to take multi-vitamin and take better care of myself. Some times, I think it's the dr's attitude not really how much medication you get from the dr.

[ 本帖最後由 布小熊 於 2008-6-19 15:03 編輯 ]

kaimui22

I've pretty much stopped going to my family doctor unless it's for my son's checkup or shots...why? Because she no longer has time for her patients. My family doctor had twins last year and was away on maternity leave for 9 months..when she came back, she reduced her office hours to only 1/2 day mon-fri. So unless it it an emergency, she just tells us patients to see a walk-in clinic. Everytime I call to make an appointment, unless it's for my son, she'll tell me to go to a walk-in or she'll just refer me to another doctor.

chobit

So, it sounds like Jinging still has some explaination to do, so we know exactly why you are visiting so often?

I used to get sick quite a few time during flu seasons, but I have been trying to take better care of myself, such as taking some better multi-vitamin (Anti-oxidents), since then I get sick much less, plus if I do, it usually recover much faster.

Flu and Cold are probably 2 of the most common illness we get.  For alot of time Flu symtoms are not as bad as cold.  So, like other people suggest, drinking lots of water, and take lots of rest would be the best options.  For flu (Virus) you normally just have to let your body does the works on it;'s own.  As for Cold (Bacteria) + infections, then you may need to see your doctor for AntiBiotic.

For ordinary coughing or running nose, where the mucus looks clear.  You can normally minimize the symtoms by taking Over the Counter.  You can always consult your pharmacist whom knows more on drugs than the doctors.

I wish everyone for a good health.

MyOMy

It is a fact that it is hard to find a good family doctor to take you as a patient.  A lot of old people who are not able to find a family doctor after their ex-family doctor retired. It is because these old people requires more time and cares the family doc will not take them.

So if your doc is okay and intensionally neglect you (because he is too busy), you'd better stick with him/her.

lerico

What do you mean by neglect? Many people think their doctor neglect them becuase doctors just ask them to rest and not willing to offer them medication. I think this is because doctors here practice differently than those in HK. Doctors in HK gives you medication for any minor illness because they can earn more money by selling drugs, and also maybe because many people cannot afford to take a day off work, so doctors is under the pressure to do whatever it takes to try to speed up recovery.

On the other hand, Doctors here believe that unnecessary medication might hurt your body. There are so many minor illnesses that can easily recover by drinking more water and by having more rest. Therefore, when you have minor illness, your doctor normal recommend you to not take any medications, just drink more water and have more rest. I don't think doctors neglect those patients ,it's just that there is nothing they can do.

Not trying to debate with system is better, while some might like the system in HK better, but I do agree that taking med for minor illnesses is not good for your health in the long term. Afterall, you want your body to be able to fight the virus, not the drugs.

[ 本帖最後由 lerico 於 2008-6-19 13:51 編輯 ]

akshea

ya.. I don't see my family doctor that often.. maybe once every 2 years. hahaha
What do you expect the doctor to do for you if you only have minor cough or watever ?
You are wasting his/her time for some other more serious patients.