What are your impressions about doctors here in Switzerland.

I am kind of scared because I have a simple problem of back pain and they want to test me and test me and test me. I have the impression that they want to test me to get money from my insurance. And that I don´t really need those test. They want to perform me a lumbar puncture!!!!

I am scared and stressed!!!

Get a second opinion. A lumbar puncture is a pretty heavy procedure...

"simple problem of back pain"

my wife had a simple problem of back pain until she ruptured a disc and had to be brought to hospital as an emergency patient.

Back pain is not simple, it can be caused by a variety of things. Sounds like they are just being thorough.

What kind of back pain, i have a problem with my back and i go to physio for it, my Doctor tried sticking needles in me, but it was too painful.

Another friend of mine thinks her Doctor tries to rip her off trying to get more money out of her, so she tries not to go to the Doctors.


Goodluck and i hope your back soon gets better.

p.s.. what sort of doc. you going to.. what is his situation?


my regular doc ... I would trust to the ends of the earth, but one time while he was on an extended leave last year I had to book into a "centre medical/urgence" ... and there the doc was calling for all sorts of tests until I finally told him no, it's enuf.

as said above tho backs are tricky things.... do you have symptoms other than lower back pain that would get the doc thinking it is more than a mechanical problem?

I am totally impressed by healthcare in CH and doctors of course...but I also understand you are worried. You have to understand though, that you are not giving any details as to what you have and also that if you really want to get a second opinion, you are more than entitled to, but asking for help here is not going to get you a good answer, since as much experience as most of us have with doctors most of us are not doctors, and if a couple of us are, we have not seen you so can not really comment. Best wishes!

I got the best doctor ever! He listen to me, try to go to an natural way first and considered the medical way if it doesn't work. He is kind and always take time to answer questions and if I call, he'll come to the phone, etc.

He is open minded and he doesn't see himself as God who knows better than you. He takes your opinions into consideration and share his thoughts with you.

I trust him 100% I never did that before!

Well, They found and inflamation in my neck. It was just my thoughts about doctors here. I consulted with a doctor friend of mine, and she told me that is totally crazy what they want to do me. It's been overwhelming!!

I've found a fantastic team of doctors at the Aeskulap Klinik in Brunnen. Without going into the details I have a long standing difficult to treat chronic pain condition and for the first time in years I feel that my new doctor genuinely listens to me and has been able to offer some alternative treatment options.

They are very thorough and yes I do have to pay for some alternative treatments as my insurance won't cover anything above the basic treatment for a pre-existing condition. I don't feel that they try to pad the bill so to speak, in fact I was surprised at how reasonable the costs were.

Good luck with your treatment, I truly hope you are able to find the answers you need. As others have suggested here a second opinion is always a good idea.

Can you get someone to go along with you? Until I changed my insurance so I could see any doctor or specialist within my canton, and got one I trust, I had to take my wife with me to appointments, because otherwise I just turned into a noddy-dog. "Yes doctor, no doctor, three bags full doctor".

Now I ask for explanations and alternatives.

Not sure where you are from but if you are from the UK then your back pain would not be taken so seriously, you'd spend years being told to go to physio, chiros etc.. etc... I know it may feel like a waste of money but to be given the option for x rays and investigative treatment up front like you get here can potentially save years of discomfort, pain and fighting to see a specialist and second opinion.

This is one of the reasons i prefer to pay more per month and have a lower franchise then I don't feel it in my pocket when the doctors here want to do more thorough tests

Well go to your doctor friend then

Doctors are rather reluctant to do any extra procedures.
The fact that they want to do a lumbar puncture indicates that they want to check you out for other issues than just back pain.
I believe (though I'm not certain) that they usually want to examine the cephalorachidien liquid (in the spinal cord and surrounding the brain, hence the spinal tap) when they are checking neurological issues or perhaps an infection ?

Do get a 2nd opinion certainly. But when you do I would ask a lot of questions as to what they want to check.

my impression you have all kind of doctors in switzerland

bad ones (after 3 weeks of stomach pain and 2 appointments per week dont discover nothing) only make blood exams and simple stuff.
and say: mmm can be a blablabla..

and after that one, a good one in uni spital, make exams and then later told me my problem after 2 days of exams.

Fly to the UK and see a doctor there. Whatever you have (even if it's six months to live) he'll tell you it's fine, and to go home and have a paracetamol..

I see that you are in Bern.

I saw a really good doctor here in Zug named Dr. Gerritsen.
He did a wonderful job on my back.

We've had nothing but excellent doctors in Bern. Although we've not seen anyone for back issues, but internal medicine, gastro, gyn and opthamology have all been excellent, and have explained everything in English.

Have you asked for details?

My experience here is that they are less interested in random testing, but that in the absence of patients asking for information, they will proceed. You really do need to ask why these procedures are called for.

I have nothing but praise for our local doctor. Its great to be listened to and actually have a doctor spend time with you
I also had a problem with my back recently. Doc did all kind of tests, even got me an MRI within a few days. (In the UK I had to wait 4 months for a scan on a damaged knee.) I disagreed with the diagnosis as I had looked up my conditions on google .... But i trusted the doctor and I agreed to getting an injection directly into the disc hernia, problem fixed instantly.

The other thing I find very good about doctors here is that most if not all GP's offer x-rays and other diagnostic test right on the spot in their practice . No need to send you to a specialist for special lab tests, not to mention having to wait for days for the results. Best of all is that they still do house calls here. Now thats what I call good service.