Check up

Accompanied wife to Dr B's clinic at KPJ Kajang Specialist Hospital for her annual pep smear check up.

Wife has been complaining that her vagina is itching. Application of medication gave some relief, but the itch has not gone away.

Dr B said the itch, together with vaginal dryness is a symptom of hormone depletion in menopausal woman. Ultrasound scanning shows nothing wrong with her. Despite the dryness the doctor managed to extract enough fluid sample sufficient to carry out the laboratory test. The results will be known after the laboratory analysis report come out in about a week's time.

Dr B prescribed a vaginal cream for treating the itch. On closer examination of the product description the cream is not merely a antibiotic medicine to kill bacteria or parasites but contains estrogen compounds. Although Dr B didn't explain I now know that he is is actually prescribing some kind of external hormone replacement therapy for the wife.

The bill for the 15 minute consultant is M198.00. I remember last year when wife visited the hospital she paid less than RM120.00. Like other services the cost of medical treatment has also increased tremendously over time.