sapson

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

That was me, but the guesthouse room was of identical dimensions to a UK prison cell, had no heating (this was February 2023, so after Covid) and I had to buy a standalone heater to keep warm), no hot shower water, loads of black mould climbing up the wall, all guesthouse facilities closed and the teenage manager stole my post on several occasions.

Found the thread with the poster in Blackpool guest house at 400 quid his input starts about page 5 to page 7 but actual details were not available, probably had good reasons for that privacy.

5 minutes ago, simon43 said:

That was me, but the guesthouse room was of identical dimensions to a UK prison cell, had no heating (this was February 2023, so after Covid) and I had to buy a standalone heater to keep warm), no hot shower water, loads of black mould climbing up the wall, all guesthouse facilities closed and the teenage manager stole my post on several occasions

For sure wasnt you i was referring to! unless you have an alias.

Could mention the users name but perhaps not good forum etiquette to do so,? he was apparently in a large room and it was quite pleasant all in 400 quid without food obviously. A fully functioning guesthouse by the description..... unless the poster was in fantasy land? you never know.

Long term not ideal but an initial roof over the head.

About a year ago there was a thread about the expense of the UK, a prominent poster on here countered that argument.

He was back in the Uk for a while but had managed to find a Blackpool guest house large room that was just 400 pounds a month. Perhaps if he is reading this thread he would offer you the details and may respond? however it was during the Covid period and things maybe have changed.

At the end of August beginning of September when the holiday period ends this guesthouse ( if the details are ever revealed?) or many others may be glad to offer similar deals.

You could try to get a GP locally perhaps your old one? as you are from Blackpool and or if needs must rock up at ER with chest pains or severe head pains etc they are duty bound and would investigate further and get you quickly in the system, also 24hr mental health help lines must embrace your situation if you are on the edge with issues.

Local AA group would also offer immediate help of some sort that doesnt seem available here in Thailand.

Also because your house has a repossession order you are technically not intentionally homeless and the local council may have a duty to house you even if that is initially only paying for the b&b you stay in.

Some thoughts i hope may help.

Good luck!

13 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

weather in uk is very warm 28 degs so you could sleep outside in the parks somewhere and join other rough  sleepers ,,good luck...

without trouble if you keep a low profile

Was that intended as helpful advice?

It still gets down to 12c at night in the Uk in summer and at age 60+ with health issues sleeping rough on a park bench when you are used to 30c+ temps in Thailand for many years is a totally ludicrous suggestion.

I am in very similar circumstances to the OP and on the fence about a Uk return with health age financial issues likely to force my hand.....its not an amusing or jovial situation.

Have a good day!

2 hours ago, ChrisKC said:

You will also need to have the card "activated" for any purchases/subscriptions outside Thailand

So can use kasikorn debit at ATMs in Europe but need to call and activate if using it for general international purchases hotels etc. Do you have to specify a travel period or is it just activated permanently from time of call?

One problem you have to dodge is the HRT, habitual residence test, if youve been out of the country for a few years you have to wait three months on your return to then be eligible to claim universal credit the weekly allowance and housing benefit both would only start from month four.

Unless you dont tell them youve been abroad so long, then they require previous address employment etc so its difficult but possible. You must also show intent to make Uk now your permanent home.

However if you are deported not recommended you dont need the HRT test and qualify for immediate claiming of benefits. not sure if simply coming to the end of a visa soon and having to leave before illegal status imprisonment would work although its common sense not always noted by computer says no DSS new claims call center in Mumbai. 

Wish you the very best of good fortune!

Great that we are kept informed about these developments, can relax knowing we wont miss anything important whilst browsing here.

1 minute ago, PPMMUU said:

I'm a Thai doctor with a somewhat passable English skills, with a little help from ChatGPT for grammar corrections.

Ok I understand now thanks! 

2 hours ago, ubonr1971 said:

If you have ever had hernia surgery at a public hospital can you let me know your experience. 

Three years ago had open mesh inguinal hernia surgery at a  private hospital in khonKaen was a two night stay the only real scar was to my wallet 55k baht! ......seriously would really struggle to see the tiniest evidence of the surgery. 

Noticed as part of their promotions 9 months ago they were discounting all surgery and the standard inguinal hernia package was now only 35k.

Laproscopic was quoted in writing 120k at another private hospital Bkk hospital khon kaen but likely three years on its nearer 200k plus now, but although didnt take this option surgeon was of the best doctors Ive met ...he..listened and great attitude!

He was previously the surgeon at the government hospital and first to do a laparoscopic  hernia repair...... government hospital quote then 2020 only 35k for laproscopic including two nights private room.

10 minutes ago, PPMMUU said:

I work in a government hospital in Thailand.

Wish you good health!

Thankyou!

You are a westerner i presume or Thai with excellent English skills, out of interest whats your position in the government hospital?

i used to buy the mini swiss roll cake from 7/11 until twice i unpacked them from the sealed airtight package but they had black mold on them.

Another time their spaghetti Bolognese dish had green mold on the spaghetti.

16 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

None of these meds would cause low potassium.

 

Heavy sweating could. So could diarrhea.

 

 

lol.... have both of above but the latter has been major problem last 6 years did briefly consult GI doc who strongly suggested bowel colon cancer or if lucky only diverticulitis, advised first CT colonoscopy then another full colonoscopy if need for a biopsy,..... at a private hospital for two  procedures the price was crazy high,,,,,,, This is one for the UK health service think I trust them more with my backside than here and health issues major part of the reason for my return to UK.

4 hours ago, PPMMUU said:

I'd say that NT-proBNP is a very useful blood test to determine heart insufficiency. The price is out of my knowledge since I work in a government hospital, and patients don't have to pay.

 

If AFIB still persists, you will need regular checkups with a cardiologist or internal medicine doctor, or at least a doctor for months if not years. So, the choice of drug can be discussed with the doctor. I strongly advise against buying drugs over the counter, even if they are available over the counter in Thailand.

 

It seems you are leaving for the UK. I would suggest that you obtain a summary of your medical history from the doctor who performed the workup or another doctor at the same hospital. That would be very useful for further cardiac workup in the UK.

Thanks for your response did indeed have the NT pro bnp today it was rather expensive 1300 baht maybe bought some peace of mind,,,not sure, the result was 150 pg/ml with their normal being 0-125 pg/ml so high by their lab parameters but doc said totally normal.

Doctor Google says anything over 125 pg/ml huge increase in cardiac event risk........whos telling it as it is? a young Thai cardiologist or professor google???

Seeing a UK doc older and with more grey hair than me and with a wealth of experience is one good thing about the UK and no language barrier although near impossible to see a doc unless near death,,,,,

Do you work in a government hospital here or the Uk or elsewhere?

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Stress alone cannot put a healthy heart into A-fib (if it could everyone would be in AF!). However excessive caffeine use can sometimes trigger it and so can low potassium. The qestion is, why was your potasdium low? What regular medications are you on?

 

If your heart rate is now regular you may have been in what is called paroxysmal AF.

Yes for sure paroxysmal AF, had it for years for very short periods normally minutes at a time and irregular pulse and rapid heart rate can be reduced by Valsalva technique cold cloth etc, however Mondays 3am to 8am was a 5hr episode that I could not stop whatever i did and consequently fIrst tIme picked up on ECG as AF abnormal at the hospital that morning and trop t 15.5 very worrying.

Just back from hospital follow up now, had AF and pulse 105 bpm arriving getting off bike seems doing anything lively sets it off.

However calmed myself mind over heart and had the ECG, pulse still tad high 95bpm but it was a normal ECG .... what a relief and calmed down, the Tropnin t now reduced to 12.9 again good to see!1

Low Potassium 3,1  Monday was treated with only one dose 15ml elixir i knew it wasnt enough but had lost the will to fight with a totally rushed doctor and sure enough i requested a repeat test today again 3.1 .....so now have a five dose 15ml elixir course which i firmly insisted on. 

But indeed why is my Potassium consistently low ?? since 2017 when my body flesh muscle tone dramatically reduced..and huge weight loss..........doc today not interested daft really, isnt it a warning flag for a problem that needs addressing but which specialist do you turn to.

Checked prior 2014 to 2016 lab checks potassium levels always normal.

Regular meds daily 5mg amlodipine, omeprazole 20 mg, neurobion vit b complex x 2, 

vit c 1000mg and omega 3 fish oil 1000mg. and last 6 months 2 X 500 mg metformin.

sorry that was another book....

Thanks Sheryl.

With the AFIB ecg and raised trop t should they have kept me there and done more tests at the time.? Im 64 Diabetic very skinny for my build and height with hba1c just checked 6.1. but when i get a cut very slow to heal so concerned about anti- coagulant thinner guess a balancing act.

Offered some medication to bring heart rate down but with my previous normal heart history of a low bradycardia, concerning that it would drop to low if heart naturally resets itself. Waitng till this evenings appointment .

My normal resting sitting hr about 65 bpm and a hours slow walk HR hovers around 95 TO 105 bpm.

Since Tuesdays early morning incident now resting sitting, up a tad to 80 bpm and moving about cleaning going to shop around 105 ... so ok, although elevated for me, however pulse has been regular the main concern.

My CBC normal but electrolyte potassium was low 3.1 given the XLc to bring it up.

Was already under such enormous stress anxiety at the moment getting ready to finally leave for Uk, could this acute level of stress cause the AFIB and Trop t elevation, I dont want to under or over react to this heart situation.

Thanks as always for your kind advice,

Two days ago woke up at 3AM pouring sweat with a fast and highly irregular heartbeat and high bp. At 7am it was still skipping jumping and my pulse oximeter could hardly get a reading. Sweating only lasted 45 minutes and no chest pain, however with BP still high 165/110 pulse 115  and arrhythmia symbol on BP monitor .and totally irregular pulse all whilst laying down continuing...... I went to the heart hospital Queen Sirkit kku.

This place at 8am has turned into an incredible crowd scene the Premium clinic previously tranquil was now packed to rafters no seats total mayhem in the morning be warned and no doc after 11-am.

Eventually given ECG in ER showing HR 132BPM  and this my first abnormal ECG was AFIB . referred back to premium clinic mayhem area for blood tests, 3 hours later test results showed TroponinT was 15 ngl just over the upper normal limit, last test year ago 7.9 .

Incredibly rushed Doc referred me back to ER and seemed not interested maybe because of lack of chest pain, however another doc took over and suggested instead of ER, go home come back in two days at regular evening clinic repeat Ecg and Troponin T, chest Xray and suggested doing a NT-pro BNP test., which I am wondering is this the gold standard heart blood test and how much it would cost roughly?

Also with a repeat trop T test 2 days on is it best that decreases dramatically or slightly ? obviously hoping for a ECG normal this time if not and still AFIB i will have to accept the offer of de- coagulants he prescribed  Xarelto at 95 baht a day must be a cheaper alternative Warfarin?

Thanks for any input.

4 hours ago, trevoromgh said:

Yes it was Justtravel.com I used with the cover mentioned but you may have to use state hospitals rather than private but many hospitals offer both.  At least I was covered regardless which is the key thing.  Never made any claims yet but check insurers reviews beforehand to establish track record. Details of payment terms are in policy wording.

 

I appreciate the information thanks and i hope you can stay claim free.

14 hours ago, trevoromgh said:

JustTravelcover.com used recently was a single trip quote with a level of cover called "Unity Travel AIG Single Bronze" and by excluding the Cancellation & Baggage cover you can reduce the costs significantly which is what I did.

Many thanks! so was the company above?? the one you mentioned for 1200 pounds six months cover duration and 10 million limit with only 150 deductible??

Have you actually made any claims ?did you pay first or paid directly to hospital by insurer?

Thanks! info appreciated plenty to work with.

4 hours ago, trevoromgh said:

Currently I get around the health issues by spending 6 months out of the country in the UK on NHS cover and then get 6 months travel insurance (including cover for above) costing £1,200 with £10 million cover and £150 excess. 

Returning to the Uk soon and will be looking for a policy to cover coming back for visits months at a time. Roughly the same age with diabetes etc , your policy sounds ideal with 10 million cover and such a low 150 excess, could you reveal the company details policy name etc.

Many thanks

15 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

Yes, that's the Regional Hospital.

Much appreciated I,ll give them a try, my last jab was 14 months ago and a close neighbour  very recently had covid.

1 minute ago, The Fugitive said:

Yes on 24 February 2023 at Khon Kaen Regional Hospital (walk in).

Thanks for that did you mean the main Khon kaen hospital on Sri Chant Road in the city?

Has anyone received a free booster of Pfizer in the khon Kaen city area recently?

Thanks for any information.

Some posts regarding major medical claims being paid without problem by their insurers, but perhaps forum policy ? the names of these companies who have reassuringly paid are not provided.

The details of these trustworthy companies who settled major claims would be very useful.

5 hours ago, Denim said:

Does working illegally include vloggers. ? Seem to be hundreds of them.

Interesting, didnt the government make it illegal to publish video footage from public places on media platforms such as youtube without the permission of the individuals filmed or have i got that wrong.

So the hundreds of vloggers are possibly all illegal and did the authorities ask permission to show the people in bars they filmed who are now in the public spotlight.?