Cancer

[Lookard]

Was tossing up whether to go or stay, in LOS. After many years. Felt bit crook, went to a major hospital chain, private. Bottom line, they missed my heart and lung cancer. Back in my home country getting treatment, fingers crossed. And I’m not permitted to name the Thai hospital that would have left me to die for sure. Feeling crook? Get home. 

[Odysseus123]

Yes indeed,when in doubt go home.Been there and done that..

All the very best of luck to you.

[Thongkorn]

My Thai brother In Law , Was Turned away from a Hospital which he had been paying into for years, (Medical Insurance), He had been suffering with a Soar throat for months , told Him to get it cheeked out, Soar throat dont last that long, He woke up one night he could hardly breath, I took him to the hospital , they just gave him antiBiotics and told him to go home, I was not Satisfied i took him to another hospital, He was  admitted and had to  have a tracheotomy to help him breath, they found cancer and had to remove his larix, An 8 hour operation , Fortunately the hospital is a good hospital they Phoned the other hospital and told them they would be sending them the bill, They wanted to send an ambulance to get him but the hospital refused their request, Long story cut short, after chemotherapy he is alive but no voice box, Not all Hospitals in Thailand are bad, Its just finding the good ones,

[banK]

Am in that boat now. Pancreatic cancer.

Post whipple operation in Thailand, during adjudicative chemo discovered that it had spread to liver. Due to relatively low palliative care costs assurance, continuance of private medical insurance impracticable to remain in Thailand.

After 13 years back to the UK - now fully integrated into the system but despite being refereed to Christies cancer hospital by the GP about 3 weeks ago - nothing.

However, I have received an invitation for a bowel cancer screening from the NHS!!

So I'm just sitting here waiting for the serious part of pancreatic cancer to rear up. 

All I really want to know is how long and what to expect - I might not even get to know that before it sets in.

 

The very best of luck to you Lookard - be lucky, be a survivor.

 

banK

 

 

 

 

 

[Sheryl]

@BanK

If any pain or vomiting or other distress occurs just go straight to a hospital emergency room. That should help get your case moving in the system.

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[Kwasaki]

6 hours ago, Lookard said:

went to a major hospital chain, private.

Yeah me too but not for cancer something else, nearly died Gov hospital saved me.

[Spidey]

49 minutes ago, banK said:

Am in that boat now. Pancreatic cancer.

Post whipple operation in Thailand, during adjudicative chemo discovered that it had spread to liver. Due to relatively low palliative care costs assurance, continuance of private medical insurance impracticable to remain in Thailand.

After 13 years back to the UK - now fully integrated into the system but despite being refereed to Christies cancer hospital by the GP about 3 weeks ago - nothing.

However, I have received an invitation for a bowel cancer screening from the NHS!!

So I'm just sitting here waiting for the serious part of pancreatic cancer to rear up. 

All I really want to know is how long and what to expect - I might not even get to know that before it sets in.

 

The very best of luck to you Lookard - be lucky, be a survivor.

 

banK

 

 

 

 

 

Had my prostate cancer treated at Christies. 10 years now and hasn't returned. Probably the best cancer hospital in the UK.

[Lookard]

11 hours ago, banK said:

Am in that boat now. Pancreatic cancer.

Post whipple operation in Thailand, during adjudicative chemo discovered that it had spread to liver. Due to relatively low palliative care costs assurance, continuance of private medical insurance impracticable to remain in Thailand.

After 13 years back to the UK - now fully integrated into the system but despite being refereed to Christies cancer hospital by the GP about 3 weeks ago - nothing.

However, I have received an invitation for a bowel cancer screening from the NHS!!

So I'm just sitting here waiting for the serious part of pancreatic cancer to rear up. 

All I really want to know is how long and what to expect - I might not even get to know that before it sets in.

 

The very best of luck to you Lookard - be lucky, be a survivor.

 

banK

 

 

 

 

 

I meant heart and lung. Went home to Oz. Emergency, immediate treatment, free. No after effects, yet. About 4 months of chemo to go, brain radiation finished, hopeful. Cheers mate. 

[madmen]

11 hours ago, banK said:

Am in that boat now. Pancreatic cancer.

Post whipple operation in Thailand, during adjudicative chemo discovered that it had spread to liver. Due to relatively low palliative care costs assurance, continuance of private medical insurance impracticable to remain in Thailand.

After 13 years back to the UK - now fully integrated into the system but despite being refereed to Christies cancer hospital by the GP about 3 weeks ago - nothing.

However, I have received an invitation for a bowel cancer screening from the NHS!!

So I'm just sitting here waiting for the serious part of pancreatic cancer to rear up. 

All I really want to know is how long and what to expect - I might not even get to know that before it sets in.

 

The very best of luck to you Lookard - be lucky, be a survivor.

 

banK

 

 

 

 

 

Do you mind if ask what your symptoms were and how they found it? It may help others detect it a bit earlier

[banK]

14 hours ago, madmen said:

Do you mind if ask what your symptoms were and how they found it? It may help others detect it a bit earlier

Very early January this year noticed that I was going a bit yellow. This caused by stricture of the common bile duct (liver). The stricture caused by a 2.2cm tumor at the head of the pancreas pressing on the bile duct.

Was told that the tumor could have been there for 6 months to a year, but only evident with stricture.

 

On reflection - I do think that I had lost a bit of body weight, maybe 2-3kg for no apparent reason but I have been exercising regularly and put it down to the exercise and sweating more. Normal weight was around 70kg and went down to around 68kg, who knows??

 

I suppose that the only way to detect that is not normally detectable, is a CA19-9 Tumor marker test for this type of cancer, this cancer is not very common. If someone is worried then the above blood test will give a good indication. However, the CA19-9 test is not infallible it can also be a sign of inflammation. 

Symptoms usually occur when it is too late when it had spread to other parts of the body.

In my case mine was at stage 1B but this is the outcome. A very aggressive cancer. 

 

Sheryl : Thanks for the advice.

 

Everyone else: Thanks for thoughts and encouragement.

 

As for myself:  It's in the lap of the gods and acceptance of karma.

 

banK

[Lookard]

Me, slight headaches, that’s all. Luck enough to have a scan  in LOS that found a cancer ,possibly, of lungs. Back in Oz, as I wrote before. To me, I think of cancer as silent killer, little or no warning often. One in 3 of us will die of cancer, I’ve made it to 72 so far. And to all the members on here ,me too, who over the years have spoke shit to others about nothing at all , rather pointless, yes? 

[Lefty]

On 4/27/2019 at 12:56 PM, Odysseus123 said:

Yes indeed,when in doubt go home.Been there and done that..

All the very best of luck to you.

I also, 2  doctors missed my having tongue cancer on 2 separate visits.Take medicine and go home. Went to U.S was diagnosed within 30 minutes with tongue cancer,biopsy confirmed. For anything I consider serious I go home to Houston for treatment.

Lefty

[SoSoCNX]

 

Best of Luck 

 

Always get an annual health check in your own home country! 

[Skallywag]

18 minutes ago, SoSoCNX said:

 

Best of Luck 

 

Always get an annual health check in your own home country! 

Sounds ideal - yet the USA does not have free healthcare and the cost of going back every year for a health check seems overly expensive - at least for me.  If over 65 and with medicare and co-payments up to date,  that would be an option though.  

[Lookard]

7 minutes ago, Skallywag said:

Sounds ideal - yet the USA does not have free healthcare and the cost of going back every year for a health check seems overly expensive - at least for me.  If over 65 and with medicare and co-payments up to date,  that would be an option though.  

Overly expensive? What’s ya lil ol life worth. 

[soalbundy]

Just now, Lookard said:

Overly expensive? What’s ya lil ol life worth. 

You have to have the money first before you can give it out. I am  70 and accept the fact that I am living on borrowed time, 3 score years and 10 would seem to be the prescribed limit, you can't survive life, there is an endpoint for us all, we can only hope that it is a comfortable end.

[Korat88]

Lookard, BanK and anyone else going through a tough time with some form of cancer I can only say I hope all ends very well for you and you beat it! I have often wondered about the abilities of hospitals in Thailand and such stories make you think about the future big time. The other week I passed an organization in Q-house Lumpini called AddLife and decided to pay a bit more money to see whether I had anything of concern as I have a gland type discomfort in my neck. Went the full service "ultimate package" and had CT/MRI included. They found nothing by those methods or ultrasound but the discomfort (not pain) continues. Could just be muscles. Anyway, not sure whether anyone else has experience with said company but they seemed on the ball and professional. Might be a solution for anyone else with concerns?

[Sheryl]

Lookard, BanK and anyone else going through a tough time with some form of cancer I can only say I hope all ends very well for you and you beat it! I have often wondered about the abilities of hospitals in Thailand and such stories make you think about the future big time. The other week I passed an organization in Q-house Lumpini called AddLife and decided to pay a bit more money to see whether I had anything of concern as I have a gland type discomfort in my neck. Went the full service "ultimate package" and had CT/MRI included. They found nothing by those methods or ultrasound but the discomfort (not pain) continues. Could just be muscles. Anyway, not sure whether anyone else has experience with said company but they seemed on the ball and professional. Might be a solution for anyone else with concerns?

These whole body CTs etc are a massive scam. No reputable public health authority in the world recommends such checks as a form of routine screening, they will do more harm than good....unnecessary radiation exposure and unnecessary invasive procedures to further investigate what are usually false positives or benign findings.

 

What is recommended:

 

1. Periodic screening for colon cancer from age 50 over (maybe earlier if there is family history or special risk factors). This usually entails a colonoscopy at 10 year intervals though more frequent will be advised if there are any unusual findings.

 

2. Annual prostate exams for men over say 50 -- that is manual finger exam. Blood test (PSA) can also be done but there is some controversy and pros and cons too complex to go into here.

 

3. Mammograms and thin preps (pap snear) for women.

 

4. Smokers/ex smokers who quit 15 years ago or less should have annual scans from age 55 onward.

 

5. Periodic skin checks are a good idea esp for fair skinned people and those with history of sunburns.

 

A simple blood count such as is part of any standard physical check up will pick up leukemia and other blood diseases (more tests will be needed but this will signal if some sort of problem is present). And while at it, though not cancer specific, people over 45-50 should get blood sugar check, lipid panel, blood test of liver and kidney function every 1-2 years. Any check up package includes these and they are simple and pretty cheap.

 

That is pretty much it in terms of screening in the absence of specific symptoms or specific risk factors like family history. While there are various blood tests that serve as "tumor markers" for various cancers none of them are specific enough to serve as a general screening tool for asymptomatic people without history of cancer and likely to also do more harm than good if utilized indiscriminately because they will lead to unnecessary invasive procedures (which is one reason the private hospitals like to offer them -- good for business).

 

There is no way you can test for everything nor be assurred of not getting cancer.

 

The measures associated with good health are well known (proper diet, exercise, enough sleep, no smoking, alcohol only in moderation, wearing seatbelts/using helmets etc etc) and are not complicated.

 

You can recognize fad/quack measures by their complexity and expense alone. (e.g: berries are indeed a very healthy food but you don't need them to be from the Amazon jungle!).

 

But one has to accept that there are no absolutes and no way to be sure, and life is ultimately 100% fatal. Excessive worrying and overpreoccupation is also bad for you. Take reasonable measures, lead a reasonably healthy life style, and beyond that leave the outcome to fate or karma or god or whatever you want to call it.

 

 

 

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[Korat88]

Appreciated Sheryl. I should have checked with you BEFORE going and spending money probably not necessary, however, I can now say I have actually had a CT and MRI. Never have before and if something were present I certainly hope they would have found evidence. Anywhere specific you advise for points 1 & 2 or even other points as I am sure would be help to some (now or searching in future)?

[Sheryl]

Any hospital can do the blood tests etc. . In Bangkok for good value I like St Louis. Chula is also an option and even less expensive.

The Chulabhorn Cancer Centre is a good low price option for routine colonoscopy if you don't mind the inconvenience of having to go in person to get the appointment.

For prostate check best to see a urologist. In the west any GP can do and would include it in a basic check up but not here.

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[Spidey]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

For prostate check best to see a urologist. In the west any GP can do and would include it in a basic check up but not here.

DRE? Yes GP's do it in the UK, but mine missed my prostrate cancer. Insisted on being referred to a consultant urologist who spotted an abnormality straight away.

[Lookard]

21 hours ago, Korat88 said:

Lookard, BanK and anyone else going through a tough time with some form of cancer I can only say I hope all ends very well for you and you beat it! I have often wondered about the abilities of hospitals in Thailand and such stories make you think about the future big time. The other week I passed an organization in Q-house Lumpini called AddLife and decided to pay a bit more money to see whether I had anything of concern as I have a gland type discomfort in my neck. Went the full service "ultimate package" and had CT/MRI included. They found nothing by those methods or ultrasound but the discomfort (not pain) continues. Could just be muscles. Anyway, not sure whether anyone else has experience with said company but they seemed on the ball and professional. Might be a solution for anyone else with concerns?

Remember, a major hospital, Thai, missed my brain scan cancer. Having said that, if you ain’t got the dough to get back to civilisation, forget about dieing and live. I’ve come home, probably may live a few more years. Can afford to rent a small place or shared accommodation. Will miss the crowd watching. Cry and you cry alone. 

[rott]

Sheryl I have an annual blood test here, what reading would indicate the possibility of leukemia? People seem reluctant to comment.

[Sheryl]

Believe me with full blown leukemia no one would miss it. White blood cell count well over 20,000 and abnormal formation/distribution of types



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[Lookard]

17 hours ago, rott said:

Sheryl I have an annual blood test here, what reading would indicate the possibility of leukemia? People seem reluctant to comment.

I get an opinion from a major LOS hospital, could have killed me, your asking a TV mod for their opinion. !!!!!!!!!!!!!'!!!!!!!

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Lookard said:

I get an opinion from a major LOS hospital, could have killed me, your asking a TV mod for their opinion. !!!!!!!!!!!!!'!!!!!!!

Every Thai student doctor with the money to pay the fees graduated.

 

[rott]

3 hours ago, Lookard said:

I get an opinion from a major LOS hospital, could have killed me, your asking a TV mod for their opinion. !!!!!!!!!!!!!'!!!!!!!

Yes I asked a respected medical practitioner to clarify a point of fact on a simple matter. I was not asking for a diagnosis. Hope this puts your mind at rest.

[malagateddy]

You have to have the money first before you can give it out. I am  70 and accept the fact that I am living on borrowed time, 3 score years and 10 would seem to be the prescribed limit, you can't survive life, there is an endpoint for us all, we can only hope that it is a comfortable end.

Soalbundy..3 certainties in life as we know it..pay bills..pay taxes..and keel over sooner or LATER.

LATER being the important and pro-active word for YOU.
Me..68 years young..get " well man " health check every year..bloods..urine..wired up to the moon for heart test etc.
I think positive and always have provisional plans for the following year or two.
Maybe change the way you think/see life..3 score years and 10...<deleted> to that.
Find hobbies to keep yourself " ticking over ".
Mine include being the laundry man and the dish-washer..supporting the BREXIT cause on another forum of Thaivisa...reading..watching footie at the w/end.
Living in the Chaiyaphum Province..the Wife and I enjoy popping thro to Khonkaen every few weeks to visit our daughter..who works in the Regional Head Office of Kasikorn Bank.
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS for every Senior Citizen.
Cheers Young Man


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[Jip99]

On 5/1/2019 at 8:38 AM, soalbundy said:

You have to have the money first before you can give it out. I am  70 and accept the fact that I am living on borrowed time, 3 score years and 10 would seem to be the prescribed limit, you can't survive life, there is an endpoint for us all, we can only hope that it is a comfortable end.

 

 

Three score year and 10 is outdated and an expectation from 30 years ago.

 

80 is the new 70.

 

75 should be everyone’s target, with anything more being a ‘bonus’ (of course, not everyone will make it but I also know several Farangs over 80)

[BritManToo]

Just now, Jip99 said:

Three score year and 10 is outdated and an expectation from 30 years ago.

80 is the new 70.

75 should be everyone’s target, with anything more being a ‘bonus’ (of course, not everyone will make it but I also know several Farangs over 80)

I'd be happy to make 65 (63 now).