As you know, I currently live in America so I PAY enormous amounts of money for health insurance and STILL pay for Doctor's visits. I'm looking at those costs thinking *sigh* I don't think they'd even let you look at the door to a doctor's surgery for that amount of money...
It actually varies wildly because depending on the job you have, your company pays part of your health insurance costs as part of your compensation package... or doesn't. If you've got a spouse and/or kids to cover the costs sky rocket. I'm lucky in that I work for a university that *does* pay most of my healthcare costs so mine -- just to cover me -- runs about $45 dollars a month and then there's a deductable -- like with any other kind of insurance -- and there are still (subsidised) fees to see Doctors, dentists and the like
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So the basic money you pay out is sort of comparable to here, isn't it? Except here it's compulsory. I earn a very low wage (compared to lots of people - I'm a couple of quid above minimum wage. I don't earn nearly enough to start repaying my student loan) and I pay out over £25 per week in NI, then my employers pay out about the same again. Then I pay £15 a month for dental because there aren't any NHS dentists anywhere. The difference is you guys then pay again to see anyone, whereas we just pay if we need drugs or whatever. Or if we actually want to see anyone other than a GP within the next decade. For instance, I pay £40 a throw to see an osteopath, who helps me beyond all belief - because the NHS won't pay out for one, no chance in hell. It's taken me three referrals and two years to get to see the guy about my back who's now trying to patch up the damage of the last ten years XD Loads of people have said I should pay to go private...but a. can't afford it and b. think it's wrong that people over here can pay to see the same
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The NHS, yes, what's not to love, eh? I once waited to see a specialist, who didn't even look at my knee but told me that there wasn't anything they could do for me. Great.
Then, some years later, I went to a different doc to request some new painkillers and walked away with a prescription for 120 diclofenac even though they had none of my medical records and didn't even take a look at the knee. But at least I got some damned pills...
The Elf did well - next time kick him in the nuts then say "take some Brufen" Careful with the Diclofenac though - too much is not nice - We don't tend to use it much here but it has its place for muscular pain. I will dig out some stuff and post it tomorrow for you. Take care Elfy.
What will happen to me if I take too much Diclofenac? See, it didn't come with the usual piece of paper that says "This might make you better, but it'll more likely make your heart explode and you go dizzy and turn yellow and all of your arms drop off and regrow as tentacles" It just had a sticker saying 'take ONE THREE times a day.'
One three times a day would be OK in the short term. But when that runs out and if you are still sore get thee back to the GP. Ummm side effects - well we call it the chemical nephrectomy (whipping out a kidney). It can cause tummy upset too. And tummy ulcers. But in the short term its OK. *soothes Elf*
Have you tried deep tissue massage? I don't know anything other than what you said up there, but is it worth a shot? I had really bad muscle tension in my back (yay hypermobility syndrome!) and regular *seriously hard* massage has helped loads... /assvice
Is there much property in Brighton? Cause the housing market up here gives me nightmares! *g*
There's a fair amount of property here. No one here can afford it, but we get a lot of leftover from London XD
I see an Osteopath when I can afford it, and he does the deep-tissue stuff, which kills me. It hurts so frickin' much. And leaves me with huge bruises on my thigh - luckily I have a very understanding other half XD I don't find it helps that much, not for my leg.
Where are you hypermobile? I'm too bendy in fingers. wrists, shoulders, hips, back and god knows where else. Those are the ones I notice.
Fair dues to you for trying... it does hurt, though I find less so if I go regularly (but I haven't been for about 6 weeks now...) and at least it does help me. Hope you find something that helps. Have you had/signed up for an MRI or the like?
I'm wiggly in pretty much the same spots as you, along with my ankles. I would have broken my ankle playing football more than once had it not been for the extra bend... And my wrists scuppered any chance of being a pro musician. Doh!
I've had me MRI, yeah. I've got no disc left in T3/4 (I think...or is it 2/3...can never remember) and where it's disintegrated bits have pressed on nerves/nerves have grown into the wrong places etc. Bit of a wreck down there.
My hypermob is getting better now I'm older and have much more muscle - as a kid my shoulders could just drop out of joint backwards whenever I relaxed. Now only left one does it, and I have to concentrate to relax enough for it to go.
Aaah - just read the bit you mentioned on AIM about health care. Also, a lot of Americans are under the impression that socialized medicine is free after huge taxes, although those of us with decent IQ's and the ability to google don't - there are news stories all over the place about people importing drugs from the UK, though, because they're so much cheaper: the pharmacies and insurance companies aren't being subsidized, they're out to make millions - so they jack up prices quite a bit. Hence my regular MS meds being $2000 a month before insurance in the US, and the cost for a non-national/non-insured person in the UK is only about 400#. That's a $1200 markup... Because they're bastards. Also, health insurance costs rise here if you have medical issues - I have $500 deducted out of every check before taxes come out, and that covers my medical, dental, and vision plans. If I were to get a prescription for diclofenac, it'd be $50 a bottle as my insurance copay. I also pay a hundred or so for every MRI or CAT/PET, a hundred is
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I hope the drugs ease you pain. *hugs*
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I once waited to see a specialist, who didn't even look at my knee but told me that there wasn't anything they could do for me. Great.
Then, some years later, I went to a different doc to request some new painkillers and walked away with a prescription for 120 diclofenac even though they had none of my medical records and didn't even take a look at the knee. But at least I got some damned pills...
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Careful with the Diclofenac though - too much is not nice - We don't tend to use it much here but it has its place for muscular pain.
I will dig out some stuff and post it tomorrow for you.
Take care Elfy.
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But when that runs out and if you are still sore get thee back to the GP.
Ummm side effects - well we call it the chemical nephrectomy (whipping out a kidney). It can cause tummy upset too. And tummy ulcers.
But in the short term its OK.
*soothes Elf*
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Will do!
None of the side effects mention that my touch typing has gone to shit tonight...what's up with that??
You can soothe me with a damp lager-soaked bar-towel soon XD
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Is there much property in Brighton? Cause the housing market up here gives me nightmares! *g*
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I see an Osteopath when I can afford it, and he does the deep-tissue stuff, which kills me. It hurts so frickin' much. And leaves me with huge bruises on my thigh - luckily I have a very understanding other half XD I don't find it helps that much, not for my leg.
Where are you hypermobile? I'm too bendy in fingers. wrists, shoulders, hips, back and god knows where else. Those are the ones I notice.
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I'm wiggly in pretty much the same spots as you, along with my ankles. I would have broken my ankle playing football more than once had it not been for the extra bend... And my wrists scuppered any chance of being a pro musician. Doh!
Reply
My hypermob is getting better now I'm older and have much more muscle - as a kid my shoulders could just drop out of joint backwards whenever I relaxed. Now only left one does it, and I have to concentrate to relax enough for it to go.
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