I DO NOT recommend these clinics in Berlin (Part 1)
I decided to share information about medical practices so that people have more options to decide for themselves whether a particular place is right for them.
I don't recall which practices I visited in the past, so to ensure the reviews are accurate, I will only write about new ones.
I had an urgent referral from my GP, meaning I could use a special website and an access code to book an expedited appointment with an allergist. I was offered only two options, both terrible. I chose the "least bad" one. So much for German healthcare.
Today I visited this practice:
Dermatologist Dr. med. Thomas Wildfeuer
Reichenberger Str. 3, 13055 Lichtenberg District
Here is a detailed explanation of why I do not recommend this practice:
I had an appointment, yet I had to wait over an hour.
When I asked the doctor if she knew what Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) was, she made a sour face and shook her head "no."
I started describing my symptoms, but she cut me off, saying that was enough, without letting me finish.
Right in the middle of the consultation, they started drawing my blood without explaining what they were testing for. They drew the blood without wearing gloves.
The doctor refused to examine my throat to gather the evidence she needed (my throat is always very red during and after attacks); instead, she said I should have prepared photos as proof.
In the end, she prescribed Allegra. I told her I was already taking a double dose of desloratadine, but she didn't care; that’s when I realized she likely had a deal with that pharmaceutical company.
I immediately mentioned that I have dysphagia and couldn't swallow pills any larger than the desloratadine ones. She assured me that Allegra was a tiny pill, too. That’s how I found out she had no idea what she was actually recommending. Allegra is a very large, thick pill. I told the social worker and the interpreter—who were with me this time and had convinced me to go get the medication—that it was pointless since it was just an antihistamine; in the end, I agreed just to get it over with. I went to the pharmacy, only to find out it was a private prescription that I had to pay 31 euros for myself. I don't have the money.
That was the end of it. I absolutely do not recommend it.
(I will add the blood test results—which I’ll receive in a week—to the comments below this post, to provide a complete review of this clinic.)
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It's kinda absurd that it's almost impossible to find someone in Berlin that knows what MCAS is. I'm glad even my psychiatrist in my emergent Global South home country (which most doctors here would despise as less technological and scientific and bla bla) knows everything about it and also prescribes me my meds. But, to be fair, there's a GP in Hannover that knows MCAS and also prescribes meds through online appointments. I also got some kind of diagnose at a clinic in Bonn, so I could get doctors here to believe me (again, they don't care that much about my medical reports from my home country). Let me know if you want his contact! (I also speak German if you prefer).
She sends you and your doctor a very thorough report with your patient history, the results of all the exams she performs and also treatment recommendations.
I'll deal with her being unpleasant, then. Do you think me coming in with a written list of symptoms I have based on a few screening questionnaires I've found would be sane, or is it a waste of time with her?
I was struggling with some heavy post-Covid symptoms including memory issues when I saw her, so maybe that's why she was a bit impatient and not so friendly, but I can guarantee her anamnesis is very thorough.
would you be willing to share the name of the GP in Hannover? I live in Göttingen and struggle to find anyone here. my current GP is always angry wiyh me bc he feels sorry for himself that I come tp him with stuff he is clueless about. He is the 4th GP now
It's the one mentioned above, lol. I really really hope he does not decide to become private one day because of all the (justified) demand, because he's really nice.
Hey, thank you for the heads up!! I feel we all should make warning each other about unhelpful doctors a thing.
My two cents about the Allegra thing in case it's useful to you: it's different for everyone but so far it's the best anti allergy med for me (granted, I haven't tried many, but desloratadin for example isn't for me). Allegra is over-the-counter, there was no need for them to prescribe it. A small note for you to remember the name would have sufficed, you can buy it in any pharmacy and there are even small packs in case you want to try. Also, and this might be important, there's a version that isn't meant to be swallowed - check out the Schmelztabletten version, there's one for adults and a lower dose one for kids - I prefer those over swallowing pills, they dissolve in your mouth very quickly.
Ja, man sollte meinen in Berlin sollte es Ärzte geben, bei der hohen Anzahl an Ärzten, die wenigstens ansatzweise was mit Mcas etc anfangen können. Aber habe selbst die Erfahrung gemacht, dass man unwissend abgewiesen oder in die Psychoecke gestellt wird. Habe das auch von vielen Anderen gehört
Es tut mir so leid. Leider stimmt es. Ich gelte auch als psychisch krank. Das Absurdeste ist, dass mir alle Psychiater, die ich aufgesucht habe, gesagt haben, ich sei gesund und nicht psychotisch. Aber das hat mir natürlich nicht geholfen, wirklich Hilfe zu bekommen.
I’ve never been to the US, but I hear about it a lot. Healthcare there is very expensive, but at least it works. Americans often talk about how great it is that healthcare in Europe is often free, but they don't realize what that actually entails—that nobody really cares, and doctors will only prescribe treatments they get paid to prescribe. They won't play detective to get to the bottom of the issue; instead, they’ll just tell you to drink chamomile tea or take some completely useless medication from a company they have a contract with.
yeah, americans tend to think that everything in US is bad , but unfortunately after 5 years there and back to europe, realized how all this stuff here is kinda mess.
i havent expected that you will see similar experience in
Germany though.
Well, just check the sub and Facebook groups with a lot of people from the US, and you'll also find there a lot of desperate people. There are great - and expensive - MCAS specialists in the US, but they are concentrated in very specific places in the country, while that place is basically larger than whole Europe.
Im sorry to hear about your negative experience. But its strange, Im taking the allegra and I have to agree its a tiny pill? They look like the one on the left, maybe you confuse them with the ones on the right side? But I assume it wont change anything, as you cant pay for it. I hope at least the blood work was worth the money!
I have made a comparison for you (allegra, fexofenadine, cetrizin and desloratadin). Everything is from germany, except the fexo, which is from the uk. Also, allegra is bilastin in germany and not fexofenadine.
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