Quote:
Originally Posted by Lindy
JustJess: abiew is in Britain. This is how government sponsored "health care" works. Broader but lower quality coverage. We may soon see it here. Uncle Sam has done such a good job  managing Social Security and Medicare that some of us want him to manage the general health care system. 
But the main reason for this post is to say that I was conceived, early in 1976, while my Mom was using a copper IUD. I'm glad that it happened.  But let's hope that they work more effectively now.
Lindy
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Hey, so, have you ever lived in the United Kingdom? Had sustained experience using its National Health Service? I'm guessing not. I have, and I'm also an American.
Being the card-carrying Young Republican that I was, when I moved to England 4 years ago I was ready to be horrified by an inadequate Third-World-style healthcare system, so I sort of get where you're coming from in terms of buying into myths. HOWEVER, I discovered that although you do not always get beneficial extras (such as ultrasound IUD placement checks), you do get what you need here. Most of the NHS staff I've dealt with (and that's a lot of staff due to my tendency to have stuff wrong with me) have been understanding, competent and caring. My concerns have never been dismissed and I have received many, many tests and investigations due to unexplained symptoms.
I wasn't completely healthy in America either, so I do have experience of both systems. In the US I had insurance, and the care I received was somewhat better (in terms of waiting times, scheduling, extras and off-label use of drugs), but to my surprise, NOT hugely better by any means! My healthcare needs have certainly been met here, and without the hardship and worry of potential $5,000 hospital stays, $50 co-pays, expensive testing, can I afford to have that suspicious mole looked at, etc, etc.
Obtaining birth control has been a stress-free, cost-free experience for me here (side effects are another story!). At age 22 I asked for and received the Essure sterilization procedure after it was determined that my husband and I were certain about not having children. The gyn consultant (senior hospital doctor) wasn't able to complete the procedure due to my sort-of-abnormal uterine anatomy, but he offered to try again under a general anaesthetic (...for free, of course). I declined and went for Mirena instead. I came back and he did the insertion himself, with a helpful cervical block. He gave me the block without me having to ask for it, and did not stop to calculate how much it would cost the NHS first.
Many unpleasant side effects and three years later, I've had the Mirena removed and am considering a copper IUD. Unlike in the US, there are 10-11 different types of copper IUD available here, including the very minimal Gynefix. The only reason I haven't gone for one or the other yet is that I'm not sure which would be most effective in my weird uterus.
Aaaanyway, sorry for the rant, but when I see someone referring to the NHS as "health care" in quotation marks, I get a little "annoyed". It is an imperfect system, but it's far less barbaric than what goes on in the USA. People are dying due to a lack of insurance, lives are being wrecked through healthcare-related debt, and it makes me sick to remember that I used to think that was the best way.
(....still not a Commie though, OK MOM?!? My family thinks I've been brainwashed by socialists even though I campaigned for Bob Dole before I was old enough to vote. Dole-Kemp '96 4-EVAR!!!)
---------- Post added at 03:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:09 PM ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by violexxx
Hey everyone!
First post here, really enjoyed reading everyones' posts. My hubby and I were/are booked in for an appointment with the doc for a vasectomy referral tomorrow, since committing to a date to start proceedings my 'googling' has tripled!
Soo many horror stories from men with PVP - post-vasectomy-pain
I would never forgive myself if this happened to my hubby, he's now totally up for it after seeing me suffer years of hormone based madnesss - low libido to nypho - life of the party to major depression. I was actually diagnosed borderline bi-polar last year!
Be interested in your opinions... if kids aren't the issue?
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Hi violexxx,
We were originally going to go for a vasectomy as well, but I had the same experience you did - Googling led to some pretty horrible stories of chronic pain and autoimmune reactions after vasectomy. The risk does seem to be quite low, but if your man DOES have a problem, it may turn out to be a devastating and life-long one. Of course if you look hard enough you can find stories of terrible side effects that people have attributed to just about anything, but the research I did on vasectomy convinced me that the pain and autoimmune risks are very real due to the mechanics of the procedure.
My husband is pretty laid-back about these things and was content to take this risk, but I wasn't, so we've decided against vasectomy. Like any form of birth control, it's about analyzing the risks and benefits as they apply to your lifestyle/situation, and for me it was not worth the risk to him.
Unfortunately Mirena didn't work out for me (tachycardia, heart palps, high BP, faintness, etc, etc), so I'm going to try a copper IUD next.