Tracyb

19 hours ago, JohnOFphon said:

Didn't there used to be a departure tax? I remember going to a machine and paying 500 bt for a ticket that had to be shown,,,at check in or passport control...don't remember which.

I remember  that, too!  I thought they did away with the machines and added it to the fees and taxes charged by the airlines when one bought a ticket......  Hmmmm....

On 5/22/2019 at 6:59 PM, rumak said:

I only had the finger test once, years ago.   didn't like it.   my psa is very low,  and only symptoms I have are a weak stream.   sometimes a little difficult getting started (at night).  Don't know how weak before i should be very concerned,  but not going for meds at this time .   This thread is helpful in learning, thanks

 

Here’s a thought......

One thing I learned after having a flexible cystoscopy about a month before my surgery was that my bladder was under a great deal of stress from having to work so hard to get urine out and past my enlarged prostate.  The term is trebeculated.  I also learned that I have at least one large diverticulum in my bladder...again because it was pushing so hard to urinate.  These factors were instrumental in my decision to go ahead with the thulium laser surgery 10 days ago.  Morale of the story???  Don’t mess around waiting to see if it will get better.  It won’t.  It can only get worse especially if your bladder breaks down and stops working.  Can you say “permanent catheter?”  

Low psa levels are not a sign that you don’t have BPH.  My psa was 1 point 2. (1.2) and had been forever. My BPH was so severe that my prostate was nearly completely blocking my urethra.

3 hours ago, twocatsmac said:

Has anybody had good results using Avodart/dutasteride 0.5mg?

I took avodart for five years with good results.....then not.  I was taking it in combination with Flomax during that time, too.  I just had surgery.

Ya.  Meth.....   the problem with meth is that it’s allure to users outweighs the inherent danger.  

13 hours ago, rumak said:

Do you know if he has a clinic where one can go initially instead of bkk hospital ?

I did ask him about that....  He advised that he practices only at Bangkok Hospital CM.  It may be worth your while to go see him.  He’s conservative.... and thorough.

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Holy shit!

Looks like I'll be having a holiday in Goa (60,000bht for the hospital + 16K for flights)

I realize that the cost is high and I respect that everyone must make their own choices.  For me, this was a better alternative than returning to the states, organizing a place to stay, paying the airfare, and risking complications that would alter my return schedule.  I did it here because I liked the doctor and had confidence in him.  To each his own, right!

So, your considering the PAE treatment?  It certainly sounds like it is an acceptable alternative to ThuLEP.

I wish you the best!  Please keep us posted on how things work out for you.

20 minutes ago, JimGant said:

Immigration is not going to have the wherewithal to decipher insurance policies, same situation as with income supporting documents. And isn't it interesting that the minimum coverage required for inpatient care is 400,000baht. Where have we seen that before? Oh, yeah, the minimum required to be in a bank account for all year, at least for those going the money in the bank method for extension renewal. So, why not follow the Malaysian example, i.e., they require all expats to have a bank account in Malaysia, with a stipulated minimum. However, this minimum can be violated for medical necessities. So then, for Thailand, require all expats here on extensions for retirement to have a 400k bank account, which can be tapped for medical necessities. Immigration can give a credit for the deficit spent for medical care -- to be made up by some date in the future. Yeah, hospitals will still be stiffed by tourists. But at least those here on retirement extensions of stay (which would include O-A one year permissions of stay) will be self-insured, at least to some extent. And 400k would go a long way to pay real costs incurred by a hospital.

This would seem the best way to go.  

Im not opposed to stashing away 400-500,000 baht for medical.  Id much rather that than send any money to insurance companies.  

18 hours ago, GarryP said:

Unfortunately, my dad suffers with BPH and I have inherited the problem. Not getting up at night too frequently but the flow is quite weak. Had a PSA test last year with the result being 0.59, so it clearly points to BPH, especially as I am not in any discomfort apart from getting the flow going and stopping an starting and spending an age peeing. I don't want to go on the meds just yet if avoidable, but Beta-sitosterol 115mg (supplement - not medication) twice a day doesn't seem to be working. May try increasing the dosage. If that doesn't work, I will stop and try Saw Palmetto. Any other supplements worth giving a go. I know different people have different results, so just looking for something that might work for me.

 

Ultimately, I know I will need to go on the meds but hoping to delay that until I am 60 or so.  Only 3.5 years away.  If it comes down to it and I would be best served by surgery, I would go that route too.

 

To this day my dad still suffers even while medicated. After a few years, a medicine he is on no stops working as well as it should and he has to be put on something new.or switched back to something he used to take but since stopped. He is 88 this year and not interested in going for surgery. 

 

However, back to your post. An interesting question. But some of those meds you mention are not used for BPH, and are more commonly used for prostatitis. Once supplements have proven no longer useful, I fancy going on a generic form of Cialis (tadalafil), which is also used for treatment of BPH and studies have shown that long term use is safe. However, I don't believe it is available in Thailand, although I do not see any reason why not as the patent has already expired. But like you, I do not know what criteria the doctors use in deciding which medication to put you on. 

Cialis is available in Thailand.  

But....go see a doctor.  Spend the money and go to a private hospital for diagnosis and a treatment plan.  You can buy the meds they might prescribe at a local pharmacy and save a lot.  IMHO, The dollars spent for some quality time with a good doctor is the invaluable.  

For what it’s worth......

I have been looking at Thai embassy and Thai consulate websites in Canada and USA searching for requirements for O-A and O-X visa applications.  The O-X requirements include the insurance policy.  The O-A requirements do NOT!

Just sayin.

It all remains to be seen, eh?

Rickb   OP states:

” I should also mention that I use TransferWise to move my money from my US bank account to my Bangkok Bank account and have, so far, had each transfer listed as an International Transfer on the bank statement or as "FTT" in the bankbook.”

One may contact TransferWise by email and request that all transfers be coded so they are made through Bangkok Bank and not one of their other “partner” banks in Thailand.  Initiating the transfer through Bangkok Bank to ones own account in the same bank assures that the FTT notation appears in ones’ account.  It’s when TransferWise uses another bank to receive the funds from overseas then that bank within Thailand forwards the funds to the BKK Bank account that the transfer shows up as a domestic one, not qualifying as an international funds transfer to satisfy your local IO.

Transferwise was VERY helpful in this matter for me.  They coded my account so that all transfers go first to BKK Bank then into my own BKK Bank account showing up as an FTT.  Transferwise is aware of the needs we have here in Thailand and they have provided the mechanism to assist us.  Just contact them and fully explain what you need and why...they will take it from there.  Thy have been very responsive to email and very helpful to me.  

One notes that Transferwise has multiple partner banks in Thailand and one speculates they could tailor one’s transfers to accomplish the required international transfer notation if a customer has an account at one of the Transferwise  “partner” banks.

Hmmm, smog that reduces visibility to 50 meters and high levels of PM 2.5 actually affect people’s lungs?  Who would have thought?

(sarcasm here, of course)

How many people have to be stricken or die before the govt takes action, and by action I mean more than spraying water into the air near the air quality sensors in CM.

now where did I put my Symbicort inhaler?.....

5 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

TracyB - Have you had an imaging test done of your prostate (Ultrasound; MRI)?

I had a flexible cystoscopy done a couple of weeks ago.  I got to actually see how enlarged the prostate is and how it is severely blocking the urethra.  I’m at the end of my rope with meds.  They have stopped being effective.  I’m “blessed” with this ever growing gland that is relentless in its efforts to stop my urine flow.

I am thankful for having the scope test done.  Amazing to see live video from that (thankfully) tiny camera.  There’s no doubt that something needs to be done to eliminate the restriction.  That’s why I’m asking if anyone has had the Thulium Laser transurethral  removal of the prostate.  I’m interested in hearing about actual experience with this.....as well as the many helpful comments I’ve seen so far.

11 hours ago, elektrified said:

Just curious...what is Avid Art? A Google search came up empty. Also, have you tried Alfuzosin? It's the newest generation alpha blocker. Much more effective than the older meds. I've been taking them for about 5 years. Very effective and no side effects.

Actually...it was a spell check “error”.  It should have read, Avodart.

The studies I’ve read about thulium laser treatment are more encouraging than the older monopolar and bipolar TURP treatments.  No radical prostectomy for me...  too harsh and too many complications.

2 hours ago, elektrified said:

Where are you considering to have this done? At Samitivej?

I’m considering Bangkok Hospital here in CM.  I’ve been taking flomax and avid art for six years now and my prostate continues to enlarge.  I’m at the end of the pharmaceutical line.

I am considering having laser surgery to address BPH.  Doctors are recommending that I do this because I’ve been having more and more difficulty with issues surrounding enlarged prostate.  

I am asking for your actual experience with this surgery.  What was it like?  What was the outcome? Did your symptoms improve right away? Was there much pain involved afterwards? How long did you spend in the hospital? What was the cost?  What hospital did you use? Who was your doctor?  If you had it to do over again....would you?

if you prefer to answer directly, (and privately) please feel free to send me a message with your thoughts and comments.

Thanks, I appreciate your time!

19 hours ago, hyku1147 said:

After 5 days of wearing a 3M mask outdoors, I took a short walk without one. The air smelled like smoke and car exhaust. I can only assume that my prior constant unprotected exposure desensitized my respiratory system because I could not smell the pollution before wearing a mask.

Not to mention the damage done to our lungs and other internal organs.  I started wearing a 3M mask this year, too.  I finally made the connection between the "hazy" air and the detrimental effects on my body. Consequently I haven't had any asthma attacks or sinus infections this year.  

Trump is an ass-hat.

Here's some information from TRANSFERWISE, an exceptional service provider:

19 minutes ago, fresher said:

Inadvertently? Doesn't burning the forest cause valuable mushrooms to grow?

 

That was my point in excerpting that portion of the news article. ???? 

We'll continue to choke until the government gets serious about the problem.  California has its Air Quality Management District and that agency is notoriously heavy handed in quashing sources of pollution.  Just research how much improved the air quality is in LA over the past 30 years.  

This is a chronic problem with no short term solutions.  The only effective means of combatting the smoke is to enter into a long term war against polluters, employing effective educational policies, and implementing STEEP fines against abusers.  Oh, but..... TIT.    Never mind!

Any chance we could see help from this or any future government?  I doubt it.  

The real problem:

the forest fire, which was suspected of having been inadvertently started by villagers who had entered the area to collect forest products.