durobird

Hi Cashmere Kate.
I'm sorry you went through all that, only to end up paying for the pill anyway,
I was going to try the same as you,with tests and a gyno visit,but now I think I'll just keep paying for them anyway.

Cashmere Kate

It depends on what pill you're on. Yours might be a lot cheaper if you can get it on a real prescription. And the tests didn't do any harm I suppose!

Lorna at Vicenza

Mine is less than 3 euro a packet.

Kate, next time you're at your normal GP, get him or her to check your pill and see if there is another one with the same principle ingredients.

My GP did this when the chemist did not have any "Practil 21" in stock. She told me that "Planum" was the same and gave me a prescription for that instead.

Caprihana

As you can see this is my first post and I am so relieved that I've discovered this post

I have a contraceptive implant which lasts for 3 years. Its due to run out and I'm trying to find out if the do the same thing here. I had a smear test last year and the person I saw didn't seem to know about them which was a bit worrying, but there again perhaps it was my Italian.

Looking at the previous posts about the cost of the pill, tests, etc it makes me wonder whether I shouldn't make a trip back to the UK and get it done there.

P.S Ive tried the grey knickers but it doesn't seem to work, perhaps my OH is just desperate.

37100

I don't know of anyone how suppies it here. I'd save yourself a lot of hassle and hop back to the UK.

Lorna at Vicenza

Hi and welcome to the forum.

My sister has one of those implants. She's already had it removed and a new one put in her other arm.

It wan't your Italian that might have confused the gyno you saw. I can tell you for a fact that those implants do not exist here.

If you want to keep on using the implant - get it replaced in the UK. You won't find one here I'm afraid.

Caprihana

Thanks Lorna

At least I know now.

jonwel

I'm new to this forum (my first post) but I thought I'd relate my own experiences of the Italian health service in Milan.
In 2006 I was diagnosed as having lymphoma. I was treated at Niguarda hospital, where they gave me chemotherapy as an out-patient for three months, then two heavier doses as an in-patient with harvest of stem cells, and finally a very heavy dose of chemotherapy followed by feeding back in of stem cells. Three weeks in isolation then three months at home; a year and a half in all (I'm having six-monthly checks but everything seems OK).
I have to say that the service was excellent and professional throughout. Never a bad word from doctors, nurses or ancillary staff.
I have similar words of praise for the Sacco hospital, again public, where my father-in-law has been in and out for various reasons.
I can't say the same for private hospitals. My father-in-law was transferred to a private hospital because of a particular treatment provided there. The doctors were off-hand, also when we went to talk to them, would keep us hanging around, while the nursing and ancillary staff were rude and unwilling to put themselves out. We found out that the private hospitals use "cooperatives" that employ workers who are poorly trained and with bad conditions. Of course the private hospitals give all the treatment that you need plus other treatment that you don't need, because they hand the bill to the health service. Private hospitals appear better superficially, for example the food is better, but that's all.

I'll just add that I had to go to the "Pronto Soccorso" at Termoli, Molise, while on holiday. Again it was a public hospital, clean, with professional behaviour by the doctors.

Unfortunately in Lombardia a lot of public money is being cut from health and education and being given to private hospitals and schools. The regional government is in the hands of "Comunione e liberazione" (CL), which also controls a lot of private schools and hospitals, as well as having its paws in the public system too. CL also tries to put a spoke in the wheels for women needing an abortion.

A point to note: if you have a pathology like mine, or e.g. diabetes or thyroid problems, you can get exemption from all prescription charges regarding treatment for it (not for other medicines). In my case I get CT scans, blood tests, bone marrow exams etc. free of charge.