Sheryl

I had hoped that this thread would stick to reports about the experiencing of members in getting this new scheme. It seems that it has widened and covers old schemes.no shemes and the usual Thai Health does not give you the right to your own doctor type of posts.

Sheryl I am sure most of us would continue Bupa if they could. Pre-existing condition rules stop that for many people here.

THis scheme....which is new and not one that has been in existance for 5 years may at least ensure a level of care when it is really needed and resources have been exausted using the private system. As such it will be of value to me and I am sure others. Those fortunate to have BUPA or even those having continued to pay social security may not need it. Please do not think that your needs or wants are those of others.

I for one have resources sufficient for my health care...but if I use them my family will have a lot less when they need it. I care about them and am happy to reduce my comfort if needed to repay them in part for the care love and support they have given me. A month in a private hospital would certainly not leave them a lot. A month in a public hospital may leave them something.

I was responding to prior posts that discussed discontinuing private insurance by people who had been able to obtain it.

If you will read post #11, you will see that I am well aware of, and have discussed, the situation of persons such as yourself.

OK please cease and desist.

David48, a simple "Sorry if I in any way offended, certainly was not my intention" might have served better.

OP, you may have over-reacted a bit.

In future if a post bothers you or you feel it is unhelpful, just hot the "report" button and a Moderator will sort it out.

It is possible to get a private room (hong piset) at a government hospital and the charges are quite reasonable. AFAIK you can do this even if covered by SS or the UC scheme though you'd of course have to pay the room charge out of pocket.

The big disadvantage isn't the room. It's not being able to choose your doctor, not being able to directly access a specialist, needing to get letter of referral to access a higher level of care (not so easily obtained, sometimes) etc. It is for these reasons only that I'll keep shelling out ~USD 2,000 a year to BUPA for my coverage.

The always happy dog we have in our building entrance has been castrated and now he looks so sad, so sad, so sad... he now lays down and only move his eyes when we talked to him.

I had my dog castrated and he is very happy and playful. Couldn't be more so.

Happier than before, in fact...though to be fair that may be because as a Chihuahuas in a land of big Soi dogs, he was never successful in mating anyhow. Just unsuccessful quests and losing fights for the poor little fellow.

The main advantage (other than not bringing more unwanted puppies into the world) is that they will no longer roam far from home in search of a female, risking getting hit by cars and dangerous fights with other males in the area (which can get quite ferocious when there's a female in heat nearby).

The life expectancy for an unneutered male dog, unless you are able to keep him completely fenced in, is not very long. Not unlike many human males, they will do very foolish/risky things in pursuit of...you get the idea.

Well, full disclosure, I am an advocate of hallucinogens, as I have learned a lot about myself and resolved many problems through them and so have many others. I am not saying it is a cure-all. but certainly an option to ponder if it caters to your case and can stop you from doing something severe (let's say it, like offing yourself). It needs to be done right and with the right people.....I just really felt a sense of panic and a hallucinogenic purging with a live person is better than some alternatives.

It is a serious step, but one that should be considered if it corresponds (I don't know if it does in this case...other posters have said it is most appropriate for opiate addiction) if the alternative is no way out. So, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't have even brought it up if I hadn't felt desperation in the OP's tone.

Absolutely not safe or advisable for someone withdrawing from benzos.

How about taking dogs out of Thailand? I want to take my two back to the uk (Manchester) but am unsure of cost and reliable companies? Any suggestions?

To the UK is very complicated. You need to start more than 6 months in advance in order to avoid quarantine. There is a good summary here http://www.wikihow.com/Ship-a-Pet-to-the-UK (Thailand is an unlisted country)

And this is the official govt website https://www.gov.uk/pet-travel-information-for-pet-owners#countries-and-territories

As you will see most of the complexity is stuff you have to do. Once you have done everything you need to the actual shipping is simple, and no need for a company, just contact the airline for their requirements and also Thai animal quarantine, who must issue a health certificate and export permit. They only issue that 5 days or less before departure but as they will refuse to issue if you are going to the UK and haven't done everything you need to to meet UK requirements, best to contact them early on. They are pretty knowledgable about the regs in various countries. http://www.dld.go.th/webenglish/move2.html#im4 Office is in the Cargo Terminal of Suvanabhumi airport.

I notice this is in the Isaan forum, if that is where the OP is he may struggle at a pharmacy in the smaller towns.

None of the pharms near me will supply BP meds or Beta Blockers over the counter, you have to go to the local hospital.

That would be because they don't have a pharmacist ion the premises (probably ever). Nearest provincial capital town would be a good bet.

Thailand flood map from ESRI Thailand

http://203.150.230.27/FloodMap/

Thanks -- any idea how often this is updated? I can't find the data anywhere on it.

Anyone know which is the government hospital for Pattaya and its location. Many thanks.

Banglamung Hospital in Naklua.

Address: 669 Moo 5 Naklua Beach, Chonburi, Thailand

Tel: 038 429 244-5, 038 427 580

Never encountered fake antihypertensive meds in LOS. Basically the fake drugs are things aimed at the tourist market e.g. Viagra, Valium etc (which are also anyhow illegal to buy OTC).

All OP needs, assuming his BP and any other medical issues are under control and this is just refill of a long-term medication, is a pharmacy staffed by a pharmacist and the generic name of his meds (which will appear on the package they came in)

Or, if no pharmaicst available, then the Thai brand names.

Buddhism is great, but you probably aren't in a mental place right now where you could get much from it. For instance, you can't meditate effectively if you are on benzos and anxious. Its just not going to work for you.

Once you are calmer and have started on the road to dealing with the social anxiety, sure, look into Buddhism, start meditating etc. buts it not the right time. My Thai daughter is very stressed and knows how to meditate so I ask her why she doesn't do it and she just says "my head is full". Only a very skilled practicioner can go from "head full of stuff" to "peaceful head". Deal with other stuff, and have Buddhism as something to look forward to in the near future.

New Life Foundation is not study of Buddhism nor a meditation retreat. It uses Buddhist principles and mindfulness techniques (among other things) to help treat people with addictions... an important difference. But I do not know if they equipped to accept people still taking benzos on say a tapering schedule prescribed by a doctor. Would have to ask them.

I hate to be selfish, but...please keep the rain on that side of the mountains. We here in Prachinbri really can't handle anymore.

Shit....do you have money? Can you get to an ibogaine clinic? It looks like they have one in koh Pangan and somewhere else...... http://ibogainethailand.com/ http://ibogainethailand.net/

Normally, I wouldn't bring this up, but if you are on the brink and therapy isn't working out, maybe you need to take a more drastic action that is not the worst alternative. Ibogaine has been shown to "reset" people.....it is an intense experience, but that seems exactly what you might need.

Also, there is a monastery here that is famous for taking in dependent people.....mostly or heroin, but they might be able to aid with this as well....it is worth giving it a shot..... http://www.thamkrabok.net/html/treatment.html These monks have seen alcoholics and drug addicts of many types over the years.

Please, no matter what you do.....get help and be well.....there is always a solution to this stuff and you can get through it, no matter how dark it seems.

Go and check those out and see if they can help.

There is no evidence that I am aware of that ibogaine works for benzo withdrawal (unlike opiates, which it has been shown to be effective for). It is also not approved for use in Thailand.

As benzos go, valium is the easiest one to get off of, in fact the protocol for getting people off other benzos involves first switching them over to valium.

A program of gradual tapering will avoid the physical symptoms of withdrawal , and there are a number of Thai psychiatrists specializing in addiction disorders who can advise on that. The harder part is dealing with the anxiety that led to the addiction in the first place. Here is where a good therapist can make a huge difference.

there are some non-addictive medications that are useful in management of anxiety. A therapist would be able to refer you to a good psychiatrist specializing in this.

Permanent residency does not entitle you to coverage, nor does being in a tabien baan etc. (However you would be eligible ofr a special pay-in scheme for foireigners if this is in fact up and running).

Over the years, here and there a few foreigners have mistakenly been issued UC cards by local hospitals. It gets caught out if and when they need to be referred to a higher level of care.

A less expensive option would be to see a doctor specializing in addiction disorders to get on a regimen to taper off valium and then see a counselor/therapist on an outpatient basis. If you are in Bkk there are a number of good Western therapists available. I would particularly recommend Ben Weinstein at PSI. He is a clinical psychologist with a lot of experience treating people with anxiety and with addictions. http://www.psiadmin.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=2

http://www.newlifethaifoundation.com/ is also a place to consider, it is a residential program based on Buddhist principles (but open to all) and non-profit so much less expensive than places like the Cabin. However I do not know if they would accept you will still on valium, you'd have to contact them and ask. (And do see a doctor so that you are on a program to taper it). This place would be of particular help in learning how to deal with anxiety without medication.

See this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/602648-ivf-samitivej-or-jetanin/?p=5939278&hl=%2Bjetanin

While it is true that many prostate cancers are slow growing and/or occur so late in life that odds are the man will die of something less first, should not lose sight of the fact that prostate cancer is still a major cause of death. Among cancers, second only to lung cancer in number of deaths/year in the US. Should also note that deaths from prostate cancer can involve considerable pain and suffering as it tends to metastatize to the bones.

The PSA issue is extremely complex and reflects trade-offs between sensititivity (likelihood of finding cancer if it is there) vs. specificity (risk of false positives), and cost implications also come into play. Nobody thinks the PSA is an ideal screening tool, nor is the digital exam ideal, but currently these 2 things are all that we have. This is a good but rather technical discussion http://www.uptodate.com/contents/screening-for-prostate-cancer

With a normal digital exam and a PSA towards the lower end of in the "grey zone" (>4 and <10.0), about 25% of men with a PSA in this range turn out to have cancer, 75% do not. The negative digital exam probably further lows the odds by a few points but there is still about a 1 in 5 chance of cancer and, if present , it could be slow growing or it could be aggressive.

Slow-growing, localized cancer if the prostate will usually not become life threatening for 10-15 years, for which reason advised management varies greatly by the patient's age and overall state of health. However studies have shown that after about 15 years the rate if progression to metastatic disease speeds up.

However, OP I am quite confused by statement that the DRE was normal as in another thread you have stated you have prostatic enlargement. Do you mean just that the DRE was not suspicious for malignancy, but rather showed a smooth enlargement of the prostate?

There are a wide range of options for management of prostate cancer, and these differ widely in the degree of risk to sexual function. I would suggest to cross that bridge if and when you come to it. At this point the decision is, at most, whether or not to have a biopsy.

The PSA level you have is not unusual for BPH. However the rate of rise in the PSA(more than 1.0 in 3 months) is faster than would e expected in BPH. So indeed, your urologist may recommend a biopsy.

If you are reluctant to undergo biopsy then he will continue to follow your PSA. If it keeps on rising, then I think biopsy is unavoidable given that you are a fit 65 year old. (If you don't smoke and don't drink to excess, you have a life expectancy of about 25 more years...long enough for even a slow growing prostate tumor to metastasize).

BTW did the doctor tell you to abstain from sex for 48 hours before the repeat PSA? (Should have. Ejaculatlion raises PSA by about almost a point and it takes 48hopurs to go back down).

It also is limited to government hospital where you are registered (which in turn is based on where you live -- you can't choose). No choice of doctors. If you live outside the ampur you may be required to register at a district hospital where facilities are very limited and will have to get referral from them to get care at the provincial hospital. Those who live within an ampur will usually be registered at a provincial hospital (which in some lucky cases may also be a regional hospital), which offer more comprehensive services, but will still have to go through them to get referral to a tertiary facility . In other words, all the same drawbacks as government health systems usually have.

For those who are able to get local insurance it is still well worth it IMO, so as to be able to choose your doctor and hospital and get direct access to specialists.

However there are many here who due to age and/or pre-existing conditions can't get insurance., in which case the scheme described by OP would certainly be better than being uninsured.

As stated before, the "black" part is of no concern, but any menstruation lasting more than 7 days is abnormal and needs to be checked out. You state 11 days, and that part -- not the spotting of dark ("black") blood -is what signals the need for medical investigation.

This link covers the possible causes of menhorragia in adolescents and recommended diagnostic approach. Among other things she needs to be screened for coagulation disorders and anemia.

http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/720869_5

Treatment at less than a "real" hospital is not likely to be worth it. Needs to be at least a provincial hospital.

This is the very first I have heard of it (though it certainly would make sense). Please anyone else with any info or experience in getting this, post the details here.

My condolences. I had guessed when I saw this thread, that she had passed. How fortunate you were able to be with her and how relieved she must have felt to know you'd take care of her beloved dogs.

There is, unfortunately, no early screening tool for ovarian cancer yet, unlike cervical cancer. And often no symptoms in the early stages.

Re the Samoyed indeed a beauty parlor trim may make a big difference, have found it makes a huge difference for my niece's Pomeranian. And the Thai groomers have some very nice and attractive styles.

If you can post the names of the meds you are on, I'll let you know Thai brand names. Unless you find a pharmacy with an actual pharmacist behind the counter (rarer than one might expect), may be difficult even with packs in hand since brand names often differ and non-pharmacists are often unfamiliar with generic names.

There is already torrential rain in Prachinburi, which can ill afford it.