Trying to trust Dutch doctors but not liking their recommendations?

Member since 08 February 2019

DailydalekMember08 February 2019 11:21:01

Hi,

I know Dutch medicine is rated high in the world. I'm overall happy with my care. However I've seen a new gp that is shattering my trust in the system. She doesn't seem to listen to my complaints.

Recently, my ear was infected. Another gp who works in the same office diagnosed this and prescribed ear drops and said to call in a couple of weeks if the problem didn't go away. It still feels full, is draining, next to my cheek and behind the ear were painful, it's popping a lot, etc. I called to make an appointment, at this point 2 weeks after I saw first doctor and got the gp that doesn't listen to me. She looked in my ear and said it was completely fine (the symptoms haven't changed.) She decides I have TMJ due to the ADHD meds a psychiatrist prescribed and asked if I actually needed those. (yes, obviously or they wouldn't be prescribed?) She says it won't go away unless I stop those meds. I can close my mouth, move it around, I have no pain in my jaw or anything, but my ear is still draining and popping. My ear recently had blood drain from it. I really don't trust the "it's just TMJ, stop ADHD meds" thing.

Then my daughter had an allergic reaction so I took her and saw the same doctor. She referred me to a nutritionist after two visits about that (I think rightfully assuming I wouldn't just let her "sleep off" whole body hives without figuring out why that happened.) Anyway, entire family has severe allergies. I ask for an allergist. I'm met with "this is the only thing she's reacted to (it isn't) and if she reacts later we can deal with it, but there is no reason to test for horses or other things when she hasn't been near one."

I'm not really sure what I can do.

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SimCityAT Expert

Member since 08 April 2014

SimCityATExpert08 February 2019 12:27:02

13328

Change GP?

Cynic UK/Netherlands Expert

Member since 15 September 2015

CynicUK/Netherlands Expert08 February 2019 14:31:54

8078

Hi and welcome to the Forum.

Just asked my wife (she's a Dutch practice nurse). She says if you're not happy with your doctor, then you can change, but other doctors may have queues for new patients, so you may have to wait.

With regards to the diagnoses offered by the doctors, suffice to say, she is not a fan of Dr Google and said it's better to ask a doctor who can examine your symptoms than a group of strangers on the Internet.

Probably hasn't helped much, but I wish you the best of luck in getting this resolved.

Cynic
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Anglodutch Active member

Member since 08 February 2018

AnglodutchActive member11 February 2019 18:54:54

Dailydalek wrote:
Hi,

I know Dutch medicine is rated high in the world. I'm overall happy with my care. However I've seen a new gp that is shattering my trust in the system. She doesn't seem to listen to my complaints.

If you google information on the Dutch Health Care System, you will find a lot of worrying posts from expats about their experiences with the health care system here.

I have been reading these posts since the internet was in its infancy. Unfortunately, pages of the frustrations of many expats with the Dutch health care system that were originally posted on Expatica have now been removed when the forums were closed down (with also the majority of the many comments in the 'Health' section on that same site first being hidden for a few years, before finally being removed). But some of the remaining comments were captured before they too were deleted here (see post from Karen Grigoryan):

https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-health … nd-callous

From what I have read, heard from other people (including Dutch) about their own experiences here, if you don't trust how you are being diagnosed/treated even after seeing specialists, then do as many of the Dutch do, and head across the border to a neighbouring country (when I used to work in Amsterdam 20 years ago, I had a German colleague who would often get on the train to Dusseldorf to see a doctor/go to the hospital!)