Sheryl

As previously explained, these "markers" have no utility in screening of the gneeral population. A normal CBC (blood count) = you can be confident you do not have cancer of the blood and it is very unlikely you have a lymphoma . Normal PSA = unlikely you have a clinically significant prostate of the cancer. Recent normal colonoscopy = no colon cancer. But the other various "marker" tests mean nothing. With prior laryngeal cancer, should have a laryngoscopy every 5 years. That and Chest Xrays will pick up any recurrence. I assume you are an ex-smoker, if so I would suggest the low dost CT screen for lung cancer annually. (Normally recommended only if there is a 20-pack year smoking history but with history of laryngeal cancer, might be wise even if smoking history is less than that).

Except for PSA (and even that has some controversy attached to it) blood "cancer markers" are not appropriate for screening purposes. They are used in monitoring response to cancer treatment but are neither sensitive nor specific enough for use as a general screening tool. This misuse of such tests is something dreamed up by private hospital marketing depts. Often lead to unnecessary anxiety and further tests on the one hand or false confidence on the other.

I would add to what @Lorry said, that combination pills are usually imported and much more expensive than the individual drugs bought separately. There is no medical advantage to having different drugs combined in one pill, it is solely for patient convenience. In Thailand, there is an (expensive, imported) valsartan + amlodopine combination available and also a valsartan + hydrochlorthiazide (HCTZ) combo but not all 3 in one. I really can't see the reason to want these expensive combos when it comes to blood pressure medications that are just a once daily dose. Bought separately you'd just be taking 2 1/2 small pills a day (the HCTZ comes in 50 mg so you'd split that tablet) These 3 drugs would tend to be needed only for patients whose BP was very difficult to control. Most people would not need all three.

Diabetes is a deal breaker for most insurers because it elevates your risk of so many other things.

The issue is not that you take statins per se but the reason you take them i.e. you have a history of dyslipidemia. Insurance application forms ask about all medications taken as a way of picking up underlying pre-existing conditions people might otherwise forget to mention. The exclusions applied are standard for people with such a history except for arguably the arrythmia part. While you say you do not have heart disease, do you actually know for a fact that you don't have coronary artery disease? It can be completely asymptomatic until blockage reaches a critical point. Have you had a coronary calcium CT? Exercise stress test? If you want to try a different company I'd suggest Cigna Global but only if above tests indicate no CAD present. (In which case you should supply those results with your application.)

I'm glad you got a good report but you should be aware that only a few types of cancer can be screened for, and even these often involve things not included in a check up package (e.g. a colonoscopy - which, if you haven't had one in the past 10 years, you should get). If they actually told you that you don"t have any type of cancer, that was irresponsible.

Actually all the Cigna Global expat products I've seen have an annual limit. A US 1 mill lifetime limit would be bad cover, indeed.

The number of Americans whose ancestors lived in the US centuries (plural) ago is extremely few. Huge amount of in-migration in the 19th & 20th century.

The mixing instructions are 6 scoops (60.6 gm) per 185 ml of water which will yield a total of 262 calories. In your case where it is your sole intake (as opposed to a supplement) and you need to gain weight I'd suggest at least 48 scoops (with about 1.5 liters water), more if you can tolerate it without feeling over-full or nauseated.

Are you sure of that, and that you are not confusing baht with dollars? Cigna Global cover is US $1-2 Million (36,000,000 - 72,000,000 baht) depending on plan selected and cover is unlimited for their most expensive plan . Pacific Cross's plans range from 270,000 baht to 50,000,000 baht

There does not appear to be any question asked here.

As above. Believe me, I tried.

There are a lot of health issues with palm oil. Also environmental issues. it is by far the most commonly used oil in Thailand. For sure any fried food bought in the market, will have been fried in palm oil (and likely multiple-times-reused palm oil, especially unwise.)

Absolutely agree. Clinics are not safe for this. If she has it done (which I don't recommend), should be at a proper hospital. Some of these "clinics" are staffed by people altogether without medical degrees.

By Thai law, a woman can have an abortion on demand up to 20 weeks gestation. Finding a doctor willing to perform one, however, can be a bit difficult hence the recommendation to call the 1663 hotline or contact Planned Parenthood/Thailand. Their referrals can be trusted. Beware of dodgy clinics especially in Pattaya. This is a legal procedure, no reason to resort to anyplace dodgy. Any political/philosophical/moral debates, please take them elsewhere, this is the Health Forum.

I can't imagine what you would be taking antibiotics for. As I understand it, you felt fine until you took some unnamed powder (supposedly for gut flora) after which you had some nausea. Which improved with motilium. My advice: leave it alone. If it recurs and is severe you can see doctor but do not "ask for antibotics". (Thai doctors are over-ready to prescribe these as it is!).

Not available in Thailand as far as I know.

An endoscopy is any procedure using an endoscope (long tube with camera at the end). A colonoscopy is one type of endoscopy. A gastroscopy (tube paased down throat to stomach) is another. Sounds like OP has had both gastroscopy and colonoscopy.

Can also contact Planned Parenthood Thailand by phone or via via Line https://ppat.or.th/ Marital status is irrelevant.

FDG PET scans are not recommended for routine screening of healthy asymptomatic people. If one was ordered for you there will have been a specific reason.

No, this is not correct. The "30baht" covers surgeries, medications etc. However motor vehicle accidents are different and medical costs are paid gor by the compulsory 3rd party insurance. Which I believe pays up to 30,000 baht in medical costs.

I don't have any urgency. The need to get up during the night is from a full bladder. Which is normal. And I don't mind it. If I did, I'd eliminate fluids after say 4 pm. I don't think anyone minds getting up to quickly pee when their bladder is full. Where it is an issue is for men with enlarged prostates for whom there is no "quickly pee", it is a lengthy frustrating affair not leading to full relief.

Since this thread has degenerated into a platform for anti-vaxxers -- contrary to OP's express request --- it is now closed.

On the contrary. It is one of the most extrndively researched issues in public health. Including the alleged autism link which has been thoroughly disproven through random controlled trials. The Amish by the way do immunize their children, though coverage rates are lower than national averages.

Once sick, it is way too late to be vaccinated. Pretty much by definition vaccines must be taken while still healthy. We are not talking abour medications here but about prevention. Whether you realize it or not, you have benefitted greatly from vaccination in your lifetime....both ones you almost certainly received as a child and vaccines received by others. In countries with little or no vaccination, up to 25% of children die before the age of 5, largely from vaccine preventable diseases. I have worked in such places and seen it first hand. I personally have friends permanently crippled by polio. I once accompanied a Westerner dying of rabies on Medivac. (She died anyway, of course....and horribly). I have cared for newborns with neonatal tetanus, something almost never seen in countries with high vaccination rates. So I have absolutely zero tolerance for posts like yours. BTW vaccines for tetanus, diptheria etc are long off patent and not at all profitable. As for newer vaccines still patented but hardly an "invented" market. Shingles and bacterial pneumonias existed long before the vaccines and are very real. Ditto COVID.