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oxfordstu
Joined: 28 Aug 2004
Location: Bangkok
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 Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:17 pm Post subject: Korean doctors and meds |
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I have bronchitis. Went to the local hospital and saw the Korean doctor there. He spoke passable English, and performed a chest X-ray and diagnosed me with bronchitis. Got a shot in the ass and a prescription. Went across the street to the pharmacy but only got enough meds for 2 days. Went back to the doctor. After arguing with him that I needed 7 days for antibiotics (or is it 10?) he finally gave in and gave me 3 more days to make the total 5.
Why the hell won't he give me a full prescription of antibiotics? Doesn't he know that if I stop taking them after a few days that the infection could come back? If this was the US I could file a malpractice suit. And before the Korea apologists come on and say "Well, this isn't the US, get used to it...blah blah blah" This is one of the big ones. I mean, I could get really sick if I don't take a full prescription of antibiotics.
I'm leaving for Thailand in a few days and if I don't get a full prescription then I could be in trouble. Why the hell won't he give me all my antibiotics? |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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You might not have heard (or understood) everything the doctor or the nurse said, let alone what the pharmacist said. I'm certainly not an apologist for Korea, but there are differences in the way medical treatment is delivered here.
The doctor gives you a short prescription so he can see you again in a few days to gauge how well the treatment prescribed is working. If the doctor determines that it is, then he'll give you a slightly longer course of medication. If the originally-prescribed course isn't providing you relief, then the doctor will change the treatment accordingly.
There is also the issue that medicine in this country is not dispensed in nice little plastic bottles with child-safety caps and typed prescriptions pasted on the outside. The pharmacist package the whole prescription for you in dose packets. Whatever pills you're supposed to be taking at the same time are put into one packet. That way you don't have to remember which pills to take at one time nor read all the pill bottles three times a day. |
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OiGirl
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Hoke-y-gun
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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What Cali said. But if you go back and tell the doctor you're leaving the country, you should get enough meds to carry you over.
Or go see a doctor in Thailand. |
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venus
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Location: Near Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:39 pm Post subject: |
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^^
Or just go to another doc in Korea and act as though you haven't been diagnosed yet, get the diagnosis and then the extra 5 days meds. Voilla. |
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Lostone7
Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Location: SE Asia
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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Or just hit the Pharm in Thailand  antibioics are OTC there.
Oh and Thai docs are much better anyways |
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oxfordstu
Joined: 28 Aug 2004
Location: Bangkok
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Alright thanks guys. I just don't understand WHY doctors here don't give a full prescription to antibiotics. Even if I'm feeling better, isn't it absolutely necessary to finish taking the pills for the full 7-10 days? |
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venus
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Location: Near Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:51 pm Post subject: Re: Korean doctors and meds |
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| oxfordstu wrote: |
| I Went to the local Korean...and Got a shot in the ass... and he finally gave in and gave me 3 more. I'm leaving for Thailand in a few days and... then I could be in trouble. |
That's what SHE said. |
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bacasper
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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| oxfordstu wrote: |
| Alright thanks guys. I just don't understand WHY doctors here don't give a full prescription to antibiotics. Even if I'm feeling better, isn't it absolutely necessary to finish taking the pills for the full 7-10 days? |
Yes, this is VERY important. In fact, failure to follow this protocol is what leads ot the development of resistant strains and "superbugs." But before passing judgment on the doctor, more information is needed as to the injection you received. It may have been some depot form which is effective for seven days, and if the same antibiotic as the oral meds, it may have been an adequate dosage. |
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venus
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Location: Near Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="bacasper"]
| oxfordstu wrote: |
| It may have been some...oral, it may have been adequate. |
That's what SHE said. |
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bacasper
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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| venus wrote: |
| bacasper wrote: |
| It may have been some...oral, it may have been adequate. |
That's what SHE said. |
Can't people ever be serious around here? You know, you have a filthy, disgusting, and perverted mind...but that's the ONLY thing I like about you! |
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Suwoner10
Joined: 10 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Most antibiotics nowadays ARE prescribed for only 2-3 days, depending on the antibiotic in question, especially for a cold. Back home, in many cases, it's just the pharmatceutical salesman giving the doctor tickets to the Knicks' game--in exchange for overprescribing meds by 3X. |
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MissSeoul
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Location: Somewhere in America
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 9:27 pm Post subject: Re: Korean doctors and meds |
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| oxfordstu wrote: |
After arguing with him that I needed 7 days for antibiotics (or is it 10?) he finally gave in and gave me 3 more days to make the total 5.
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Taking antibiotics 7-10 days are old story, these day it's about 3 days and also patient used take antibiotics 3 times a day ( every 8 hours ), that's also old story, these day it's once a day.
It's different medicine and it works better. |
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venus
Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Location: Near Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Suwoner10 wrote: |
| Back home, in many cases, it's just the salesman giving the doctor game. |
That's what SHE said! |
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adeline
Joined: 19 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 1:40 am Post subject: |
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| Suwoner10 wrote: |
| Most antibiotics nowadays ARE prescribed for only 2-3 days, depending on the antibiotic in question, especially for a cold. Back home, in many cases, it's just the pharmatceutical salesman giving the doctor tickets to the Knicks' game--in exchange for overprescribing meds by 3X. |
people shouldn't be getting antibiotics for colds anyway, because they don't do anything! great job mixing together rumor, exaggeration, and make-believe to give bad advice.
I agree with the other poster who said it is necessary. Bronchitis is one of those things that if you don't take a full course of anti-biotics it will crop up again over and over and get worse. I can't really say anything about this doctor or Korean health care in general, but make sure you get the full course. |
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Ilsanman
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Bucheon, Korea
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| Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 4:06 am Post subject: |
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My guess is that the doctor is using you as a test subject. He didn't have any confidence in his diagnosis of you, so he gave you a test amount of medicine, and wants you to come back to see if he guessed correctly.
He got his degree from a cereal box. |
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