Colonoscopy

[up-country_sinclair]

I'm overdue for a colonoscopy, and plan on having it done next month in Bangkok.  The hospital I'm looking at has the following terms and conditions for their colonoscopy package, and I'd like to know if there are any red flags.

 

• Package includes doctor’s fee for the endoscopic screening, OPD Facility and Nursing services
• Package excludes costs and fees for doctor’s consultation and any further tests, treatments, or medications recommended by the doctor based on test results
• Doctors will be assigned; patients may not request a specific doctor

 

Thanks. ????

[sqwakvfr]

 

 

I had one in CNX last year. 

 

1.  The Gastroenterologist who I have seen before did the procedure.

2.  The consultation fee was included in the package

3.  The medication(a PPI) the doctor recommended was included in the package.  I did not require any further  treatment.

4.  I paid 39,000 Baht for a combo endoscopy/colonoscopy.  

 

I would shop around.  

[Oxx]

Would that be Bumrungrad? If so, it'll probably be the most expensive you can find, and you still can't choose your doctor.

[brewsterbudgen]

I had it done at Bumrungrad around 3 years ago, and paid around 30k (or rather my insurance did).  Excellent service.

[moogradod]

In the hospital where I now had endoscopy/colonoscopy twice, the price depends to a large degree on whether you would like a full anaestesia (even an easy Propofol infusion counts as such) or if you are happy with a stronger tranquilizer. With anaestesia charges are 3 fold, so you should ask which method they did offer you.

 

In my opinion doctors fees should always be included, however histotology - if necessary - seems to be always on top and depends on the number of samples they would have to examine.

[Sheryl]

The "doctor will be assigned" part is undesirable.

 

The other thing to consider is the reliability of the path exam on any removed specimen which varies by hospital.

 

Is this a routine screening or related to known colon problem?

[up-country_sinclair]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Is this a routine screening or related to known colon problem?

Routine.

 

6 hours ago, Oxx said:

Would that be Bumrungrad?

Yes.

 

 

Does anyone have recommendations for hospitals to have this procedure done?

 

 

Edited March 25, 2022 by up-country_sinclair

[Oxx]

26 minutes ago, up-country_sinclair said:

Does anyone have recommendations for hospitals to have this procedure done?

Perhaps more important than the hospital is the doctor.  I've had two colonoscopies by Dr. Pusadee Rojpalakorn at Samitivej Srinakarin and got my third colonoscopy booked already.  Very happy with her service.

On the flip side, I would not recommend a hospital beginning with the letter "V" where I had my first colonoscopy.  Bad experience at several levels.

[mark5335]

44 minutes ago, up-country_sinclair said:

Does anyone have recommendations for hospitals to have this procedure done?

 

I had my first colonoscopy done at Samitivej Sukhumvit earlier this month, following some symptoms experienced for a few weeks prior. It ended up costing me a bit more than I expected (more than 30K), but I was very happy with Dr Nathayut (Director of their Digestive Institute), and the nursing staff. The procedure it self took about 45 min but felt like only 10 min due to the anesthesia. He removed one benign polyp and noticed a bit of diverticulosis as well.

 

By the way, prior to this my only other adult hospital experience to date had been at Mt Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for kidney stone & renal cysts 15 years ago. The nursing and overall service there was appalling compared with the caring and informative experience at Samitivej in Thailand.

[up-country_sinclair]

2 hours ago, mark5335 said:

The procedure it self took about 45 min but felt like only 10 min due to the anesthesia.

Anaesthesia for a colonoscopy?  I'd much prefer sedation. 

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, up-country_sinclair said:

Anaesthesia for a colonoscopy?  I'd much prefer sedation. 

People are tending to use these terms interchangably.

 

What is used, is propofol IV.  Which is both an anesthetic and a sedative.

 

While the choice of doctor is important, the quality of the path service is also important (in case nay polyps are found & removed). Should be Ok at Bumrungrad, Samitivej or Bangkok Hospital.

 

One poster has already suggested a doctor at Samitivej.

 

At Bangkok Hospital, I have used Prof. Varocha Mahachai.

 

 

[mark5335]

13 hours ago, Sheryl said:

People are tending to use these terms interchangably.

 

What is used, is propofol IV.  Which is both an anesthetic and a sedative.

 

 

 

Thanks for clarifying. My bill referred to it as just "moderate sedation".

[Oxx]

14 hours ago, Sheryl said:

16 hours ago, up-country_sinclair said:

Anaesthesia for a colonoscopy?  I'd much prefer sedation. 

People are tending to use these terms interchangably.

I know this has cropped up before, but I'm 100% certain there are two levels of sedation on offer.  At my first colonoscopy I was given the option of what the doctor called "twilight sedation" (not, I suspect, a medical term) or "anaesthesia".  I opted for the former and was aware what was going on throughout the procedure.  I even remember one of the staff calling out when I started squirting from my behind.

 

For my next two colonoscopies I was fully under.  And for my most recent colonoscopy my doctor said that because the previous colonoscopies had been trouble-free, she could offer me a choice of being fully under, or being conscious the whole time.  Unfortunately, I can't remember the exact terms she used.  I went for the latter and followed the probe's progress on a small screen.

[up-country_sinclair]

On 3/25/2022 at 12:11 PM, Sheryl said:

What is used, is propofol IV.  

 

Will patients be unconscious with this?

[LaosLover]

Did Bumrungrad 3 times. The assigned doctor thing is new, but it's a pretty standard procedure. The skill comes in reading the Colonoscopy report. Cannot verify if the doctor I met is the guy who did it, since I was fully knocked out, which I really recommend spending for. I was in at 8 AM and out by 10.

 

39K baht seems high, but it is still a third of American prices. Since it's my you-know-what hole, I am happy to pay a premium for a brand name. I also have heard good reports about Bangkok Hospital in Pattaya, which I recall being about a third less. To me, plusher, better located Bumrungrad was worth the upcharge.

[Sheryl]

8 hours ago, up-country_sinclair said:

Will patients be unconscious with this?

Actually not totally unconscious but you will usually remember nothing and feel no pain while it is done. At customary dosage it feels to the patient just like total anesthesia I.e. you're out and when you wake up it's over.

[up-country_sinclair]

I spoke with the hospital about the type of anaesthesia / sedation they use, and they said, " normal cases with pethidine or dormicum and sensitive cases with propofol".

 

????‍♂️

[moogradod]

16 minutes ago, up-country_sinclair said:

I spoke with the hospital about the type of anaesthesia / sedation they use, and they said, " normal cases with pethidine or dormicum and sensitive cases with propofol".

 

????‍♂️

I have had several times dormicum and propofol and even once without sedation because I wanted to follow the procedure on the monitor. Now I know myself inside-out. ????

 

But If you dont mind the extra money go for the propofol. Easy to control and safe, you feel absolutely nothing. Besides it leaves a very pleasant feeling somewhow, thats why it is probably as well abused as a recreational drug. Next time I need to go again I will use the propofol (My father died of colon cancer and I need to check regularly since I am regarded a high-risk patient.

Edited March 27, 2022 by moogradod

[up-country_sinclair]

Can anyone recommend a doctor at Bumrungrad to do a colonoscopy?

Apparently it is possible to choose your doctor for this promotion.

 

[Sheryl]

7 hours ago, up-country_sinclair said:

Can anyone recommend a doctor at Bumrungrad to do a colonoscopy?

Apparently it is possible to choose your doctor for this promotion.

 

If he will do it, Prof. Chucheep (top colon specialist).

[Sheryl]

On 3/27/2022 at 2:09 PM, up-country_sinclair said:

I spoke with the hospital about the type of anaesthesia / sedation they use, and they said, " normal cases with pethidine or dormicum and sensitive cases with propofol".

 

????‍♂️

 

i think most farangs would be "sensitive cases".

 

Not because they are "sensitive" but in fact the opposite - because they are less easily sedated. (Or, more accurately -- Thais are abnormally sensitive to any type of sedation, even at what for most people would be sub-therapeutic doses).

 

I have had 2 endoscopies in Thailand in which whatever they injected first had no appreciable effect and they had to then switch to what was probably propofol. In the first instance - to my great annoyance - I was charged 2 anesthesia fees as a result.  In the second instance  all within the package price.

[cocoonclub]

1. Can anyone recommend doctors for an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy? The one where they put the tube down your throat to look into your stomach. 
 

2. Would you recommend also doing a colonoscopy at the same time just because you’re there already and under sedation, so why not? I’m 40. 

Edited April 4, 2022 by cocoonclub

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, cocoonclub said:

1. Can anyone recommend doctors for an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy? The one where they put the tube down your throat to look into your stomach. 
 

2. Would you recommend also doing a colonoscopy at the same time just because you’re there already and under sedation, so why not? I’m 40. 

Please do nto post the same question in multiple topics. I have already answered #1 in the other thread.

 

#2 - only if colonoscopy is indicated, which it usually is not at age 40. There are small but real risks to the procedure. Routine screening colonoscopies are usually started at ages 45-50. But if you have a family history of colon cancer, any symptoms, or blood i nthe stool, then yes. (you might like ot have a stool test for occult blood before hand to find out).

[rascalman]

Not For Me:I contemplated a few years ago but now 70 I am sick with diabetes and high blood pressure. Taking medication and have good days and bad days. God bless. 

[Dust]

Has anyone used this 23,000 baht colonscopy screening package at Bumrungrad?  I'm curious how much total after preop/postop medicine and consultation I would be paying.  Thanks.   https://www.bumrungrad.com/en/packages/colon-screening