Divided over treatment

[Lavanda]

This is all I need ... my OH had a major health problem last year but by the combined effort of two hospitals, two surgeons, three doctors, lots of nurses, three post-trauma check-ups, umpteen x-rays and five different tablets per day he has recovered. Lately he has started to 'read up' about his condition and tablets on the internet and decided he was getting the wrong treatment. We checked with the doctor — no, everything was fine.

My OH is in the UK this week and booked a BUPA appointment for 'peace of mind'. The BUPA doctor agrees with my OH and is writing a report for the Spanish doctors.

My questions are the obvious ones about professional pride, integrity, etc. BUT as we get our healthcare here don't the doctors here have the final say on treatment? If my OH doesn't like it the alternative might be BUPA care long-distance (and pay, calm down all you 'benefit cheat' mantra people) BUT what happens if the BUPA treatment puts him back in a Spanish hospital? I need some advice, please, as I never thought of this particular set of circumstances when thinking about healthcare.

[knowal]

Are you saying that the OH's recovery happened despite being given the wrong treatment?

Doctors just love people self diagnosing off the Internet - sometimes they might be right, others wrong. Doctors have had many years of training and experience, whereas there is a lot of unreliable information on the Internet.

How do you know that the BUPA doctor is right?
Did he examine your OH and have all the test results available to them?

Anyway, if you don't have confidence in the Spanish doctors you can always ask for a second opinion here. It is one of your rights in the Spanish health system, so use it.

[Lavanda]

White Horse you are singing my song. I very nearly put my OH back in hospital myself at one point. The people in our village die in their beds at 97 so, YES, the doctors here DO know something. It's a really tricky situation and I think the BUPA doctor is diagnosing on the back of not very much information and certainly no brain scans. Make that no brain!

[Julie]

I think you should be having a stern word with the hubby, if hes no longer ill, why fix something that isn't broke? unless I am reading it wrong
After my husband was on life support in the UK and we wanted to return to Spain, the UK surgeon told us that Spain has some of the best surgeons in the world and we were probably as safe in not safer in their hands

I hope he sorts himself out, for your sake or you could end up going barmy Lol !

[Lavanda]

You are so right, Julie.

[Spud]

A friend of ours living here in Spain had a heart condition and was taking medication prescribed by UK doctors. He had another heart attack and was taken to the nearest Spanish hospital. When the consultant saw the medication he was taking he threw them in the bin and told him they were rubbish. He has since fully recovered and can´t praise the doctors here enough. Both myself and my husband have had to be admitted to hospital here and I can´t fault their care, but the food wasn´t so great Our only problem was our own lack of Spanish but the doctors apolgised for their lack of English. Aren´t these people great.

[frank]

A friend of ours living here in Spain had a heart condition and was taking medication prescribed by UK doctors. He had another heart attack and was taken to the nearest Spanish hospital. When the consultant saw the medication he was taking he threw them in the bin and told him they were rubbish. He has since fully recovered and can´t praise the doctors here enough. Both myself and my husband have had to be admitted to hospital here and I can´t fault their care, but the food wasn´t so great Our only problem was our own lack of Spanish but the doctors apolgised for their lack of English. Aren´t these people great.

It happens unfortunately, this poor woman went into Malaga for a breast enhancement, ended up have both amputated!
NEGLIGENCIA MEDICA MALAGA 952215859La Fiscalía de Málaga ha remitido al juzgado para que se investigue una presunta negligencia cometida en un clínica malagueña contra una mujer que se sometió a una cirugía estética de mamas, con el resultado de los dos pechos amputados,
Google "negligencia medica" you'll find all manner of horror stories.
Few years ago in this forum, but they all get it wrong occasionally.

URGENT

Postby waterlily on Sun Oct 02, 2005 6:47 am
Hi
Can anybody help please.
Friends of ours have been living here for approx 4 years. They have transferred all their Medical requirements to Andalucia (They are a retired couple). The husband has become seriously ill and although he has had extensive stays in both Costa del Sol Hosp and Malaga Hosp, they cannot find out what the problem is. Both hospitals have run untold cat scans, x-rays, blood tests etc but to no avail. He has found it very difficult to cope with for numerous reasons and has now decided to fly back to England today. He will admitted straight away as his condition is deteriorating rapidly.
Can anybody please, please tell me if he will still be entitled to free health care once he returns to the UK. I cannot go into any further detail regarding the 'Health Documentation' he transferred here as its all a bit of a panic station as I am trying to book flights as I type this.
Anything, however vague would be very much appreciated.
Thank you so much.

Waterlily
Postby waterlily on Mon Oct 03, 2005 1:17 pm
Firstly can I thank everybody who replied to this thread. Our friend returned to the UK yesterday and was diagnosed immediatley, unfortunatley with Cancer. Not having been here 2 minutes myself, I would not dream of passing any comments regarding the Medical Facilities in Andalucia, however it has bought forward a lot of concerns.
Our friend has been in Hospital, for approx 4 months (In and out) with no diagnosis, despite lengthy examinations.

Postby waterlily on Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:11 pm
Hi Hillbilly

Apparently, and I do say apparently, we have since learned that if the diagnosis had of been made at the begining of his symptoms, it would have been possible for our friend to have made a recovery, albeit with the aid of a colostomy. Unfortunatley our friend died yesterday, but I'm sure both himself and his wife could of lived with the trials and tribulations of having to take care of himself with an artificial aid, however troublesome it may of been.

[Lavanda]

Well done, Frank, but let's not start another 'the UK is best v Spain is best' thread using isolated incidents as examples, shall we? I just wanted to know what the implications were, of getting private treatment from the UK while living in Spain, if my OH were to end up back in hospital here. Thanks.

[Julie]

I have no complaints about the service we recieved in the UK, I was just repeating what the consultant said, he had just saved my husband life too

Personally we have both had fast life saving treatments in the UK and for that we think the health care is great, but I have also recieve basic emergency care in Spain that was excellent, I imagine its all down to human success/failure on the day!

[katy]

Another which is best...why am I not suprised. I am suprised all the UKretirees lived long enough to retire to Spain

Doctors and Dentists are like hairdressers...always the who did this syndrome. OH had a visit from helicopteros sanatarios, the Doctor gave a full page written report to take to his GP in Marbella, the GP tossed it over the desk without even glancing at it!

I am with Julie, if it aint broke. I can't see the point in having loads of scans and tests to find out you have something they can't cure

[Lavanda]

Personally, I agree but my OH is of a different mind-set.

[katy]

Maybe it's a man thing, my OH is similar He wants a full body scan if he sneezes twice

[Lavanda]

[knowal]

Maybe it's a man thing, my OH is similar He wants a full body scan if he sneezes twice

It's NOT a man thing, believe me, I avoid doctors like ... the plague?
Seriously - they give you pills which might cure one problem and give you 2 more from side effects!

[Bongtrees]

My questions are the obvious ones about professional pride, integrity, etc. BUT as we get our healthcare here don't the doctors here have the final say on treatment? If my OH doesn't like it the alternative might be BUPA care long-distance (and pay, calm down all you 'benefit cheat' mantra people) BUT what happens if the BUPA treatment puts him back in a Spanish hospital? I need some advice, please, as I never thought of this particular set of circumstances when thinking about healthcare.

From recent personal experience of NHS and private treatment in the UK I have found the doctors to be way behind Spanish ones plus many prescription drugs available in Spain are not available in the UK.

The Clinica Navarra in Pamplona (CUN) is one I would recommend for private consultation/second opinion or I cant remember which but Dana Faber or one of the other major US hospitals now has a hospital in Madrid also far better than any UK institution.

There is a Spanish GP at my mothers UK surgery and he cant believe how bad it is in the UK for patients compared with Spain.

[katy]

I think that's totally wrong...most prescription drugs are the same all over the world. We have been satisfied in both countries. If Spain is so advanced why do the super rich fly into the UK for treatment. I would prefer BUPA anytime to Sanitas.

[Bongtrees]

I think that's totally wrong...most prescription drugs are the same all over the world. We have been satisfied in both countries. If Spain is so advanced why do the super rich fly into the UK for treatment. I would prefer BUPA anytime to Sanitas.

Many prescription drugs available all over the world are NOT available to patients in the UK.

As for BUPA in the majority of cases patients still see a consultant who also practises in the NHS. Unless its changed it doesnt happen in Spain well not where I live anyway. My own consultant with Sanitas did not work for the state at as well.

[Lavanda]

"Many prescription drugs available all over the world are NOT available to patients in the UK."

That's because of the cost. Many patients are not even offered life-saving drugs because it would bankrupt a Health Trust too busy spending money on IVF treatment for mothers of five keen to have another baby with a new partner, etc.

[Bongtrees]

"Many prescription drugs available all over the world are NOT available to patients in the UK."

That's because of the cost. Many patients are not even offered life-saving drugs because it would bankrupt a Health Trust too busy spending money on IVF treatment for mothers of five keen to have another baby with a new partner, etc.

If I knew how to post a link you could read a letter from several consultants to David Cameron asking him why a drug which previously cost £800 per patient per year has now been replaced by the same from a different manufacturer at a cost of £40,000 per patient a year which most NHS trusts wont pay so patients die.

[katy]

I thought we were discussing private health care Anyway it is a bit irrelevant as if you are prescribed a 200€ per month drug in Spain then you are going to have to pay for it. Even private care doesn't always cover it as I have known people paying over 100€ per month for drugs. In Spain many patients are now required to buy their own dressings too and it will get worse. I have been to see various people in the Sanitas hospital in málaga and it is not great. One had a broken bed and they didn't have a spare! Another had to spend 2 days wilting in a dingy room without AC

The "rationing" of drugs is debatable anyway, lot more to it than meets the eye. Patients go on the internet looking for miracle cures for serious diseases....what do they find, lots of stuff about a new drug with a lot of info that is not impartial! It may not always be suitable for some but then you will see stuff in the eg. Express from that patient saying that they have been denied a drug costing X thousands that MAY prolong their life.