Dear patient,
We hope you all enjoyed a lovely summer in our beautiful Amsterdam.
The first sniffling patients have already been visiting us during consultation hours. About time for a new newsletter! This time with a clear theme: flu season.
Flu shots
This year we are giving flu shots on Monday evening, 26 October, and Wednesday evening, 28 October. People who are eligible for a free flu shot will receive an invitation by post. Don’t forget to bring the invitation with you when you come to the clinic!
Haven’t received an invitation, but would you like a flu shot at your own expense? Or are you absolutely unable to make either of the two dates? Then you can call us from Thursday 29 October to make an appointment.
I have a cold and feel sick, what to do?
In autumn and winter, various viruses go around that can cause flu-like symptoms. If you get infected, you may have a runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, muscle pain, abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or a skin rash. Sometimes you also get a fever.
Unfortunately, there is no medicine for these kinds of viruses. Antibiotics don’t work against a virus. Once you are sick, your own immune system has to fight off the virus. Usually you feel better after a week. In the meantime, it is important to take good care of your body: eat healthily, drink plenty of fluids, and get good sleep. Paracetamol (2 tablets of 500 mg, 4 times a day) helps against pain and fever. Ice water and honey help against coughing. If you have a very runny or blocked nose, you can buy xylometazoline nasal spray at the drugstore or pharmacy. But be careful: do not use xylometazoline for longer than five days.
Once you are feeling better, you may still be coughing for weeks. This is normal. The virus is gone, but your lungs are still full of mucus. It can take up to six weeks for your cough to disappear completely. Try to cough as little as possible, as this helps your airways recover faster.
You can find more information about being sick at www.thuisarts.nl.
When should you call the GP with flu symptoms?
Second opinions
We regularly receive requests to refer people for a second opinion. In general, we don’t write them. The specialist who is treating you should make the referral for a second opinion.
This is not because we as GPs don’t want to help, but to make the referral as complete as possible. For a good second opinion, it is important that the specialist sends along the file, including, for example, scan images and notes from hospital visits. As your GP, we don’t have this information. That is why it has been agreed nationally that GPs do not make referrals for a second opinion.
Would you like to know whether or not you need a referral letter from your GP? Then take a look at www.verwijsafspraken.nl.
Birthday
On 1 October, Huisartsenpraktijk Oudezijde turned one year old! It was a year full of changes for us, with new clinic owners, new wishes and dreams, a new computer system, a new telephone system, new colleagues and a new break room. We are incredibly proud of the team, who gave a full 100% to make all these transitions succeed. And we are incredibly grateful that we get to continue strengthening this special clinic.
In the coming year, you will also notice changes in the clinic space. We have wild plans for a makeover with lots of color, a pleasant, soft atmosphere, more unity and more calm. And as the cherry on top, a huge mural in the waiting room.
We would like to thank you, our patients, for your patience over the past year. Not every change went equally smoothly, and you (like us) regularly ran into bumps in the road. Thank you for your encouraging words, the sweet cards and the trust you give us every day.
To finish, here is a holiday snapshot of the three GPs, Leon, Niki and Valentine, who went to celebrate the clinic’s birthday with a weekend in Paris. Santé!
Kind regards,
Huisartsenpraktijk Oudezijde
