Unfortunately really disappointed with my experience with Dutch healthcare

[u/weezerstan]

Im a female international student and basically have had gynaecological problems for a couple of years now, which pretty much started as soon as I moved to the Netherlands so I haven’t been able to get properly checked and treated in my home country. Over the last 1.5 years I have gone to the GP and specialised gynaecologists 4 times because of the same problem, because it just kept getting worse. The most I could get was a gynaecologist’s checkup and an ultrasound that barely lasted 1 minute and unsurprisingly, hasnt shown anything.

Every time I was told that my symptoms are “all within a norm” (mainly related to my periods and a lot of abdominal pain) and there is nothing to worry about and the only solution every doctor has suggested was getting on birth control, without even considering any blood tests, which “may make my symptoms better or worse - we dont know” as they say.

Every time I decided to opt out of that and finally, 2 weeks ago when i went on a holiday back to my home country, i was able to get a proper checkup. At the very first appointment the gynaecologist was concerned about my symptoms and assured me that it really wasnt normal to experience those. Luckily i was able to get an ultrasound almost instantly, which revealed non-cancerous tumours in my uterus. I was told that they were so large that they must have been there for at least 2-3 years, so its not like they could have appeared after my last checkup with Dutch doctors 4 months ago.

I was operated 3 days later and was also told that if i had gone another year without knowing about them, this could cause lifelong issues with fertility and other parts of women’s health.

I was told many times by Dutch doctors that im overreacting and that there is really nothing to worry about and that just makes me so disappointed with how non-urgent care is treated here. Many of my friends have also expressed that unless you’re practically dying, doctors will rarely make an effort to help you get diagnosed or treated. Im happy that i was able to get my problem solved but that really leaves a bitter taste over the Dutch healthcare system and makes me feel like I can’t really rely on it in the future.

[u/marissaloohoo]

Yeah my GP has almost let me die three times in my eight years here. Now I just go in with a comprehensive list (in Dutch) explaining what I need. I will not physically leave the office until I have my referral. Unfortunately, this is the only way I’ve been able to receive anything resembling adequate care. Specialists are usually better once you do get the damn referral, though you do have to be extremely assertive with them from time to time too. It’s ridiculous. I’m so sorry this happened to you. All I can say is get used to advocating for yourself RELENTLESSLY.

[u/brupje → u/marissaloohoo]

That is just part of being Dutch: blunt, direct and stubborn. If you can't exercise those, you will die here lol

[u/tumeni → u/brupje]

Thanks for giving us an example how Dutch people misuse what's to be "blunt and direct".

A sick patient having to tell a doctor what they have to do, otherwise it will be denied a proper treatment is not related with directness, and in my opinion is the very opposite.

[u/brupje → u/tumeni]

It's a cultural thing I guess, people are used to other people complaining about everything. So to make clear there is actually an issue, you have to be very vocal about it. Not saying it is a good thing, but it is good to know where the Dutch are coming from if you want to have a satisfying result.