Do you think your health would be different if you lived in another country?

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Somya.P

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17/01/2025 at 10:04

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Somya.P

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Hey everyone!
How's it going? 😊

Healthcare systems and lifestyles vary so much around the world. 🌍 Some countries prioritize prevention, while others focus on treatments.

💬 What about you?

Do you think your condition would be easier or harder to manage in a different country?
Have you ever considered moving for better healthcare or a different climate?
What do you wish your country’s healthcare system could learn from others?

Let’s explore this fascinating topic together! 💬

Take care,
Somya from the Carenity Team 🌷

@Scrowther @pollyj4 @lar123 @nuskap @robjmckinney @Silverlady @PeteLamo @cooperman @Pinky58 @Mrs E Larkin @LynneC @Junej6 @fernster @jamesm @tinaann @Razor690 @jumping @millerkaren @Tigger.co.uk @mjteddy @happylad1970 @smokitcat @annafielding @marshy2503 @emc1cle @Mandy59 @bigroscoe @Daisybuster @VICKICOFFEY @Mikejohn @lesmal @paulg54 @chrissie2018 @Dizzle @Sharon9 @redders01 @NannieAnn @Blobby @Folioc @cwright17 @Allymal @Germantara @LifeDelineator @Flip5ter @gmorlet @RonTock @SP3RDN4 @elvinsmith @Susie6 @Seanchang @elvinsmith @Veblendotcom @ILTERTOKTAMIS

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cwright17

17/01/2025 at 10:25

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cwright17

Last activity on 25/04/2025 at 20:43

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Yes, my healthcare would have been especially different if I was in somewhere like the USA. My condition would be worse than it is now. I wouldn't be able to afford my hospital visits, or the adaptions to my house to help me.

I'm comfortable with the weather in the UK. One days when it's too hot, I'll just leave windows and my back door open. On days when it's too cold, I'll put the heating on and cuddle up under a blanket.

I think the things my healthcare system could do better are:

Paying staff better wages.

Implementing treatments that are used successfully in other countries without having to do lengthy research trials. I'm looking at a current HSCT trial, but it is only testing on progressive patients (SPMS & PPMS). I am on a treatment that was brought out for PPMS patients but, because my RRMS is aggressive, copaxone didn't work and I can't take tysabri as my JCV antibody levels are too high, as found on a blood test looking into it. I'd love to be able to not have to worry about having a seizure, to be able to independently walk again, to not have brain fog, and be able to go back to work. I'd love to be able to also have a child with my husband! But currently, that's off the table, for both of our safety 😞

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Charlotte Hargreaves-Wright (he's also double barrelled his name so he can be "Wright" half the time)

Do you think your health would be different if you lived in another country? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/good-to-know/do-you-think-your-health-would-be-different-if-5574 2025-01-17 10:25:09

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Somya.P

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17/01/2025 at 11:54

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Somya.P

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@cwright17 Hi,

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences so openly. It sounds like you’ve faced a lot of challenges, yet you’ve really thought deeply about what helps you manage day-to-day, both with your health and your environment. 🌦️

Your perspective on healthcare is so important.

What changes would you most like to see in the UK healthcare system to better support patients like you?
How do you stay hopeful or motivated while navigating these challenges?
Are there any small victories or moments of joy that have helped you stay positive despite the difficulties?

It’s inspiring to see your resilience and the care you take in managing both your health and your life. Your story is one many in our community can relate to, and I’m sure it will resonate with others here. 💛

Take care,
Somya from the Carenity Team 🌷

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cwright17

17/01/2025 at 12:32

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cwright17

Last activity on 25/04/2025 at 20:43

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@Somya.P Hi Somya 👋

- I'd like for more GPs to broaden their knowledge. A couple of examples:

My 1st GP wouldn't understand why I visited him, asking to be referred to a neurologist after having simple partial temporal lobe seizures during my sleep where they'd wake me up with deja vous. It took me having a bad day where I had at least 4, in Feb 2014. I had one in the morning as I woke up, I had one as a triage nurse was doing a pupil reaction test (mum had taken to to a Minor Injuries unit at the hospital in our town), one as we got outside the grounds of a hospital that has a medical assessment unit, and one in the waiting room before we got seen by a Dr. That's when I got my referral. I had an evoked potential test, then an MRI, and then a hospital stay after I finished my end of year exams. I had a lumbar puncture, and was started on lamotrigine. I went back to my GP for a repeat prescription, and his face went white, realising I was right the whole time. A few months later, I got a diagnosis of CIS MS. Started university a couple if weeks after. In 2015, I had a bout of vertigo, and I somehow managed to safely get myself to my university GPs. They didn't really look into my past medical history, and told me that I had a euscation tube blockage. It took for the left side of my face to not feel anything for me to call my MS nurses, who managed to get me seen by the neurologist quickly. He did a pinprick test, then an MRI, and I got my clinically definite diagnosis, along with copaxone, a yellow bucket, and an autoinjecter. I was moved from that onto ocrevus 6 years later.

I stay hopeful by knowing that I can battle against injustices for disabled people. For example, The Mirror (newspaper) has called me to ask about the challenges disabled people face, especially those who use wheelchairs. They're writing an article now, and I'm going to be told when it's in the paper.

A couple of small victories of mine: I met my now-husband in 2015, a couple of months before I got my clinically definite diagnosis. We bought a house in 2019. He stayed wirh me when my legs stopped working properly and I had to stop working. He stayed when I started having generalised seizures, and even during my 27 day stay in hospital. We got married in 2023, and we're still looking forward to the future.

I hope this helps 😅

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Charlotte Hargreaves-Wright (he's also double barrelled his name so he can be "Wright" half the time)

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NannieAnn

17/01/2025 at 13:57

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My condition would be worse as you have to pay for health care in other countries which I would not be able to pay. Thank god for national health service. Pay nhs staff more money

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Somya.P

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17/01/2025 at 16:11

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Somya.P

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@NannieAnn Hi,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. The NHS really does make a big difference, especially for those of us managing health conditions. 💙

If you could change one thing about the healthcare system to make it even better, what would it be?

Take care,
Somya from the Carenity Team 🌷

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VICKICOFFEY

17/01/2025 at 16:06

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VICKICOFFEY

Last activity on 11/06/2025 at 18:57

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I am no sure. I do not know or understand healthcare in other countries. I know here it is VERY expensive and the older people get, the more dismissive Dr;s become in the USA. All they want to do is push pharmaceuticals on you--they make money along with the companies. Hopefully with our new President et. al. things will change and people will be held accountable, and pricing will go down.

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Somya.P

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17/01/2025 at 16:10

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Somya.P

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@VICKICOFFEY Hello, how are you today ? 😄

If I understand correctly, you live in the United States? We also have a Carenity platform for the US: https://www.carenity.us/. It may be of interest to you 😘

Have a great day,
Somya from the Carenity Team 🌷

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smokitcat

19/01/2025 at 20:33

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smokitcat

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@Somya.P no thanks ive got too much information to transfer over.

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smokitcat

17/01/2025 at 21:30

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smokitcat

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I'm from the UK originally, now I live in the states, and as much as I love the NHS, I have to say I think the health care system is much better, in the states, a lot less waiting times etc.

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Michael Edward Jones

Mikejohn

21/01/2025 at 01:39

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Mikejohn

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Well a long number of years ago I was in England and found it to be a good place but other than that I wouldn’t know

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Mike

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Somya.P

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21/01/2025 at 17:42

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Somya.P

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@Mikejohn Hi 😃

Thanks for sharing !

Where do you live now ?

Have a great day,
Somya from the Carenity Team 🌷

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Mikejohn

11/06/2025 at 01:03

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Mikejohn

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@Somya.P well I’m living in Ireland for the last 50odd years as I raised my family here

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Mike

lesmal

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11/06/2025 at 16:17

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lesmal

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@Mikejohn I'm in Northern Ireland also. Life goes on.

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Les

Mikejohn

12/06/2025 at 00:49

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Mikejohn

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@lesmal that’s good to hear it’s only up the road from me

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Mike

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