CyprusLiving

Hi,
Which is the best GP to ask for at the General please?

Many thanks in advance

Dave

Dr Nikos is one that many from the UK use But we had over a 2 hr wait on Monday, plus the queue for registering


Trev..

Morning Trev.

There are two Doctors with that name, the skinny one or Nicos Panaredies he is my build plump, he is the most popular, if you do not like waiting for say just a prescription see Dr Titsledies, I call him the Russian Bear, just as likable but fast! he gets in his office at 8.30am usually, never many waiting to see him.

Jim wrote:Morning Trev.

There are two Doctors with that name, the skinny one or Nicos Panaredies he is my build plump, he is the most popular, if you do not like waiting for say just a prescription see Dr Titsledies, I call him the Russian Bear, just as likable but fast! he gets in his office at 8.30am usually, never many waiting to see him.

The first time I saw Dr Titsledies I could swear he was drunk, slumped over his desk showing absolutely no interest in me!


That's the man, what a charmer, but you want in and out fast with your prescriptions this is the Doc you want, do not try to humor him in any way though...Jim

Dr Maxim is lovely, speaks excellent English and has time for you. He is not the type to dole out medication like sweets but if you need something you will get it. Dr Dariel, I believe, does have a liking for the bottle. when he first arrived we were shuffled over to him, after seeing Dr Nikos. he always seemed muddled and has difficulty concentrating. That is only my opinion. We refused to see him after several visits, and went over to Dr Maxim. Having said that, neither of us have been to G.P. for several years and do not take synthetic medication.

Jim wrote:see Dr Titsledies, I call him the Russian Bear, just as likable but fast! he gets in his office at 8.30am usually, never many waiting to see him.

Maybe a reason why never many waiting to see him!!
I saw him once, to ask for a blood test. At 60+ most UK doctors recommend at least a general test for blood sugar, prostate etc. He asked if I was ill and I said 'not as far as I know'. He was staggered that anyone should want to be checked unless they were already ill! I got my test but to say he was reluctant is an understatement. Have not seen him since.


as I said prescription repeats only! fast tracking only

Maramike wrote:

Jim wrote:see Dr Titsledies, I call him the Russian Bear, just as likable but fast! he gets in his office at 8.30am usually, never many waiting to see him.

Maybe a reason why never many waiting to see him!!
I saw him once, to ask for a blood test. At 60+ most UK doctors recommend at least a general test for blood sugar, prostate etc. He asked if I was ill and I said 'not as far as I know'. He was staggered that anyone should want to be checked unless they were already ill! I got my test but to say he was reluctant is an understatement. Have not seen him since.

My experience of a G>P at the general has put me off ever going there again. No one waiting to see him so we knocked on his door, he opened while on his mobile and motioned with his hand to come in. We sat there for 5 mins waiting for him to finish his call. Then he asked why we were there and told him. he looked puzzled, put his hand on a pile of papers and shuffled them around a bit then filled out a form for a basic FBC test(full blood test) I said that one had been taken 2 days ago, he looked up and just motioned us out saying that was it. Was he even a doctor? scruffy no name badge, he may as well have been a cleaner(no offence) as no good as a doctor! No people skills and no interest in why we were there or even taking a history etc.

I only mentioned him if you read my post in full as a doctor to use for repeat prescriptions only, many others to chose from if you need proper treatment, I go to him only when I need my drugs, in and out fast, you only get the odd grunt from him, never pass the time of day as you are wasting your time. good health to you.

Jim wrote:I only mentioned him if you read my post in full as a doctor to use for repeat prescriptions only, many others to chose from if you need proper treatment, I go to him only when I need my drugs, in and out fast, you only get the odd grunt from him, never pass the time of day as you are wasting your time. good health to you.

yes Jim I realised that and I had no idea what the name of the doctor was we saw so may/may not have been the same guy and I agree to get what you want then get outta there would work, just so annoyed there was no interaction etc. Anyhow, not going back there again!

Sounds like the same man to me, but why are you not going back again? there are plenty of helpful, good GP's at the general.

jim

I have no doubt there are some helpful gps there but the experience put me off going back. Shame possibly but there you go. it really should not happen and maybe it would be worth complaining but would it be worth it, make a difference, I don't think so. Coming from an NHS background I find the General lagging in particular when it comes to basic communication and interaction skills. This is of course not based on this one occasion alone.

I had a similar experience last week with Dr Titsledies.

Dr Dre, the rheumatologist recommended by the General as they do not have one in residence, wrote out a prescription for a flu and pneumonia vaccination. The nurses in the pediatric clinic who administer these vacs said I would have to see a doctor first in order to get the pneumonia vaccine from the pharmacy. Dr Titsledies refused. He said that as I did not have asthma I wouldn't need to have the vaccination and in any case the hospital didn't have any in stock. He wouldn't acknowledge the prescription that had been written out by a professional colleague who has been taking care of my health to date.

Pat

I have also been to this Dr Titselides on one occasion. The only reason for using him is to get a repeat prescription, as Jim said. I found him a nightmare, a bit like trying to wake up a sleepy Russian(?) bear. He was lethargic, totally disinterested and it seemed almost too much effort for him to reluctantly write out my prescription. He almost seemed a bit menacing as I was on my own. I was glad to get out of his room. At least when I went there was only one other patient waiting to see him which was in contrast to the other doctors who all seemed to have plenty of patients patiently (or impatiently) waiting outside their doors!
I must agree with Fourwinds, as I dislike going near the General. The general appearance of the place puts me off, the queues for everything and sometimes the rudeness of some staff. However, I have met some interesting people while seated outside a doctors door. As the wait is often for over an hour or 2 people tend to get bored and get chatting amongst themselves!

Dee

Unfortunately Dee most of have to use the General, private medicals are well out of reach.

If you come to live in this area of the world then you have to use eventually the health service, I can tell you over the years I have heard some alarming stories but also when the chips are down they are wonderful when you need help, many of us cannot afford to pay out thousands on health treatment, so long term medical insurance is out of the question, as we age if your lucky you probably will need the local services because insurance does not usually cover chronic type illnesses so please be aware of this, if you do have medical insurance do read the small print.I am diabetic and what my insures would not cover is truly alarming, also without using the General my drugs bill would be so high to many retirees it would be unthinkable.

Personally I hate going to any hospital but the general is OK so far by me, I understand it seems a little like headless chickens but I usually get seen by my GP Dr Nikos Panareides who I use as a GP but also he is my diabetic doctor too, usually I am home before 9am, I do get to the hospital early around 6am or earlier, this is the trick..

Get to know the system and you will be fine.


Jim

The general hospital is great for Accident and Emergency. But the long waits, filthy condition and disrespect often given by the Drs leaves much to be desired. We do not have any medical insurance and the money saved pays for private treatment and tests as and when required. We are not wealthy and live off my pension. I do however understand that there are people out there who need repeat prescriptions due to the medical problems that they have such as diabetics etc.

OK understand your reply, but this happened to a member recently, face cancer, he could not get treatment for this at any General on the island, so he paid for the operation and ongoing treatment himself via a private hospital in Nicosia, you are talking 25K and over, a little frightening if your funds do not stretch to that, he is recovering slowly and I sincerely wish him well, good luck Rob!.

If the General is all you can afford for treatment then no saving insurance money would cover this, also remember my drugs would cost well over €80 a month if I had to pay, this is nothing to what some need for their health, so this also needs to be thought about, as I said fifteen years ago on CL if the health service here is a concern to you stay in the UK..

Then we had to have health insurance to be allowed Immigration to Cyprus. If you intend to stay on the island as I intend to do then it is best you understand you will eventually need the Generals help. Again good health.

Excellent post Jim, spot on.

Geoff.

For those who live in Paphos and need regular repeat prescriptions - is there only the General Hospital that you can go to in order to get them signed off and collect the medication?

In Limassol, we have visiting doctors and a pharmacist who go to the outlying villages. We have a choice of going to one in Episkopi or the one in Ermi and these function every other Weds (one week it's Erimi - then next Episkopi etc). There's also a permanent clinic not far from Linopetra (near to Carrefour and the electricity office) on the continuation of Grivas Dighenis which eventually joins the highway at Germasoyia roundabout.

Again, these aren't really GP's who "diagnose" - they mostly issue repeat meds but will complete the forms for blood tests at the General and refer you to a specialist doctor as necessary.

I would have thought Paphos would have had a similar set up as it's certainly grown since we first arrived in 2004.

Of course that service is available in all parts of rural Cyprus, but depending on your address you would need to go to the main hospital in your elected area, GP's have always visited small outlying villages but they do not carry all the drugs you need, even pharmacy's do not have all you need, so a trip into the General maybe necessary, and why you see some Cypriots with handfuls of prescription books they get them for their neighbors etc, try not to get behind a person doing this, if you do a long wait is expected.

Unfortunately Pafos General is not on par with Nicosia, Limassol or even Larnaca, the Pafos hospital is in need of a major update and refit, not going to happen though, no money for it's population, many have to travel from Pafos to Nicosia for ongoing treatment, a long drive if you are not feeling well, some do this on a daily basis, it is almost barbaric.

kev goes to Urologist at paphos, Illiadis, he is excellent and the bank of cyprus for cancer treatment, we can only praise the health system here, chemo has not worked for kev, so they have put him on a new drug, he got government permission to use it as it is very expensive €5,120 for 120 tablets, this is a months supply we pay for the signing of the prescription and the prescription price. I cant speak for the UK but I very much doubt if he would get it. as Jim says we have to go with what we have got, but on the whole we couldnt ask for better
kevnles

We wish all medical suffers well Kev included..

It's only on the last visit that the pharmacist has brought along the medication I need each time but still, my husband found it was quicker to go to the local "village" clinic to get my book signed and prescription issued and then drive to Limassol General to collect the prescription.

Now, he has no need to do this as the pharmacist realises he is a regular and has added my meds to her stock.

I have spent some time there in recent days. Last Saturday we at A&E with my FIL for about 4 hrs.
On Monday we went to see Dr Nikos and were waiting almost 3 hrs.
On Wednesday I had a phone call from Dads Consultant to say the test results showed that he needed antibiotics. I was in Paphos but had to go to Polemi to get the files and the prescription book. At least I was able to see the consultant straight away without waiting.
And today I have been to see my heart consultant and was there about 2 hrs.
I have to go back in a couple of weeks for a blood test.

I am really getting to know my way around the old place now.

Trev..

Sorry to hear about your Father in law Trev, and your own medical problems also, we wish him and yourself well of course, your the man with info on the general.I will pop this thread into the FAQ when it drop's down.

Thanks for all your comments it made very interesting reading, can't wait to try the system when needed?????

Kind Regards

Dave

djtaylo wrote:can't wait to try the system when needed?????

Don't look forward to it too eagerly!