How much would a blood test set me back in the local government hospital where I'm registered.

 

Not looking for HIV or whatever, but blood sugar - cholesterol and other factors that actually should be checked regularly.

 

May be at the same time someone could advise me what I should ask to have checked, as I've never done this.

 

Thanks

Few hundred baht for the common tests. But be aware that not all government hospitals offer check ups, some of them only do blood tests as ordered by a doctor for a specific problem. Larger ones are more likely to have a check up program. Would help to know what hospital this is.

 

As to what to have checked, depends on your age and family/medical history.

10 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Few hindred baht fior the common tests. But be aware that not all government hospitals offer check ups, some of them only do blood tests as ordered by a doctor for a specific problem. Larger ones are more likely to have a check up program. Would help to know what hospital this is.

 

As to what to have checked, depends on your age and family/medical history.

Thanks for the response.

 

Hospital is Banglamung and I'm registered with yellow book. I was told I would qualify for 30 Baht scheme.

 

Age is 60 and no medical history, haven't been sick for longer than 1 day for decades, and parents are both in their nineties and healthy.

 

Reason I want to check is because I often have small wounds, like a spot that I scratched open, which take long time to heal.

 

I also have a dry skin spot on both legs just above the ankle, which could point to high blood sugar, according to Mr Google. However as far as I'm aware I have no other symptoms of diabetes.

 

Edit : I'm also registered at Somdet Sri Racha

Some blood tests require you not to eat or drink 8 hours before. So go prepared.

Indeed fasting blood sugar would be a test that requires no eat or drink.

 

Be aware that the 30 baht program is supposed to be limited to adjacent country workers - not open to foreigners in general (but mistakes were made when first started) - so you may have to pay the normal low price of a government hospital.

 

Not competent to advise on what you should test for but caution that a slow healing spot can also be a sign of skin cancer (has been for me) and most Thai doctors so not have much experience in this field if they have not worked outside local areas so you might want to pay for a biopsy if you have an open sore even if they do not believe it is cancer.    

Being registered at a hospital simply means you have a patient number that links to your medical records. You can register in as many hospitals as you like

 

Expats are not eligible for the "30 baht" scheme, yellow book or no.

 

Banglamung is a small community hospital so not at all sure they will do check ups but you can ask.

 

Pattaya city hospital does.  Packages listed here http://www.pattayacityhospital.go.th/th/promotion

3 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

May be at the same time someone could advise me what I should ask to have checked

 

Quote

 

Essential Blood Test

•  
  • Full Blood Count (FBC)
  • Electrolytes / Kidney Function
  • Liver Function Test
  • Iron Studies
  • Cholesterol

 

• •  

At age 60 and assuming no special risk factors or family history you should have at minimum:

 

fasting glucose OR hb1AC (screen for diabetes)

AST, ALT (liver function tests)

creatnine (kidney function)

Lipid profile: total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C and triglycerides

Complete blood count

stool test for occult blood (actually should have a colonoscopy every 10 years, but this at a minimum)

Manual exam of the prostate

 

PSA (prostate):   there is some controversy around this, a normal value reassures re prostate cancer but an elevated value can be due to things other than cancer. My personal feeling is that it isi good to have a slong as any elevated results are dealt with sensibly.

 

A cardiac stress test would also be desirable at your age.