You didn't mention that you didnt leave with debt, and you weren't turned down for care due to the 'health' insurance company. Thats a huge factor to include in a review.
She's already covered the NHS Vs US healthcare generally, in previous episodes. The title is a bit misleading, this is really about her ailments/treatment.
@@ktwashere5637 It's not so much a question of missing something, just that they always start by ruling out the simple causes of the symptoms presented. There is a saying in medicine, “When you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras” which means that doctors should consider the most likely possibility first when thinking of a diagnosis.
Absolutely many poor people in America cannot afford health insurance the same in this country, They end up with no where to go for treatment. the health insurance business is evil on all levels and unfortunately the same systems are being used by doctors and vets now. All health systems are run by hedge fund owners already stinking rich so it is pure greed, that runs these things and the people who hand their souls to these people are just as evil. The people who started this evil system used to be called ambulance chasers in America because they literally chased ambulances to try and get people to sign up for insurance why they lay ill and or injured some times in A & E before they even reached a ward If this is what is called the American dream I thing we should not embrace it in this country, but it does seem that our sheep like government like to follow what America does, I take the sheep reference back they have more intelligence than our💩government.
I think Americans sometimes think the NHS is so like a miracle , and near perfect. But like everything else in life, it is not perfect, and it happens that things some times could be far better. But for all its failings, I believe the NHS is overall far, far to be preferred over the raw deal that the average American gets at home. I speak from experience on both sides of the Atlantic.
Maybe, but it is if you need insulin. People in the US die because they don’t have it for free. And we won’t go bankrupt either because we have to pay.
The best version of the NHS is in France. They do everything Churchill wanted no/very little private healthcare, and what there is is owned intially by their NHS, and HAS to be by law cheaper than their NHS. Thus ALL "Private (owned by the government, run by private companies) are full of NHS patients. Churchill is the father of the NHS.
@@glenmale1748 Actually people have died due to Insurance companies denying them payment, as they would not no be able to pay in the normal way either so would be refused treatment. I am sure you could find instances of this happening on google.
My father in law had his about two months ago. In and out in 24 hours. Before he went in, I saw a story about a brit on holiday in florida early this year. Before they would recognise his insurance, he had to pay $2,000 for the ambulance, another $2,500 for the test. Before they said the insurance would cover it. When he left 48 hours later, his insurance had to pay $58,000 for his treatment. We are lucky to have the NHS we need to look after it and use it sensibly.
I hope you’re on the mend now! I’m half American & half British & live in the UK. Having seen the healthcare system in the USA I’ve always been aware of how lucky we are for the NHS. I’m sorry about the mistake with your medication, it shouldn’t have happened. As someone with a disability & now a rare & life-threatening illness, I’ve seen the NHS deteriorate over the last 10yrs (due to government cuts). Staff are over-worked & mistakes & oversights do happen. I’ve learnt to be VERY assertive in hospital (I’m extremely polite & quiet normally) because if the medication I need in order to stay alive is even 1hr late, my body starts to shut down & I will die quite quickly. I had a scary situation with ward staff who weren’t aware of my rare 1 in a million condition & when I begged them repeatedly for my medication they said they were too busy & I’d have to wait for it like everyone else who also wants their medication. They were understandably ignorant of my rare condition, so didn’t realise the consequences of a delay. Ever since then I make sure I keep a stash in a hidden compartment in my bag, so if they take all my medication away to lock in a cupboard, I’ll still have some to keep me alive if they’re late or forget. Despite some bad experiences I wouldn’t swap the NHS for anything. I know that over the last 10years they’ve spent well over £2million keeping me alive & with the inflated prices in the USA I’m certain it’d be well over $20million. I paid into the system my whole working life, but I do feel guilty about the amount of time & resources that I’ve needed (through no fault of my own with a genetic disorder & now a rare disease). Without the NHS I honestly would have been dead 10yrs ago. I’ve had well over 100 emergency hospital admissions, about 10 different operations, more than 50 x-rays MRIs CT’s dexa scans ultrasounds etc, hundreds of blood tests (probably near 1000 by now) & more than 50 invasive tests & procedures. I’ve had hundreds of hospital admissions, so many ambulances that I’ve lost count (aside from 2or3 occasions it’s always been someone else calling 999 because I’m unconscious). I haven’t had to pay a penny. I’ve never had to worry about selling a house & ending up homeless & bankrupt because of my health/ a bill. I feel a sense of guilt every time I need medical help because I know that my American relatives don’t have the luxury of getting help & going home without a bill. I’m so unwell that I’m incapable of travelling to any medical appointments, so the NHS actually send a non-emergency ambulance, booked in advance, to pick me up from my home, take me there & back for FREE. All my medications are FREE because my condition is life-threatening. Even if I wasn’t seriously ill, I (or anyone) can buy a yearly pre-payment certificate (it looks like a credit card that you show to the pharmacy) & no matter how many prescriptions you need that year, you don’t pay anything more for them. You simply pay a one-off fee £120 (last time I looked) & get a card sent in the post that allows UNLIMITED prescriptions, no matter what it’s for. If you’re someone that gets more than 1 prescription per month, it works out much cheaper to purchase a year-long pre-payment card than paying just under £10 for each medication you need. It’s still amazes me that prescriptions are always under £10, no matter what it is (& for those on low incomes they too can get free prescriptions). When I first became ill prescriptions were just over £5 regardless of whether it’s a painkiller or EpiPen, which are hundreds of dollars in the US. At one point I needed 3 injections a day to stay alive & as they were rare meds, they cost over £500 each dose, so that would’ve been £1500 a day for 3 years, but I was given them all FREE. On top of all the free tests, scans, surgeries, reviews, appointments, home visits from drs & nurses, emergency admissions & being taken to & from the hospital for routine appointments or a 999 emergency ambulance & getting my medication free, I even get my medication delivered to my door & handed to me completely free. I don’t even have to pay for somebody to go out of their way & bring my prescriptions from my pharmacy to my front door. I know if anyone actually reads this comment they will say it’s not free because we pay for it through taxes, statistically when you look at the facts & figures, even though we do pay for healthcare through taxes, in the UK we actually pay less tax than the USA, and then the USA has the cost of medical care on top. I can see & hear in your voice just how much you appreciate the NHS & I’m so pleased that you have a mostly positive opinion of it. My American relatives have a bad impression of it, even though they’ve never used it or lived in a country with a similar system. Their attitude is “why should I pay for someone else’s healthcare?”. I know that even with reasonably good insurance they battle with their insurance co to get the medication their Dr wants them to take or to be approved for the surgery they need. We definitely do have a long waiting list (made worse by Covid) but generally speaking if you have a serious problem that badly affects your day-to-day life, you really don’t have to wait that much longer than if you were trying to go through an insurance co to sort it out in USA. Just the knowledge that we can call 111 & they can arrange an emergency same-day appointment (free) or get a prescription (always under £10 or free) or call 999 in an emergency & go to hospital without thinking about the cost, is such a privilege but should be a basic human right. Psychologically there’s a sense of security & freedom from knowing that you won’t have any financial worries if you’re taken ill. My life-threatening & life-changing issue is so rare that it took a long time to get diagnosed. They ran every test under the sun which kept coming back normal when there was clearly something very wrong with my body. I was ending up in A&E/ the ER 2-3x wk. They didn’t think to test for something that only 1 person per million has & I was very close to death when they finally discovered what was wrong. If I lived in the USA I know I would’ve died (& become bankrupt & homeless) long before they discovered the cause of my issues. It breaks my heart for people in my situation who live in the USA. I’m only alive because of the NHS. I wish my relatives in the USA had a better understanding of the NHS. They’ve never used it or lived under a similar system but have such a negative opinion of it. I really appreciate your perspective & gratitude for it & you are right to discuss any negative issues you’ve had. The NHS is far from perfect, but IMO (& it looks like you too) the NHS is a far better healthcare system than what you currently have in the USA. So many people in the UK take it for granted & forget that if they were in the USA they wouldn’t be able to have any interaction in the medical field without a bill. The main reason I’ve chosen to live in the UK when I could live in the USA with dual-citizenship, is because I have such serious health problems that I wouldn’t survive one month over there. I’ve visited people in hospitals in the USA & it seems like a more pleasant environment having their own room & bathroom, but apart from that I don’t think there is a fundamental difference between being in hospital here or there. My relatives want whoever they view as the “best” Dr & the ability to choose who they see & fast appointments & surgery asap. I understand why they might not like the idea of not having their own private room & being in a ward with 3 other people. I understand their fear at the thought of not being able to choose their own doctor, but we CAN specifically request to see a particular consultant/ doctor/ surgeon & if we aren’t happy we can request to see a different one. They have the attitude that we don’t have excellent drs & surgeons but they’re all trained to exceptionally high standards. Regulations mean that any medic who isn’t good at their job is held to account or loses their license to practice medicine. In my experience, many surgeons don’t have great bedside manner/ social skills (no smile or friendly persona) but I would rather have a surgeon with yrs of experience who’s excellent at surgery than a surgeon who’s great at chit-chat & smiles slot. In the USA, healthcare is a massive business & money making opportunity, so a Dr might try to push particular medications due to big Pharma & commission, or order tests that aren’t absolutely necessary in order to make money. At least in the UK you know that they’re not going to prescribe you a drug that you don’t need & they’re not going to order any unnecessary tests, because medicine here is not for profit. The NHS is struggling & has its issues, but the psychological freedom we have here is indescribable, knowing we will all receive help no matter what our background or financial circumstances & never have to worry about the cost of being unlucky or unfortunate with our health. I wish everyone in the USA could experience the NHS. It’s precious. I hope you have a speedy recovery. .
Your life is very precious and we all pay in and the people who haven't needed any help are paying for you. It makes for a much happier society where we all look after each other.
Wow I read through all your message and as a person who lives in the UK (Wales where even our prescriptions are all free to everyone) I do appreciate the fantastic NHS , although we do have a few problems, we do not have to bankrupt ourselves receiving the benefit. I have had two life saving surgeries and on life saving medication for life IT IS ALL LITERALLY FREE AT THE POINT OF SERVICE FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE. I did however pay all my taxes gladly when I was working and that is the principal of the whole system is mutual benefit and a protection in case you ever need any help, which I did eventually. The medical staff are as near to being angels as any human being can be.
@@Thea7972 This was an incredible response. Thank you. I’m currently back in hospital but I want to take the time to read through again and properly absorb. ❤️
@@haasfamfarm Get well soon! It’s such a miserable time of year to be ill and in hospital! I hope you’re out in time for Xmas. If there’s any issues with your medication again then speak up and keeping telling every single nurse & dr you see, until you’re confident it’s sorted out. Sometimes when I’m on a ward I just don’t have the energy to keep explaining that my medication is genuinely time-critical and it’s very stressful when the staff are busy and sometimes forget. I get in touch with an organisation called PALS who will then call the hospital and advocate on my behalf (PALS calling them and explaining I’ll die if it’s late or forgotten gets their attention 😂). If you have any issues then PALS will sort it out! It stands for the Patient Advice and Liaison Service and it’s a nationwide organisation, there to help with any issues you have with the NHS. Each region/ county has their own office & phone number, so if you google PALS followed by your location, their number will pop up and you can phone them if you need help with anything relating to the NHS. I hope you feel better soon and get back home for Christmas! 🎄
I’m an American living in France and love the healthcare here in France. As a nurse in the US, I know what the difference is. I was diagnosed with stage 2C melanoma in March 2023. I’ve had surgeries, scans, blood tests, immunotherapy and multiple doctor appointments. I also had home nurse visits for 28 days after my big surgery. I also have taxi rides to my treatments that are over an hour away. I have paid less than €300 out of pocket. In the states, I would never have had home visits or taxi rides. My medical care would have bankrupted us.
As someone who lives in the US, our family has seen the US healthcare at it's best and worst. At it's best it's not a patch on the NHS - even at it's worst. I'm glad you are healing, and hope you are back on track again soon.
Glad you're on the mend. Our system is not perfect and mistakes happen but it's better than the alternative. On Friday I spent 7 hours in A&E with chest pain - I had a heart attack last year so I take that sort of thing more seriously now. It took so long because they lost my first set of blood tests so had to do it again. Still, they took my concern seriously and did thorough tests including an ECG and chest x-ray. I'm fine but so glad I can go to the hospital or doctor without having to worry about the cost.
This was my thought, as well. It needs to be highlighted so that the ward in question, or the whole hospital, has it's medication procedures overhauled.
I would be upset too with the mistake on the medication, especially, repeated. I hope the NHS investigated and learn from it. It’s important that they recognise it and look at the reasons why. Thanks for your honesty. 🥰
My son in law had his gallbladder removed quickly after he was diagnosed with gallstones and had follow-up appointments. I'm so glad you're on the mend.
I actually forgot to share in the video. In my last A&E visit in late spring, they found the gallstones and even showed me, but because I couldn't point exactly to my gallbladder, they just sent me home. The attack was so bad by then, the pain was everywhere.
I know several people who had gall bladder problems, including my mother in law. They were all in different parts of the country. My mother in law went to her GP with the pain. The doctor sent for an ambulance and into hospital she went and it was dealt with. All the others I know went into hospital by ambulance and they were diagnosed straight away, none were sent home with a dodgy diagnosis. This does seem very odd.
That's awful - pain in the abdomen isn't always felt at the actual site of the problem (according to my GP) because the nerves are bundled in a central position. I suspect he was oversimplifying for me. But the son-in-law getting swift treatment which a woman has to wait a year for doesn't surprise me: women's pain is too often dismissed or underestimated. This isn't me being sexist - there have been studies into this. Apparently, even female doctors take men's reporting of pain and symptoms more seriously than women's. Women are often thought to have a low pain threshold, but if a man is saying pain is unbearable they believe it must be bad. That really doesn't make sense when you consider that many women go through childbirth and some of the women whose illness pain was dismissed did so without painkillers!
@yumyummoany, I'm really glad that your m-i-l was diagnosed and treated quickly. However, my daughter went through a similar situation to the woman in this video, including several A&E visits when she was sent home. She only got treatment when the failing gallbladder affected her liver and things got very serious.
I don't think any country can avoid criticism of their health care. Living in Sweden and have often found myself in hospital, even more so now that I'm an old pensioner. It has happened that I've had to question the authority and decision making of a doctor, and been correct. However, it doesn't happen so often but has resulted in me being readmitted on several occasions. That said, I'm really pleased to be aging here in Stockholm with several hospitals and with fantastic home help provided should it be needed. (A footnote: 5 daily visits by a carer, with cooked meals, and then weekly help with shopping and accompanied walks and laundry.... for the incredible sum of approximately £200 a month) I do believe the concept of the NHS is quite marvellous, but it needs to adapt and have more investment in it.
@haasfamfarm Constipation can be very painful and can mimic gallbladder problems. Did you go to your GP complaining of this during these past months? Even A&E should pick up repeated visits as a warning that something more is wrong. However, your GP certainly should, and should be arranging further tests to find out if there's a more serious problem. I think you're certainly entitled to a very serious apology. The NHS is generally pretty good, and I've unfortunately had to use it quite a lot recently, so I have some experience, but what happened to you clearly falls well below an acceptable standard. I am normally very much against medical negligence litigation, especially in the case of simple human error. In your case however there seems to have been a whole series of errors which suggests a systematic failure. If it takes the threat of litigation to have what happened fully investigated and any systemic failings rectified it might be a good thing. Not to "pin the blame" on any particular individual, but to avoid some other patient having to experience a similar situation in the future.
Last month I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. This month I spent a week in hospital having the cancer removed. My NHS experience was faultless; the care was humbling.
Sorry we had to go through this, the NHS has got its faults but we are striving to get it right after years of underfunding, i am glad your ok now and on the mend
I’m a big fan of the NHS. They’ve literally saved my life twice. However I do agree that it’s not perfect, and there can be issues if you’re already on medication. When you go in, they want all your usual meds handed over saying they will dispense them to you. They don’t always do that, as you’ve found. I’m on immune suppressants for a liver transplant and it’s essential that I take them regularly to avoid rejection. I had to nag like a fishwife to get them given out! To the extent that I think if I’m ever an inpatient again, I’ll take my own secret stash! I’m so happy you’re feeling better, and very sorry things did not go as smoothly as they should have.
It's more of the doctor not looking at the patient's GP notes and prescribing the medication. Maybe there's a reason for it. She did not really explain it, and even the nurses get frustrated by the doctors for it. Also, you can sign a form to self-administer your medication as long you have the capacity, but most doctors and nurses won't mention it. Maybe she was on to many opioids her pain isn't properly being managed hence a referral to the pain nurse will sort things.
The hospital doesn't have your GP notes when you go in through A&E. They don't always have them even when you are sent in for an elective surgery from the get-go. My experiences of many hospital visits over the last 18 months is that either the patient or their relatives inform the hospital upon admission of regular medication. When an ambulance is called, the paramedics usually try to obtain that information before taking the patient in. The communication breakdown is the fault of the hospital (sometimes localised to a particular ward, sometimes widespread throughout the hospital). Whatever the reason, it needs to be addressed.
@@miaschu8175 Or they might use Careflow previously called medway, it has all your information even medical letters Lol. I know this because I have used it before.
Gall bladder what a pain they are to diagnose.I had mine removed about 10 yrs ago after suffering for a good time with it,and for a minor health problem the pain is severe and acute.Hope you will be back to full recovery soon ❤
I've been on the wrong end of an nhs mess up , it wasn't nice. Ultimately though , it wasn't any single persons fault. Like you , it seemed more like a case of poor communication on their part. I quickly got better , so put it down to experience and moved on with life. Here's an Englishism for you , "no point crying over spilt milk". Glad you're on the mend and looking forward , not back.❤
But we shouldn't have to be saying "no point crying over spilt milk". It's like everything else in the country now. It has all been allowed to be run into the ground, and we are at a tipping point where it is going to far, and things are in danger of turning into chaos and wrack and ruin. I am seriously disgusted with our politicians and governments for causing all this. It is sad and bloody embarrassing...
@summerssummers1986 I agree totally , with every word. However , on a personal day to day level you have to move on from such things. You can't spend your life being pissed at something , well I can't.
@@summerssummers1986 Appreciate everyone's comments. I actually forgot to share in the video. In my last A&E visit, they found the gallstones and even showed me, but because I couldn't point exactly to my gallbladder, they just sent me home. The attack was so bad by then, the pain was everywhere.
@@haasfamfarm jeeez , not good. When I had what was supposed to be minor , routine surgery , they forgot to tell me I'd actually had complex , major work done. I was really angry for a while but had to put it behind me and move on.
It's so important that both the good side and the more sketchy side get mentioned. You really have to try to keep one step ahead of them, but that so hard without an advocate when you're worried and in a lot of pain. It's down to understanding, and it's a miracle they are able to organise emergency care you can depen upon. Glad to hear you're a lot better now. Just thinking... Even if you had been a private patient, they would still have sent you back into the emergency system the second time.
I pleased that you are now on the way to a more normal life. Having been in hospital myself this year, for the first time in 80 years. The treatment I received was first class, but not the food. I had an infection that was paralysing part of my body and I was also expertising back pain. As I had been treated for prostrate cancer by radio therapy a year before, I was given a CT scan in case the cancer had spread to my spine. There was no trace of the cancer, but they did find a blood clot in one of my lungs and that I had in the past fractured a rib (did it in Croatia this year, another story about hospitals). When I came out of hospital after 4 days, I was given medication to take home to treat the blood clot. Some weeks later clearing away the paperwork that was given to me when I discharged from the hospital, I discovered I should have been given more medication for the infection than I was given. I am pleased to say that I am now fit and heathy 80 year old, about to go to the gym.
I do find it interesting when some Americans comment that the NHS isn't "free", that it comes out of higher taxes. That is true, it is paid for from tax, but it's "free at the point of need". Something that I don't think that many take into account when it comes to cost is how the tax implications in the UK compares to the cost of health insurance in the US? I understand the sentiment of not wanting to pay for someone else's healthcare, but consider the other side of that; they're also helping to pay for your healthcare. Isn't that exactly how insurance premiums (any insurance, not just medical) work.
As a 'high earner £56k pa of my taxes £2622 goes to the NHS. If you want to find out how much of your tax goes to the NHS you can look it up on the HMRC website. My employer also pays around £3500 pa as part of their tax liability. Personally I'd be happy paying more for the NHS, but I do recognise that there is significant wastage within the system that needs to be addressed. This is due to many reasons and under investment along with societal changes only exaggerate the problems.
But here's the thing, even with those higher taxes, groceries are still about 35% lower in the UK than the US. Cellphone plans are cheaper, property (council) taxes are cheaper, car insurance and property insurance is cheaper. People only know what they are used to.
Hi Starre, very glad you're finally recovering. To be honest, the NHS is at breaking point, I'll not get political. Having your medication messed up is a scandal and I'm not surprised actually :-( On the other hand I have lived in the USA and know the NHS here is far better here than the almost impossible expense of being ill in the US! You will soon be back to your normal self. Best wishes to you
The NHS is so underfunded and short staffed these days, it's actually a wonder things go as well as they do. I am so sorry that you had to go through what you did... I would be worried and stressed too... Consecutive governments have let things run down so far and basically almost ruined what we love and are very proud of. I hope this doesn't make you fearful of using the NHS in the future...
What a load of bull they are over funded have plenty of staff most of which are not even trained properly and to many managers and run into the ground by incompetence.
@@H4CK61 Seriously. If you compare it to the US, their health care costs far more with worse outcomes for the average person. The NHS is underfunded, especially with the way so much is outsourced to the private sector, which is always more expensive. Of course, after 14 years of Conservative government the NHS is no longer the beacon it was, but is still better and more efficient than a US style insurance based system. A German type system would be fine, but of course those denigrating the NHS don't want that type of system, they want a US type.
@@MentalLentil-ev9jr You do mean successive Govemnents? none of them have done any good they throw money at a bottomless pit without sorting the real problem BAD MANAGEMENT.
@@H4CK61 It's hard to see how having less money and fewer staff would improve performance. Since the last war the UK has imported large numbers of doctors, and home-grown doctors are trained on the job. Having more or better-trained doctors would have to be achieved by recruiting them at a later stage of training. Would many want to come? Too many managers? Private systems always have MORE administrative staff and managers. For the past forty-plus years the emphasis has been on getting them to act like business(wo)men and not health workers.
you do need to raise a grievance with the hospital about the missed medication , If the hospital do not know what is happening then they can't address this & make sure that people learn. I am glad that you are on the mend .
If you have a permanent address in the UK and are living here and not in the USA you may be able to buy travel insurance for visiting the USA. This usually comes with £2-3m of medical cover with a £75 co-pay. You have to pay a lot more if you have pre-exiting conditions.
Glad you're home & feeling better. I'm sorry you had a bad experience with the meds. I always thought systems were in place to prevent that type of thing from happening? Something went really wrong there. I will always thank NHS every day. As well as my own health problems, my husband was diagnosed with cancer end of July & once the whirlwind of tests, scans etc he had tumour removed within 8wks. Thankfully caught really early 🙏 just one more surgery, then he's monitored for 5 years. I can't imagine - with all the stress, worry & emotion that comes with that diagnosis - having to think about how much treatment costs? It's cruel. The NHS isn't perfect as you know, but we're so lucky to have it.
I had my symptoms for four years. In and out of hospital 8 times and on one occasion they kept me in for 6 days for various tests. They kept palming me off stating it wasn't life-threatening, and on one occasion gave me liquid morphine where I staggered about like a street druggy for two weeks. On another occasion, I saw the Dr from the out-of-hours surgery next to the hospital, who gave me three pethidine injections in my shoulder and said that was the maximum he could give me for the pain. I later found out it was the stuff they give pregnant women during childbirth. Having had no effect, he sent me around to the accident and emergency department next door, stumbling en route like a night on the wazz. Leaning up against the receptionist window, who thought I was drunk, she took some details as I collapsed on the ground. A nurse came out of the emergency room like a Sgt Major ordering me to follow her. Staggering to my feet, bent over in an L shape, I wobbled into the room where many other patients resembled a factory line of unwell people. I was told to strip and get into a bed opposite an old lady who I overheard was 95 years of age. She didn't look too good. Eventually, I was examined by a nurse and a doctor who took my blood pressure 227 over 127, and, seeing I was in pain, gave me a further dose of morphine, followed by another ten minutes later which had little effect. At this point, I went into a thousand-yard glare fixed on the old lady across from me who went into a panic mode because I was staring at her. I was transfixed and couldn't move my head, my body was paralysed, although I was kind of aware of my surroundings. I apparently had been given too many injections of medication which reduced my heart rate to lower than a snake's belly, and the old lady opposite died. A nurse noticed my slumped body frame and was suddenly aware I was being crowded by two further nurses and two doctors who wanged a saline drip into me and then carted me off to a ward. A few weeks later, in the final attack, it lasted 3 days. On Friday they kicked me out of the hospital. On Saturday I spoke to a Dr on the phone who fobbed me off. On Sunday I called the emergency out-of-hours number again and a doctor came out to the house. Fobbed off again. On Monday morning my niece, a nurse, came to see me and drove me to my GP who was good enough to see me without an appointment. Apparently, my face was pale, lacked oxygen, and had yellow snake eyes. As I entered his surgery without opening my mouth, he picked up the phone, called an ambulance, and booked a bed at the hospital. The operation was a success. So, from my point of view. The NHS wasn't that great. Does anyone know where I can get some liquid morphine? I 😂😂😁jest, of course. PS The surgeon told me my gall bladder had pancaked and stuck to my liver, and had to slice a slither of it off, but not to worry, it'll grow back.
A friend emigrated to the US from the UK 25 years ago. He has suffered from asthma for many years and uses a Ventolin inhaler. His health insurer in the US told his doctor that the generic version of Ventolin should be prescribed, which was cheaper. My friend had problems with the generic inhaler, most likely caused by the propellant gas. After much pressure over a number of months from the doctor, the insurer eventually agreed to fund the original GSK version of Ventolin.
I’ve had the issues with medication before and I’ve had to ask every hour until it was sorted as they are so under staffed and underfunded but do an amazing job with what they have to work with ❤ Glad your on the mend
I am so glad you have come through this. Gall bladder problems are SO painful.our daughter had to have hers removed aged 19. The only caveat I would raise is she found what she could eat afterwards became contracted. The NHS is brilliant imo. I would pay extra taxation if I could be guaranteed it would go to the practical aspects, rather than managerial of the NHS. However I feel the cold hand of (mainly American) corporate medical administrative bodies hovering waiting to pick off even more aspects,
@@kathrynhobbs8874 A lot of people have told me that it is becoming more American. Do you actually think this will happen and do you recommend also having private insurance in the UK?
@ unfortunately Americanisation is smothering many things and there are businesses here who put greed above altruism. Do I recommend getting health insurance….this has two answers. If you are not British, then yes absolutely! In much the same way as I would not go to France or Portugal, where in whose countries I would get some health cover without travel insurance as I would not presume to use a healthcare system that I had not paid into. The health care system here is supposed to collect monies for treatment from non UK patients, but since the post of Almoner was abolished the NHS has been too embarrassed to ask for payment. Thus we have vicariously become the treatment centre for the world. No I’m not happy about it. Second, do I think that UK citizens should take out private health care insurance for health care within the UK?……..No I ******* don’t!!!!! The NHS is one of the most amazing things a government has ever done for its population. Before its inception, you either had to be rich enough to pay for treatment, well enough off to join a health association which were very local, or hope you didn’t get ill. It is a measure of a country’s humanity, how it treats its poor. To allow some companies to trade on, and impoverish the sick is, in my opinion, a travesty.
Filthy self aggrandising traitors like Farage are always waiting in the wings. Trying to enrich their pals via privatisation. Chances are small with labour in charge. Always goes down badly when the Tories even hint at it privatisation.
Hi , i have nothing but praise for the NHS . Saved my sons life twice treated my mum when she had cancer and then took care of jer when she was on life support during covid . But its now over stretched , people are living longer , it jas its issues but none of us will fond ourselves in debt or worrying if we can afford prescriptions etc . The concept those 70 + yrs ago was well intentioned and lets hope it gets the well deserved re think it desperately needs . Glad your ok hope you have a great christmas 😊
The NHS is far from perfect but I also had my gallbladder removed recently. The NHS treatment I received was excellent. I had had an infection in my gallbladder in July and it was treated by antibiotics. In October I had a reoccurrence of pain over a weekend. Had a same day appointment with my GP on the Monday, referred to hospital on Tuesday, saw the consultant that day and he got me on the list for removal on that Thursday, ultrasound on Wednesday, admitted for day surgery on Thursday, discharged from hospital on Friday. All done in the same week, I was not an emergency case but it is a small illustration of how the NHS can work. Obviously I was “lucky”, but we have a great teaching hospital where I live in Norfolk and was obviously fitted in as the consultant had a “gap” in his list that day. I couldn’t have got private treatment any faster, it was the NHS at its best, my treatment from start to finish was superb. I for one would be prepared to pay some more personal tax to bring everyone’s treatment up to that standard.
Having had my gall bladder removed, I can appreciate the pain. But if it is not localised, it can be assumed to be other things. Glad you're sorted now.
Had two bowel cancer operations in Edinburgh, Scotland. NHS was excellent, still following up with annual checks. Had to retire early from work but just glad to be alive. Only had minor surgery in the US, that was covered by workers comp luckily. Said many times before that I much prefer the UK system. Peace of mind, nobody will come after me for money. The GP service in Scotland isn't great like it used to be but again I have no money worries. Florida where I lived was expensive to see a GP.
Sounds like you've had a really hard time of it and I'm delighted you're on the mend. I don't think any of us appreciate our health as much as we should and its only when something happens to you, or a family member that we worry about it. That's maybe the knowledge that we know there is a support structure in place that will take care of us, should the need arise. Being ill is stressful enough, without worrying about the sick system of blackmail that is currently in place in the US healthcare system. So I for one am glad you are over here. We have a lot of things going on at the moment that aren't right but the NHS isn't one of them, even the politicians understand that and any threat to the NHS would not be tolerated. Health is a fantastic Christmas gift and I hope you're back to your best by then. Good luck hon..............
I have been hospitalised several times in my life 1 time seriously during the covid pandemic , I suffer from copd due to heavy smoking ( before it was known to be toxic) I’m in my 60s now) I had 7 different lung infections and my family was told at one stage to say good bye I had 3-5 days to live. But the nurses were amazing and being stubborn I gradually recovers , caught covid in there delaying my release but thanks to the NHS I’m living a good life and thank god I have the NHS so am debt free amazingly 🙏🙏🇬🇧
Hey Starr Sorry to hear you had to fully check out our NHS service. Pleased you're on the mend. The NHS while a national treasure to us Brits isn't perfect as you unfortunately found out. That's terrible they mixed up your meds. Bed blocking is a thing in hospitals as you found out. My father had a heart attack and I'm grateful to the NHS paramedics and hospital staff for their quick action in saving him. He was in hospital 3 weeks as they put a temporary pacemaker in but wanted to give him an op to put a permanent one in. My father had to wait until the surgeon could perform a number of back to back pacemaker fitting ops as he couldn't take the operating theatre up just for my father. So he was probably in there much longer than if he went privately although he did compliment the staff and the food!
First off, very glad to see you are home and on the mend 👍. The NHS is fantastic but perfect it is not. A lot of what happens and how well things go depends on where you live. It should not be that way. It was designed so that you should get the same standard of care regardless of where you are. Personally, I have always had superb service but that didn't prevent me almost dying because of a lack of diligence about how much pain medication I had been given. I was taken into hospital in the early hours of the morning with a kidney stone...we didn't know it was that at the time and I was given a CT scan almost immediately and then morphine, which was great as I had never experienced a level of pain before that was so severe it made me almost pass out, and I have quite a high pain threshold! The problem was changing shifts and people not writing down what amounts of morphine I had been given. At one point I could feel my heart almost giving out and had it not been for my wife stopping them, they would have given me yet more morphine and I doubt I would have been here to tell the tale! The other issue is the amount of staff they have from all over the world. It helps with numbers but some of them are not really trained well enough. I had a doctor who was supposed to be taking my blood pressure but he didn't know how to work the machine. Basic things like that should not happen. Since then though, I have had nothing but positive experiences. I have always been seen to quickly. Blood tests if I need them are often done and results back the same day and when I have needed MRI or X-Rays it was never an issue and usually took place within 48 hours. The local surgery is also very proactive in keeping a check on my health. The NHS is a great service and I would not trade it for any other countries health care system but, it needs work and investment in the right places.
I had issues with my gallbladder with the NHS too. I'd been having periods of extreme pain and vomiting for about a year but as you do, you assume it's something else and try to get on. I ended up trying to cut wheat out of my diet and all sorts to see if it was that but no help. One evening and night I got really, really sick (I vomited about 9 times in 2 hours) and was in so much pain I was passing out. I was in an ambulance on the way to hospital within about 20 mins of calling 999 but the doctor there (pretty sure he was a Jr doctor who honestly, looked like he didn't want to be there) really wasn't much help. Despite being in agony and unable to keep medication down (and saying this wasn't the first time) I was told it was just food poisoning and sent home with a prescription for painkillers and antiemetics - which I couldn't keep down anyway! so were no help. I wish they'd given me more than the paracetamol tablets they gave me as nothing was helping with the pain. The pain eventually went away (the attack must have lasted around 18 or so hours) but I was just ill after. I could barely even walk without nausea and I struggled to eat anything but the most bland stuff (I think I lived off rice pudding and digestives!). My GP was doing blood tests almost every week for about 6 weeks to check for things but nothing ever happened (other than being told there was inflammation). Eventually I got sent for an ultrasound where we could count the gallstones (I think we counted 7). I saw a surgeon a week or so later and he was horrified nobody had realised straight away what was wrong as I had all the classic symptoms. He had a cancellation the following week in his schedule so I was booked in (I think I was going to be top of the list to be called if there were cancellations anyway) and had my surgery. I got lucky as the hospital had a problem with water during my surgery (a huge mains leak) so they weren't able to do any surgeries after mine. I went home the same day but honestly should have taken them up on their offer for me to stay at least 1 night to get the pain under control. I was far too stubborn and know they don't like discharging people at weekends and didn't want to get stuck there for days! I think it's normal not to see a Dr after. I haven't seen one after either of my surgeries - or if I had it had been while I was still part sedated so I didn't remember it. I just had a letter to give to my GP which had info in it.
Wow! Great information! I’m unfortunately still in pain at times but im determined not to go back to the hospital. So sorry you had to go through that.
@@haasfamfarm Fingers crossed the pain goes soon and you get back to 100%. Gallstone/gallbladder pain is no joke. I haven't had children but I've heard it's comparable. I recall only half jokingly asking someone if they could hit me over the head to knock me out so I wouldn't feel the pain. Hopefully once the pain goes you have no issues after. I have to avoid certain foods (mainly fatty ones so no more bacon for me and I have to choose the low fat mince etc) but otherwise I'm pretty much able to eat as normal. It took a little bit of experimenting (and dealing with consequences!) to work out what I couldn't eat any more. I seem to have more IBS flare ups but that may be coincidence. Meanwhile, 2 other people I know who had gallstones can eat anything with no problems. Neither were as ill as me so I don't know if that was a factor or just luck. I wish you all the best though and hope life goes back to normal soon.
I am glad you are on the mend. The mix up with the meds should not have happened but unfortanetly it did. My wife had cardiac surgery on the NHS, pacemaker replacement. Her cardiologist told her she could go back to work that afternoon and discharged her with no painkillers prescribed. Her GP went apoplectic when we got in touch and it was a real hassle to actually get the correct pain medication.
Oh dang. My father had a gallbladder attack December 2020. Apparently the sudden influx of fatty food over Christmas caused it to overload. Despite the time of year, and the heavy strain of the pandemic on hospitals, the NHS was able to help him right away and he had it removed in no time. The only delay came from him having to lose weight prior to the operation.
Two things, if I may. First - I can't see any 'clutter' at all. Looks perfectly normal to me. Second - I'm happy that you should be on the mend and am sorry that you should have had problems during your diagnosis and treatment. Your account is honest and fair and, I would imagine, that everybody understands that you support and value the NHS. For many reasons, mostly underfunding, the NHS is constantly under great stress but, as you say, when it comes down to it, it is infinitely better than the alternative of it not being there for us. I hope that your recovery goes well and that you have a great Christmas with your family. Best wishes.
As you’re “British” you can get travel insurance coverage for when you go to the USA. That’ll cover emergency healthcare costs and also medivac back to the UK. Such insurance is pretty standard but it costs more if you say you’re travelling to the USA. It’s pretty much essential to get such insurance when travelling. It covers other travel problems too like lost luggage, cancelled flights, etc. I get family coverage annually for a couple of hundred quid. Also apply for a GHIC card from the government. If you walk into a hospital anywhere in Europe they’ll use that first ahead of your travel insurance coverage. But you do still need the travel insurance separately (GHIC won’t extend to medivac back home).
"I've found that you have to be proactive with your own healthcare on the NHS. I've broken my right ankle three times and undergone four major surgeries. The doctors are great if you can actually see them, not one of their students/underlings . However, the nurses often lack information and insist they know what's going on. I always get information directly from the doctors and question anything contradictory that nurses say. For example, right after my recent surgery, where a chunk of bone was removed from my foot and a tendon reattached, a nurse brought a walking shoe and crutches for me to practice weight-bearing. The doctor had explicitly told me to avoid putting any weight on my foot for 8-10 weeks before being fitted for a walking boot. When I mentioned this to the nurse, she tried to argue with me, insisting she had the correct information. I asked her to double-check, and 20 minutes later, she returned, snatched the walking boot cast from the bed, and proceeded to tell me what I had already told her, if I didn't know as much as possible about my issue , I would have just went along and done some real damage .
@@nicholasmartin297 She wasn't I was in for a day surgery and in the recovery ward waiting for my friend to come and pick me up , the nurse was one of a few on the ward and had been seeing the patients who were coming out of surgery she had been over and checked my pain meds and had taken my pulse and stuff while I was on the ward . She was the nurse who was going to discharge me from the ward , and brought over the crutches and strap on walking shoe to put on my fixed full none removable cast . My foot had been set in a way so it was pointing down , there was no way to fit on the shoe, but she was going to try , until I asked her what she was doing and why .
I was told by A&E doc it was acid attacks and drink milk. Another time when I was pregnant, the ambulance crew said it was an upset stomach. After I had several attacks, it was my dad, who had his gallbladder out, witnessed an attack, recognised the symptoms. Being able to say there was a family history helped getting a diagnosis. Unfortunately pain experienced by women is often dismissed by doctors as something inconsequential, so getting a diagnosis is a challenge. I had to wait months for surgery, but a low fat diet helped. I hope you continue to recover. Pharmacies in hospitals are especially understaffed. Underinvestment by governments and outsourcing services to private companies has diminished NHS, but you won't end up in debt.
UK expat here... well I resided in the UK ("home" if you like) back in 2016 (I was there from 2014 to 2019). I had a massive attack of it, the pain was spectacular and ended up being taken to Exeter hospital in an ambulance. They diagnosed my gallbladder problem right away.
I would recommend that if you have to go in to hospital again, that you take in a print out of your prescription with you. Then you can tell the staff on the ward that these are your routine daily meds.
Ooh, i had a gallstone once, it was horrible, the NHS is a bit mixed at the moment due to bits being sold off and other parts being underfunded, however it is back in the hands of grown ups now so we should start to see an improvement. Glad you got the treatment you needed and are now on the mend. All the best.
There is no part of the NHS that has been 'SOLD OFF'! ALLLLL treatmernt is covered by our Taxes! May be you have experience NHS using private hospitals to help cope with the back log
@kevinstanley9537 perhaps my wording is inaccurate and should have referred to privatised. Depending on who you refer to this has doubled over the last 10 years in certain areas including mental health.
Good to know you are recovering girl! However, until such times as the Hospital are made very aware of their shortcomings, they will assume that all is OK, when by your experience it obviously is not. Keep safe and keep well. Tell the hospital, and even offer them a copy of your video!
Glad you like our NHS - my daughter is a nurse, my wife a Psychiatric nurse, now retired - I've mostly found NHS staff helpful if approached with respect. I've a feeling you didn't want to make a fuss (being American) & maybe a little assertiveness would have been helpful; which of course is different from demanding, which some Brits can be. Trust you recover fully, any problems, you know where to go & it's free.
Firstly it is good you had some good procedures in the end, but my thoughts are in the UK a lot depends on where you live and your local GP, then how efficient your hospital is at diagnosing your problems and organizing treatments. I know of several older people who have had cancer and have had delays of more than 6 months to just get tested, so it does depend a lot on your post code as to how good you are treated
Hi. I'm a retired GP. I'm not that surprised by the delays in your diagnosis. When I was medical student we were taught a mnemonic which was the 5 F's, a list of risk factors for the development of gallstone disease: “Female, Fertile, Fat, Fair, and Forty"... You don't exactly fit that stereotype ! It's not an excuse but something of an explanation. As for the issues while you were an in-patient I'm afraid that 14 years of Tory austerity has seen major underfunding of the NHS which has caused staff shortages across the board. When staff are run ragged, recruitment and retention issues exacerbate the problems. Also privatisation is a significant issue in England - by gradually reducing NHS quality and patient satisfaction, those who have adequate wealth opt to be seen privately. This is much less so in Scotland where we have a deep commitment to the 'social contract' and are strongly opposed to privatisation and the two tier system that would be the result. Health is devolved to the Scottish Government, but our budget comes from Westminster so when spending is cut in England our budget is reduced as well. Sadly the current UK Labour government are not living up to their promise of "change". Labour Health Secretary Wes Streeting has been quoted as saying the "doors are wide open to private healthcare" to come to the rescue of the ENHS... This video by Prof Richard Murphy 2 months ago tells you all you need to know about the UK Gov's direction of travel ruclips.net/video/tMFFVuhgcBU/видео.html
I was also misdiagnosed gaul stones. I was also admitted with an infected gaul stone. I recovered and had my gaul bladder out a few months latter. I later got a liver stone and was poorly with that and taken to hospital. It did clear by itself. I got most of my gaul stone attacks on trips after eating out which I put down to eating fattier food away from home. If you get similar pain it is likely to be a liver stone.
Messing up existing medication was a big fear of mine when my dad was admitted a couple of times. I had a feeling that would be something they might overlook or not take much care with. I was surprised how rapidly they sorted it out both times though, getting the info from the GP and checking it with me. I was expecting to have to advocate for him but I couldn't have been more satisfied. They seemed to have a very good system in place and this was the same in 2 different hospitals. If my NHS trust can do it, then there is no reason other's can't. I don't think it is acceptable how many times you were not even suspected of having gallstones. Ultrasound scanners are available in A&E and they don't need any prep.
Glad to hear that you're improving but saddened to hear that things didn't go as smoothly as they should have. As others have said, the NHS has been underfunded and over stretched since the tories introduced their failed austerity policies in 2010. About seven years ago,my mother, who was 83 at the time, had her gall bladder removed because it had perforated. She also had complications and was in and out of hospital for a few weeks. Just when we thought she was improving, her health would take a turn for the worse and she was back in hospital. Eventually, a simple change in antibiotics did the trick and she made a full recovery. Hopefully, you are now on your road to a full recovery and will 'soon ' be out and about and back in the saddle. Very best wishes. ❤NHS.
I have gallbladder issues, but I'm not at the stage where I feel it needs to be removed. One thing that works well for pain is Diclofenac given as a suppository, you can insert that yourself. If you are having pain that doesn't respond to normal pain medication, it's something to ask your GP for.
I thought that diclofenac was banned because of contraindications to do with the heart. Having said that, I know that topical diclofenac is still available and perhaps suppositories don't act the same way as oral medication. Diclofenac was the best antiinflammatory drug I've taken - unfortunately it caused me breathing issues!
I'm not in any way blaming you for this. If I was on any pre-existing medication requirement prior to going to hospital/surgery, I'd do my best to have a bloody big placard around my neck stating "I need X, Y & Z daily or it's lawsuits at dawn" etc. Glad to hear you're on the up
One major difference between the NHS and the private sector is bed occupancy. Private hospitals operate with far more empty beds, so that they can fit in non-emergency admissions whenever it is convenient. The NHS operates at nearly 100% bed occupancy, so new admissions are catered for by discharging current patients early, sometimes too early. That's "efficient" use of resources. Psychiatric units may operate at well OVER 100% bed occupancy, by having patients "on leave" at home without enough beds for them all to be recalled at the same time. That includes many who are "detained" by law. For efficient use of nurse manpower, patients are rotated around the hospital from one ward to another. That destroys continuity of care and makes communication difficult. Hence all these "never again" errors. It must also promote spread of infection. Remember wards closing or being isolated due to MRSA or Clostridium difficile?
Very interesting to hear of your experiences under the NHS. I am English, 78, male, and have had several major operations on the NHS over a number of years, including heart bypass surgery. I also say, thank goodness for the NHS. I watch American family vloggers on RUclips and it is frightening the stories they come out with relating to the extortionate cost of American health care, even in some cases where people have good health insurance. In the American system it seems to be all about money, whereas in Britain it's only about getting the patient well. As you will now know, medications in England are free for patients over 60, and since my diagnosis a year ago of heart failure I have five main meds that I take every day (which are incredibly effective). If I had to pay for them, it would be a considerable cost each month. What I don't understand is why more Americans in the States are not clamouring for affordable health care. And now with Trump back it may get worse, not better. I know from the vlogs that many Americans consider free health care in the UK is tantamount to socialism, which in some minds is one step away from communism, which in turn is anathema to the American capitalist way of thinking. My suggestion is to stay here for as long as you can!
So glad you’re on the mend now! Sorry you had to go through that. I feel like misdiagnosis is a big problem in this country. The NHS is free but running pretty badly. The American system is ridiculously expensive but runs much better. We need a balance! I was in hospital a few years ago and they either didn’t bring my meds or brought them at the wrong time. Thankfully, I was with it enough to self medicate. They are heart meds! It is SO important I take them at the right times. They got annoyed at me for self medicating! But I say you don’t bring them at the correct times! I have to have them 12 hours apart. I’m scared for if I ever am not with it enough to sort out my own meds. I can only hope my mum would be on it for me. Some hospitals in the uk are better than others as well. It’s a bit of a postcode lottery. The main thing is now is that you’re feeling better! Have a lovely Christmas with your family!
Starre has no one told you about the NHS advice telephone line, 111 will give you advice or redirect you to alternative medical care/advice, and if necessary advise you to call 999 and and some occasions arrange for ambulance service to call out, hope you can investigate other options on the NHS website where there is a awful lot of information about illnesses and possibly treatments etc. Well worth perusing the NHS website to arm yourself for possible future scenarios. Good luck Starre.
I think your review was very fair. I am British and I have seen the good and the bad of the NHS. Unfortunately the NHS has been underfunded by the government, deliberately, for over a decade and as a result care has suffered. I experienced the same some time ago when my surgery for replacement hips was delayed for over a year. Howevr, I was able to make a full recovery and returned finally to work. In the years that followed the NHS was properly funded and became an excellent service, for a time.
I'm an American living in Ireland where the healthcare is also fantastic, but here too, hospitals are understaffed. I need heart surgery once my other issues are under control and have great confidence in my medical team. I do have dual citizenship…
Wow - you've been in the wars! So glad you're doing better now. There is no excuse for the double mix up with your medication! I'm so sorry that this happened.
To add my experience and my daughter who has immune system issues has varied from life saving surgery and incredible care.They have saved my life from cancer twice now in the last 3 years. The problem is a system ruined by private healthcare attitudes and an unwillingness to get back the core values and principles of the NHS. We in the UK as citizens must contribute more in the future for the NHS to work like it or not from my fellow countrymen/woman.
In March this year, I became ill during the night ,( I live alone and I’m 77) bring up green bile, which I knew meant gall bladder. I rang the NHS help line to check, nurse rang me back after speaking to Dr to say they were sending a Taxi to pick me up immediately ( the said ambulance would be 3 hrs) Arrive in A/E, sent for CT scan, hooked up to antibiotic drip and saline drip. Hour later consultant came to tell me scan had revealed my gall bladder was ‘ completely shot, and my abdomen was full of infection’ he was admitting me straight up to the Acute Surgical Ward. That afternoon surgeon came to see me, said because I’m on blood thinners they couldn’t operate until the Tues( I’d gone in Sunday) and that my gall bladder was so huge and infected they might not be able to do ‘ key hole’ surgery in which case it would mean a large incision, taking much longer to recover from. They operated Tuesday afternoon , I came home following Monday. From arriving at hospital I received an infusion of 2 different antibiotics every SEVEN Hours until my last dose just before I left. IT DIDNT COST ME A PENNY, that is why the NHS is worth paying for in minor taxes. Americans pay taxes and then HUGE HEALTH INSURANCE TOO.( which still might not cover all their expenses)
Hi Starre, really glad to hear you are now the mend. Apologies to you for the NHS screw up over your medication. For it to happen once is dreadful, to happen twice in the same week should be a disciplinary investigation over a massive failure of care for you. Unfortunately the NHS suffers from a staff imbalance, way too many non medical admin staff and not enough medical staff. For instance, why would my mother constantly get three letters, all very slightly different for just one hospital appointment ????? Sheer management incompetence, massive inefficiency and expensive waste of precious resources, time and money. Take care and get well soon, Cheers Chris
Glad you seem to be on the mend. Like most countries the UK healthcare system is under tremendous pressure becasues of an aging population, whether this contributed to the mistakes that were is hard toi say, I suspect there is a lot of variation between hospitals in the quality of care. Get well soon
I had a emergency gallbladder operation a few years ago. I had eaten a spicy meal and laid down for a snooze. All of a sudden I excruciating chest pains. I vomited everywhere. I called 999 and ambulance came within 10 mins. Long story short. I was given liquid medication to numb the inflammation and 2 days later I was in surgery to remove my gallbladder. The nursing staff were tremendous. They saved my life.
I've had gall stone attacks and verify it's agony. I always threw up and that helped relieve the pain. I decided to try and control my attacks by diet. Id noticed I didn't eat breakfast then got busy at work so didn't eat until late afternoon and that's what triggered the attacks. My GP agreed but warned me if I got a high temperature or whites of my eyes turn yellow, to go to A&E. It's now been 9 years and no more attacks, touch wood
Did you go to your local GP surgery? It is usual for people here to go to their General Practitioner - GP - first when you have symptoms of feeling unwell. They're more likely to diagnose you properly and arrange for you to go to hospital for any operations or specialist care. This may be something you've already investigated so my apologies if that's the case, but, I'd recommend getting your family on the list of a local GP surgery. Hope that is helpful. Take care.
It is a scary experience myself am in recovery from AAA surgery in late Oct but because it was planned it was explained including pain relief & medicines i was already taking & the need to rebalance doses & forgoing certain meds to avoid complications. After 9.5 hrs of surgery due to complications around my kidneys & 5 days in critical care i am truly greatful for what has been lifesaving surgery & face a long recovery period of possibly several mths & still taking pain meds daily which are reduced as the pain eases. If i had one piece of advice for the last few years i have been using the same pharmacist & certain drugs don't agree he will offer alternatives i was prescribed soluble aspirin on leaving hospital which basically made me throw up in discussion with my GP & pharmacist alternative was prescribed the following day issue resolved.
I’m so sorry the health care system failed you. So many red flags listening to your story that shouldn’t have happened. Keep healing physically and emotionally. You went through a lot.
I have had two major operations and four procedures in Warwickshire hospitals and dozens of scans and found all three hospitals to be very meticulous over my medications
I'm suprised you were diagnosed with constipation. I described my symptoms to my GP after my 1st attack and he correctly diagnosed gallstones. The pain was right at the top of my abdomen, not lower where constipation would usually occur. Also i was home about 3 hrs after my op. The whole ward was having the same thing and were all day patients.
I wouldn’t take Naproxen regularly if you paid me. My husband’s doctor prescribed it for his back conditions 10 years ago. During the pandemic he became sick, weak and had increased pain. It was so bad that I had to set a camp bed up close to the bathroom as he feared he’d collapse if he had to go too far. I brought food, water, clothing to him as we thought it was a bad stomach bug. 2 days later I had to call an ambulance as he was practically unresponsive. Turned out Naproxen had caused an acute stomach ulcer that caused so much blood loss that when paramedics sat him up to any degree, he immediately passed out. Due to Covid, I couldn’t go with him, plus I wasn’t 100% sure which hospital they sent him to. He was also unconscious while they removed him from the house and for most of the ambulance journey, so his phone was still by his camp bed at home. I had to wait 1.5 days for him to recover enough to call me himself.
Sounds like you had a really unlucky and bad experience, sorry to hear that. I had gallbladder failure for 4 months (getting chronic pain 3-4 nights per week for 5 hours at a time). I saw a specialist and then went to A&E and was in surgery within 6 hours. 36 hours later I went home, all very smooth. I hope therefore that your experience is not common, but I am sorry you went through it and hope you are recovering well! And, as you seem to suggest, at least you don't have a huge bill at the end of it all (as I imagine these issues could happen anywhere, although maybe patients would be more likely to sue over the medication issue in the USA...?)
I think they're good in emergencies or for scheduled problems. I got caught last night, couldn't pass water for 24hrs ( apparently dodgy) so I spent 3hours being filtered through administratrion. Eventually advised to go to A&E. Had a catheter fitted fairly quickly and blood tests but then laid unattended for 10 hours (till 11am next day) waiting for a doctor. He did nothing, didn't speak English, didn't prescribe any meds, dismissed me with the bag attached (for a fortnight apparently). Associated symptoms like dizziness/ lack of balance weren't addressed. NHS gets many plaudits, but free at the point of service leaves lots to be desired. I'm back to my GP ASAP cos I'm in limbo.
One thing I would say is to get involved with the GP earlier and not be wait for it to be so bad you have to go to the emergency room, the way our system works with this kind of thing you will likely get it investigated earlier
Gall bladder attacks come on suddenly. It's not a slow build up that you might see a GP for before it gets worse. Otherwise, yes, your way is generally best.
I didn't know you were ill! I'm glad you're now on the mend though. You've been very generous in your words about the NHS and I totally get that you're trying not to be critical. Everyone supports the idea of treatment Free at the Point of Delivery but the model of the NHS is no longer fit for purpose. The problem is that it is such a sacred cow that politicians are scared to admit it (or at least say it in public). There are good models that work in Europe and Australia. We need to hold our hands up and transition to a model that we know works. Once again, I'm very happy that you're feeling better, and your support for one of the UK's most loved institutions is plain to see. Look after yourself (and your family!). Eddy
@@andypandy9013 That is interesting. I have often seen Australia portrayed as a working, highly regarded model health service. What problems has your cousin had? I hope that he/she is doing OK.
@eddyd8745 The Australian healthcare system is a mixture of government and private cover so individuals often have to make "out of pocket" payments themselves for a range of treatments. They pay the third highest amount in the developed world.
I would think most of the shortcomings are down to 14 years of underfunding by our government. Bed shortages and stressed nurses are all too common at the moment; there's hope it will start to improve with the new government, but these things take time. You missed the financial aspect of all this, which I think is important. Glad you're on the mend, though.
@@haasfamfarm Expensive contracts with private companies, set up by the previous incumbents, and where a lot of money is being lost, take time (and money) to cancel and replace. Undoing a lot of bad work and implementing new systems will undoubtedly take time. Maybe we'll see real changes within a couple of years or so. Note that some changes are already taking place, such as legislation to allow inland wind farms, and rail contracts being brought back under public control as they expire.
There is no excuse that explains the mess up of the medication. That is fundamental. for many years my wife was in and out of hospital and errors in medication was very rare indeed, even then they were minor. After surgery she always had a visit from the surgeon post op. Maybe things have changed now or perhaps they were too busy. The important thing is you are on the mend and you will not have to sell the house to pay for it. Falling ill and having the concern how you will pay the bill must be terrifying.
God bless our NHS, its not perfect but due to a couple of health issues they saved my life twice. Also recently had the first of two total hip replacement surgeries and i happened to look up how much the American made implants cost and was staggered that they were $58000! Best of all it was all FREE. The doctors and nursing staff were amazing!👍👏👏♥️🏴
I think that was a fair appraisal. It sounds like oversights are being routinely made due to continuous pressures since the start of the pandemic. It's multifactorial though as the NHS probably hit an impressive level of efficiency prior to 2010 but continuous drive to do more with less has lead to systemic lapses (failures). If members of staff are overstretched then things will get missed. Both my mother & sister have received life saving treatment over the past year although sadly both had to take it upon themselves to sort out some oversights in essential follow up appointment bookings etc - not easy during recovery stage. Both have worked in NHS previously so have been able to address staff like colleagues which cuts down on listening to spurious excuses. Their feedback has been very direct and I think this is healthy - if mistake happen then it does need calling out so it can be addressed. There are structural limitations though. Unfortunately, the NHS is down to it's bare bones & medical staff cannot simply be conjured up from nowhere. Workers from overseas have been the backbone of the NHS & have been indispensable for decades. These days recruitment is a problem as so many were affected during the pandemic - high Covid exposure lead to health difficulties for many. We need to be more generous with pay & visa conditions to attract good clinical, clinical support & other allied health professionals from abroad. Hope you make a good recovery BTW.
Really appreciate your comments. I actually forgot to share in the video. In my last A&E visit, they found the gallstones and even showed me, but because I couldn't point exactly to my gallbladder, they just sent me home. The attack was so bad by then, the pain was everywhere.
I was a ten pound pom, I had my 6Th birthday in Brisbane. As fate would have it I met my future and still wife While serving in the military and was serving in Th UK. I relocated back to the UK for my wife. For some years I had a bad knee, a result of an accident while i was young I was in agony for a long time. Aussie doctors said they couldn't fix it till I was about sixty. Arrived in the UK, had a bad week with it and so went to see a local doctor. Three weeks later they did a procedure on my knee, I'VE HAD NO TROUBLES SINCE AND i'M 70 NOW.
Sad to hear your saga, as you discovered, good though it is neither it nor the people staffing it are perfect. However, while we humans make mistakes, that the error was repeated is unacceptable. Glad you are now recovering.
I hope you are getting better and thank you for your review. You need to complain to the NHS hospital as giving the correct medication is basic , fundamental process that could have even more serious. The problem is that we are too grateful for the NHS and put up with substandard service - the doctor not following up with you is unacceptable from a professional even more so a doctor.
As someone who had an inflamed gallbladder that was later removed, I am shocked that they diagnosed it as constipation. When my attack happened I thought I was having a heart attack as the pain was radiating around my rib cage, I was also throwing up and sweating profusely. When I got to the A&E I has an ultrasound scan and was quickly diagnosed. I spent two days in hospital receiving intravenous antibiotics and morphine for the pain. I had a second attack not as bad, a few months later then a couple of months after that I had surgery. In comparison yours sounded like a nightmare. I only had two attacks but you were having them continually. I'm surprised you were able to function. The misdiagnoses didn't help then the mix up with the medication only made your experience worse. Don't think that because you are an American you can't give an honest review of the NHS. In your case it didn't go to well but with all the problems within the NHS I wouldn't change it for the American system. A system that the insurance companies don't want to pay out and are more interested in making money. America has some of the best hospitals in the world but not everyone can have access to that care. The US desperately needs a universal healthcare system but I don't think they will get one anytime soon. I'm glad you are better and that you are home with your family for Christmas!
You didn't mention that you didnt leave with debt, and you weren't turned down for care due to the 'health' insurance company. Thats a huge factor to include in a review.
you'd think it would be front and centre for a review by an American. And American doctors miss these kinds of things initially as well.
She's already covered the NHS Vs US healthcare generally, in previous episodes.
The title is a bit misleading, this is really about her ailments/treatment.
@@ktwashere5637 It's not so much a question of missing something, just that they always start by ruling out the simple causes of the symptoms presented. There is a saying in medicine, “When you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras” which means that doctors should consider the most likely possibility first when thinking of a diagnosis.
@@peterc.1618 Exactly this, family member who suffered from bowel cancer, unoriginally checked out for constipation.
Absolutely many poor people in America cannot afford health insurance the same in this country, They end up with no where to go for treatment. the health insurance business is evil on all levels and unfortunately the same systems are being used by doctors and vets now. All health systems are run by hedge fund owners already stinking rich so it is pure greed, that runs these things and the people who hand their souls to these people are just as evil. The people who started this evil system used to be called ambulance chasers in America because they literally chased ambulances to try and get people to sign up for insurance why they lay ill and or injured some times in A & E before they even reached a ward If this is what is called the American dream I thing we should not embrace it in this country, but it does seem that our sheep like government like to follow what America does, I take the sheep reference back they have more intelligence than our💩government.
I think Americans sometimes think the NHS is so like a miracle , and near perfect. But like everything else in life, it is not perfect, and it happens that things some times could be far better. But for all its failings, I believe the NHS is overall far, far to be preferred over the raw deal that the average American gets at home. I speak from experience on both sides of the Atlantic.
So do I and the US Health Care system of payment is complete and utter shite!
Maybe, but it is if you need insulin. People in the US die because they don’t have it for free. And we won’t go bankrupt either because we have to pay.
But nobody goes bankrupt because of a medical condition, and they do not die because an insurance company denied them care.
The best version of the NHS is in France. They do everything Churchill wanted no/very little private healthcare, and what there is is owned intially by their NHS, and HAS to be by law cheaper than their NHS. Thus ALL "Private (owned by the government, run by private companies) are full of NHS patients. Churchill is the father of the NHS.
@@glenmale1748 Actually people have died due to Insurance companies denying them payment, as they would not no be able to pay in the normal way either so would be refused treatment. I am sure you could find instances of this happening on google.
My father in law had his about two months ago. In and out in 24 hours. Before he went in, I saw a story about a brit on holiday in florida early this year. Before they would recognise his insurance, he had to pay $2,000 for the ambulance, another $2,500 for the test. Before they said the insurance would cover it. When he left 48 hours later, his insurance had to pay $58,000 for his treatment. We are lucky to have the NHS we need to look after it and use it sensibly.
$2,000 just for the ambulance!? Ouch! Thank the lord I am British.
@Ciotat1895 same here.
I hope you’re on the mend now! I’m half American & half British & live in the UK. Having seen the healthcare system in the USA I’ve always been aware of how lucky we are for the NHS. I’m sorry about the mistake with your medication, it shouldn’t have happened.
As someone with a disability & now a rare & life-threatening illness, I’ve seen the NHS deteriorate over the last 10yrs (due to government cuts). Staff are over-worked & mistakes & oversights do happen. I’ve learnt to be VERY assertive in hospital (I’m extremely polite & quiet normally) because if the medication I need in order to stay alive is even 1hr late, my body starts to shut down & I will die quite quickly. I had a scary situation with ward staff who weren’t aware of my rare 1 in a million condition & when I begged them repeatedly for my medication they said they were too busy & I’d have to wait for it like everyone else who also wants their medication. They were understandably ignorant of my rare condition, so didn’t realise the consequences of a delay. Ever since then I make sure I keep a stash in a hidden compartment in my bag, so if they take all my medication away to lock in a cupboard, I’ll still have some to keep me alive if they’re late or forget.
Despite some bad experiences I wouldn’t swap the NHS for anything. I know that over the last 10years they’ve spent well over £2million keeping me alive & with the inflated prices in the USA I’m certain it’d be well over $20million. I paid into the system my whole working life, but I do feel guilty about the amount of time & resources that I’ve needed (through no fault of my own with a genetic disorder & now a rare disease).
Without the NHS I honestly would have been dead 10yrs ago. I’ve had well over 100 emergency hospital admissions, about 10 different operations, more than 50 x-rays MRIs CT’s dexa scans ultrasounds etc, hundreds of blood tests (probably near 1000 by now) & more than 50 invasive tests & procedures. I’ve had hundreds of hospital admissions, so many ambulances that I’ve lost count (aside from 2or3 occasions it’s always been someone else calling 999 because I’m unconscious). I haven’t had to pay a penny.
I’ve never had to worry about selling a house & ending up homeless & bankrupt because of my health/ a bill. I feel a sense of guilt every time I need medical help because I know that my American relatives don’t have the luxury of getting help & going home without a bill.
I’m so unwell that I’m incapable of travelling to any medical appointments, so the NHS actually send a non-emergency ambulance, booked in advance, to pick me up from my home, take me there & back for FREE. All my medications are FREE because my condition is life-threatening. Even if I wasn’t seriously ill, I (or anyone) can buy a yearly pre-payment certificate (it looks like a credit card that you show to the pharmacy) & no matter how many prescriptions you need that year, you don’t pay anything more for them. You simply pay a one-off fee £120 (last time I looked) & get a card sent in the post that allows UNLIMITED prescriptions, no matter what it’s for. If you’re someone that gets more than 1 prescription per month, it works out much cheaper to purchase a year-long pre-payment card than paying just under £10 for each medication you need.
It’s still amazes me that prescriptions are always under £10, no matter what it is (& for those on low incomes they too can get free prescriptions). When I first became ill prescriptions were just over £5 regardless of whether it’s a painkiller or EpiPen, which are hundreds of dollars in the US. At one point I needed 3 injections a day to stay alive & as they were rare meds, they cost over £500 each dose, so that would’ve been £1500 a day for 3 years, but I was given them all FREE.
On top of all the free tests, scans, surgeries, reviews, appointments, home visits from drs & nurses, emergency admissions & being taken to & from the hospital for routine appointments or a 999 emergency ambulance & getting my medication free, I even get my medication delivered to my door & handed to me completely free. I don’t even have to pay for somebody to go out of their way & bring my prescriptions from my pharmacy to my front door.
I know if anyone actually reads this comment they will say it’s not free because we pay for it through taxes, statistically when you look at the facts & figures, even though we do pay for healthcare through taxes, in the UK we actually pay less tax than the USA, and then the USA has the cost of medical care on top.
I can see & hear in your voice just how much you appreciate the NHS & I’m so pleased that you have a mostly positive opinion of it. My American relatives have a bad impression of it, even though they’ve never used it or lived in a country with a similar system. Their attitude is “why should I pay for someone else’s healthcare?”. I know that even with reasonably good insurance they battle with their insurance co to get the medication their Dr wants them to take or to be approved for the surgery they need.
We definitely do have a long waiting list (made worse by Covid) but generally speaking if you have a serious problem that badly affects your day-to-day life, you really don’t have to wait that much longer than if you were trying to go through an insurance co to sort it out in USA. Just the knowledge that we can call 111 & they can arrange an emergency same-day appointment (free) or get a prescription (always under £10 or free) or call 999 in an emergency & go to hospital without thinking about the cost, is such a privilege but should be a basic human right. Psychologically there’s a sense of security & freedom from knowing that you won’t have any financial worries if you’re taken ill.
My life-threatening & life-changing issue is so rare that it took a long time to get diagnosed. They ran every test under the sun which kept coming back normal when there was clearly something very wrong with my body. I was ending up in A&E/ the ER 2-3x wk. They didn’t think to test for something that only 1 person per million has & I was very close to death when they finally discovered what was wrong. If I lived in the USA I know I would’ve died (& become bankrupt & homeless) long before they discovered the cause of my issues. It breaks my heart for people in my situation who live in the USA. I’m only alive because of the NHS.
I wish my relatives in the USA had a better understanding of the NHS. They’ve never used it or lived under a similar system but have such a negative opinion of it. I really appreciate your perspective & gratitude for it & you are right to discuss any negative issues you’ve had. The NHS is far from perfect, but IMO (& it looks like you too) the NHS is a far better healthcare system than what you currently have in the USA.
So many people in the UK take it for granted & forget that if they were in the USA they wouldn’t be able to have any interaction in the medical field without a bill. The main reason I’ve chosen to live in the UK when I could live in the USA with dual-citizenship, is because I have such serious health problems that I wouldn’t survive one month over there. I’ve visited people in hospitals in the USA & it seems like a more pleasant environment having their own room & bathroom, but apart from that I don’t think there is a fundamental difference between being in hospital here or there.
My relatives want whoever they view as the “best” Dr & the ability to choose who they see & fast appointments & surgery asap. I understand why they might not like the idea of not having their own private room & being in a ward with 3 other people. I understand their fear at the thought of not being able to choose their own doctor, but we CAN specifically request to see a particular consultant/ doctor/ surgeon & if we aren’t happy we can request to see a different one. They have the attitude that we don’t have excellent drs & surgeons but they’re all trained to exceptionally high standards. Regulations mean that any medic who isn’t good at their job is held to account or loses their license to practice medicine. In my experience, many surgeons don’t have great bedside manner/ social skills (no smile or friendly persona) but I would rather have a surgeon with yrs of experience who’s excellent at surgery than a surgeon who’s great at chit-chat & smiles slot.
In the USA, healthcare is a massive business & money making opportunity, so a Dr might try to push particular medications due to big Pharma & commission, or order tests that aren’t absolutely necessary in order to make money. At least in the UK you know that they’re not going to prescribe you a drug that you don’t need & they’re not going to order any unnecessary tests, because medicine here is not for profit. The NHS is struggling & has its issues, but the psychological freedom we have here is indescribable, knowing we will all receive help no matter what our background or financial circumstances & never have to worry about the cost of being unlucky or unfortunate with our health. I wish everyone in the USA could experience the NHS. It’s precious. I hope you have a speedy recovery.
.
Your life is very precious and we all pay in and the people who haven't needed any help are paying for you. It makes for a much happier society where we all look after each other.
Wow I read through all your message and as a person who lives in the UK (Wales where even our prescriptions are all free to everyone) I do appreciate the fantastic NHS , although we do have a few problems, we do not have to bankrupt ourselves receiving the benefit. I have had two life saving surgeries and on life saving medication for life IT IS ALL LITERALLY FREE AT THE POINT OF SERVICE FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE. I did however pay all my taxes gladly when I was working and that is the principal of the whole system is mutual benefit and a protection in case you ever need any help, which I did eventually. The medical staff are as near to being angels as any human being can be.
@@Thea7972 This was an incredible response. Thank you. I’m currently back in hospital but I want to take the time to read through again and properly absorb. ❤️
@@haasfamfarm Get well soon! It’s such a miserable time of year to be ill and in hospital! I hope you’re out in time for Xmas.
If there’s any issues with your medication again then speak up and keeping telling every single nurse & dr you see, until you’re confident it’s sorted out. Sometimes when I’m on a ward I just don’t have the energy to keep explaining that my medication is genuinely time-critical and it’s very stressful when the staff are busy and sometimes forget.
I get in touch with an organisation called PALS who will then call the hospital and advocate on my behalf (PALS calling them and explaining I’ll die if it’s late or forgotten gets their attention 😂). If you have any issues then PALS will sort it out! It stands for the Patient Advice and Liaison Service and it’s a nationwide organisation, there to help with any issues you have with the NHS. Each region/ county has their own office & phone number, so if you google PALS followed by your location, their number will pop up and you can phone them if you need help with anything relating to the NHS.
I hope you feel better soon and get back home for Christmas! 🎄
I’m an American living in France and love the healthcare here in France. As a nurse in the US, I know what the difference is. I was diagnosed with stage 2C melanoma in March 2023. I’ve had surgeries, scans, blood tests, immunotherapy and multiple doctor appointments. I also had home nurse visits for 28 days after my big surgery. I also have taxi rides to my treatments that are over an hour away. I have paid less than €300 out of pocket. In the states, I would never have had home visits or taxi rides. My medical care would have bankrupted us.
As someone who lives in the US, our family has seen the US healthcare at it's best and worst. At it's best it's not a patch on the NHS - even at it's worst. I'm glad you are healing, and hope you are back on track again soon.
Glad you're on the mend. Our system is not perfect and mistakes happen but it's better than the alternative. On Friday I spent 7 hours in A&E with chest pain - I had a heart attack last year so I take that sort of thing more seriously now. It took so long because they lost my first set of blood tests so had to do it again. Still, they took my concern seriously and did thorough tests including an ECG and chest x-ray. I'm fine but so glad I can go to the hospital or doctor without having to worry about the cost.
I'm glad you're on the mend, but please make a complaint about to the hospital about your missed meds it's so important they know
This was my thought, as well. It needs to be highlighted so that the ward in question, or the whole hospital, has it's medication procedures overhauled.
I would be upset too with the mistake on the medication, especially, repeated. I hope the NHS investigated and learn from it. It’s important that they recognise it and look at the reasons why. Thanks for your honesty. 🥰
My son in law had his gallbladder removed quickly after he was diagnosed with gallstones and had follow-up appointments. I'm so glad you're on the mend.
I actually forgot to share in the video. In my last A&E visit in late spring, they found the gallstones and even showed me, but because I couldn't point exactly to my gallbladder, they just sent me home. The attack was so bad by then, the pain was everywhere.
@@haasfamfarmmy Daughter had Gall Bladder removed
I know several people who had gall bladder problems, including my mother in law. They were all in different parts of the country. My mother in law went to her GP with the pain. The doctor sent for an ambulance and into hospital she went and it was dealt with. All the others I know went into hospital by ambulance and they were diagnosed straight away, none were sent home with a dodgy diagnosis. This does seem very odd.
That's awful - pain in the abdomen isn't always felt at the actual site of the problem (according to my GP) because the nerves are bundled in a central position. I suspect he was oversimplifying for me.
But the son-in-law getting swift treatment which a woman has to wait a year for doesn't surprise me: women's pain is too often dismissed or underestimated. This isn't me being sexist - there have been studies into this. Apparently, even female doctors take men's reporting of pain and symptoms more seriously than women's.
Women are often thought to have a low pain threshold, but if a man is saying pain is unbearable they believe it must be bad. That really doesn't make sense when you consider that many women go through childbirth and some of the women whose illness pain was dismissed did so without painkillers!
@yumyummoany,
I'm really glad that your m-i-l was diagnosed and treated quickly. However, my daughter went through a similar situation to the woman in this video, including several A&E visits when she was sent home. She only got treatment when the failing gallbladder affected her liver and things got very serious.
I don't think any country can avoid criticism of their health care. Living in Sweden and have often found myself in hospital, even more so now that I'm an old pensioner. It has happened that I've had to question the authority and decision making of a doctor, and been correct. However, it doesn't happen so often but has resulted in me being readmitted on several occasions. That said, I'm really pleased to be aging here in Stockholm with several hospitals and with fantastic home help provided should it be needed. (A footnote: 5 daily visits by a carer, with cooked meals, and then weekly help with shopping and accompanied walks and laundry.... for the incredible sum of approximately £200 a month) I do believe the concept of the NHS is quite marvellous, but it needs to adapt and have more investment in it.
So pleased you are feeling a little better. Thank you for sharing your NHS experience. Take care.
Thank you! You too!
I’m so glad you’re recovering Star. Thank you for sharing your experience of the NHS.
Thank you so much!
Glad you're well on the road to recovery. Being ill is no fun, but add excruciating pain to the mix and it's brutal.
Thank you! Still in pain but trying to push through.
@haasfamfarm
Constipation can be very painful and can mimic gallbladder problems. Did you go to your GP complaining of this during these past months? Even A&E should pick up repeated visits as a warning that something more is wrong. However, your GP certainly should, and should be arranging further tests to find out if there's a more serious problem. I think you're certainly entitled to a very serious apology.
The NHS is generally pretty good, and I've unfortunately had to use it quite a lot recently, so I have some experience, but what happened to you clearly falls well below an acceptable standard. I am normally very much against medical negligence litigation, especially in the case of simple human error. In your case however there seems to have been a whole series of errors which suggests a systematic failure. If it takes the threat of litigation to have what happened fully investigated and any systemic failings rectified it might be a good thing. Not to "pin the blame" on any particular individual, but to avoid some other patient having to experience a similar situation in the future.
What large organisation (or any, come to think of it) is perfect?
Last month I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. This month I spent a week in hospital having the cancer removed. My NHS experience was faultless; the care was humbling.
I’m so happy to hear that.
Sorry we had to go through this, the NHS has got its faults but we are striving to get it right after years of underfunding, i am glad your ok now and on the mend
Bless your wee soul lass, glad it all panned out in the end. ❤
Thank you! Still having pain attacks but trying to push through
I’m a big fan of the NHS. They’ve literally saved my life twice. However I do agree that it’s not perfect, and there can be issues if you’re already on medication. When you go in, they want all your usual meds handed over saying they will dispense them to you. They don’t always do that, as you’ve found. I’m on immune suppressants for a liver transplant and it’s essential that I take them regularly to avoid rejection. I had to nag like a fishwife to get them given out! To the extent that I think if I’m ever an inpatient again, I’ll take my own secret stash! I’m so happy you’re feeling better, and very sorry things did not go as smoothly as they should have.
It's more of the doctor not looking at the patient's GP notes and prescribing the medication. Maybe there's a reason for it. She did not really explain it, and even the nurses get frustrated by the doctors for it. Also, you can sign a form to self-administer your medication as long you have the capacity, but most doctors and nurses won't mention it. Maybe she was on to many opioids her pain isn't properly being managed hence a referral to the pain nurse will sort things.
The hospital doesn't have your GP notes when you go in through A&E. They don't always have them even when you are sent in for an elective surgery from the get-go.
My experiences of many hospital visits over the last 18 months is that either the patient or their relatives inform the hospital upon admission of regular medication. When an ambulance is called, the paramedics usually try to obtain that information before taking the patient in.
The communication breakdown is the fault of the hospital (sometimes localised to a particular ward, sometimes widespread throughout the hospital). Whatever the reason, it needs to be addressed.
@@miaschu8175 Yes they do bro, its all on one system, they just need to access it. Its called SystemOne.
@@miaschu8175 Or they might use Careflow previously called medway, it has all your information even medical letters Lol. I know this because I have used it before.
Gall bladder what a pain they are to diagnose.I had mine removed about 10 yrs ago after suffering for a good time with it,and for a minor health problem the pain is severe and acute.Hope you will be back to full recovery soon ❤
Appreciate your honesty and thought this was a fair review of the NHS!
Thank you ❤️
I've been on the wrong end of an nhs mess up , it wasn't nice. Ultimately though , it wasn't any single persons fault. Like you , it seemed more like a case of poor communication on their part. I quickly got better , so put it down to experience and moved on with life. Here's an Englishism for you , "no point crying over spilt milk".
Glad you're on the mend and looking forward , not back.❤
But we shouldn't have to be saying "no point crying over spilt milk". It's like everything else in the country now. It has all been allowed to be run into the ground, and we are at a tipping point where it is going to far, and things are in danger of turning into chaos and wrack and ruin. I am seriously disgusted with our politicians and governments for causing all this. It is sad and bloody embarrassing...
@summerssummers1986 I agree totally , with every word. However , on a personal day to day level you have to move on from such things. You can't spend your life being pissed at something , well I can't.
@@summerssummers1986 Appreciate everyone's comments. I actually forgot to share in the video. In my last A&E visit, they found the gallstones and even showed me, but because I couldn't point exactly to my gallbladder, they just sent me home. The attack was so bad by then, the pain was everywhere.
@@haasfamfarm jeeez , not good. When I had what was supposed to be minor , routine surgery , they forgot to tell me I'd actually had complex , major work done. I was really angry for a while but had to put it behind me and move on.
Sending Best Wishes now you are recovering..& for you & your family to have a Happy Christmas & New Year.. ;)
Same to you!
It's nice to see you looking more like your normal lovely self 💐
😊 thank you
It's so important that both the good side and the more sketchy side get mentioned. You really have to try to keep one step ahead of them, but that so hard without an advocate when you're worried and in a lot of pain. It's down to understanding, and it's a miracle they are able to organise emergency care you can depen upon. Glad to hear you're a lot better now. Just thinking... Even if you had been a private patient, they would still have sent you back into the emergency system the second time.
I pleased that you are now on the way to a more normal life.
Having been in hospital myself this year, for the first time in 80 years. The treatment I received was first class, but not the food. I had an infection that was paralysing part of my body and I was also expertising back pain. As I had been treated for prostrate cancer by radio therapy a year before, I was given a CT scan in case the cancer had spread to my spine. There was no trace of the cancer, but they did find a blood clot in one of my lungs and that I had in the past fractured a rib (did it in Croatia this year, another story about hospitals). When I came out of hospital after 4 days, I was given medication to take home to treat the blood clot. Some weeks later clearing away the paperwork that was given to me when I discharged from the hospital, I discovered I should have been given more medication for the infection than I was given. I am pleased to say that I am now fit and heathy 80 year old, about to go to the gym.
So happy you are feeling better!
I do find it interesting when some Americans comment that the NHS isn't "free", that it comes out of higher taxes. That is true, it is paid for from tax, but it's "free at the point of need". Something that I don't think that many take into account when it comes to cost is how the tax implications in the UK compares to the cost of health insurance in the US?
I understand the sentiment of not wanting to pay for someone else's healthcare, but consider the other side of that; they're also helping to pay for your healthcare. Isn't that exactly how insurance premiums (any insurance, not just medical) work.
As a 'high earner £56k pa of my taxes £2622 goes to the NHS. If you want to find out how much of your tax goes to the NHS you can look it up on the HMRC website. My employer also pays around £3500 pa as part of their tax liability.
Personally I'd be happy paying more for the NHS, but I do recognise that there is significant wastage within the system that needs to be addressed. This is due to many reasons and under investment along with societal changes only exaggerate the problems.
But here's the thing, even with those higher taxes, groceries are still about 35% lower in the UK than the US. Cellphone plans are cheaper, property (council) taxes are cheaper, car insurance and property insurance is cheaper. People only know what they are used to.
Hi Starre, very glad you're finally recovering. To be honest, the NHS is at breaking point, I'll not get political. Having your medication messed up is a scandal and I'm not surprised actually :-( On the other hand I have lived in the USA and know the NHS here is far better here than the almost impossible expense of being ill in the US! You will soon be back to your normal self. Best wishes to you
The NHS is so underfunded and short staffed these days, it's actually a wonder things go as well as they do. I am so sorry that you had to go through what you did... I would be worried and stressed too... Consecutive governments have let things run down so far and basically almost ruined what we love and are very proud of. I hope this doesn't make you fearful of using the NHS in the future...
I think you might have made a spelling mistake with 'consecutive'.
What a load of bull they are over funded have plenty of staff most of which are not even trained properly and to many managers and run into the ground by incompetence.
@@H4CK61 Seriously. If you compare it to the US, their health care costs far more with worse outcomes for the average person. The NHS is underfunded, especially with the way so much is outsourced to the private sector, which is always more expensive.
Of course, after 14 years of Conservative government the NHS is no longer the beacon it was, but is still better and more efficient than a US style insurance based system. A German type system would be fine, but of course those denigrating the NHS don't want that type of system, they want a US type.
@@MentalLentil-ev9jr You do mean successive Govemnents? none of them have done any good they throw money at a bottomless pit without sorting the real problem BAD MANAGEMENT.
@@H4CK61 It's hard to see how having less money and fewer staff would improve performance. Since the last war the UK has imported large numbers of doctors, and home-grown doctors are trained on the job. Having more or better-trained doctors would have to be achieved by recruiting them at a later stage of training. Would many want to come?
Too many managers? Private systems always have MORE administrative staff and managers. For the past forty-plus years the emphasis has been on getting them to act like business(wo)men and not health workers.
you do need to raise a grievance with the hospital about the missed medication , If the hospital do not know what is happening then they can't address this & make sure that people learn. I am glad that you are on the mend .
If you have a permanent address in the UK and are living here and not in the USA you may be able to buy travel insurance for visiting the USA. This usually comes with £2-3m of medical cover with a £75 co-pay. You have to pay a lot more if you have pre-exiting conditions.
Yes it’s called the GHIC card now. Definitely worth it.
Glad you're home & feeling better.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with the meds. I always thought systems were in place to prevent that type of thing from happening? Something went really wrong there.
I will always thank NHS every day. As well as my own health problems, my husband was diagnosed with cancer end of July & once the whirlwind of tests, scans etc he had tumour removed within 8wks. Thankfully caught really early 🙏 just one more surgery, then he's monitored for 5 years.
I can't imagine - with all the stress, worry & emotion that comes with that diagnosis - having to think about how much treatment costs? It's cruel.
The NHS isn't perfect as you know, but we're so lucky to have it.
Well said. I was diagnosed with cancer earlier this yr, and the treatment was brilliant.
@cathoxfordshire glad you're experience has been good too- I hope everything is going well with your treatment & you're on the road to recovery ❤️
I had my symptoms for four years. In and out of hospital 8 times and on one occasion they kept me in for 6 days for various tests. They kept palming me off stating it wasn't life-threatening, and on one occasion gave me liquid morphine where I staggered about like a street druggy for two weeks. On another occasion, I saw the Dr from the out-of-hours surgery next to the hospital, who gave me three pethidine injections in my shoulder and said that was the maximum he could give me for the pain. I later found out it was the stuff they give pregnant women during childbirth. Having had no effect, he sent me around to the accident and emergency department next door, stumbling en route like a night on the wazz. Leaning up against the receptionist window, who thought I was drunk, she took some details as I collapsed on the ground. A nurse came out of the emergency room like a Sgt Major ordering me to follow her. Staggering to my feet, bent over in an L shape, I wobbled into the room where many other patients resembled a factory line of unwell people. I was told to strip and get into a bed opposite an old lady who I overheard was 95 years of age. She didn't look too good. Eventually, I was examined by a nurse and a doctor who took my blood pressure 227 over 127, and, seeing I was in pain, gave me a further dose of morphine, followed by another ten minutes later which had little effect. At this point, I went into a thousand-yard glare fixed on the old lady across from me who went into a panic mode because I was staring at her. I was transfixed and couldn't move my head, my body was paralysed, although I was kind of aware of my surroundings. I apparently had been given too many injections of medication which reduced my heart rate to lower than a snake's belly, and the old lady opposite died. A nurse noticed my slumped body frame and was suddenly aware I was being crowded by two further nurses and two doctors who wanged a saline drip into me and then carted me off to a ward. A few weeks later, in the final attack, it lasted 3 days. On Friday they kicked me out of the hospital. On Saturday I spoke to a Dr on the phone who fobbed me off. On Sunday I called the emergency out-of-hours number again and a doctor came out to the house. Fobbed off again. On Monday morning my niece, a nurse, came to see me and drove me to my GP who was good enough to see me without an appointment. Apparently, my face was pale, lacked oxygen, and had yellow snake eyes. As I entered his surgery without opening my mouth, he picked up the phone, called an ambulance, and booked a bed at the hospital. The operation was a success. So, from my point of view. The NHS wasn't that great. Does anyone know where I can get some liquid morphine? I 😂😂😁jest, of course. PS The surgeon told me my gall bladder had pancaked and stuck to my liver, and had to slice a slither of it off, but not to worry, it'll grow back.
A friend emigrated to the US from the UK 25 years ago. He has suffered from asthma for many years and uses a Ventolin inhaler. His health insurer in the US told his doctor that the generic version of Ventolin should be prescribed, which was cheaper. My friend had problems with the generic inhaler, most likely caused by the propellant gas. After much pressure over a number of months from the doctor, the insurer eventually agreed to fund the original GSK version of Ventolin.
I’ve had the issues with medication before and I’ve had to ask every hour until it was sorted as they are so under staffed and underfunded but do an amazing job with what they have to work with ❤
Glad your on the mend
Thanks for sharing!!
I am so glad you have come through this. Gall bladder problems are SO painful.our daughter had to have hers removed aged 19. The only caveat I would raise is she found what she could eat afterwards became contracted.
The NHS is brilliant imo. I would pay extra taxation if I could be guaranteed it would go to the practical aspects, rather than managerial of the NHS. However I feel the cold hand of (mainly American) corporate medical administrative bodies hovering waiting to pick off even more aspects,
@@kathrynhobbs8874 A lot of people have told me that it is becoming more American. Do you actually think this will happen and do you recommend also having private insurance in the UK?
@ unfortunately Americanisation is smothering many things and there are businesses here who put greed above altruism. Do I recommend getting health insurance….this has two answers. If you are not British, then yes absolutely! In much the same way as I would not go to France or Portugal, where in whose countries I would get some health cover without travel insurance as I would not presume to use a healthcare system that I had not paid into. The health care system here is supposed to collect monies for treatment from non UK patients, but since the post of Almoner was abolished the NHS has been too embarrassed to ask for payment. Thus we have vicariously become the treatment centre for the world. No I’m not happy about it.
Second, do I think that UK citizens should take out private health care insurance for health care within the UK?……..No I ******* don’t!!!!!
The NHS is one of the most amazing things a government has ever done for its population. Before its inception, you either had to be rich enough to pay for treatment, well enough off to join a health association which were very local, or hope you didn’t get ill. It is a measure of a country’s humanity, how it treats its poor. To allow some companies to trade on, and impoverish the sick is, in my opinion, a travesty.
Filthy self aggrandising traitors like Farage are always waiting in the wings.
Trying to enrich their pals via privatisation.
Chances are small with labour in charge.
Always goes down badly when the Tories even hint at it privatisation.
Hi , i have nothing but praise for the NHS . Saved my sons life twice treated my mum when she had cancer and then took care of jer when she was on life support during covid . But its now over stretched , people are living longer , it jas its issues but none of us will fond ourselves in debt or worrying if we can afford prescriptions etc . The concept those 70 + yrs ago was well intentioned and lets hope it gets the well deserved re think it desperately needs . Glad your ok hope you have a great christmas 😊
The NHS is far from perfect but I also had my gallbladder removed recently. The NHS treatment I received was excellent. I had had an infection in my gallbladder in July and it was treated by antibiotics. In October I had a reoccurrence of pain over a weekend. Had a same day appointment with my GP on the Monday, referred to hospital on Tuesday, saw the consultant that day and he got me on the list for removal on that Thursday, ultrasound on Wednesday, admitted for day surgery on Thursday, discharged from hospital on Friday. All done in the same week, I was not an emergency case but it is a small illustration of how the NHS can work. Obviously I was “lucky”, but we have a great teaching hospital where I live in Norfolk and was obviously fitted in as the consultant had a “gap” in his list that day. I couldn’t have got private treatment any faster, it was the NHS at its best, my treatment from start to finish was superb. I for one would be prepared to pay some more personal tax to bring everyone’s treatment up to that standard.
Having had my gall bladder removed, I can appreciate the pain. But if it is not localised, it can be assumed to be other things. Glad you're sorted now.
Had two bowel cancer operations in Edinburgh, Scotland. NHS was excellent, still following up with annual checks. Had to retire early from work but just glad to be alive. Only had minor surgery in the US, that was covered by workers comp luckily. Said many times before that I much prefer the UK system. Peace of mind, nobody will come after me for money. The GP service in Scotland isn't great like it used to be but again I have no money worries. Florida where I lived was expensive to see a GP.
Sounds like you've had a really hard time of it and I'm delighted you're on the mend. I don't think any of us appreciate our health as much as we should and its only when something happens to you, or a family member that we worry about it. That's maybe the knowledge that we know there is a support structure in place that will take care of us, should the need arise. Being ill is stressful enough, without worrying about the sick system of blackmail that is currently in place in the US healthcare system. So I for one am glad you are over here. We have a lot of things going on at the moment that aren't right but the NHS isn't one of them, even the politicians understand that and any threat to the NHS would not be tolerated. Health is a fantastic Christmas gift and I hope you're back to your best by then. Good luck hon..............
I have been hospitalised several times in my life 1 time seriously during the covid pandemic , I suffer from copd due to heavy smoking ( before it was known to be toxic) I’m in my 60s now) I had 7 different lung infections and my family was told at one stage to say good bye I had 3-5 days to live. But the nurses were amazing and being stubborn I gradually recovers , caught covid in there delaying my release but thanks to the NHS I’m living a good life and thank god I have the NHS so am debt free amazingly 🙏🙏🇬🇧
I learned my lesson and always make sure i have my own stash of meds in my bag.
You should contact PALS to complain about the medicine issue just so they can be informed and retrained where necessary
Absolutely.
❤️❤️
Hey Starr
Sorry to hear you had to fully check out our NHS service. Pleased you're on the mend.
The NHS while a national treasure to us Brits isn't perfect as you unfortunately found out. That's terrible they mixed up your meds. Bed blocking is a thing in hospitals as you found out. My father had a heart attack and I'm grateful to the NHS paramedics and hospital staff for their quick action in saving him. He was in hospital 3 weeks as they put a temporary pacemaker in but wanted to give him an op to put a permanent one in. My father had to wait until the surgeon could perform a number of back to back pacemaker fitting ops as he couldn't take the operating theatre up just for my father. So he was probably in there much longer than if he went privately although he did compliment the staff and the food!
First off, very glad to see you are home and on the mend 👍. The NHS is fantastic but perfect it is not. A lot of what happens and how well things go depends on where you live. It should not be that way. It was designed so that you should get the same standard of care regardless of where you are. Personally, I have always had superb service but that didn't prevent me almost dying because of a lack of diligence about how much pain medication I had been given.
I was taken into hospital in the early hours of the morning with a kidney stone...we didn't know it was that at the time and I was given a CT scan almost immediately and then morphine, which was great as I had never experienced a level of pain before that was so severe it made me almost pass out, and I have quite a high pain threshold! The problem was changing shifts and people not writing down what amounts of morphine I had been given. At one point I could feel my heart almost giving out and had it not been for my wife stopping them, they would have given me yet more morphine and I doubt I would have been here to tell the tale!
The other issue is the amount of staff they have from all over the world. It helps with numbers but some of them are not really trained well enough. I had a doctor who was supposed to be taking my blood pressure but he didn't know how to work the machine. Basic things like that should not happen.
Since then though, I have had nothing but positive experiences. I have always been seen to quickly. Blood tests if I need them are often done and results back the same day and when I have needed MRI or X-Rays it was never an issue and usually took place within 48 hours. The local surgery is also very proactive in keeping a check on my health. The NHS is a great service and I would not trade it for any other countries health care system but, it needs work and investment in the right places.
I had issues with my gallbladder with the NHS too. I'd been having periods of extreme pain and vomiting for about a year but as you do, you assume it's something else and try to get on. I ended up trying to cut wheat out of my diet and all sorts to see if it was that but no help. One evening and night I got really, really sick (I vomited about 9 times in 2 hours) and was in so much pain I was passing out. I was in an ambulance on the way to hospital within about 20 mins of calling 999 but the doctor there (pretty sure he was a Jr doctor who honestly, looked like he didn't want to be there) really wasn't much help. Despite being in agony and unable to keep medication down (and saying this wasn't the first time) I was told it was just food poisoning and sent home with a prescription for painkillers and antiemetics - which I couldn't keep down anyway! so were no help. I wish they'd given me more than the paracetamol tablets they gave me as nothing was helping with the pain. The pain eventually went away (the attack must have lasted around 18 or so hours) but I was just ill after. I could barely even walk without nausea and I struggled to eat anything but the most bland stuff (I think I lived off rice pudding and digestives!). My GP was doing blood tests almost every week for about 6 weeks to check for things but nothing ever happened (other than being told there was inflammation).
Eventually I got sent for an ultrasound where we could count the gallstones (I think we counted 7). I saw a surgeon a week or so later and he was horrified nobody had realised straight away what was wrong as I had all the classic symptoms. He had a cancellation the following week in his schedule so I was booked in (I think I was going to be top of the list to be called if there were cancellations anyway) and had my surgery. I got lucky as the hospital had a problem with water during my surgery (a huge mains leak) so they weren't able to do any surgeries after mine. I went home the same day but honestly should have taken them up on their offer for me to stay at least 1 night to get the pain under control. I was far too stubborn and know they don't like discharging people at weekends and didn't want to get stuck there for days!
I think it's normal not to see a Dr after. I haven't seen one after either of my surgeries - or if I had it had been while I was still part sedated so I didn't remember it. I just had a letter to give to my GP which had info in it.
Wow! Great information! I’m unfortunately still in pain at times but im determined not to go back to the hospital. So sorry you had to go through that.
@@haasfamfarm Fingers crossed the pain goes soon and you get back to 100%. Gallstone/gallbladder pain is no joke. I haven't had children but I've heard it's comparable. I recall only half jokingly asking someone if they could hit me over the head to knock me out so I wouldn't feel the pain.
Hopefully once the pain goes you have no issues after. I have to avoid certain foods (mainly fatty ones so no more bacon for me and I have to choose the low fat mince etc) but otherwise I'm pretty much able to eat as normal. It took a little bit of experimenting (and dealing with consequences!) to work out what I couldn't eat any more. I seem to have more IBS flare ups but that may be coincidence.
Meanwhile, 2 other people I know who had gallstones can eat anything with no problems. Neither were as ill as me so I don't know if that was a factor or just luck.
I wish you all the best though and hope life goes back to normal soon.
So sorry about the bad time you have had. Get better soon!
Thank you!
I am glad you are on the mend. The mix up with the meds should not have happened but unfortanetly it did.
My wife had cardiac surgery on the NHS, pacemaker replacement. Her cardiologist told her she could go back to work that afternoon and discharged her with no painkillers prescribed. Her GP went apoplectic when we got in touch and it was a real hassle to actually get the correct pain medication.
I’m still in quite a bit of pain.
Oh dang. My father had a gallbladder attack December 2020. Apparently the sudden influx of fatty food over Christmas caused it to overload. Despite the time of year, and the heavy strain of the pandemic on hospitals, the NHS was able to help him right away and he had it removed in no time. The only delay came from him having to lose weight prior to the operation.
Two things, if I may. First - I can't see any 'clutter' at all. Looks perfectly normal to me.
Second - I'm happy that you should be on the mend and am sorry that you should have had problems during your diagnosis and treatment. Your account is honest and fair and, I would imagine, that everybody understands that you support and value the NHS. For many reasons, mostly underfunding, the NHS is constantly under great stress but, as you say, when it comes down to it, it is infinitely better than the alternative of it not being there for us.
I hope that your recovery goes well and that you have a great Christmas with your family. Best wishes.
I really appreciate this message. I was nervous about this and I appreciate your thoughts. Merry Christmas
You are looking well for someone who went through all that X
Thank you
As you’re “British” you can get travel insurance coverage for when you go to the USA. That’ll cover emergency healthcare costs and also medivac back to the UK. Such insurance is pretty standard but it costs more if you say you’re travelling to the USA. It’s pretty much essential to get such insurance when travelling.
It covers other travel problems too like lost luggage, cancelled flights, etc. I get family coverage annually for a couple of hundred quid.
Also apply for a GHIC card from the government. If you walk into a hospital anywhere in Europe they’ll use that first ahead of your travel insurance coverage. But you do still need the travel insurance separately (GHIC won’t extend to medivac back home).
"I've found that you have to be proactive with your own healthcare on the NHS. I've broken my right ankle three times and undergone four major surgeries. The doctors are great if you can actually see them, not one of their students/underlings . However, the nurses often lack information and insist they know what's going on. I always get information directly from the doctors and question anything contradictory that nurses say.
For example, right after my recent surgery, where a chunk of bone was removed from my foot and a tendon reattached, a nurse brought a walking shoe and crutches for me to practice weight-bearing. The doctor had explicitly told me to avoid putting any weight on my foot for 8-10 weeks before being fitted for a walking boot. When I mentioned this to the nurse, she tried to argue with me, insisting she had the correct information. I asked her to double-check, and 20 minutes later, she returned, snatched the walking boot cast from the bed, and proceeded to tell me what I had already told her, if I didn't know as much as possible about my issue , I would have just went along and done some real damage .
That was probably a physiotherapist who brought the walking boot, not a nurse.
@@nicholasmartin297 She wasn't I was in for a day surgery and in the recovery ward waiting for my friend to come and pick me up , the nurse was one of a few on the ward and had been seeing the patients who were coming out of surgery she had been over and checked my pain meds and had taken my pulse and stuff while I was on the ward . She was the nurse who was going to discharge me from the ward , and brought over the crutches and strap on walking shoe to put on my fixed full none removable cast . My foot had been set in a way so it was pointing down , there was no way to fit on the shoe, but she was going to try , until I asked her what she was doing and why .
@@LISA75_ Thanks for clarifying. I did say “probably”.
I was told by A&E doc it was acid attacks and drink milk. Another time when I was pregnant, the ambulance crew said it was an upset stomach. After I had several attacks, it was my dad, who had his gallbladder out, witnessed an attack, recognised the symptoms. Being able to say there was a family history helped getting a diagnosis. Unfortunately pain experienced by women is often dismissed by doctors as something inconsequential, so getting a diagnosis is a challenge. I had to wait months for surgery, but a low fat diet helped. I hope you continue to recover. Pharmacies in hospitals are especially understaffed. Underinvestment by governments and outsourcing services to private companies has diminished NHS, but you won't end up in debt.
UK expat here... well I resided in the UK ("home" if you like) back in 2016 (I was there from 2014 to 2019). I had a massive attack of it, the pain was spectacular and ended up being taken to Exeter hospital in an ambulance. They diagnosed my gallbladder problem right away.
You were very lucky ❤️
I would recommend that if you have to go in to hospital again, that you take in a print out of your prescription with you. Then you can tell the staff on the ward that these are your routine daily meds.
I did and brought them with me.
Ooh, i had a gallstone once, it was horrible, the NHS is a bit mixed at the moment due to bits being sold off and other parts being underfunded, however it is back in the hands of grown ups now so we should start to see an improvement. Glad you got the treatment you needed and are now on the mend. All the best.
There is no part of the NHS that has been 'SOLD OFF'! ALLLLL treatmernt is covered by our Taxes! May be you have experience NHS using private hospitals to help cope with the back log
@kevinstanley9537 perhaps my wording is inaccurate and should have referred to privatised. Depending on who you refer to this has doubled over the last 10 years in certain areas including mental health.
Good to know you are recovering girl! However, until such times as the Hospital are made very aware of their shortcomings, they will assume that all is OK, when by your experience it obviously is not. Keep safe and keep well. Tell the hospital, and even offer them a copy of your video!
Glad you like our NHS - my daughter is a nurse, my wife a Psychiatric nurse, now retired - I've mostly found NHS staff helpful if approached with respect. I've a feeling you didn't want to make a fuss (being American) & maybe a little assertiveness would have been helpful; which of course is different from demanding, which some Brits can be. Trust you recover fully, any problems, you know where to go & it's free.
Firstly it is good you had some good procedures in the end, but my thoughts are in the UK a lot depends on where you live and your local GP, then how efficient your hospital is at diagnosing your problems and organizing treatments. I know of several older people who have had cancer and have had delays of more than 6 months to just get tested, so it does depend a lot on your post code as to how good you are treated
Hi. I'm a retired GP. I'm not that surprised by the delays in your diagnosis. When I was medical student we were taught a mnemonic which was the 5 F's, a list of risk factors for the development of gallstone disease: “Female, Fertile, Fat, Fair, and Forty"... You don't exactly fit that stereotype ! It's not an excuse but something of an explanation.
As for the issues while you were an in-patient I'm afraid that 14 years of Tory austerity has seen major underfunding of the NHS which has caused staff shortages across the board. When staff are run ragged, recruitment and retention issues exacerbate the problems. Also privatisation is a significant issue in England - by gradually reducing NHS quality and patient satisfaction, those who have adequate wealth opt to be seen privately. This is much less so in Scotland where we have a deep commitment to the 'social contract' and are strongly opposed to privatisation and the two tier system that would be the result. Health is devolved to the Scottish Government, but our budget comes from Westminster so when spending is cut in England our budget is reduced as well.
Sadly the current UK Labour government are not living up to their promise of "change". Labour Health Secretary Wes Streeting has been quoted as saying the "doors are wide open to private healthcare" to come to the rescue of the ENHS...
This video by Prof Richard Murphy 2 months ago tells you all you need to know about the UK Gov's direction of travel
ruclips.net/video/tMFFVuhgcBU/видео.html
I was also misdiagnosed gaul stones. I was also admitted with an infected gaul stone. I recovered and had my gaul bladder out a few months latter.
I later got a liver stone and was poorly with that and taken to hospital. It did clear by itself.
I got most of my gaul stone attacks on trips after eating out which I put down to eating fattier food away from home.
If you get similar pain it is likely to be a liver stone.
Honestly how did they confuse the pain of constipation with gall bladder? Glad you got it sorted,
I’m still asking myself that 😂
Messing up existing medication was a big fear of mine when my dad was admitted a couple of times. I had a feeling that would be something they might overlook or not take much care with. I was surprised how rapidly they sorted it out both times though, getting the info from the GP and checking it with me. I was expecting to have to advocate for him but I couldn't have been more satisfied. They seemed to have a very good system in place and this was the same in 2 different hospitals.
If my NHS trust can do it, then there is no reason other's can't.
I don't think it is acceptable how many times you were not even suspected of having gallstones. Ultrasound scanners are available in A&E and they don't need any prep.
Get well soon hun, if it helps, you look absolutely amazing, truly, like nothing happened......happy christmas
Happy holidays!
Glad to hear that you're improving but saddened to hear that things didn't go as smoothly as they should have. As others have said, the NHS has been underfunded and over stretched since the tories introduced their failed austerity policies in 2010.
About seven years ago,my mother, who was 83 at the time, had her gall bladder removed because it had perforated. She also had complications and was in and out of hospital for a few weeks. Just when we thought she was improving, her health would take a turn for the worse and she was back in hospital. Eventually, a simple change in antibiotics did the trick and she made a full recovery. Hopefully, you are now on your road to a full recovery and will 'soon ' be out and about and back in the saddle. Very best wishes.
❤NHS.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
I have gallbladder issues, but I'm not at the stage where I feel it needs to be removed.
One thing that works well for pain is Diclofenac given as a suppository, you can insert that yourself. If you are having pain that doesn't respond to normal pain medication, it's something to ask your GP for.
I have tablets ❤️
Diclofenac is brilliant for tooth pain post extractions
I thought that diclofenac was banned because of contraindications to do with the heart. Having said that, I know that topical diclofenac is still available and perhaps suppositories don't act the same way as oral medication.
Diclofenac was the best antiinflammatory drug I've taken - unfortunately it caused me breathing issues!
@@miaschu8175 no it's still available, well it is here, I suppose it depends where in the world you are, maybe it's banned elsewhere?
I'm not in any way blaming you for this. If I was on any pre-existing medication requirement prior to going to hospital/surgery, I'd do my best to have a bloody big placard around my neck stating "I need X, Y & Z daily or it's lawsuits at dawn" etc. Glad to hear you're on the up
Thank you!
One major difference between the NHS and the private sector is bed occupancy. Private hospitals operate with far more empty beds, so that they can fit in non-emergency admissions whenever it is convenient. The NHS operates at nearly 100% bed occupancy, so new admissions are catered for by discharging current patients early, sometimes too early. That's "efficient" use of resources.
Psychiatric units may operate at well OVER 100% bed occupancy, by having patients "on leave" at home without enough beds for them all to be recalled at the same time. That includes many who are "detained" by law.
For efficient use of nurse manpower, patients are rotated around the hospital from one ward to another. That destroys continuity of care and makes communication difficult. Hence all these "never again" errors. It must also promote spread of infection. Remember wards closing or being isolated due to MRSA or Clostridium difficile?
Very interesting to hear of your experiences under the NHS. I am English, 78, male, and have had several major operations on the NHS over a number of years, including heart bypass surgery. I also say, thank goodness for the NHS. I watch American family vloggers on RUclips and it is frightening the stories they come out with relating to the extortionate cost of American health care, even in some cases where people have good health insurance. In the American system it seems to be all about money, whereas in Britain it's only about getting the patient well. As you will now know, medications in England are free for patients over 60, and since my diagnosis a year ago of heart failure I have five main meds that I take every day (which are incredibly effective). If I had to pay for them, it would be a considerable cost each month. What I don't understand is why more Americans in the States are not clamouring for affordable health care. And now with Trump back it may get worse, not better. I know from the vlogs that many Americans consider free health care in the UK is tantamount to socialism, which in some minds is one step away from communism, which in turn is anathema to the American capitalist way of thinking. My suggestion is to stay here for as long as you can!
I love it here
So glad you’re on the mend now! Sorry you had to go through that. I feel like misdiagnosis is a big problem in this country. The NHS is free but running pretty badly. The American system is ridiculously expensive but runs much better. We need a balance! I was in hospital a few years ago and they either didn’t bring my meds or brought them at the wrong time. Thankfully, I was with it enough to self medicate. They are heart meds! It is SO important I take them at the right times. They got annoyed at me for self medicating! But I say you don’t bring them at the correct times! I have to have them 12 hours apart. I’m scared for if I ever am not with it enough to sort out my own meds. I can only hope my mum would be on it for me. Some hospitals in the uk are better than others as well. It’s a bit of a postcode lottery. The main thing is now is that you’re feeling better! Have a lovely Christmas with your family!
Starre has no one told you about the NHS advice telephone line, 111 will give you advice or redirect you to alternative medical care/advice, and if necessary advise you to call 999 and and some occasions arrange for ambulance service to call out, hope you can investigate other options on the NHS website where there is a awful lot of information about illnesses and possibly treatments etc. Well worth perusing the NHS website to arm yourself for possible future scenarios.
Good luck Starre.
Yes, I’m aware, but thank you ❤️
I think your review was very fair. I am British and I have seen the good and the bad of the NHS. Unfortunately the NHS has been underfunded by the government, deliberately, for over a decade and as a result care has suffered. I experienced the same some time ago when my surgery for replacement hips was delayed for over a year. Howevr, I was able to make a full recovery and returned finally to work. In the years that followed the NHS was properly funded and became an excellent service, for a time.
Interesting! Thank you ❤️
I'm an American living in Ireland where the healthcare is also fantastic, but here too, hospitals are understaffed. I need heart surgery once my other issues are under control and have great confidence in my medical team. I do have dual citizenship…
Wow - you've been in the wars! So glad you're doing better now.
There is no excuse for the double mix up with your medication! I'm so sorry that this happened.
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To add my experience and my daughter who has immune system issues has varied from life saving surgery and incredible care.They have saved my life from cancer twice now in the last 3 years.
The problem is a system ruined by private healthcare attitudes and an unwillingness to get back the core values and principles of the NHS.
We in the UK as citizens must contribute more in the future for the NHS to work like it or not from my fellow countrymen/woman.
What a voice!
In March this year, I became ill during the night ,( I live alone and I’m 77) bring up green bile, which I knew meant gall bladder. I rang the NHS help line to check, nurse rang me back after speaking to Dr to say they were sending a Taxi to pick me up immediately ( the said ambulance would be 3 hrs) Arrive in A/E, sent for CT scan, hooked up to antibiotic drip and saline drip. Hour later consultant came to tell me scan had revealed my gall bladder was ‘ completely shot, and my abdomen was full of infection’ he was admitting me straight up to the Acute Surgical Ward. That afternoon surgeon came to see me, said because I’m on blood thinners they couldn’t operate until the Tues( I’d gone in Sunday) and that my gall bladder was so huge and infected they might not be able to do ‘ key hole’ surgery in which case it would mean a large incision, taking much longer to recover from. They operated Tuesday afternoon , I came home following Monday. From arriving at hospital I received an infusion of 2 different antibiotics every SEVEN Hours until my last dose just before I left. IT DIDNT COST ME A PENNY, that is why the NHS is worth paying for in minor taxes. Americans pay taxes and then HUGE HEALTH INSURANCE TOO.( which still might not cover all their expenses)
Hi Starre, really glad to hear you are now the mend. Apologies to you for the NHS screw up over your medication. For it to happen once is dreadful, to happen twice in the same week should be a disciplinary investigation over a massive failure of care for you. Unfortunately the NHS suffers from a staff imbalance, way too many non medical admin staff and not enough medical staff. For instance, why would my mother constantly get three letters, all very slightly different for just one hospital appointment ????? Sheer management incompetence, massive inefficiency and expensive waste of precious resources, time and money. Take care and get well soon, Cheers Chris
I’ve received multiple letters too! Never thought much about it until now.
Glad you seem to be on the mend. Like most countries the UK healthcare system is under tremendous pressure becasues of an aging population, whether this contributed to the mistakes that were is hard toi say, I suspect there is a lot of variation between hospitals in the quality of care. Get well soon
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I had a emergency gallbladder operation a few years ago. I had eaten a spicy meal and laid down for a snooze. All of a sudden I excruciating chest pains. I vomited everywhere. I called 999 and ambulance came within 10 mins.
Long story short. I was given liquid medication to numb the inflammation and 2 days later I was in surgery to remove my gallbladder. The nursing staff were tremendous. They saved my life.
That’s incredible! May I ask what hospital or city?
@@haasfamfarm It was St Mary’s hospital London. Same hospital our royal princesses were born. Anyone can use the NHS. It’s free to all.
I've had gall stone attacks and verify it's agony. I always threw up and that helped relieve the pain. I decided to try and control my attacks by diet. Id noticed I didn't eat breakfast then got busy at work so didn't eat until late afternoon and that's what triggered the attacks. My GP agreed but warned me if I got a high temperature or whites of my eyes turn yellow, to go to A&E. It's now been 9 years and no more attacks, touch wood
Did you go to your local GP surgery? It is usual for people here to go to their General Practitioner - GP - first when you have symptoms of feeling unwell. They're more likely to diagnose you properly and arrange for you to go to hospital for any operations or specialist care. This may be something you've already investigated so my apologies if that's the case, but, I'd recommend getting your family on the list of a local GP surgery. Hope that is helpful. Take care.
It is a scary experience myself am in recovery from AAA surgery in late Oct but because it was planned it was explained including pain relief & medicines i was already taking & the need to rebalance doses & forgoing certain meds to avoid complications. After 9.5 hrs of surgery due to complications around my kidneys & 5 days in critical care i am truly greatful for what has been lifesaving surgery & face a long recovery period of possibly several mths & still taking pain meds daily which are reduced as the pain eases.
If i had one piece of advice for the last few years i have been using the same pharmacist & certain drugs don't agree he will offer alternatives i was prescribed soluble aspirin on leaving hospital which basically made me throw up in discussion with my GP & pharmacist alternative was prescribed the following day issue resolved.
I’m so sorry the health care system failed you. So many red flags listening to your story that shouldn’t have happened. Keep healing physically and emotionally. You went through a lot.
I have had two major operations and four procedures in Warwickshire hospitals and dozens of scans and found all three hospitals to be very meticulous over my medications
I'm suprised you were diagnosed with constipation. I described my symptoms to my GP after my 1st attack and he correctly diagnosed gallstones. The pain was right at the top of my abdomen, not lower where constipation would usually occur.
Also i was home about 3 hrs after my op. The whole ward was having the same thing and were all day patients.
I wouldn’t take Naproxen regularly if you paid me. My husband’s doctor prescribed it for his back conditions 10 years ago. During the pandemic he became sick, weak and had increased pain. It was so bad that I had to set a camp bed up close to the bathroom as he feared he’d collapse if he had to go too far. I brought food, water, clothing to him as we thought it was a bad stomach bug. 2 days later I had to call an ambulance as he was practically unresponsive. Turned out Naproxen had caused an acute stomach ulcer that caused so much blood loss that when paramedics sat him up to any degree, he immediately passed out. Due to Covid, I couldn’t go with him, plus I wasn’t 100% sure which hospital they sent him to. He was also unconscious while they removed him from the house and for most of the ambulance journey, so his phone was still by his camp bed at home. I had to wait 1.5 days for him to recover enough to call me himself.
Sounds like you had a really unlucky and bad experience, sorry to hear that. I had gallbladder failure for 4 months (getting chronic pain 3-4 nights per week for 5 hours at a time). I saw a specialist and then went to A&E and was in surgery within 6 hours. 36 hours later I went home, all very smooth. I hope therefore that your experience is not common, but I am sorry you went through it and hope you are recovering well! And, as you seem to suggest, at least you don't have a huge bill at the end of it all (as I imagine these issues could happen anywhere, although maybe patients would be more likely to sue over the medication issue in the USA...?)
You may have to wait with the NHS but if you need emergency care you will get it immediately. Top class care - no thought of cost!
I think they're good in emergencies or for scheduled problems. I got caught last night, couldn't pass water for 24hrs ( apparently dodgy) so I spent 3hours being filtered through administratrion. Eventually advised to go to A&E. Had a catheter fitted fairly quickly and blood tests but then laid unattended for 10 hours (till 11am next day) waiting for a doctor. He did nothing, didn't speak English, didn't prescribe any meds, dismissed me with the bag attached (for a fortnight apparently). Associated symptoms like dizziness/ lack of balance weren't addressed. NHS gets many plaudits, but free at the point of service leaves lots to be desired. I'm back to my GP ASAP cos I'm in limbo.
One thing I would say is to get involved with the GP earlier and not be wait for it to be so bad you have to go to the emergency room, the way our system works with this kind of thing you will likely get it investigated earlier
Gall bladder attacks come on suddenly. It's not a slow build up that you might see a GP for before it gets worse. Otherwise, yes, your way is generally best.
I didn't know you were ill! I'm glad you're now on the mend though. You've been very generous in your words about the NHS and I totally get that you're trying not to be critical. Everyone supports the idea of treatment Free at the Point of Delivery but the model of the NHS is no longer fit for purpose. The problem is that it is such a sacred cow that politicians are scared to admit it (or at least say it in public). There are good models that work in Europe and Australia. We need to hold our hands up and transition to a model that we know works. Once again, I'm very happy that you're feeling better, and your support for one of the UK's most loved institutions is plain to see. Look after yourself (and your family!). Eddy
My Cousin who has now lived in Australia would strongly disagree with you.
@@andypandy9013 That is interesting. I have often seen Australia portrayed as a working, highly regarded model health service. What problems has your cousin had? I hope that he/she is doing OK.
@eddyd8745
The Australian healthcare system is a mixture of government and private cover so individuals often have to make "out of pocket" payments themselves for a range of treatments. They pay the third highest amount in the developed world.
I would think most of the shortcomings are down to 14 years of underfunding by our government. Bed shortages and stressed nurses are all too common at the moment; there's hope it will start to improve with the new government, but these things take time. You missed the financial aspect of all this, which I think is important. Glad you're on the mend, though.
Really good insights. How long do you think it will take for improvement with the new government in place?
@@haasfamfarm Expensive contracts with private companies, set up by the previous incumbents, and where a lot of money is being lost, take time (and money) to cancel and replace. Undoing a lot of bad work and implementing new systems will undoubtedly take time. Maybe we'll see real changes within a couple of years or so. Note that some changes are already taking place, such as legislation to allow inland wind farms, and rail contracts being brought back under public control as they expire.
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There is no excuse that explains the mess up of the medication. That is fundamental. for many years my wife was in and out of hospital and errors in medication was very rare indeed, even then they were minor. After surgery she always had a visit from the surgeon post op. Maybe things have changed now or perhaps they were too busy. The important thing is you are on the mend and you will not have to sell the house to pay for it. Falling ill and having the concern how you will pay the bill must be terrifying.
It is terrifying.
The NHS has been deliberately underfunded. Fewer staff mean the NHS has had to do away with the niceties.
Get well soon.
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God bless our NHS, its not perfect but due to a couple of health issues they saved my life twice. Also recently had the first of two total hip replacement surgeries and i happened to look up how much the American made implants cost and was staggered that they were $58000! Best of all it was all FREE. The doctors and nursing staff were amazing!👍👏👏♥️🏴
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I think that was a fair appraisal. It sounds like oversights are being routinely made due to continuous pressures since the start of the pandemic. It's multifactorial though as the NHS probably hit an impressive level of efficiency prior to 2010 but continuous drive to do more with less has lead to systemic lapses (failures).
If members of staff are overstretched then things will get missed. Both my mother & sister have received life saving treatment over the past year although sadly both had to take it upon themselves to sort out some oversights in essential follow up appointment bookings etc - not easy during recovery stage. Both have worked in NHS previously so have been able to address staff like colleagues which cuts down on listening to spurious excuses. Their feedback has been very direct and I think this is healthy - if mistake happen then it does need calling out so it can be addressed. There are structural limitations though.
Unfortunately, the NHS is down to it's bare bones & medical staff cannot simply be conjured up from nowhere. Workers from overseas have been the backbone of the NHS & have been indispensable for decades. These days recruitment is a problem as so many were affected during the pandemic - high Covid exposure lead to health difficulties for many. We need to be more generous with pay & visa conditions to attract good clinical, clinical support & other allied health professionals from abroad. Hope you make a good recovery BTW.
Really appreciate your comments. I actually forgot to share in the video. In my last A&E visit, they found the gallstones and even showed me, but because I couldn't point exactly to my gallbladder, they just sent me home. The attack was so bad by then, the pain was everywhere.
The Hospital Complaints System in Liverpool is rubbish!
I was a ten pound pom, I had my 6Th birthday in Brisbane. As fate would have it I met my future and still wife While serving in the military and was serving in Th UK. I relocated back to the UK for my wife. For some years I had a bad knee, a result of an accident while i was young I was in agony for a long time. Aussie doctors said they couldn't fix it till I was about sixty. Arrived in the UK, had a bad week with it and so went to see a local doctor. Three weeks later they did a procedure on my knee, I'VE HAD NO TROUBLES SINCE AND i'M 70 NOW.
Wow! That’s an incredible story!
Sad to hear your saga, as you discovered, good though it is neither it nor the people staffing it are perfect. However, while we humans make mistakes, that the error was repeated is unacceptable.
Glad you are now recovering.
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I hope you are getting better and thank you for your review. You need to complain to the NHS hospital as giving the correct medication is basic , fundamental process that could have even more serious. The problem is that we are too grateful for the NHS and put up with substandard service - the doctor not following up with you is unacceptable from a professional even more so a doctor.
As someone who had an inflamed gallbladder that was later removed, I am shocked that they diagnosed it as constipation. When my attack happened I thought I was having a heart attack as the pain was radiating around my rib cage, I was also throwing up and sweating profusely. When I got to the A&E I has an ultrasound scan and was quickly diagnosed. I spent two days in hospital receiving intravenous antibiotics and morphine for the pain. I had a second attack not as bad, a few months later then a couple of months after that I had surgery.
In comparison yours sounded like a nightmare. I only had two attacks but you were having them continually. I'm surprised you were able to function. The misdiagnoses didn't help then the mix up with the medication only made your experience worse. Don't think that because you are an American you can't give an honest review of the NHS. In your case it didn't go to well but with all the problems within the NHS I wouldn't change it for the American system. A system that the insurance companies don't want to pay out and are more interested in making money. America has some of the best hospitals in the world but not everyone can have access to that care. The US desperately needs a universal healthcare system but I don't think they will get one anytime soon. I'm glad you are better and that you are home with your family for Christmas!
Thank you so much!