Saturday, August 8

Doctors in Chennai

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I recently visited a 'big' hospital in Chennai, and this is what happened:

Me: I get slightly dizzy these days in the evening, and have a recurring cough that fails to go away.
Doc: So which 'industry' do you work in?
Me: *rolling eyes* The IT industry.
Doc: Hmm... *blood sucking mode on; intelligent look and phony contemplation* Have you hit your head somewhere?
Me: What?! No!
Doc: Do you tend to go towards one side?
Me: Only when I ride the bike.
Doc: So you have a tendency of going to one side? Which side is it?
Me: The left side. That's the side of the road we're supposed to drive on.
Doc: Hmm... ok. Any family history of insanity/ mental problems?
Me: (Wha... motha... fug...) No.
Doc: Hmm.. and what of this cough? Are you spitting blood?
Me: No - although I would be pretty sure to mention it if I was.
Doc: Hmm.. and phlegm?
Me: A little.
Doc: *more contemplation and phony intelligence display* Here, do these battery of tests. (sounding very please to use the word 'battery')
Me: What are these tests?
Doc: Well, you need to go for a brain scan becau...
Me: What what what! A brain scan? What's wrong with me?
Doc: You never know, you could have injured your brain or ...*inchorence*
Me: And what about the cough?
Doc: I suspect Tuberculosis. Very common in Chennai, don't worry.
Me: So you're saying that I have TB and brain problems?
Doc: Most likely, but there is nothing to worry at this stage.

Fortunately, I later found another doc (not affiliated with the hospital) who said I have a mild case of vertigo and gave me something for my cough.

Adding to the really long list of social objectives that this blog fulfils; here's another piece of information - when in Chennai, find a good physician preferably not inside big hospitals.

In the past year, I've had TB, brain problems, blood pressure, back spasms and many other issues for which I've been sucked dry of urine and blood. A doctor at another large hospital where my company has a free Master Health Check tie-up prescribed me 3000 bucks worth of meds for blood pressure when I just mentioned that I had a spike the previous week. And then he told me that these meds would apparently help me lose weight, causing my BP to fall.

And then there's the standard fare when you go in with anything above 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Anitbiotics, vitamin B Complex supplements and paracetomols. Yes, antibiotics are the first thing they write down.

Now not all docs in big hospitals are bad, but one needs to be aware of the pitfalls and the strategies that many of these guys use to screw patients over. I for one, am happy to have found a physician who knows what she's talking about. And happier to not have TB and brain tumors.
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14 comments:

  1. Absolutely agree with you. With scores of relations in Chennai I have heard the same. Once my cousin sister fell sick and her mom, my aunt was told by a doc to take her to an Ortho, a Skin Specialist and a Kidney guy all because she had a skin allergy on her feet! And the doctor called up his compatriots in front of her to tell them of the bakra he was sending. My aunt scooted and found a small time doc who cured my cuz with a simple skin cream.
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  2. Hey Silverine, nice too see your comment. I got just two tablets for 7 days adding up to some 80 bucks.
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  3. chennai doctors r real suckersssssssssssssss mosquitoes are better
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  4. Best strategy is to have a doc in the family. You could have married one ... but too late now :D
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  5. @Amit: Shut up. My wife is perfect. Hmph.
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  6. Best bet marry a Doc. or a Doc.'s Daughter........
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  8. A convincing story for switching over to a physician who knew what *she* was talking about.
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  9. Ah, the life of a pseudo-celebrity. Always misquoted. Even visits to doctors are not spared.
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  10. I came across the same situation too but unfortunately I fell into the trap and had to mint money :(
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  11. @ancientmariner: It's still not too late, I can give you the contact of my physician.
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  12. hii
    nice blog :)
    but on a serious note there are hardly any ethics left in this profession ( medicine not IT!)
    esp is a doctor comes to to know that a patient is having some policy or his/her bill can be reimbursed, so many useless tests are prescribed.
    m happy m not a doctor!!
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  13. Thanks AS. Don't think we can paint them all with the same brush. But by and large, what you say is fairly true esp of big hospitals.
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  14. Dear Author blog.rohandsa.com !
    It is unexpectedness!
    ReplyDelete

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