Sheryl

Any insurer will exclude pre-existing conditions. Why would you switch from your current German insurance?

I think he meant to say renal system (kidney). These drugs are indeed contraindicated in kidney disease and can cause kidney damage if taken regularly especially in high dosage. They are however completely over the counter in Thailand, and readily and legally bought without prescription contrary to what another poster wrote.

I suggest you avail of this package https://www.bangkokhospital.com/en/bangkok-bone-brain/package/carotid-doppler-ultrasound Note that you have to buy online to get that price If you prefer other hospital then here (bit a bit more expensive) https://mbrace.bnhhospital.com/en/product/carotid-doppler-ultrasound/ It will include doctor visit to explain findings then you can take it from there if significant blockage is found. The fact that your dizziness is only upon standing up is more consistent with orthostatic hypotension than anything else. But, as you have had prior finding of mild carotid plaques, good idea anyway to recheck. (Orhtostatic hypotension is common in older people especially -- but not only -- if on blood pressure mediction. Best managed by getting up slowly and, sometimes, by adjusting BP medication dose or schedule). People with carotid plaques often also have some plaque build up in the coronary arteries. A Coronary Calcium Scan may be good idea if you have not had one, or other test (like angiogram etc) in the past few years. Same hospitals offer package for this https://www.bangkokhospital.com/en/bangkok-heart/package/ct-coronary-calcium-score https://mbrace.bnhhospital.com/en/product/ct-calcium-score-screening/?srsltid=AfmBOorsy7LsOjNTm5QpkG-9DNCmb34ZU51aTHiXWvCoQo0V32oTs96Z While BNH is more expensive for both tests they also have a package that combines Carotid Doppler, CAC and low dose lung CT (screening for lung cancer) at a competitive price (15k for all 3), relevant only if you need that last one. Annual low dose lung CT is indicated only if you are "aged 50 to 80 years who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years" https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lung-cancer-screening

It would depend on many things: - whether the doctor/hospital had a copy of your Advance Directive ("Living Will") on file - If so, whether they consulted it and considered it to be applicable to your current circumstances Note that many hospitals have their own forms for this and may nto accept it in ay other format. A Health Care Proxy, appointing someone else to make medical decisions on your behalf when you are unable to speak for yourself, is arguably more important that an Advanced Directive. As it would fall to such a person to ensure the terms of your Advance Directive were followed.

For knee pain, antiinflamatories like naproxen, ibuprofen, diclofenac etc are usually best but are contraindicated in some people e.g. those with gastritis/ulcers/other GI diseases and kidney disease, or bleeding disorders. Need to be cautious if also on any type of blood thinner. There are also injections that can be done in doctor's office that often help e.g. steroid or HA.

You are going to have to describe your symptoms for me to be able to direct you to the best doctor. A cardiologist is not whom one would see for suspected blockage of carotid arteries, that would be a neurologist and/or vascular surgeon. Or did you mean coronary arteries?

Mived to Insurance forum. Cigna Global will newly insure up to age 99. But as with any insurer, pre-existing conditions will be excluded.

Go to the site I listed. Download and complete Form 1199 for Thailand. Yout bank has to complete part of it. Then submit it via the Manila office as indicated on the form. You may need first to be showing your Thai address on your SS account.

No. SSA will do direct deposit to a Thai Bank using their SWIFT code. https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1199.html However it is required that you are living outside the US to fo this so I don't see hoe you can arrange this keeping a US address. The annual "are you alive" letters aren't thst onerous The only concern is the erratic mail delivery in Thailand. You just remember to download the form and mail it in each year if you haven't received thd letter by say end of Octobrr.

2 - 3% for a US dollar fixed deposit account.

If the newest equations are used to calculate the eGFR (note that eGFR is not a direct test, but a calculation based on other things like serum creatnine) then it is independent of race (but not of sex). Older equations did include race but without a specific one for Asian. eGFR should never be treated as an absolute indication of kidney health, if low for age, needs to be evaluated by a nephorologist taking full clinical picture into account and results of other tests. It is important to note that eGFR normally declines with age. A low eGFR in an older person -- even if below 60 -- does not always mean kidney disease is present. Another very important consideration is that the eGFR is calculated in large part from the serum creatnine, and this can be artificially elevated if you are dehydrated when it is measured. There is a habit here in Thailand of telling people to take nothing at all by mouth prior to blood tests, with the result that people are often a bit dehydrated when their bloods are drawn. Actually there is no need to abstain from plain water before a blood test and doing so may skew results.

Up to 10% of people have gallbladder polyps. Removal is usually indicated if they are symptomatic or if size exceeds 1 cm. The latter is because a small minority of these polyps are malignant and likelihood of malignancy is greater if size is >1 cm. Rapid growth can also be an indication of malignancy, though malignant polyps are usually singular while multiple polyps are more likely to be benign. Good overview here https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21821-gallbladder-polyps

Moved to the health forum. Best place for this in Bangkok (and very affordable) is the government Institute of Dermatology https://www.iod.go.th/en/ Bring a Thai speaker if you don't speak much Thai.

Frankly if you need a CT scan you should best be getting care off the island anyway. One has to consider not just getting the scan but the skill/expertise of the specialist who would review it and treat you. If the CT does not require contrast media you can get it done at an imaging center in Surat Thani for much less than at a hospital - but make sure you first know the specifications for the scan. https://mrithailand.com/en/contact-us-2/ located inside Surat Thani government hospital which is large regional level facility. If you prefer private care, then depending in what your condition is, many people report favorably on Taksin Hospital in ST. https://www.thaksinhospital.com/thaksin/index_english.php

No obvious source then if it persists should see a doctor.