guru

They only seem to sell 2mg melatonin in Bangkok pharmacies so I bought some 5mg Natrol melatonin (extra strength fast dissolve strawberry flavor) from a vendor via shopee. Before buying, I always check there’s been a lot of sales and good reviews which their were. The 90 tablets have run out so I went to order again but this vendor no longer sells it so I bought from another vendor which arrived today. I compared the two containers and they were identical including the bar codes. However, the first one I bought does not have anything written in the Lot/Exp: space which is not normal and I didn’t notice before. Today’s new arrival has a lot number and an expiry date of Dec 31 24 which is more pleasing. So with a missing expiry date, I’m now concerned about the authenticity and what I’ve actually been ingesting. I do seem to fall asleep quicker but have I just been taking strawberry candy which has had a placebo effect or some melatonin that expired years ago.

I used to have a member card for Bangchak in the wife’s name but lost it. Wife works so as I was refilling today at the petrol station we got it from, I asked for a replacement. Original Thai ID card required as expected. I asked for a new one in my name and presented my Thai driving license and pink ID card. The pump attendant took them to his manager in the kiosk but returned saying only for Thais. I thought I was offered one a while ago by a Bangchak attendant and was wondering if it was today’s petrol station manager being lazy or not up to date with the rules. It’s the massive station next to Bangchak BTS in Bangkok Anyone manage to get one in their name?

Yes we agree with you Sheryl and will use Namarak. Ideally we wanted to go down this weekend but the hold up is Sukhumvit Hospital and her doctor records. She went on Thursday and they gave the imaging dvd straight away but no records. She called again yesterday and they said still not ready and it takes 5-7 days. I don’t quite understand why it takes so long and Namarak don’t want to schedule an appointment until we have the records in our hands.

Thanks butty. I don’t suppose you know if they have this vacuum assisted biopsy equipment there? My wife would ideally like to avoid surgical excision biopsy and hopefully namarak or elsewhere will be able to obtain a biopsy sample using this vacuum assisted needle method suggested by Sheryl. The syringe needle method attempted at Sukhumvit hospital could not obtain a sample.

They may well pay and fingers crossed they do but I fear the plan she has via her company is basic and does not have very high coverage. For the imaging and aborted biopsy sample attempt, we had to pay Sukhumvit Hospital the majority of the bill in excess of what AIA covered.

We’ve made contact with Namarak and they’ve quoted 63k for VABB. They have requested that we have all the records in hand from Sukhumvit hospital before they will schedule an appointment. We got a dvd yesterday of the imaging but still waiting for the signed doctor records as he wasn’t there. We can manage Namarak’s 63k VABB (Bumrungrad’s price is 71k on their website) but just in case anybody knows of anywhere cheaper for the same procedure then that would also help in case funds are needed for any next steps. She is Thai and has basic AIA insurance through her work. I can’t imagine they will pay all or much of the 63k but we will submit and see what they say. She also has social security and her hospital for that is Sikarin. Thank you to all for your advice and kind words.

Thank you to everyone and especially Sheryl. We will certainly try namarak and this VABB procedure sounds better. My wife was extremely anxious about surgery.

So my wife felt something, went in for breast cancer screening at Sukhumvit Hospital, had a mammogram/ultrasound and the report said BIRADS 4a with a biopsy recommendation. The doctor tried to take a biopsy sample using a syringe but he said the mass was solid and could not obtain a sample. He has now recommended surgical excision for biopsy. For the surgery, he gave a choice of outpatient local anaesthetic at 27k or 1 night stay general anaesthetic at 89k. He recommends the general. My wife didn’t cope too well with the syringe needle pain today nor the sight of blood but there wasn’t any local anaesthetic used. Is it worth getting a second opinion elsewhere or does this sound standard? Ta