Poland and doctors

Hi all first post so I'll just cut to the chase I'm thinking of coming over to Poland for a while but I suffer from Panik attacks and will be needing to find a Doctor that can help with this A.S.A.P.

Would this be easy and how much would a private doctor cost and what mediction is ok to get I will be needing Xanax or something like that.

Would really appreciate any help on this matter

Many thanks .Jon

Stay clear of polish medicine and Polish doctors. They are really dreadful. Just the thought of it drives me in to a panic attack myself! I was in Katowica once for a small private operation. The doctor was already the boy friend of my wife's school time friend. Hence the connection. That is why I was talked into the operation in the first place. A cheap experiment, or so I thought. Blood dreadful place and operation. In fact, my problem is worse now than before. The only good thing there was a nice young Polish nurse, whom I fancid at the time!

Well I dont want an operation and I cant see Xanax being dodgee or something that going to poison me (I guess u never know though).

I know a lot of Sweeds that go over for dental stuff.

Thay cant all be bad

Anyway do you know how much a doctor would be to see?.

Cheers Jon

Do you speak polish?

I was in Katowice for 3 years and had nothing but good experiences at the Doctors. This was from 2004-2007. My daughter was born in Mikolow and the staff was great.

I think if you find a doctor who speaks English they will be happy to help you provided you have a real medical condition and some documentation. FYI Valium is cheaper than aspirin in Poland. If you are in Katowice e-mail me and I will tell you where to go.

Jon if you are just looking for basic treatment and meds there is plenty of both and the cost is better than the west. If you are looking for counseling like cognitive behavioral therapy you are going to have a harder time.

It is one thing to be able to speak English well enough to give medical care but a whole other thing to be able to speak and understand it well enough to give therapy to a native speaker of English. I have found many people here who say they speak every well actually don't.

Every language has nuances and hidden meaning and unless someone grows up in that language they are not going to be as versed in those. Figuring out what patients are NOT saying is just as important as what literally comes out of their mouth.

It works both ways and I would never presume to be able to understand the "little things" in Polish.

If you are going to be in Warsaw there are loads of places to find someplace suitable just for meds. LIM, Damiana and Lux_Med all have English speakers on all the time...the smaller places will be cheaper and generally just as good for what you need but you may have to call ahead to make sure they have an English speaking doc.

Thanks for all the replys, no I don't speak polish DZhaklin I guess it would make things much easyer.

I'm not really sure where I will be staying yet but will take you up on that offer if I'm close cheers.

I wont be needing counceling just basic treatment, when you say cheaper what would a typical price be to see a doc.

Many thanks again for the replys. Jon

At LIM...Damiana etc around 100zl. (260 SEK)

Thanks seems pritty cheap.

Yeah that is the consultation fee...normally that includes anything they do in the office like injections, sutures etc. Lab tests, X-rays etc will be additional. Sounds like for what you need a simple consultation will be enough.

Don't forget though that you are not likely to get a huge amount of Xanax for example due to addiction potential so if you are here for a while you will have to go back to get refills as needed. I'd be surprised if you would get more than 15-20 pills at a time. Probably wont be more than 30zl or so for one round of a generic med.

I would for sure bring some with you just in case it takes a day or two to get sorted...if any place can stress you out and cause anxiety trying to get anything done it is Poland....

Because you want Xanax and it is such a commonly abused drug (hello Noelle Bush), you'll probably need to bring documentation confirming you have been prescribed it in the USA. Even if you do have the correct paperwork, a prescription for more than one packet (i.e. 30 tablets) can only be issued by a psych specialist, specialist consultations cost a bit more than the regular consultation fee. Polish doctors are very good at sniffing out scripters, you won't get far unless you are 100% legitimate.

The other problem with Xanax is that it is expensive here. A packet will cost you more than the consultation fee, more than double the cost.

If you are genuinely suffering, the doctors here will help. If you're just looking to get high, forget it: you'll be wasting your money and Polish vodka is so good and so cheap you might as well take that instead.

Thanks again for all the reply's.

I have 5 years of medical records (Im from Sweden not the U.S). That might pose a problem what with it all being in Swedish Hmm.

Also I dont fancy paying silly money for 30 pills plus a doctors appointment every 2 weeks (thats how long 30 pills will last me). That would add up very fast.

Bloody annoying people take these to get high really f=0cks it up for others.

Cheers again

what you are doing is medicating without trying to find what is the underlying problem. it is the equivalent of noticing that your oil warning light has come on on your car and then just smashing the thing with a hammer and driving on regardless - medicating can set you up for all sorts of problems down the road

you need to see a psychiatrist in the US - Xanax is not usually used for GAD in any case - your should ask about the Wyeth product Effectin ER if you must medicate but have an exit strategy after three months

Check out statmedica.com - they have listings for doctors, and the site is targeted at patients from overseas / epats / medical tourism types.

Thank you aligator thats a very bould statement mate, as of yet nothing else has worked for me hence 5 years of medical records you think I ant tryed it all?.

Londonchick thanks for the link.

Probably not. As long as they can make out a few words and see your name, you'll probably be OK


At the place I used to use before I got medical coverage from my employer, visits to a doctor for repeat prescriptions were only 40zl (about 11 Euro). A specialist will be able to prescribe three packs.

You might want to try something generic if you can't afford branded Xanax.

How stupid can one be to go to a doctor's who was wifey's boyfriend at one time?


We have seen a demonstration of this for sure.

No no no! The doctor was hitched to a girl who went to school in Poland with my wife many years ago. Get it right.

Yer theres Xanax writen everwhere along with a billion other medications you'll lough if you saw it.

When you say pricey what would 3 packs of the cheap stuff cost I mean it dont even have to be Xanax (I'm bloody fed up typing that word) valium might do or kolopin I think its called.

Cheers.

Jon I was given Ambien for sleeping due to pain after an operation on my shoulder...this is a benzodiazepine like Xanax or Valium. A box of 20-10mg tablets was about 30-40zl. Ambien is a name brand medicine as well so I cannot imagine how generic Xanax (Alprazolam) could be that much more like has been said...but in Poland you never know.

what did your psychiatrist diagnose as the underlying problem? Does he think it is GAD?
relaxation techniques appear to help some people, doping yourself up to the eyeballs might not be the answer.
Sweden has the highest suicide rate in Western Europe and it is partly due to the lack of light in winter. Do you find your panic attacks get worse in the winter.?

Ambien is not a benzodiazepine. Zolpidem (the drug sold under brand names including Ambien) is available as a generic drug in Poland.

Xanax is not a generic, it is a brand name. Alprazolam is the name for the generic drug branded as Xanax. Alprazolam is not available in Poland. From memory a bottle of 30 Xanax is in the region of 240zl.

That said, this conversation is largely moot because it is highly unlikely that any doctor anywhere in the world would ever prescribe Xanax for panic disorder for five years.

Seriously a panic disorder that causes you to take xanax two times a day. One one have thought they'd move you to a drug like klonopin you know something more stable than taking xanax twice a day. I don't think a doctor will by that. I mean my Mom wouldn't and she's a shrink.

I meant benzodiazepine LIKE drug like Xanax and Valium are but leave it to you to scour my posts for an error to pick apart. An error that really has no bearing on the info given anyway...

Jon go talk to the doc and ignore the detractors...

Harry you don't have conversations...you talk to imagine yourself as intelligent. Somebody who writes opinion columns in Warsaw, Poland really isn't all that impressive. Perhaps you need to take some more of the Xanax you proclaim to be such an expert about and chill.

ultimately this is the only way you will find out but you might want to get proof of a condition thats not in Swedish

A kind thought but not one that can come to pass. I haven't had any Xanax since 2001 (I was prescribed it to deal with insomnia after my father died and I reacted badly to Ambien). I never took it to 'chill', I took it to sleep. However a good friend of mine does have a prescription for Xanax and that's how I know the price of it.

By the way, who pays money for your impressive writing? My first book comes out later this month, when is yours published?

Sorry Dzhakin dont meam to be rude but have you, had anxiety or panic attacks yourself?. no ok

Tell me what would your mum do then?. Yes koloipin is just as good but its really the same thing you just take 4mg a day.

MR aligator are you also a doctor I ask because you seem TO think so, dont tell me what I should do mate get druged up NO fool, I take it because it works if another drug work'd i.e an A.D or something I would be taking that?. druged up to the eyeballs hmm just what I'm looking for.prrr

Harry please to not post anymore in this thread unless you know what your talking about thanks you. Xanax is avalible in most places if not all, if you have gone through panic attacks then please let me know I HAVE NOT BEEN ON Xanax for 5 years?.

Sorry if all that sounds blunt but please think about what your saying I assure you I know much more than what you think.

let me say this, your ill for 5 years and you take something that works or should I just stay ill for another 5 years wanna walk in my shoe's?. No

All doctors please step forward with some more advice you know u wanna.

Jones 101 thanks for your post's I shall ignore the the rest.

I'm closing the topic you can P.M

I get paid for my actions...keeping jackasses like you free to write meaningless books. Enjoy!

I know what I'm talking about here thanks. Xanax is available in Poland. I've never said it is not. However, having personally had prescriptions for the stuff (unlike anybody else in this thread except you), I know for a fact that generic Alprazolam is not available in Poland. That is because generic Alprazolam does not have a marketing authorisation from the Registration Office for Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocides. So you're stuck paying Pfizer full whack for the branded version.

My personal recommendation would be that you speak to your doctor about alternatives to Xanax if you must have pharmaceutical treatment for your disorder. If you stick with Xanax you will build tolerance to it. Try roatating estazolam, alprazolam, lorazepam and oxazepam.

[quote=Harry] If you stick with Xanax you will build tolerance to it. Try roatating estazolam, alprazolam, lorazepam and oxazepam.

Harry you are irrelevant.
Xanax is rapid acting.
Estazolam is medium acting.
Lorazepam is slow acting.
For panic attacks you need rapid acting benzodiazepine like Xanax(alprazolam).The rest is for other conditions like insomnia,anxiety disorders.