Sheryl

From their website, only 1 vascular specialist there and he does not have regular hours.

There is no such thing as a "flu swab" that rules out all types of influenza.

Morel ikely he did a throat culture which ruleso ut bacterial throat infection. Or checked for specific flu e.g. H1N1.

Yes, you need to see a good pediatrician. Where are you located?

Moved to the health forum.

The showing up between certain hours without appointment is common at some hospitals (inc St louis). But from the sounds of this, they did not understand your needs and are directing you to the wrong place. It will be a waste of time to see a general surgeon.

If all you want is compression hosiery, no need to see a doctor at all.

If you want to consult a specialist regarding your crculatory problems, need to select the right one. I believe I already suggested a specific dos in your prior thread,.

As there are considerable differences in western and asian skin it is woirth seeing a dermatologist with experience in the west.

Suggest this one:

http://www.bnhhospital.com/en/find_doctor/detail/59

There is no way to estimate the cost of treating complications that may arise as there is an wide range of possible scenarios with very different treatment implications. This will be true at any type of hospital i.e. the quotes you got from private hospitals on c-section are a drop in the bucket of what costs will be if there are complications.

What you can be sure of is that a public hospital will cost around 1/4 what a private one would. And also that communication will be an issue, as will cultural factors i.e. Thai doctors tend not to provice much if any explanation of what is being done and why, and are unfamiliar with the idea of husbands/BFs being actively involved. These factors plus language barrier may be quite frightening if things start going wrong. This is probably the biggest advantage to going private; while doctors there will also be Thai it is possible to select ones that have had training and experience in the West and are thus acculturated tio Western expectations in terms of communication, husband/BF involvment etc.

The quality of the care will be good in a opublic hospital (assuming it is a sufficiently high level public hospital, see below) but communication with patient and family will be scanty.

Whether private or public, given that this is a high risk birth, it is essential that you choose a hospital with a well equipped neonatal intensive care unit (NIC). Among public hospitals this narrows it down to the big ones affiliated with universities e.g. Chulalonghorn or Siriraj.

And, you should choose one close to where you are staying as it is essential she reach the hospital as quickly as possible if labor starts or there is any pre-labor bleeding.

I would also LOVE to find a proper weight loss rsidential program that combines a restructed intake (but not a total fast) with an exercise program.

Have yet to find anythimng like that in LOS.

If you do, let me know!

Sounds like a simple flu, probably repsiratory in nature and contagion.

When new to a place, one lacks antibodies to common strains fo colds and 'flu, so not unusual to fall sick. If you remain in the area for a while, this stops being so frequent as you developo immunities.

Extremely.

The law is, if bringing it in with you:

- a clearly labeled prescription bottle with your name on it

- a doctor's note stating the need for it

- not more than 30 day supply.

There is no clear legal framework that alows for getting drugs by mail for personal use that I have been able to figure out. In practice small amounts clearly for personal use of non-controlled drugs seems not to interest customs officials much. though technically you are supposed to have an import license. A controlled substance would be a whole other matter. Don't even think about it.

One reply has been deleted, posters are remionded of health forum specific rules. If you do nto have somethingh helpful to say, don't post please.

The exact preparation you describe does nto exist here but the components do, i.e. there is paracetemopl + codeine available (only from a hospital -- codeine is a structly contrlled drug) and separately you can also get doxylamine (OTC, brand names Sominar and Hoggar N).

A large number of other preparations are often used to treat tension headaches here, mostly these are either muslce relaxants with/without paracetemol or NSAIDs.

posts referring to illegal activity deleted.

You may succeed in getting a small # pills from a doctor but should look for better means of dealing wit this long term.

There are nonaddictive drugs that are useful (see a pyschiatrist specializing in anxiety disoreders) and also a short term psychological treatment may be very helpful. (see mental health reosource list)

Usually available at Boots, Watsons and large pharmacies but may nto be on the open shelves, have to ask.

As noted in my prior post, there are no generics of 2 of the drugs he is on, since these are very newly patented, but there are generics of drugs in the same class which he may be able to switch to, should discuss with his doctor.

Only the Lipitor has an exact localy made generic equivalent.

There are some very good endos in Bkk. Dr. Roasanee at Bumrungrad Hospital has treated several TV members with Hashimotos and gotten good reviews. So if you need any tests or consultation while here, can be done. Bring a medical summary and copies of the most recent lab tests with you to simplify matters.

As noted by poster above, the medication is no problem, readily available OTC. If you do need to see Dr. Rosanee, politely decline to buy the med at the hospital pharamcy and buy it outside as there is considerable hospital mark up.

Lipitor is a brand name for atorvastatin. Atorsan is a made generic equivalent.

Normotec is a combination of amliodipine, a calcium antagonist, and olmesartan, an angiotensisn II inhibitor (both are types of antihyertensive medication). As a combination, available only under the imported brand name Normetec. Amliodipine by otself is available as a lcoally made generic under many brand names. Olmesartan is not locally made (still udner patent) but there are a numver of drugs in the same class, with same basic mode of action, which are, for example losartan, which I personally take (brand names include Loranta and Losartan GPO).

Brilinta = ticagrelor, as another poster mentioned it is an anti-platlet agent. It is very new and still under patent, but there are other drugs in the same class that are available as local generics e.g. clopidogrel. In fact, usual practice in the West is toi limit its use to patients found to be resistant to clopidogrel, i.e. as a second line of treatment, not the first.

Sounds like the prescribing doctor went all out on use fo the newest forumlations . Newest is not always better, but it is always more expensive. ...and aggressively promoted by pharm company reps. That influences soem doctors. Also some expect that patients will be impressed by newer, imported drugs. rets assurred that the same doctor if working at a government hospitakl (as many of them do in addition to their private practice) would not have chosen these brands.

Go ahead and switch from lipitor to atorsan (same same), and ask the doctor if:

(1) Instead of normetec, could he separately take amliodipine plus one of the locally made angiotensin II inhibitors such as losartan?

(2) given its cost, woudl there be possible to switch from the Brilinta to clopigrel?

Odds are good answers to both wil be yes, and will save a bundle of $

The above is indeed possible, or else she may have been punched in the lip.

Eelective cosmetic surgery would explain the choice of a private hospital since it is not a service she could get under the universal health scheme.

Possible that embarassment about being beaten/in a fight might also make her opt against going to the government facility at which she is registered -- and she is regustered at one and able to get free care at it. You do NOT need to get her medical insurance. Thais already have coverage through the government system, so 9 times out of 10 when a farang is asked for money for basic medical costs it is, to be frank, a scam.

Consultations are usually around 1,000 baht plus they tack on a coupkle hundred of hiospital fees.

But if you have not had a recent complete physical exam, some basic lab work may be needed to rule out things like diabetes.

any Boots or watsons has this on the open shelf...bth tablets and suppositories.

Also the various "slimming" teas sold in suoermarkets are all laxatives, usually senna.

Try this doctor at Bumrungrad, he did a fellowship in the US on sexual dysfunction

http://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Kavirach-Tantiwongse

I wonder how addictive they are i use them once in a while (couple times a month). Never had problems with them so far. Only use them when something is off, not a regular thing. I actually don't like them that much in the morning as you are still not 100% clear (of mind)

+1. Once in a while's fine and helpful on appropriate occasions. Only a danger to those prone to addictions, really. Have to keep it away from them as usual as the rest of us suffer the resultant inconvenience.

I think even people not particularly prone to addiction can develop a problem if they are not careful to limit use to once in a while. Doctors as many have noted do not properly warn on this point.

See this thread

First of all, congratulations on recogniozing that you have a problem and on seeking professional help for it, that alone puts you ahead of the pack when it comes to this sort of problem.

There are several doctors in Thailand who specilize in addiciton disorders. The following are western trained and look well qualified, I have no direct feedback on them:

http://www.manarom.c...rn_eng.html at Manoram Hospital.

http://www.bumrungra...-Saengcharnchai at Bumrungrad. He also has hours at Manoram but probably Bumrungrad is more convenient location wise