John49

I think the blue green building is where I registered and then talked to a very competent and helpful nurse. I think the nurse will advise you on the next step according to your medical issue. I did not need to go into the building as out front, there was like a desk for registration and a small nurse station/kiosk, next to each other. BTW I had an EKG at this hospital, as advised by my new doctor there. The nurse/technician gave me an on the spot result – something like “good, no problem”. I had an Angiogram overseas some months ago, that gave a good result. The EKG was not at all necessary, I went ahead with the test just to comply with doctor’s request and it was pretty cheap and quick, plus I was curious to see what they would do and the kind of result they came up with. The test was quick, I joined a queue of about 4 people, each took less than 10 minutes.

For the first public hospital that I visited, I found out the time that the ‘clinic’ started and arrived there about that time and then waited about 2 hours (plus?) to see the doctor. For further visits, I was given an appointment time. On arrival, I was given a queue number and waited about 1 hour to see the doctor. I have recently visited Bang Lamung Hospital . My first doctor’s appointment was easy for me as I had a doctor’s referral from another hospital. The nurse near the registration desk was very good – telephoned the doctor and gave me a form with some blood tests to do prior to appointment. I believe there are 10 buildings. I know Building 10 is the building for blood tests, and I think Building 3 is where I see my specialist. Buildings have a building number, plus some Thai writing underneath. There are very few sign in English. Easy to get confused, even on further visits. This same hospital had a mention recently – don’t know how to copy the post – look at my posts on page 3 on this topic: Foreigner friend - Broken leg - No insurance - 400k+ medical bills - What next? I mention a bit about a “gold card” as something on Google reviews of hospital (as translated from Thai) – looks like it may facilitate treatment – still don’t know what this is. Don't need it at the moment as my appointments are being neatly arranged. Previously, at another public hospital, I enrolled at their Special Clinic. It worked well, much as described by Sheryl above.

My prostate size is ‘normal’ at about 45 ml. I pee every 2 to 3 hours during the day, but at about 50% full bore - I put the reduced flow down to old age and it’s not a problem. Different story at night, I pee every 1.5 to 2 hours, and at like 10% full bore. Having to get up every 1.5 to 2 hours is tiring and tedious but I think it fits in with sleep cycles. The increased frequency and reduced flow at night is a mystery as I struggle to get a decent flow – more like a series of squirts.

More about Bang Lamung Hospital: If you check the reviews on Google, some mention (translated from Thai) a “gold card”? Did not find out what that was, maybe like Special Clinic where you pay a little more and are treated more expeditiously? Also, can be difficult to negotiate your way around the several buildings, numbered from 1 to 10. Having a Thai speaker with you could help a lot.

I’ve visited Bang Lamung (a government hospital) in Pattaya (three times), and I've suffered no long waits. Registration was easy and quick. I knew the name of the doctor and they called her and offered me an appointment date for another day. Blood test (two times) was a bit crowded, but in and out in less than 30 minutes. My doctor was in a separate chemo section and it was well set up with lots of clean, neat beds, with just a few patients having infusions. Absolutely no overcrowding; pleasant friendly nurses and lots of ceiling fans to cool the place down. My doctor spoke sufficient English and I see that she was talking to me and the other patients at length to understand and advise i.e. she was not rushed and working against the clock. However, I did see one large main area that was crowded (much like the first photo above) – looked like people crowding and waiting to see a doctor in one of the many side offices. BTW, the buildings look new and not fully utilised. I recommend a visit, if not satisfied transfer to private in Pattaya.

I commented previously on how I successfully imported meds via EMS, but held up in customs (several times), after payment of a fee to customs. That was customs at Prachuap. No such luck today with customs in Laem Chabang. After opening my package surrounded by friendly onlookers, I was directed to the offices of the FDA. I was met by an angry official who immediately jumped up and shouted out it was against the law if an import licence was not available. I tried to argue that it was a small amount for personal use (2 small bottles of tablets). This made him more angry. Bottom line – no meds today. Fortunately, I have a backup plan, same meds can be bought from a pharmacy outside Siriraj, but about twice the price of importing from India. My first delivery made it through without customs intervention at Laem Chabang. This was my second delivery. I will not import again if it potentially involves a visit to customs at Laem Chabang, friendly staff in the front office, but a nasty piece of work in the back office. Obviously, some customs offices are flexible on small amounts for personal use like Prachuap, some are completely inflexible like Laem Chabang.

Cannot help with meds or advice. I now have something similar, but less severe. After radiation treatment for prostate cancer – the sight of running tap water e.g. at the kitchen sink, gives me a sudden, desperate urge to urinate and I just manage to make it to the toilet. I took a one hour boat trip, no issues there; not sure what will happen on a rainy day.

I find I get diarrhea very easily here in Thailand – but it may be old age related? I started making mental notes how often I’ve eaten at a certain outlet and how often I have got diarrhea thereafter, from the same item. It’s like up to half the time – this makes me think it’s something to do with their food preparation or hygiene standards. Especially, as I recently spent several weeks in Europe and had no diarrhrea. Lately, I’ve tried just having have cake and coffee outside and prepare other meals myself – no diarrhea.

She has not tried the original Sumatriptan, only the Thai generic. Her history is several years of Ergotamine and then recently onto Eletriptan, and more recently again the generic Sumatriptan. I tried to get her off the Ergotamine as she complained of stomach pain. I checked and found that it come with potential fibrosis of stomach tissue, etc. The latest is that she is back on Ergotamine as apparently that is a good if taken ‘early’, but comes with stomach side effects. I’m trying to get her to eat and drink with the Ergotamine. We have just switched to a half tablet of Ergotamine from the full tablet, and that works just as well. She says that half a tablet of Eletriptan is good and has the added benefit of still working, even if taken ‘late’. Not the case with Ergotamine – must be taken ‘early’. Looks like we will not be going back to generic Sumatriptan. We try to identify the triggers for migraine, especially foods, but the only definite trigger is very bright lighting. Migraine attacks come every 3 or 4 days, we do not exceed half a tablet though she may be ill for several hours. At a weight of 50 kg, the half tablet seems appropriate.

This is all about the “sum” - that will be considerably larger than 1,900 baht?

I did manage to find Sumigran at one drug store in Pattaya, price was 110 baht for 6 tablets. Problem now is my other half, who actually suffers with migraine, says that both Sumigran and Siagran, allegedly containing the equivalent of 50 gram of Sumatriptan – ‘do not work’. The bigger picture is that she has been using Ergotamine tablets for several years but these come with some side effects. We switched from Ergotamine to Replax (40 mg of Eletriptan) and not Sumatriptan, as we read that Eletriptan gives longer relieve than Sumatriptan, etc. We cut one tablet of Relpax in half and it ‘works well’. The cost 2 tablets of Relpax manufactured by Pfizer is 275 baht. So, a bit on the expensive side and the recommendation is not to use more than 2 times in one week, but on the other hand, the maximum recommended dose is 80 mg in 24 hours. For us, one 20mg dose (half a tablet), 2 times in one week would come to a restriction of 40mg in one week, 'low' compared with 80mg in 24 hours. Anyone else with experience of both Sumatriptan and Eletriptan, and if Eletriptan is available generically in Thailand?

I am using CANDIX liquid for toenail fungus. It comes with a small plastic stick for application. I transfer it into a small glass bottle with a dropper – for ease of application I can see that there is slow improvement with less fungus apparent in the several nails affected. I’m prepared for a long fight, I bought 3 bottles (each 100ml) last time, something like 39 or 60 baht a bottle. I heard about Lamisil after I had already started treatment with CANDIX. It was available here (Boots?), but not in my preferred liquid form, and more like 300 baht a tube (?). I like the dropper method, quicker and better than getter the cream on your fingers, etc. I sprayed daily with vinegar for a long while – it did supress the fungus and little more. Other recommendations like Vicks, tree tea oil and the very expensive weekly nail filing with drops (from France?) did nothing. Got a feeling that there are different types of fungus, so some treatments can work depending on type of fungus. I’ve been doing quick daily treatments for a long while, unable to cure – only supress, but CANDIX seems best treatment to date (for me) with a slow, minor improvement with time. Hard to believe I'm treating daily for so long, but at least my affected nails now look ‘normal’ from a distance and not with that ugly, yellow going rotten look. I’ve avoided tablets as they come with potential damage to liver (?).

I have now bought a box of 4 tablets, each containing Sumatriptan Succinate equivalent to Sumatriptan 50mg (under brand name Siagran), from a local drug store in Pattaya for 195 baht. Price is say 50 baht for one tablet. Manufactured by Siam Bheasach, Bangkok. Still unable to find Sumigran.

I tried to buy the cheaper Thai Sumigran at the 3 pharmacies in the basement of Central Festival Pattaya, yesterday. Not available – only the expensive imported Imigran/Imitrex on offer. I will try some of the smaller drugs stores down the street, maybe better luck.

I clicked on the link to get back to my original list of ‘My Portfolio and Markets’ (on the RHS) – all well and good. But, the news feed (on the LHS) is the USA news feed – seems like only that country’s feed available, at the moment?