I think it's time that the NHS reconsidered their protocols re the use of antibiotics.
I am hoping I'm cured of an intestinal problem as I have never felt better but no thanks to the NHS. My thanks go to a GP in Portugal and his or their attitude to the use of antibiotics.
Since 2015 I have suffered from long bouts of pain in the iliac fossa region. I have lost count of the tests and treatments tried but most med profs said it was diverticulitis and prescribed antibiotics which mostly worked for a short while then the problem would return stronger and much worse. There is much more detail but I won't bore you.
At the beginning of February we were in Portugal when after some months without serious symptoms, it became so bad I could barely walk. I called a local GP and was given an appointment very quickly. The 60 Euro fixed price consultation lasted about 90 minutes. On top of that I paid a further sum of 240 Euro for a raft of tests. The clinic had its own labs so tests results came back in just 10 minutes: amazing. I was able to get my NHS medical history up on my phone and the GP went through it carefully. His diagnosis was severe diverticulitis to be treated by antibiotics. I was not really surprised but he went on to say that he felt the problem could have been cured years ago. In his opinion the strength of the antibiotics I had received time and again was not enough and could well have made things worse as the infection was not "killed" just “wounded” and made more resistant to further treatment. He prescribed two antibiotics, one I had had many times before but in doses four times greater and at double the frequency. His parting shot was that in Portugal they try to crush the infection to ensure it does not reoccur and become resistant to treatments. Is it time for our NHS to think that way?
I am hoping I'm cured of an intestinal problem as I have never felt better but no thanks to the NHS. My thanks go to a GP in Portugal and his or their attitude to the use of antibiotics.
Since 2015 I have suffered from long bouts of pain in the iliac fossa region. I have lost count of the tests and treatments tried but most med profs said it was diverticulitis and prescribed antibiotics which mostly worked for a short while then the problem would return stronger and much worse. There is much more detail but I won't bore you.
At the beginning of February we were in Portugal when after some months without serious symptoms, it became so bad I could barely walk. I called a local GP and was given an appointment very quickly. The 60 Euro fixed price consultation lasted about 90 minutes. On top of that I paid a further sum of 240 Euro for a raft of tests. The clinic had its own labs so tests results came back in just 10 minutes: amazing. I was able to get my NHS medical history up on my phone and the GP went through it carefully. His diagnosis was severe diverticulitis to be treated by antibiotics. I was not really surprised but he went on to say that he felt the problem could have been cured years ago. In his opinion the strength of the antibiotics I had received time and again was not enough and could well have made things worse as the infection was not "killed" just “wounded” and made more resistant to further treatment. He prescribed two antibiotics, one I had had many times before but in doses four times greater and at double the frequency. His parting shot was that in Portugal they try to crush the infection to ensure it does not reoccur and become resistant to treatments. Is it time for our NHS to think that way?
