Korean Job Discussion Forums

[seagav]

How does one go about getting US prescriptions filled? Do you have to have a Korean doctor? What is the "going to the doctor" experience like there? Can you bring meds into the country? Can you have them shipped from the US? Are people on anti-depression meds looked down on in Korea? I will be living in Gim-hae. (in about a week now)

[chronicpride]

Remember that people are people, no matter what language one speaks or country they live in. The same meds are available here as they are back in the US.

As for 'people looked down on', I would suggest keeping knowledge of your ailments of any kind, away from your employer. At least after you've arrived and have received your health insurance card. Then ask a Korean co-worker to recommend a local 내과(nae-gwa) clinic, which are essentially walk-in clinics and will write prescriptions for you. Xanax, Zoloft, Nardil, Effexor, Duloxetine, etc...

I posted more in this thread on finding doctors to issue you prescriptions:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=73178

For more info, you can also read:
http://wiki.galbijim.com/Medical_Care
http://wiki.galbijim.com/Hospitals

[amberflannery]

what about birth control? think anyones gonna hassle me if i bring a years supply? if i get it at the free clinic they give you that much anyway...

[jmbran11]

Birth control is very cheap here, $6-7/month, sold at every pharmacy with no prescription. If you want to bring it with you, go ahead. No problem.

It should be like this in the U.S.

[OiGirl]

Available if you use the Pill. Minipill is OTC, tri-phasic requires a prescription. Other hormonal methods seem to be unavailable.

[OiGirl]

[amberflannery]

its something the govt. does (dept. of health?), i'm in west virginia, but i'm sure other states have it. you go get a check up and a pap and they give you like 3 months worth of pills and some condoms. you come back for more and they check your weight to see if the pills aren't wrong for you or they give you another kind. i think they do the shot too. called the family planning clinic.

so i mean as its free should take advantage.

[OiGirl]

Oh, definately. Don't suppose they do the patch or the ring?

[amberflannery]

i'm not sure about the ring, though i think i heard a nurse mention it. but i'm pretty sure they do the patch. they seem to want to be accomadating so girls arent going out there getting knocked up and then having to live off welfare cause they werent ready.

[OiGirl]

Ok, road trip to W. Virginia my next trip home...

[Novernae]

There were some major side effects to the patch that came out last year. You are exposed to 65% more estrogen than with the pill, which increases the chance of blood clots (see their website). I tried it in Canada and loved the ease, but it was so expensive, (double the cost of the pill, and not covered by insurance) and my skin couldn't handle it. And with the new information, I wouldn't use it again.

[Sash]

Yes you can get them shipped.

[kangnam mafioso]

are all new teachers coming to korea on anti-depressants!? i can't count how many posts like this i have seen over the past couple of years. and the tone of panic in them! it makes you wonder if those drugs really work or are addictive as heck or a little of both. nothing against them (i'm not going to get all tom cruise on you ... and i love the occasional valium) ...

[trinity24651]

My sister has a physical illness, diabetes. If she left the United States, she would need to know that she could have access to the medicine that keeps her alive, insulin. Without this medication, there would most definitely be a note of panic in any of her writings.

I have a mental illness, depression. Moving to a new country, I want to be sure that the medicine that helps keep me alive is readily available. Mental illness should no longer have the stigma that it once did...

[Novernae]