Posted by Nickengland on August 19, 2005, at 5:49:53
In reply to Re: Generic Gabapentin?! Cheap Service, posted by Emily Elizabeth on August 18, 2005, at 19:56:43
Hello Emily,
>Yep, they have generic Gabapentin here too. And don't worry, you aren't getting the short end of the stick over there in England...in the US, *if* you have insurance and are "lucky" enough to get healthcare, your insurance company almost always switches you to the generic w/o any option for the real stuff.
Ahh I see. I guess it some respects it does make sense to switch you generic ~ as generic is from what I can see far cheaper then brand and everyone likes to save money where possible. It would be nice though to have the option I think though of having either generic or brand, rather than just getting given whatever they choose to give you. Sometimes i think its been even discussed on here, that the brand is actually more 'effective' than the generic. I know its a funny example but its like Heinz Baked Beans (sure you eat them over there? lol) well the supermarkets over here use their cheap brand and copy the heinz version of baked bean ~ there exactly the same, they are baked beans in tomato sauce....but they never taster as good..or qwuite the same as brand! LOL I'm sure to a certain extent this goes for drugs too and especially psychiatric ones when they are affecting your mood. There could even be a placebo difference somewhere along the line..
>Also, I have been on both the real neurontin and the generic and did not notice a difference, so hopefully you won't either.
Judgeing from last nights dosage, yeah I guess it did work pretty much the same i'm glad to say..there was a slight difference I noticed, but all in all nothing bad I guess..still gave the same postive results I like from the drug.
>Also, I'm always a little confused. What is the deal with NHS vs "private" docs by you guys? It sounds like such a different system.
Well the NHS was created in 1948 I think, by the Labour government over here and basically the 'vision' at that time was that everybody, regardless of their income would be entitled to free health care. I guess thats the benefit of today, any treatment, anywhere along the line is actually free to see any GP or specialist doctor...have operations, saty in hosptial..even the food is free in there, but no comment on what it tastes like lol Also prescription drugs are a single flat rate charge (£6.50) or free in certain circumstances.
The down side is the system, although does work...it actually doesn't work very well at all. Like being diagnosed with cancer, but having to wait a year for treatment...and possibly dieing because of the waiting lists or the illness getting worse. The waiting lists are disgusting. The hosptials are over crowded...theres massiver bed shortages and if (and im not exaggerating) you could be close to death (but are not considered that serious and they need your bed..then you'll have to be moved out of the hospital to somewhere else. (this happened with my grandfather and he died whilst being transported back to his home) Its quite honestly shocking the things that go on. And now the hospitals are a place where instread of you go to get well...you go in there and because there not very clean..you have avery high chance of catching MRSA...antoher example my dads friend is in hospital with cancer at this moment in time, and only a couple of weeks ago he caught MRSA...if it isnt bad enough having cancer but then being given an illness by poor hygine in the hosptial.
Privite is completely different, although I have no direct experience personally, in general for health care it is far better, cleaner, quicker and basically the kind of health service you should expect..and want to expect. Its very expensive though..the majority of people over here reply upton the NHS, but now i think there is an increasing trend of people taking out privite medical insurance..those who can afford it anyway.
As for Europe in general, from what I know I think France has the best health system..ours is like a 3rd world country at the moment...
Kind regards
Nick
poster:Nickengland
thread:543486
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050816/msgs/543794.html