Sheryl

25 years later your joint will have changed and the problem now may have features not present before (e.g. degenerative changes -- arthritis) so do not assume that what worked well back then will work well now. In addition, a steroid injection in a diabetic will lead to several days of elevated glucose (perhaps longer with a large dose). Not an absolute contraindication if your diabetes is otherwise well under control, but something to consider The very best shoulder specialist in Thailand is: https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/doctors/mason-porramatikul Harvard trained, and excellent. Consult him and see what he recommends.

Actually after I placed my order I got a message they no longer had it. Puritan Pride seems hard to source now, if you found it at all, I'd order it. (and if it comes, please post the link!)

The sphincter is not in the prostate. However, the prostate surrounds it so there is a risk of damage to it (and to nerves) during prostate surgery. Short term incontinence is common initially, and may take a few months to resolve, but only a small minority of men have long term incontinence. Risk is less with robotic surgery than TURP, provided the operators are sufficiently experienced.

Obviously if not checked (usually the case), no issue but OP may not want to risk that. At best, the meds would be altogether confiscated.

Yes. No problem for foreigners, even tourists, being accepted at either place. Language something of a barrier though so I would advise to have a Thai speaker along.

No, not all men get prostate cancer. And while some prostate cancers are slow growing, some are aggressive. Prostate cancer is the 2nd most common cause of cancer death in men in many western countries. Recognizing that some prostate cancers are very slow growing, prostate cancer scoring systems nowadays speak on terms of "clinically significant" prostate cancer i.e. cancers requiring treatment.

You could use August 2022 through August 2023 arranging dates so that just 35 days in US. Or you could use late April 2023 through April 2024. The period you use does not have to be the exact tax year. I suggest you download IRS Publication 54 which explains all this

For diazepam just needs to be in labelled prescription bottle. But the limit is 30 day supply. For para/codeine, due to the codeine, you need a narcotic import permit from the FDA . Not as hard to get as it may sound. https://permitfortraveler.fda.moph.go.th/nct_permit_main/ The quantity limit is for this is 90 day supply. While both drugs are available in Thailand, only from a hospital as both diazepam and codeine are controlled drugs here. Doctors can be reluctant to prescribe, esp the codeine. I suggest you bring with you a doctor's letter stating these have been prescribed and why.

You did not previously mention this hernia which -- if you have one -- is likely unrelated to your gastric issues. A hiatal hernia, which can cause GERD, does not produce the sort of bulge you mention. Where exactly is this bulge located? Endoscopy (with testing for H. Pylori) is standard approach for diagnosis and management of gastric ulcers/gastritis. And treatment is usually medicsl (medications) not surgery. Endoscopy can also confirm GERD and indicate if it is damaging the esophageal lining which would then be a factor in treatment decisions. Fundiplication is done only for severe GERD that does not respond to other measures. It can be combined with hernia repair only in the case of hiatal hernia which does not seem to be what you describe having...though ebdoscopy woukd confurm. If you are comfortable with your GI specialist at Queen Sirkit I would proceed with the endoscopy they recommended. No doctor is likely to commit to fundiplication or other treatment without endoscopy findings. Meanwhile please clarify re this "bulge" as if you hafe an inguinal or umbilical hernia would need to see a general surgeon for that.

That refers to ulcers caused by h.pylori and it is not a single antibiotic but a combination of at least 2 plus a PPI In OP case we don't know if positive (or even tested) for h.plylori and for that matter not completely clear if he is talking about gastric ulcers or esophageal ulcers secondary to GERD.

For future reference where was the GI doctir based and her name?

GERD is one thing, ulcers are another. Are you referring to gastric ulcers or esophageal ulceration?

Thanks for this. So the problem is that the hernia has recurred. Continue to recommend OP go to KKU.

Not an Xray, it was either MRI or CT with contrast media.

Yes I know. That is HoLEPS. Not Rezum or Aquablation.

BNH is a private hospital and on Convent Rd (between Silom and Sathorn). Bangkok Christian and St. Louis, while excellent hosp8tals, do not offer the full range of relevant treatments. Cannot do HoLEPS and robotic surgery for example.

Rezum does not treat prostate cancer, it is used for benign enlargement. Ditto aquablation which in case is nto available in Thailand. If you opt to remove the prostate, should go for endoscopic robotic approach rather than TURP. Substantially less blood loss and less risk of long term incontinence etc. With Gleason of 7 and assuming PSMA-PET scan is negative, and prostate not that big, either robotic prostatectomy or radiation treatment could be considered and ultimately your choice. Radiation treatment has a number of different approaches, brachytherapy (implantation of radiactive pellets directly into the prostate) having the advantage of doing less damage to healthy tissue and also requiring less hospital visits. Main disadvantage of this over robotic prostatectomy is that after some years the cancer may recur whereas prostatectomy is definitive (assuming cancer did not already spread). If at all concerned about cost (as it sounds like you are) I would recommend instead Siriraj hospital's private wing, will be around 25% less than Bumrungrad for same or better quality. I suggest this doctor there: Prof. Sittiporn Srinuluad https://www.siphhospital.com/en/medical-services/find-doctor?doctor_id=246&medical_id=&day=&startTime=&endTime= Prof. Sittiporn also has hours at Thonburi hospital (just 5 minutes away from Siriraj) and MedPark and Bumrungrad (the last 2 being in heart of Bangkok). It can be often be quicker/easier to see him at those places but if you want to go to only one hospital then Siriraj would be the one as some treatments are not available at the other places. Though it will also work fine to see him at differing hospitals, he will remember your case, I did it that way with a friend recently.

Not very common. But it happens. About 11% incidence. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17693290/

I doubt your problems have anything to do with details of the surgery beyond that it was a hernia repair with mesh. More likely the referral says something like "had a hernia repair with mesh in (year) and complains of persistant pain, referred for possible mesh removal" but it would be good to check. Can you show it to a Thai speaker?

Mesh can be removed but it takes a lot of skill and experience to do it with minimal disruption to the surrounding tissue. Presumably this is the idea behind the referral but it would help to know what the referral letter says. In Issan area I would recommend KKU hospital (Srinagarind) over Korat hospital. You actually have no need of a referral letter to go anywhere since as a foreigner you have to pay regardless of where you go. So not an issue to go to KKU rather than where referred. Try to see Prof. Chalerm Eurboonyanun there.

Do not just leave it. You have an outer ear infection (external otitis). Since in addition to the yellow crust (which is dried pus) the outer ear itself is red and swollen you may need oral antibiotics rather than (or in addition to) antibiotic ear drops.

Off topic and bickering posts have been removed

Form 2555 is submitted with, not instead of, a 1040. As for number of days in the US; limit is only if you use physical presence test. If you qualify on grounds of bona fide foreign residence there is no limit to number of days you could have been in the US. Also note that for the physicsl presence test you yd not have to use the exact tax year. Any 12 month period can be used. If I understand correctly your issue is what you submit in place of a W2. You complete a substitute W2 form yourself https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4852#:~:text=Form 4852 serves as a,2 or Form 1099-R.

@defwill29 there are 2 options: a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon. The latter will cost more. The former will tell you if he/she thinks it needs a plastic surgeon (i.e. if they are not able themselves to remove without scarring) so I suggest you start with Prof. Siri as others have recommended https://sriphat.med.cmu.ac.th/en/doctor/detail/122 I believe he also has his own clinic at 119 Moonmuang Road, A Muang, Chiang Mai 50200. Tel: 053 357085 but double check as that info is old Much will depend on how deep it is and whether it is actually a cyst or a lipoma @Keeps suggest you also try Prof. Siri unless the cyst is very large in which case might need a general surgeon.

Flaming/bickering posts have been removed