Repeat perscriptions

[recom273]

About a year ago, I was diagnosed by a specialist .. I was prescribed some daily medication, and Immediately I felt a lot better, I followed the doctors orders and increased my exercise.

 

In the first we were on a monthly visit, and that was a good idea as we changed the medication after a month. 

 

After a couple of visits, I asked if it a monthly visit was necessary, and we moved to bi-monthly.

 

In this time, it was the same procedure, the same checkup at the front desk (blood pressure, temperature) and every time the same response, that im good.

 

For this I was charged 200B, next the specialist charges 300B, so maybe 500B, just to walk in the door.

 

The consultations were becoming comical, the doc asked if everything is ok, I said, yes I feel my condition and general fitness is improving, examined me for 1 minute and typed the prescription in to the computer. The consultant was running out of questions to ask.

 

The last time we asked if it was necessary for me to keep attending the hospital, would a six monthly checkup suffice? We came to an agreement that my wife would pop in to pick up the drugs on a quarterly basis. We had a discussion with the head nurse and it was clear that we were asking for some kind of repeat prescription procedure. The answer was, yes, this is possible, not a problem.

 

Today was the first time my wife popped in, she was told that she would have to go and see the specialist, who asked her the same questions as I was, then typed in the prescription and she went and picked it up from the in-house pharmacy.

 

When she paid for the drugs, she paid 350B consultation fee.

 

I know hospitals are a license to print money here, I know its only 350B but c'mon dont take advantage, they must make enough profit from the drugs.

 

In the future I will just buy 6 months supply, its no biggie. Their attitude today didnt really do them any favours. 

 

Anyone else have a repeat prescription arrangement? or am I wasting my time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sheryl]

Odds are you don't need a prescription at all. Nor to be getting the medication at a hosputal.

 

Most drugs can be bought in Thailand at a pharmacy without orescription -- including drugs that are prescriptoon only back home.  This is what most people do. Pharmacy prices are much, much less than private hospital prices for the same thing.

 

But do not expect the hospital to suggest this. (To be fair this is so well known that they probably assume you for some reason WANT  to get the meds from the hospital).

 

Hospitals do not operate pharmacies for the general public, they only dispense medications prescribed by doctors on their staff and no refill arrangement. So having to see the doctor before getting meds at the hospital pharmacy is normal procedure. But if condition is stable and these are long term medications then there is no reason to go to the hospital.

 

Please post the names of the medication and I will confirm.

[Lacessit]

19 minutes ago, recom273 said:

About a year ago, I was diagnosed by a specialist .. I was prescribed some daily medication, and Immediately I felt a lot better, I followed the doctors orders and increased my exercise.

 

In the first we were on a monthly visit, and that was a good idea as we changed the medication after a month. 

 

After a couple of visits, I asked if it a monthly visit was necessary, and we moved to bi-monthly.

 

In this time, it was the same procedure, the same checkup at the front desk (blood pressure, temperature) and every time the same response, that im good.

 

For this I was charged 200B, next the specialist charges 300B, so maybe 500B, just to walk in the door.

 

The consultations were becoming comical, the doc asked if everything is ok, I said, yes I feel my condition and general fitness is improving, examined me for 1 minute and typed the prescription in to the computer. The consultant was running out of questions to ask.

 

The last time we asked if it was necessary for me to keep attending the hospital, would a six monthly checkup suffice? We came to an agreement that my wife would pop in to pick up the drugs on a quarterly basis. We had a discussion with the head nurse and it was clear that we were asking for some kind of repeat prescription procedure. The answer was, yes, this is possible, not a problem.

 

Today was the first time my wife popped in, she was told that she would have to go and see the specialist, who asked her the same questions as I was, then typed in the prescription and she went and picked it up from the in-house pharmacy.

 

When she paid for the drugs, she paid 350B consultation fee.

 

I know hospitals are a license to print money here, I know its only 350B but c'mon dont take advantage, they must make enough profit from the drugs.

 

In the future I will just buy 6 months supply, its no biggie. Their attitude today didnt really do them any favours. 

 

Anyone else have a repeat prescription arrangement? or am I wasting my time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you kidding? You just go to any larger pharmacy with an empty packet of the medication, and the pharmacist will sell you the same drug, maybe in a different packet. Usually considerably cheaper than any hospital pharmacy.

Buy yourself a blood pressure monitor on Lazada.Your temperature gets tested every time you go shopping.

https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?spm=a2o4m.writemyreview.search.1.79d36108dYan60&q=blood pressure monitor&_keyori=ss&clickTrackInfo=textId--1615647986562259121__abId--137478__pvid--ce8d5896-d31c-4cdf-aa22-02b43f70f8e8&from=suggest_normal&sugg=blood pressure monitor_0_1

Edited January 28, 2021 by Lacessit

[recom273]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

Are you kidding? You just go to any larger pharmacy with an empty packet of the medication, and the pharmacist will sell you the same drug, maybe in a different packet. Usually considerably cheaper than any hospital pharmacy.

Buy yourself a blood pressure monitor on Lazada.

https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?spm=a2o4m.writemyreview.search.1.79d36108dYan60&q=blood pressure monitor&_keyori=ss&clickTrackInfo=textId--1615647986562259121__abId--137478__pvid--ce8d5896-d31c-4cdf-aa22-02b43f70f8e8&from=suggest_normal&sugg=blood pressure monitor_0_1

Nothing to do with blood pressure.

The medication isn’t available in any local big pharmacy. 

 

When he prescribed the first medication this was available overseas and we talked about the difference in cost, but the current drug is only available from Auz with a prescription. It d isn’t work out that cheap tbh. 

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, recom273 said:

Nothing to do with blood pressure.

The medication isn’t available in any local big pharmacy. 

 

When he prescribed the first medication this was available overseas and we talked about the difference in cost, but the current drug is only available from Auz with a prescription. It d isn’t work out that cheap tbh. 

Fair enough, but that wasn't information in the OP. The other option is to look for substitutes that will do the same job. For example, I have swapped omeprazole for pantoprazole in dealing with gastric reflux.

[recom273]

15 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Odds are you don't need a prescription at all. Nor to be getting the medication at a hosputal.

 

Most drugs can be bought in Thailand at a pharmacy without orescription -- including drugs that are prescriptoon only back home.  This is what most people do. Pharmacy prices are much, much less than private hospital prices for the same thing.

 

But do not expect the hospital to suggest this. (To be fair this is so well known that they probably assume you for some reason WANT  to get the meds from the hospital).

 

Hospitals do not operate pharmacies for the general public, they only dispense medications prescribed by doctors on their staff and no refill arrangement. So having to see the doctor before getting meds at the hospital pharmacy is normal procedure. But if condition is stable and these are long term medications then there is no reason to go to the hospital.

 

Please post the names of the medication and I will confirm.

Thanks .. yeah, I guessed they weren’t in it for charity, but we all sat there and agreed that I would get one refill per visit. 

The specialist isn’t tied to the hospital and we did talk about using alternative sources from the internet and he agreed that they could be purchased over the counter, but the current medication doesn’t seem to be available in our biggest pharmacy. 
 

I will PM you the drug. 
 

 

 

[recom273]

2 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Fair enough, but that wasn't information in the OP. The other option is to look for substitutes that will do the same job. For example, I have swapped omeprazole for pantoprazole in dealing with gastric reflux.

I mentioned blood pressure because they won’t let you in the door without blood pressure, weight, temp check.

 

I just detest the whole song and dance and to be charged for it, they even have a violin and guitarist in the waiting room along with some beauties to greet you .. total waste of time and money. 
 

Yup, and no generics are available either .. so .. I’m kind of shafted.
It’s the first time in my life I ever had to take medication, so we are learning along the way.

[Lacessit]

4 hours ago, recom273 said:

I mentioned blood pressure because they won’t let you in the door without blood pressure, weight, temp check.

 

I just detest the whole song and dance and to be charged for it, they even have a violin and guitarist in the waiting room along with some beauties to greet you .. total waste of time and money. 
 

Yup, and no generics are available either .. so .. I’m kind of shafted.
It’s the first time in my life I ever had to take medication, so we are learning along the way.

I had a flu injection in December. Song and dance, consultation with a doctor. Your hospital must be upmarket, no violin, guitarist or pretties. 700 baht total, think the consult was 300 baht.

At the end of it all, a nurse gave me the injection in a separate room after ushering me out of the doctor's office. Stuffed if I know what the doctor did.

I've been taking meds for probably 40 years now, it's why I am still here.

[recom273]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I had a flu injection in December. Song and dance, consultation with a doctor. Your hospital must be upmarket, no violin, guitarist or pretties. 700 baht total, think the consult was 300 baht.

At the end of it all, a nurse gave me the injection in a separate room after ushering me out of the doctor's office. Stuffed if I know what the doctor did.

I've been taking meds for probably 40 years now, it's why I am still here.

They all are here, this is a private hospital that has a reputation of being good and reasonable - the specialist has 3  days of clinics, Bangkok hospital, this hospital and another similar priced place to Bangkok, and teaches at a university for 2. If you want to dance, you gotta pay the band.
 

Nevermind, looks like I’m on track now thanks to a forum member.

[ivor bigun]

go to a govt hospital ,just got 3 months supply of 6 drugs from Chonburi heart hospital 1500 baht the lot, one of them was a drug just mentioned omeprazola. the doc is a heart specialist from a private hospital fee 50 baht ,plus a few baht extra for blood pressure etc .

Edited January 28, 2021 by ivor bigun

[recom273]

32 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

go to a govt hospital ,just got 3 months supply of 6 drugs from Chonburi heart hospital 1500 baht the lot, one of them was a drug just mentioned omeprazola. the doc is a heart specialist from a private hospital fee 50 baht ,plus a few baht extra for blood pressure etc .

Thanks my heart is doing great! 
 

No idea what omeprazola is .. the governent hospital doesn’t have a specialist.

 

I could go to a university hospital, but the clinic is evening, I would lose more money than saved. tbh I don’t have an issue with paying 500B once a year, I think it’s great value. 

I don’t like paying for something that I didn’t receive, especially when they make plenty ar the pharmacy. 

[ivor bigun]

16 hours ago, recom273 said:

Thanks my heart is doing great! 
 

No idea what omeprazola is .. the governent hospital doesn’t have a specialist.

 

I could go to a university hospital, but the clinic is evening, I would lose more money than saved. tbh I don’t have an issue with paying 500B once a year, I think it’s great value. 

I don’t like paying for something that I didn’t receive, especially when they make plenty ar the pharmacy. 

I am lucky Chonburi is a teaching hospital ,also the specialist doctors there are 1st class and practice in Private hospitals ,mind you in them prices are vastly more expensive