Good urologist in Bkk or Pattaya

[allanos]

I am seeking a good urologist in either Bangkok or Pattaya, who I can initially contact 

by email.

 

If anyone has a recommendation, will they please make a replying post on TVF (Asean Now).

 

Much obliged.

[Sheryl]

I don't know of any you can contact first by email. You'll need to make an appointment and see the doctor in person.

 

I could advise better if I knew the type of problem.

 

In Pattaya, several TV members have spoken well of this urologist:

https://www.bangkokpattayahospital.com/en/doctor-profile?v_id=205&depid=28

 

In Bangkok, many good choices. Depending on the nature of the problem:

 

Dr. Charuspong Dissaraan at Bumrungrad. US trained and excellent. Very good interpersonal manner. https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/doctors/Charuspong-Dissaranan

Dr. Viroj Chodchoy at Bumrungrad   - UK trained,  has treated a number of TV members for prostate cancer and other problems  https://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Viroj-Chodchoy  

 

 

 

[allanos]

18 hours ago, Sheryl said:

I don't know of any you can contact first by email. You'll need to make an appointment and see the doctor in person.

 

I could advise better if I knew the type of problem.

 

In Pattaya, several TV members have spoken well of this urologist:

https://www.bangkokpattayahospital.com/en/doctor-profile?v_id=205&depid=28

 

In Bangkok, many good choices. Depending on the nature of the problem:

 

Dr. Charuspong Dissaraan at Bumrungrad. US trained and excellent. Very good interpersonal manner. https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/doctors/Charuspong-Dissaranan

Dr. Viroj Chodchoy at Bumrungrad   - UK trained,  has treated a number of TV members for prostate cancer and other problems  https://www.bumrungrad.com/doctors/Viroj-Chodchoy  

Thank you for your kind help, Sheryl. I am still in South Africa, so my main purpose is to see if I can get some quotations on procedures which appear to be necessary, from Thailand clinicians. On your earlier recommendation I have recently consulted with a urologist, who conducted an ultrasound scan and an internal examination. Sans an MRI, he is very convinced that a small lump he has found on my prostate is cancerous.

He believes the next steps, in my case, should be an MRI followed by a confirmatory biopsy, after which a surgical implant of a radiation pellet. I am 77 years old and in reasonable health.

I shall make contact with the urologists you have mentioned. Dr Chodchoy, as he appears to be a cancer specialist, may be helpful in my case, and I do thank you for taking an interest, once again.

18 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

18 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

 

 

 

[helbob]

???????? Bumrungrad will be very expensive for small things. 

[Sheryl]

5 minutes ago, helbob said:

???????? Bumrungrad will be very expensive for small things. 

Actually not for small things (as I would define them), especially if you refrain from buying drugs from the hospital pharmacy and get any labs done at an outside laboratory. . Consultation fees are not much more than other private hospitals.

 

But for large things (e.g. surgery), yes.

 

Bangkok Pattaya Hospital does not cost any less than Bumrungrad, in fact sometimes more.

[Sheryl]

"Thank you for your kind help, Sheryl. I am still in South Africa, so my main purpose is to see if I can get some quotations on procedures which appear to be necessary, from Thailand clinicians. On your earlier recommendation I have recently consulted with a urologist, who conducted an ultrasound scan and an internal examination. Sans an MRI, he is very convinced that a small lump he has found on my prostate is cancerous.

He believes the next steps, in my case, should be an MRI followed by a confirmatory biopsy, after which a surgical implant of a radiation pellet. I am 77 years old and in reasonable health."

 

In this case you do not need to contact a urologist first but rather email the hospitals and request prices for the specific procedures:

 

multiparametric MRI of prostate (only a few hospitals in Thailand can do this)

prostate biopsy

brachytherapy (Radiation implant for prostate cancer)

 

In your emails to hospitals keep it brief and just ask the estimated price of the above. The people who will read these emails have no medical training and will just refer to a price list. Any added medical details will likely just confuse them.

 

I would be surprised if, taking travel costs into account, it will save much if any money to do this in Thailand vs South Africa. Thai government hospitals would be cheaper but their use involves a lot of red tape and long waits and thus is not very feasible for travelers. Also they now have long wait lists for elective procedures due to COVID.

 

If the issue is that you plan to be in Thailand anyway, then I suggest to get the MRI and biopsy in SA first then think about just the radiation treatment and follow up here.

 

Hospital emails:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

 

 

 

 

[JoePai]

Dr Niti at the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital has been looking after me - very good, would recommend

[allanos]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

"Thank you for your kind help, Sheryl. I am still in South Africa, so my main purpose is to see if I can get some quotations on procedures which appear to be necessary, from Thailand clinicians. On your earlier recommendation I have recently consulted with a urologist, who conducted an ultrasound scan and an internal examination. Sans an MRI, he is very convinced that a small lump he has found on my prostate is cancerous.

He believes the next steps, in my case, should be an MRI followed by a confirmatory biopsy, after which a surgical implant of a radiation pellet. I am 77 years old and in reasonable health."

 

In this case you do not need to contact a urologist first but rather email the hospitals and request prices for the specific procedures:

 

multiparametric MRI of prostate (only a few hospitals in Thailand can do this)

prostate biopsy

brachytherapy (Radiation implant for prostate cancer)

 

In your emails to hospitals keep it brief and just ask the estimated price of the above. The people who will read these emails have no medical training and will just refer to a price list. Any added medical details will likely just confuse them.

 

I would be surprised if, taking travel costs into account, it will save much if any money to do this in Thailand vs South Africa. Thai government hospitals would be cheaper but their use involves a lot of red tape and long waits and thus is not very feasible for travelers. Also they now have long wait lists for elective procedures due to COVID.

 

If the issue is that you plan to be in Thailand anyway, then I suggest to get the MRI and biopsy in SA first then think about just the radiation treatment and follow up here.

 

Hospital emails:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

 

 

Thank you for the valuable and great advice, Sheryl, it is extremely useful. I am awaiting final quotations for all of these procedures and processes to be done locally, hence why I should like to make an overseas comparison. Yes, of course I have to factor in return airfares, but I am expecting exchange-rates to be very much in my favour as far as Thailand vs South Africa. I also intend trying to obtain comparative quotations from a couple of clinics in Mumbai, India, where I also expect to find the exchange-rate to be favourable for me.

 

You have been really very helpful.

Thank you and take care.

 

 

 

 

 

[allanos]

24 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Dr Niti at the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital has been looking after me - very good, would recommend

Thank you for taking an interest, JoePai, and for the useful recommendation. 

[allanos]

2 minutes ago, allanos said:

 

Hello, again, Sheryl. I'm sorry to bother you, but there is another thought which occurs to me.

 

You no doubt have read between the lines that I am self-funding and am looking for the most

cost-efficient route I can go to ameliorate my (supposed) condition.

 

In light of my urologist's considered opinion that the small lump on my prostate is a cancer, in

which he has come to the conclusion also aided by pathology lab reports over the past nine months in respect of my PSA and free PSA readings, how would you comment on the possibility of my electing to go straight to brachytherapy, by-passing both the MRI and the prostate biopsy?

 

If this is a possibility, is there a downside to carrying such an implant in my body should the lump not, in fact, be cancerous?

 

Thank you, once again.

[Will B Good]

2 hours ago, helbob said:

???????? Bumrungrad will be very expensive for small things. 

Too ßloody right....arm and a leg.....nice though.

 

Had three nights there...like a 5* hotel.

[phutoie2]

Vibhavadi Hospital in Chatuchak District. On Vibhavadi Rangsit Road has a good urologist. It's a private hospital but the Doc is a good bloke. Supports Liverpool and we spent some time talking about English footy. I cannot remember his name but they sorted me out. One of those mysterious infections from a liaison.... 

 

 

 

 

[Boomer6969]

32 minutes ago, allanos said:

If this is a possibility, is there a downside to carrying such an implant in my body should the lump not, in fact, be cancerous?

It isn't one implant, but 60 to 120 seeds, which will have side effects. After implantation you'd have prostatitis symptoms which can worsen and in some case lead to urinary retention. Over the subsequent years you may become impotent. Incontinence is less frequent.

 

So you don't want to jump into any radical treatment without knowing the location and size of your tumour, the biopsy will be needed to assess its malignancy. 

 

The silver lining is that may be able to delay any definitive treatment if the tumour is small and has a Gleason score of 6 possibly 7. Many people live 10 to 20 years with their prostate cancer and die with it, not from it.

[allanos]

51 minutes ago, phutoie2 said:

Vibhavadi Hospital in Chatuchak District. On Vibhavadi Rangsit Road has a good urologist. It's a private hospital but the Doc is a good bloke. Supports Liverpool and we spent some time talking about English footy. I cannot remember his name but they sorted me out. One of those mysterious infections from a liaison.... 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for the recommendation. The fact that he supports Liverpool might just give him the inside track. Lol

[allanos]

26 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

It isn't one implant, but 60 to 120 seeds, which will have side effects. After implantation you'd have prostatitis symptoms which can worsen and in some case lead to urinary retention. Over the subsequent years you may become impotent. Incontinence is less frequent.

 

So you don't want to jump into any radical treatment without knowing the location and size of your tumour, the biopsy will be needed to assess its malignancy. 

 

The silver lining is that may be able to delay any definitive treatment if the tumour is small and has a Gleason score of 6 possibly 7. Many people live 10 to 20 years with their prostate cancer and die with it, not from it.

Excellent, cogent reply. Thanks a lot. I shall take on board what you have to say.

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, allanos said:

Hello, again, Sheryl. I'm sorry to bother you, but there is another thought which occurs to me.

 

You no doubt have read between the lines that I am self-funding and am looking for the most

cost-efficient route I can go to ameliorate my (supposed) condition.

 

In light of my urologist's considered opinion that the small lump on my prostate is a cancer, in

which he has come to the conclusion also aided by pathology lab reports over the past nine months in respect of my PSA and free PSA readings, how would you comment on the possibility of my electing to go straight to brachytherapy, by-passing both the MRI and the prostate biopsy?

 

If this is a possibility, is there a downside to carrying such an implant in my body should the lump not, in fact, be cancerous?

 

Thank you, once again.

 

As others have explained there is indeed a downside and no responsible doctor will implant you without a definitive biopsy first.

 

Treatment in India will be far less expensive than Thailand. Do your research though to select good hospital & doctor in India.

[allanos]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

 

As others have explained there is indeed a downside and no responsible doctor will implant you without a definitive biopsy first.

 

Treatment in India will be far less expensive than Thailand. Do your research though to select good hospital & doctor in India.

Thank you, Sheryl,  very kindly for your excellent advice,  which I fully accept. You will understand that I am exploring possibilities, answers to which are leading me in the right direction. 

 

Take care