Sheryl

Pretty much anywhere you can opt for whatever package you want and add on additional tests. Age related "packages" are not well designed here and higher age packages often contain unreliable tests not suitable for health screening while still omitting things you need.

OP how old are you and what tests are you seeking? Any particular health problems or risk factors? One cannot rely on "packages" to include what you need. They tend to omit needed things and include tests not indicated for general screening. You need to start by deciding what tests to get.

These are the most current guidelines for BP https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/reading-the-new-blood-pressure-guidelines It is usually possible for people in the "elevated" category to reduce BP through life style modifications (weight loss, exercise, reduced sodium intake). For Hypertension Stage 1 "Medications are recommended to lower blood pressure in Stage 1 hypertension if you've already had a heart attack or stroke or if your 10-year risk of a heart attack is higher than 10%. (You can find your 10-year estimation at www.cvriskcalculator.com.) For others with Stage 1 hypertension, lifestyle changes alone are recommended." https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/reading-the-new-blood-pressure-guidelines

No.

Could be a mixture of both i.e. license might be required for moto but nto scooter. really no way of knowing the specifics of her policy (did nto cover moto altogether, or did nto cover moto unless had a valid license etc)

You have to base this on your INR. If/when it is <3.0 you can immediately start rivaroxaban and take no more warfarin. (Note that the INR cut off is different for different meds) https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2014/05/22/14/39/accel-2-1

A post describing illegal activity has been removed in keeping with Forum standards

Baiting/flaming posts have been removed

Retiring from US prosition. Still at Bumrungrad.

@popel If i understand correctly you are in VN now and planning to try to return via air to Chiang Mai. To maximize your chances of being let in: - get a tourist visa if you possibly can - have a return or onward flight ticket in hand to show them - this makes a BIG difference - and also have a hotel booking, make one online that allows cancellation. -Have 20k baht or equivalent in hand, though I must say I have yet to hear of a Westerner being asked to show it (including those being refused entry). Also if I understand correctly your plan once in is to arrange your stuff etc then return to Europe. This is a good idea. If you want to later return to Thailand, give it a few months at least and then re-enter only with a visa. If your future desire is just to spend just a few months a year here, a tourist visa will allow you 3 months (2 months given on arrival and can extend for another 30 days) and with your history and a documented refused entry in your passport this is a better idea than visa exempt entry followed by "border bounces". While there is nothing technically illegal about border bounces they are readily identifiable to any Imm officer from your history which they can call up online and generally frowned upon, now that you have a denied entry in your record you need to be more careful than most. Entries with a visa are always safer than visa exempt for people with histories that may raise a red flag. A visa plus a return (or onward) flight booking, after a reasonable period out of country (i.e. couple of months or more) will almost always get you through even if stopped for questioning first

Occasional twinges/fleeting pains at site of an old injury is common and not usually a cause for any concern. If you had any of the various problems posters have suggested (kidney stone, pancreatitis etc) the pain would be constant/nearly constant and much more severe. Personally I would ignore if unless it increases in frequency and severity. No harm in getting a stress test though just to be sure This will also give you an idea of your overall cardiac fitness so even though it may not shed light on this problem it will still be a worthwhile investment.

+1 to the above doctor

Please stop bickering. NOW.

Your situation differs from the OP in that yoyr anti-HBc was negative. So your profile is consistent with the immunity obtained ftom vaccination. While his is consistent with that obtained through a prior natural infection. You are both immune though and neither of you has active Hep B infection.

I think she was just saying you had high levels of antibodies.

Obviously if he is living here long term he is not a "tourist" in the usual sense, he is a resident expat. But this does not mean he is working here illegally. Most expat residents (however they manage their visa status) are not/do not.

Booster doses are not recommended unless blood tests show lack of antibodies. If concerned, you can get an anti-HBs test to find out.

For prostatitis, PSA test can be helpful You can always refuse to buy medications at hospital pharmacy (and should, unless you need a controlled substance, as the mark-up is considerable). Best to find out from the doctor the name and dosage recommended and tell him you will buy it outside. If nonetheless it ends up ordered on your chart (in some hospitals the diagnosis automatically generates some "extra" and unnecessary prescriptions) then just refuse it at the cashier. I find it easier it just say I already have the medication. If somehow this did not work out and you arrive at the cashier not yet knowing the exact drug and dose prescribed then you may have to pay the cashier, go to the pharmacy, see what it is and then refuse it and go back to cashier for bill revision and refund. Still possible but adds to how long it takes. You can try asking at the cashier to see the prescription but often does not work as that info may be sent electronically only to pharmacy and cashier may only know the amount for medication but not what it is.

Not usually the case in my experience. More often, just cannot get a retirement extension because not yet age 50 or can't meet the financials @popel (1) did they stamp anything into your passport when they turned you away at the airport? (If they did, at your next entry attempt the IO will know about the prior refusal) (2) what airport was this, Don Muang or Suvannabhumi? Don Muang is known to be especially prone to refusing entry. (3) while a visa is no guarantee it definitely improves your odds of being admitted compared to a visa exempt entry. Especially given your history of stays. (4) Cambodian border entries are tougher than Lao border. The Poipet/Aranyaprathet crossing is especially notorious and definitely to be avoided. @DrJack54 will likely weigh in soon with more specific advice about best border entry points. (5) even if you are able to get in again I suggest you need a longer term solution. Either move on to another country, get a retirement extension (if aged over 50) or, if relationship with girlfriend is serious enough consider marriage. Or -if feasible - find a job and get a work visa (non-B) and work permit.

Before considering a policy issued by Cigna Dubai, better check into the insurance regulatory framework there -- what it allows and what sort of recourse you would have under it. Pretty sure bet that any insurer will take all actions legally permitted them that work to their financial advantage. With Cigna Global UK regulations are in force and are consumer friendly/give good protection . I do not know the situation with Dubai.

Again, I strongly disagree with taking doxy or any other antibiotic first as it will make it difficult to subsequently culture the orgainism. While the study you mention did not find increased incidence of tendon tears with Cipro other studies did, and even more of an increased incidence of tendonitis. "In a World Health Organization (WHO) survey in Australia of tendon disorders associated with FQ use, ciprofloxacin was found to be the causal agent in 90 percent of cases, with the risk of tendinopathy appearing to be dose independent." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2921747/ The US FDA requires a black box warning on all quinolones including cipro https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2483892/ That said, the incidence of tendon problems (rupture being the most serious but not the most common tendon problem encountered) with these drugs is not very high and usually encountered with longer use. If there is no better alternative and the drug is necessary, should not hesitate to use it, but indiscriminate use or use when there are safer alternatives, should be avoided.

I always advise people to just enter a entering of 0's or 9's for phone number with Cigna website because they are indeed excessive in the zeal of their sales agents (who do not always give accurate info, to boot). Cigna Global does have its advantages, though. -- comes under UK insurance regs; recourse to UK Ombudsman -- comparatively less costly than other private insurance especially if a deductible (excess) is taken -- wide range of deductible and copay options and you can see online how they affect your premiums -- compared to other insurers they are better about accepting people with well-controlled pre-existing problems. For example, if hypertension is well controlled with medication they might still insure. So I always advise people with simple, well-controlled pre-existing conditions to try them. You will not know what they offer until you actually apply with completed health questionnaire though. In addition to their standard policies Cigna offers something called "Close Care" which is less expensive. Similar to other policies except coverage is limited to your country of residence (e.g. Thailand) and country of nationality whereas their other policies are either worldwide or worldwide excluding USA. Cigna Global has good track record for paying claims but communications with them can be difficult so having a broker especially important. AFAIK you cannot get a quote for Close Care online. Have to get from a broker or Cigna Sales Rep. I would suggest the former.

Important to understand the difference between self-pay and self-insurance. I find many people here say they are self-insured when they are not. They have simply paid so far out of pocket and assume they will always be able to do so -- but in fact are not positioned to be able to cover a really large bill. A single major hospitalization can exceed 1 million baht in a government hospital and 3-4 million in a private hospital. Such people are self-paying but they are not "self insured". To be self-insured, you must have a minimum of 1 million (3 million+ if you want to use private hospitals) readily available at all times, on a moment's notice. And a way to replenish it as used.

You can get a urine culture and sensivitity plus tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea at LifeCare labs. Do this BEFORE taking any antibiotics. If the infection is in the prostate, culture may not show it. Also, aside from infection, need to consider possibility of renal or bladder stones especially given the lower abdominal pain. These can be diagnosed by ultrasound. This urologist at BPH has been recommended by other board members https://bangkokpattayahospital.com/doctor/dr-jimmy-kongcharoen/ And this one looks exceptionally well qualified, especially for prostate issues https://bangkokpattayahospital.com/doctor/niti-navanimitkul-m-d/

Cipro is same class of drug as levofloxacin and has same risks as regards tendonitis. I strongly advise against taking antibiotics before getting a urine culture as will add to the difficulty in getting organism to grow in culture. Thai doctors are fond of shotgun antibiotic treatment and will usually want to do that first. Should hold fast and demand a culture first. That said, if there is any chance of STI a regular culture alone is not sufficient, need separate tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea (the former done on urine, the latter on urethral swab) Also, in men, often the infection is in the prostate not bladder and in that case can be difficult to culture (should still try though). Semen culture can be sensitive than urine culture.