Korean Job Discussion Forums

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

I've had a bit of a scare this week. I've had a sore throat, and have caught three colds in the past two months. The sore throat has always remained at some level or another. I'd been to the clinic 4 times, received meds for 3 days on numerous occasions (not enough) and seemed to keep getting a cold back again.

I'd had enough, and now, after over two months of mostly being sick, I got a referral to a hospital. So I went to Seoul National University Hospital. My impression hasn't been entirely positive thusfar, and it's beginning to change my feelings about health care in Korea.

That place is jam-packed, and let me tell you, it's like an assembly line where they are in a hurry to rush you in and out so they can see the next patient. My wife told me that everyone wants to go to the big hospitals, like SNU (probably due to the SNU name). In fact, she told me that it costs more money to go there if you don't get a referral after visiting a clinic first. This is to encourage Koreans to go to the clinics and not to overload the biggest hospitals, apparently. Well, let me tell you -- that place is overloaded!

I will say that the staff people at the international office at SNU hospital (near Hyewha) are extremely kind and helpful. The doctors are also very kind, but to be honest, a few things have left me wondering how experienced they are. The first doctor I got looked to be about 28. I saw him over the weekend, and it was near closing time. He wasn't unkind, but it was obvious by the way his nurse was pushing things along that they had other patients to see. He listened to how I had been sick for 2+ months, made me stick out my tongue, and promptly pronounced that I just had some kind of infection and he'd give me some medicine. He did none of the tests that the local clinic had said we should do -- tuberculosis test, throat culture, etc. It was pretty obvious we were being shoved out the door quickly because they were closing.

So the next day I wake up, hack a bit into the sink, and realize I've hacked-up about a half spoonful of blood. Shocked

Never seen that one before! It didn't happen again the rest of the day, so I decided to just keep an eye on things for a while. Two days later, and it happened again, only twice that.

Off to SNU hospital again. Amazingly, they got me in (or I'd have to wait until the weekend). Today's doctor (also looked very young) listened to my worries about tuberculosis (they didn't immunize kids in the USA against this when I was young), so she did an x-ray and is having me give sputum samples in a few days for more accurate tests. Luckily, the x-ray showed nothing. So what is it?

So that doctor was ready to send me out the door -- mission accomplished... no tuberculosis currently... see you in two weeks when the tests come back.. next patient please. I protested that I'd like someone to look at my throat, as there is obviously SOMETHING wrong. She agreed (but I was thinking, "why do I have to insist that I need this before I see someone who can look at my throat?"), and had the aides set me up with an ENT doctor. Luckily, I was able to squeeze out some time tomorrow to go there (or they were, actually) because if I didn't get in then, I'd be waiting until next month for an open appointment!

In the middle of this, I asked if I could get an immunization shot for tuberculosis. That's when the doctor said, "We don't vaccinate adults for that in Korea (only babies) and it's not done for adults anywhere else in the world either, because it's ineffective." I was surprised, because my mother told me my sister had this done in the USA recently. I was doubly surprised because I'd just gotten off of the phone with the international clinic in Itaewon the day before, and they said they indeed DO adult vaccinations for tuberculosis.

So who is wrong? Did any of you get vaccinated against tuberculosis as an adult?

In the meantime, I'm going to see if I can push these guys hard enough to snake a camera down my throat sometime within the next 10 visits so that we can actually find out what's going on! Hopefully they'll be able to squeeze me in enough times that I won't be waiting several months to find out I have throat cancer or something!

blackjack · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: anyang

chris_J2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Location: From Brisbane, Au.

Could be

1. URTI (Upper Respiratory Tract Infection)

2. Bronchitis

3. Pneumonia

4 Tonsilitis. Have you had your tonsils out?

5. Other

Have you tried your school nurse? Seriously. I see them scanning the kids with lasers every morning, to detect any flu fevers.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

I'm hoping it's the same thing that happened to my coworker before. She broke a capillary from coughing hard.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

You should try to find a decent ENT clinic. They`ll have the camera and would be will to shove it up or down your nost/throat.

bluelake · Joined: 01 Dec 2005

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

Why don't you go to another hospital? It seems you are being given the run around. SNU = public as it is a public university. Go to a private hospital. You will get results.

inkoreaforgood · Joined: 15 Dec 2003 Location: Inchon

hochhasd · Joined: 05 Jul 2008

ThingsComeAround · Joined: 07 Nov 2008

I'm very sorry to hear about your ailment, Bass.
Please realize that the medical system is nothing but a game. G-A-M-E. [Most] Doctors believe that since you don't have a medical degree, they are above you and you have no right to question them. Especially here, where incompetence isn't meant to be questioned. I concur with Mr Pink, going to a private hospital will get you the outcome you've been seeking. Good luck!

Jane · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

I suggest Yonsei Severance Hospital.
I went in there last summer--feeling like death thanks to bronchitis that I had let go too long--and they were excellent. I saw Dr.Park on multiple occasions, and has been nothing but gracious and patient.

Severance also advertises that they use evidence-based medicine, which means they should be doing tests to rule out things until they find what you have.

I would have a go there...they have a walk-in clininc I think on Saturdays...but check that fact to make sure..(although the doctor there on Saturdays--a younger girl--doesn't seem to be as good as Dr.Park, and I recommend avoiding the young one)

weatherman · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: Korea

Have you tried the international clinic over at Yonsei?

Yesterday · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:34 pm Post subject:

It doesn't sound like tuberculosis

Are your glands swollen... Maybe glandular fever (Mononucleosis) or a bad case of sinusitis...

but then I am not a doctor.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

I suggest the St. Marys hospital in Gangnam or dr love's Kyunghee hospital in Go deok.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

I went to Yonsei for pneumonia 6 years ago, and they were good. I met with some older Korean lady doctor at the time. It's kind of a pain to get there, if memory serves (was way in the back somewhere) but I was quite a newbie at the time, so it's probably not as bad as I remember.

Everyone at SNU has been every kind to me, and they even send an aide around to help you do everything (if you're a foreigner). It's just the overdriven "bally bally" assembly line feeling I get there that really bothers me. That and I can't help but escape the feeling that these first-line doctors are still somewhat new and inexperienced.

The suggestions of finding a good ENT clinic are spot-on. Just have to find one. Didn't see any blood today.