Japanese Hospitals

[matsuki]

So despite me washing my hands like crazy and doing all I could to avoid it, IPU gave me the good ol Influenza. With a 39.2℃ temp and all the achey fun that comes with it, I opted to go to the only hospital nearby that was open. (silly me for getting sick on a 3 day weekend) I was going there in hopes of getting some Tamiflu but was thwarted at every angle. First explanation I got was the policy in Japan to only give out 1 days worth of meds if you go in there at night?? They said I'd have to come back the next reg business day for more meds. (This was on sat night so basically telling me I was SOL for a couple days) The next problem was their flu test came back negative. The doc was like "it's just a cold, you're fine!" The nurse, however, said "No way, it's the flu....temp is too high and you got all the flu, not cold symptoms,...it's probably that you just came in too quickly for it to give a positive result." (googurued it and apparently false negatives with flu tests are a very common) Anywhoo, has anyone else had this "only 1 days worth of meds" experience? Seems like a great way to create all kinds of drug resistance strains of bacteria and virii.

[wagyl]

Odaiji ni. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger.

The explanation I have heard behind the limited pharmaceuticals in emergency care is that it is just that, emergency care, and that you are expected to consult with your usual doctor for a more careful treatment plan. Your regular doctor is considered to know your history and whether you have any other medications which might affect the choice of treatment. Of course, most people, like me, don't have anyone who sees them regularly, so I can understand your frustration.

If you are looking for conspiracies and dodgy practices, I don't think giving a limited supply of pharmaceuticals will have a major influence on the development of resistant strains -- I think that overprescription when the patient will probably get over the infection themselves with time and the pharmaceuticals are just to make their lifestyle more convenient is the bigger villain there. However, if you were to suggest that there was a scheme here to increase the number of medical consultations, by making you go back on the next business day, you might have some grudging support from me. Even so, I think the emergency care is limited, please consult your primary carer concept is probably best, if only there was more widespread use of family doctors here.

[Russell]

I read somewhere that Tamiflu is totally ineffective...

[Samurai_Jerk]

When I got the flu a couple of years ago they gave me something that you inhale through your nose and only have to take once. I can't remember what it was called though. I also got standard pain killers, etc. for the symptoms but that inhaler was only flu med I received.

[Coligny]

You got painkiller for the flu !? I got fucking aspirin when I broke my ankle (and the 300mg baby dose to boot...)

[Samurai_Jerk]

You got painkiller for the flu !? I got fucking aspirin when I broke my ankle (and the 300mg baby dose to boot...)

My doctor hooks me up with American-sized doses of everything. He knows the deal.

[IparryU]

You got painkiller for the flu !? I got fucking aspirin when I broke my ankle (and the 300mg baby dose to boot...)

My doctor hooks me up with American-sized doses of everything. He knows the deal.

Who is this dr?

[Samurai_Jerk]

You got painkiller for the flu !? I got fucking aspirin when I broke my ankle (and the 300mg baby dose to boot...)

My doctor hooks me up with American-sized doses of everything. He knows the deal.

Who is this dr?

Just some dude in the neighborhood. I think it's also based on my American-sized body.

[6810]

Getting good meds is easy.

Just think standard traffic accident or soocer match rules.

When the doctor asks if you're in pain, clutch whatever, fall to the ground and cry "ouch, oww, oww!".

Never fails for bigger payouts, free kicks and good drugs.

[IparryU]

You got painkiller for the flu !? I got fucking aspirin when I broke my ankle (and the 300mg baby dose to boot...)

My doctor hooks me up with American-sized doses of everything. He knows the deal.

Who is this dr?

Just some dude in the neighborhood. I think it's also based on my American-sized body.

I usually skip the meds and just rest up. Never liked taking medication to get better, my body always pulled through quite well.

Now... if we are talking about vikes.... then fuck everything else, I am buyin a bottle of whiskey and taking the next few days off.

[IparryU]

You got painkiller for the flu !? I got fucking aspirin when I broke my ankle (and the 300mg baby dose to boot...)

My doctor hooks me up with American-sized doses of everything. He knows the deal.

Who is this dr?

Just some dude in the neighborhood. I think it's also based on my American-sized body.

I usually skip the meds and just rest up. Never liked taking medication to get better, my body always pulled through quite well.

Now... if we are talking about vikes/oxys.... then fuck everything else, I am buyin a bottle of whiskey and taking the next few days off.

[yanpa]

WTF are "vikes/oxys"?

[IparryU]

WTF are "vikes/oxys"?

Vicodin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocodone/paracetamol

OxyContin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxycodone

basically your common painkillers, but with high levels of opiates.

mind you... methadone clinics (place where recovering heroin addicts go) are now mostly populated with people that were addicted to painkillers like these. The more fucked fact is, that a good number of people going in with this addiction were not taking it for recreational use, but for recovering from a serious injury where they needed pain killers to get through the day.

Yet... these pharma companies are lobbying against the legalization of marijuana cause it can make a pain killer that is not addictive, super cheap, and all the resources can be sourced on 'merican soil.

[Samurai_Jerk]

WTF are "vikes/oxys"?

Vicodin and Oxycontin.

[wagyl]

WTF are "vikes/oxys"?

Yanpa has no street cred. Neither do I, but I consulted Google.

[yanpa]

WTF are "vikes/oxys"?

Yanpa has no street cred. Neither do I, but I consulted Google.

I may have no street cred, yo, but I do have people to consult Google for me :P

[Samurai_Jerk]

WTF are "vikes/oxys"?

Yanpa has no street cred. Neither do I, but I consulted Google.

I may have no street cred, yo, but I do have people to consult Google for me :P

Last time I was in the States my friend's friend's ex-stripper girlfriend offered to let us all run a train on her in exchange for ten of my friend's prescription pain pills.

[wagyl]

Last time I was in the States my friend's friend's ex-stripper girlfriend offered to let us all run a train on her in exchange for ten of my friend's prescription pain pills.

WTF is "run a train"? Google is little help.

[IparryU]

WTF are "vikes/oxys"?

Yanpa has no street cred. Neither do I, but I consulted Google.

I may have no street cred, yo, but I do have people to consult Google for me :P

Last time I was in the States my friend's friend's ex-stripper girlfriend offered to let us all run a train on her in exchange for ten of my friend's prescription pain pills.

depending on what it was... 10 would go for 50 to 60 bucks tops... cheep hooker or itchin for somethin...

[yanpa]

Last time I was in the States my friend's friend's ex-stripper girlfriend offered to let us all run a train on her in exchange for ten of my friend's prescription pain pills.

WTF is "run a train"? Google is little help.

One's mind boggles.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Last time I was in the States my friend's friend's ex-stripper girlfriend offered to let us all run a train on her in exchange for ten of my friend's prescription pain pills.

WTF is "run a train"? Google is little help.

Let us all fuck her one after the other (not at the same time).

depending on what it was... 10 would go for 50 to 60 bucks tops... cheep hooker or itchin for somethin...

Yeah, I thought it was way too cheap. Didn't end up happening. Not that I was interested.

[IparryU]

Last time I was in the States my friend's friend's ex-stripper girlfriend offered to let us all run a train on her in exchange for ten of my friend's prescription pain pills.

WTF is "run a train"? Google is little help.

One's mind boggles.

man... you need to go to street school dude.

[Coligny]

Oh yea, game on d00dz...

image.jpg

[matsuki]

The explanation I have heard behind the limited pharmaceuticals in emergency care is that it is just that, emergency care, and that you are expected to consult with your usual doctor for a more careful treatment plan. Your regular doctor is considered to know your history and whether you have any other medications which might affect the choice of treatment. Of course, most people, like me, don't have anyone who sees them regularly, so I can understand your frustration.

Gotcha...problem is that certain meds (like Tamiflu in this case) need to be taken right away and continued for several days to have any effect. Also...when you're as down and out as I've been, rest is priority...so just seems unreasonable to have to come back daily for 4 days straight (3-day weekend) just to get some decent strength pain killers and decongestant. (I knew I should have brought back more OTC stuff from the US)

if you were to suggest that there was a scheme here to increase the number of medical consultations, by making you go back on the next business day, you might have some grudging support from me.

Yeah, much like the two visit dental cleaning. I'm surprised there is no cracking down on any of this...yet.

[matsuki]

I read somewhere that Tamiflu is totally ineffective...

I think it depends on the strain...but basically the goal is to reduce the symptoms/recovery time. Most everything else just tries to treat the symptoms.

[yanpa]

if you were to suggest that there was a scheme here to increase the number of medical consultations, by making you go back on the next business day, you might have some grudging support from me.

Yeah, much like the two visit dental cleaning. I'm surprised there is no cracking down on any of this...yet.

"They" being the politicians receiving the manila envelopes from the associations of nice ladies and gentlemen who represent the various branches of the medical profession? Yup, totally surprised they haven't sorted this issue out yet...

[matsuki]

Yeah, tis a problem in many countries but reaching a unique level of fucked here with the % of population that's elderly.

[matsuki]

Sort of a tangent but my requests for chicken soup to the local and willing lemurs have been met with an impressive amount of confusion. Chiiiiken? Sooooooppu? Whaaaaaa??

[wagyl]

Sort of a tangent but my requests for chicken soup to the local and willing lemurs have been met with an impressive amount of confusion. Chiiiiken? Sooooooppu? Whaaaaaa??

Fuck lemurs. Well, fuck lemurs later. First, get IPU to mix you up one of these panaceas.

Panacea

Make honey-lemon-ginger syrup: In a small pot over medium heat, simmer 1 cup honey, 1 cup water and ½ cup minced ginger until mixture cooks down to a thick syrup, 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Discard solids. Add¾ cup fresh lemon juice to syrup and stir. Cover and chill.

In a tumbler half-filled with ice, stir together 2 ounces honey-lemon-ginger syrup and 2 ounces blended Scotch. Pour¼ ounce Islay single-malt Scotch over the back of a spoon so it floats on top of drink. Garnish with a slice of ginger and candied lemon peel (optional).

Source http://www.wsj.com/articles/cold-comfor ... 1420744822

[kurogane]

Sort of a tangent but my requests for chicken soup to the local and willing lemurs have been met with an impressive amount of confusion. Chiiiiken? Sooooooppu? Whaaaaaa??

Yeah, that has long been a source of pain and frustration. WTF wants sloppy rice when you've got a cold!!????
I wish I had known you were going to burn up; they have cans of Campbell's CNS at all the local supermarkets in Okinawa, which was a pleasant surprise given the dreadful food culture they have there. Hormel Chili as well. Next time I'll stock up before I leave. Meidi-ya or Yamaya should have them but it's a little late because you're already sick, eh!?

Anyways, take drugs, get some sleep.