randymarsh

Anyone know if it's open tomorrow?

I will just take my apartment invoices with me and hope for the best.  I doubt they've been reporting as it's more of a long term apartment rental place for bar girls and ladyboys.

Oh and my hotel at the time was 22,000 baht a night.  Cheers.

Can I print the forms first?  Otherwise I have to drive all way there, come back to hotel get them to fill in, then go back again.  Seems stupid to make everyone do this.  Doesn't happen in Isaan, just a single form.  

Thought they'd done away with a second form because everyone hated the double trip to immigration so much - so just need the TM7 now???

Last time I did it was hell.  a full two days of back and forth just to get a 30 day extension.  Had to go back to hotel to get 'invitation letter' which hotel wouldn't give me.  In the end managed to get the extension but they fought hard to make things difficult.

Since then I've always got my extensions in Isaan because there's no queue and they actually smile - and it takes 10 minutes max.

Is Jomtien still a full day of hell?  Would I be better taking a day trip?  Are there any less touristy immigration offices nearby?  If Bangkok is better, I might go there.

Thanks

Thanks Sheryl.

I was trying to do as close to 15km as I could each morning between 9am and midday.  The remainder was just general walking throughout the rest of the day, evening.  My average was actually just below 20km a day but not far off.  

Edit:  sorry I see your point.  The "hour or two" I mention above is for my new plan - to cut back on anything as intensive as before, to avoid a repeat of last time.  It's not about what I was doing previously.

Here's my steps.  19th was day I got sick so I stopped since then.  I'm quite young and not too unhealthy so it's not impossible.  Here's a screenshot of steps:

And I got lots of blisters!

5 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

First post.  

Now

Did you really need to say that to people trying to help you?

Ok sorry I value all constructive replies, but we all know Sheryl's help is what makes this Health forum as good as it is.  I think without her, we would be better shutting it down as if that were the case, jak would probably have a point about taking advice from random strangers.

However, as Sheryl, is here, the Health forum is clearly worthwhile, and one of the best things about the ThaiVisa forum overall.  

7 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

OP.. Sorry don't want to be mean.. but you are sounding like a serious hypochondriac.  Your other thread was very similar.

 

Drink when you are thirsty.  Drink alcohol in moderation... stay off your raw shrimps and other raw foods, get moderate exercise, don't overeat, eat plenty of veg and less processed foods.... you will be good.  No need to weigh and calculate every amount of things you eat or drink.. just use common sense. 

 

 

I probably worry too much, yes.  But you try having a brown/purple pee with RBC count >200 (a reading so high, they don't even bother counting) and not being concerned.  Only natural that since that event, I've been more focused on keeping hydrated - because I thought I was keeping hydrated during all the exercise, but clearly not.

2 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

First answer to OP is the best.  Can't believe people would take serious medical advice from strangers on Thai Visa than from qualified doctors! 

 

 

I have done exactly that.  The first thing I did was go to hospital, within about 10 minutes of seeing my urine.  However, Sheryl is so knowledgeable, I do like some input and reassurance on the results to check I am doing the right things.  I don't value the rest of you to be honest.  

Doctors here can be good but they can also be very light on communication / explanation of results, and recommendations for improvement. 

Week later and had follow up urine and blood tests at the clinic you recommended, Sheryl.  I think these results are ok but welcome any comments.

Urine test:

RBC 0, WBC 0, Protein negative, Glucose negative, Ketone negative.

One thing on the pH...   My dark brown urine had a pH of 5.  The following day, it was 7.  Today's sample has a pH of 8, which is just on the limit.  The last week I've concentrated on keeping hydrated.  Been drinking only 3 things: water, green tea (no added sugar), coconut water (no added sugar).  No alcohol at all.   Any reason why it's so alkaline and whether to be concerned?  Could be sign of UTI...  or have I just been drinking so much water that that explains it?

On the blood tests

BUN has gone from 9 to 18 (normal range 8-25).   So has increased but still within normal range, and I have read 18 is closer to the optimal levels (based on this link optimal BUN is 16 - although don't know how accurate this site is http://www.stat.unc.edu/visitors/temp/Health/Thyroid/blood_test_results.htm)  

Creatinine has gone down from 1.33 (brown pee day) to 1.25 (following day) to 1.07 (today).   This clinic uses a different formula for eGFR but using the formula from the hospital, this puts my eGFR at 91 which i think is better.    I think it's clear my kidneys were struggling with my new routine, but seem to be ok now.

Total protein is 8.1 (6.0-8.0) so still just high, although the Pattaya clinic puts the normal protein range at up to 8.5 (as it considers globulin ok up to 3.5) so going by that, I am in normal range.  .  Albumin high now at 5.2 (3.5-5.0) despite trying to keep hydrated.  Globulin 2.9 (2.5-3.0).   A/G ratio is 1.79.   Previous tests were protein 8.3:  albumin was previously ok at 4.6 and globulin 3.7 (high) giving A/G ratio 1.24.     Hard to know exactly what the A/G ratio should be despite googling for 10 minutes, but this site (http://www.ndhealthfacts.org/wiki/Albumin/Globulin_Ratio) seems to think optimal is 1.5-2.0 so I'm going to say my results are better today than they were last week .... 

Total and direct bilirubin levels normal (and lower than last week)

Any recommendations for full body mole check up in Pattaya?    Info on cost would help too

Thanks

5 hours ago, bazza73 said:

IMHO 118/70 is really good.

You probably only need to check once a week unless you have a big lifestyle change.

In my case, I found the effect of abstaining from alcohol was the most dramatic, because there was little change to my exercise/diet patterns.

Why is it just about everything we like is bad for us?

Agreed I haven't had a beer for a few weeks, and there's no way the improvement isn't related.  I'll prove it next time I'm hungover when my bp shoots up again.  Almost enough to make me quit drinking, but that would be boring.  

Is there any reason to be concerned if blood pressure is a lot lower than normal but still in normal range?  I know for example 90/60 is considered good but may be too low for some people?

Last few days, my BP readings have been around 118/70.   I should be happy because I've made some lifestyle changes over the past few weeks (exercise / diet / no alcohol) to bring it down, but I wonder how it's come down so fast.

Only been checking daily for 5 weeks but prior to the last few days, it's averaged around 135/80.  

Thanks for the advice Cheryl.

On staying hydrated, how much water a day is sensible in this climate?  With an hour or twos exercise, I'm thinking 5 litres a day spread as evenly as I can might be ok.  And I was drinking nowhere near that now I think back, I was probably averaging 2 litres a day.  I know there's a risk from too much water but very unlikely so rather drink too much than too little.  I've had 3.5 litres already today and only been to the toilet 3 or 4 times.

14 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Perhaps I (we) misread above as meaning you went from 1km to 20km in a two week period?  That would seem extreme - but perhaps your meaning is only that for last two weeks average has been 20km but that increase was over a much longer period of time?  In any case 20km seems rather extreme to my old bones.

No I literally went from doing no exercise at all, to walking 20km a day starting 2 weeks ago... with no gradual build up.  Thought I was drinking enough water but clearly not.

And I was feeling happier and healthier for all of that time until incident 3 days ago, which has pushed me back as now I'm apprehensive to exercise at all.  Also I'm off alcohol so with no exercise and no trips to the bars, some long slow days ahead. 

I'm 32 btw.  I didn't think I was overexerting myself, but I think I did, along with probably dehydration.  I did lose some weight also but not as much as I thought I would exercising every day, I went from 89.5 kilos to 87.  I'm 6ft1 so not really overweight either. 

Thanks Cheryl

I noticed I got my creatinine and eGFR levels tested.on both days.  On the first day of lots of blood, it was higher:  1.33 creatinine and eGFR 70.23

So even a day of rest / hydration improved the results by a bit.

Will include blood tests next week and hopefully see more improvement.

And I thought exercise was meant to help me LOL 

Not taking any meds

Looking at the kidney results, my eGFR is stage 2 kidney disease....  75.7 (60-89)  

Although my creatinine levels were within range.   Should I be worried about this?

Edit - answered my own question, sorry.

The SGOT SGPT tests I actually had done both days.  Both days identical results 16 (<37) and 24 (<40)

You'll have to stick with me on the exercise theory because I'm ruling out bladder tumour (cystoscopy), kidney or liver damage, UTI...

I'm not sure they would have mixed up the tests for one main reason:  the hospital is so quiet.  I'm always in and out within an hour with full blood and urine results and consultation.  I really doubt any other urine tests were done in the 20 minutes it took them to test my urine.  Even if 1 other test was done, they wouldn't mix up 2 tests; you'd be looking at 100s of tests a day before a mix up surely?  Plus my urine was so insanely brown and bizarre looking, it wouldn't have been mixed up...  

I actually think there is little precedent for the urine test I took yesterday with the very high RBC.   Assuming exercise related, it's like testing the urine of a marathon runner just after they've finished a marathon and pee blood.  How often is that done and wouldnt you expect some surprising results considering the exertion / dehydration?  Runners know to expect some blood so would not be too worried / get tested.  In a similar way, I'd just walked 15km, was dehydrated, gave the darkest brown/purple urine sample with no transparency.  Maybe a sample such as this can just give surprising results as its not your classic UTI sample.  Does it explain the bilirubin, protein, WBC?  It sounds like it doesn't.  But how often is urine tested in these circumstances?  Compare that to todays clear yellow sample - yes it looks like a completely different person but I was hydrated and haven't exercised (moved) at all since yesterday morning.  So I really doubt a mix up of urine during the testing, but I wouldn't rule out false positives on things like the bilirubin.  

Anyway, thanks a lot for your input.  I will do another urine test next week and hopefully RBC will be normal.  

And I'll keep those overpriced hospital pills in case I ever need them.

Blood and urine tests this morning

Urine:

Bilirubin Negative

Protein Negative

WBC 1-2

RBC 5-10   - compared to > 200 yesterday

Bloods were all within normal levels.

BUN 9  (8-25)

Creatinine 1.25 (0.7-1.5)

Total Bilirubin 1.0 (0.2-1.2)

Direct Bilirubin 0.2 (0.1-0.5)

CPK 259 (down from 270 yesterday)

WBC 6,750 (5,000-10,000)

Only one that was high was Totla Protein at 8.3 but only just outside normal (6.0-8.0)

I don't know which ones specifically relate to liver enzymes but nothing else outside of range.

I think my theory on exercise might be right, and doctor didn't rule it out.  The shock to my body of going from 500 meters a day to 15 kilometers may have damaged my bladder.  I didn't mention yesterday I had a pee when I woke up and it was fine, it was only after walking 15km and peeing again that my pee had turned brown and bloody.  I think I damaged my insides during that walk.

I also think because my urine was so heavily concentrated with blood yesterday and I was so dehydrated, the bilirubin came back positive just because there was so much blood in the sample?  Anyway, it's ok today, and my eyes are still white.

I think the RBC in urine still came back positive because I'm still healing inside - bladder damage?  I said I'd go back in a week and test only urine.

Cheryl - thoughts on antibiotics?  I don't think I have an infection.  Doctor said to take them anyway but I haven't started them.  He also gave me a questionable antibiotic for a UTI - cefdinir.  I have cephalexin and would much prefer to take that if I'm to take anything as cephalexin was highly recommended by top urologist in Chiang Mai and has worked for me in the past.  I don't believe I have a UTI anyway though so should I take anything or not?

Also on risk of my exercise theory being completely off.  I had a cystoscopy in January.  How likely is it that something serious has developed between then and now which would cause such excessive bleeding?  Mentioned I also had an abdomen ultrasound a month ago.  To me all signs point to exercise and shock to my body.

Thanks

Pattaya International Hospital Soi 4.  Was just a regular doctor i think, but seeing urologist on Friday.

Will go back tomorrow for the tests you've mentioned, plus repeat urine test.  And will ask them on the bilrubin.

Also my urine has been completely clear all day since the brown sample I gave at the hospital.  No visible blood or funny colours.  I know the urine was dark because bilrubin?  But also a lot of it was just dehydration from exercising without drinking enough...  Maybe they weren't concerned on the bilrubin levels, considering how high the RBC was?

Thanks

Hijacking my own thread.  Been monitoring my BP for the past month or so since buying home tester. 

I'm just about in the pre-hypertension stage, averaging around 133/85 but some days i'm stage 1 hypertension.

Some observations since I started monitoring, which may not be of use to anyone but just in case:

I have problems with anxiety and I can say that anxiety definitely impacts BP (both systolic and diastolic).  Had read that diastolic shouldn't be affected by anxiety/ panic attacks but it is in my case.  The worst reading I have taken in the past month was 165/109 when I was anxious and hungover.  Diastolic of 110 is apparently a medical emergency /trip to A&E, which didn't help the anxiety.  Managed to relax and within a few hours I was back in normal-ish range around 130/80.

After exercise, my blood pressure is lower.  I think the general expectation would be an increase in systolic but not always in my case.  Again I link this to anxiety.  I'm generally not anxious after exercise (opposite) and regularly have readings around 125/75 an hour or two after exercise.  Lower BP after exercise is also meant to be a sign of a heart problem but hopefully not...

I actually think anxiety is playing a big part in my BP overall.  I probably have a low level anxiety for 80% of the time I'm awake.  I'm sure if I was happier / more at ease, my readings would improve.

After moderate drinking, my blood pressure is as low as I've seen it.  A day of exercise followed by about 4 beers gave me my lowest readings at 115/60.  This wasn't a one off.  Everytime I drink a few beers my BP drops.  Hangover is usually complete opposite though - 150/90 or worse.

Drinking really only water every day and lots of it - but still dehydrated.  Urine is clear again now after drinking 2 litres earlier.