Clinic encounter...

In my many years of visiting GPs and specialists in hospitals, I've never seen an overly concerned Dr about such a small thing. Even when my usual Dr (specialist) first met me, he wasn't sooooo overly cautious (though I was probably the 'greenest' and most yellow-looking person (imagine kunyit on my face) in the hospital). Now that I mentioned that, I think its because that lady GP is too scared to treat me because she does not have enough knowledge. Betul tak? Or else she won't be that way.

Not for me to judge.

But this is what happened. Wait, let me warn you...long long post!

Bad sore throat this morning. Slight fever which got worse when I reached office (air cond contributed). Went to a panel clinic nearby and while waiting outside, can hear this lady Dr babbling non-stop to all 3 patients before me. I thought to myself, they must have some complicated ailment.

My turn, got in, told her my pre-exsiting medical condition (cause I look really jaundiced), and then what I was there for. She looked at me and went yadda yadda yadda bout maybe it was more than just sore throat. Maybe my liver function not good (indication is the jaundice) etc etc. I told her, when I'm unwell, not enough rest, over-strained, I will look jaundiced. After that I'll be fine. Once in a while I'll look pale, yahla, women, kan? That's part of my Thallasaemia hbH disease. I've grown with it. Other GPs don't seem to think three times after I've given them a tour of my medical history.

But this lady just won't let go. She's young. Maybe not enough experience? She suggested going for a blood test to check my liver function before treating me, citing all antibiotics (most medicine for that matter) will have an effect on the liver and she doesn't want suddenly i get acute liver-failure or something. ;p She was talking non-stop. (now I know why the other patients too so long)

She insisted on not even giving me anything. She then said she'll refer me to UH ER for a blood test and ask me to take it from there. Oh well, she wasn't about to give up and I had enough of her 'lecture', so I said OK. (she was going on and on about not wanting to give wrong medication, the risks for me and her etc etc) MC also given.

I took the letter and MC and drove to another clinic.

I'm was not about to sit for hours waiting for a blood test and the results (ER will treat based on priority, not first come first served!) and my last full blood count didn't indicate anything abnormal (in August). I wasn't going to ask her for some strange drugs, cos another branch of the same panel has given me antibiotic before and I'm still alive and kicking.

Oh well...lesson learnt, I'll now have to avoid that clinic if I see her name as 'dr on duty'. Convenient but not really at the same time.