A 42 year old expatriate named Nick reached out for help on May 21 after being discharged from the hospital without a clear diagnosis of his abdominal pain.

 

He had been experiencing discomfort in his right lower abdomen and an ache in his left lower chest that radiated into his back and upper abdomen. Nick had been unwell for two weeks before being admitted to the hospital, where he underwent a series of tests and was prescribed medication for stomach spasms and irritable bowel syndrome.

 

Nick’s test results indicated that he had raised bilirubin levels and liver damage, as well as an abnormal white cell count, suggesting inflammation or infection. The ultrasound and CT scans revealed multiple gallstones, while the colonoscopy showed mild colonic diverticulosis. Despite these findings, Nick was discharged without a definitive diagnosis, leaving him feeling unsettled and disappointed.

 

Upon reviewing Nick’s case, it was determined that the medication prescribed to him was insufficient to address the root cause of his pain. Nick was advised to have his gallbladder removed immediately, as the obstruction caused by his gallstones was likely the source of his discomfort.

 

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Caption: Photo via The Pattaya News

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/expats/thai-hospital-misdiagnoses-mans-gallstone-condition-quick-intervention-saves-health

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-06

 

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Is this the guy on this forum who was complaining of abdominal pain for ages?

So I'm not the only one!

 

That said, I am not as courageous as Mr. Adrianus Nicolaas Kobes, for pointing out this happened at Princ Hospital Ubon.

In this country it's easy to be sued for defamation.

Edited June 6, 20233 yr by tomazbodner

I had the same thing happen to me but in the US.  I would get severe pain at first it would last 15 minutes or so.  But over the next couple of years it kept getting worse and longer in duration.  The pain was so intense it would literally floor me.  I would go to the doctor and at first they would just tell me it must be gas pains.  Then the diagnosis went to irritable bowel syndrom.  The day before I went to the emergency room because the pain wouldn't go away I had gone to see my family doctor again and they just gave me more medicine for IBS.  At the emeregence room the physician looked at me and almost immediately said I think we need to remove your gall bladder but we will do an ultrasound first to be sure.

I have no idea why it only took him a few minutes to determine my actual problem but my regular doctor could never figure it out in a couple of years.

14 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Is this the guy on this forum who was complaining of abdominal pain for ages?

Men often end up with the same ailments. We just complain about them differently.

I was lucky. Was correctly diagnosed when having first gall stone attack. Despite precautions had a second a week later. Quite relieved to have the gall bladder removed with no complications or ongoing ramifications. BTW, I read somewhere a gall stone attack is more painful than a kidney stone attack and child birth. I take my hat off to the women who have experienced all three and could make an assessment. BTW2...pethidine is an amazing painkiller...could well be addictive.

IBS is the standard go to for Thai doctors when they haven't a clue which is 90% of the time.  After that STD is the next most popular diagnosis.  A Pattaya hospital said my GF's EAR infection was caused by a sexually-transmitted disease.  I pointed out we'd been together 24/7 for four years and I was untroubled health-wise.  I bought her a new pair of earbuds for her phone and lo' I cured her within a couple of days.

As long as medical doctors, lawyers, teachers and government officials are being hailed as semi-divine, do not expect any changes. 

I've asked each and every medical doctor on how they got to the diagnosis they made and, more than once, I was verbally reprimanded for querying their professional competence. I replied in all cases that this is certainly not the case but I would like to understand, what is going on. 

In two cases I went for another opinion just to hear, that the first medic's diagnosis was completely off the sheet. And in both cases it happened in one of Bangkok's top rated and very expensive hospitals ......

Bottomline is, ALWAYS go for two, eventually three opinions - in your own interest ???? 

I was diagnosed with bronchitis, and when I got a second diagnosis it turned out that I had severe food poisoning and would have been dead in two days without treatment.

 

Someone I know was diagnosed with indigestion, and when taken to a second hospital by a concerned friend he was found to have had a heart attack.

 

Thai medical care can be excellent, even at village hospital level, but it is times that it isn't which is a problem. I'm sure that some doctors qualify by buying a white coat.

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

IBS is the standard go to for Thai doctors when they haven't a clue which is 90% of the time.  After that STD is the next most popular diagnosis.  A Pattaya hospital said my GF's EAR infection was caused by a sexually-transmitted disease.  I pointed out we'd been together 24/7 for four years and I was untroubled health-wise.  I bought her a new pair of earbuds for her phone and lo' I cured her within a couple of days.

Some STDs such as gonorrhea can spread to other areas apparently, but a urine test and throat swab would have ruled it out

I thought I was having a heart attack, but the local ER competently ( if expensively) ruled that out, and referred me to the old Cholera hospital which has MRI imaging capability on suspicion it was gall stones. Bingo. They put me on a regimen of antibiotics and set the motion for removal after ensuring my probable survival.

18 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Some STDs such as gonorrhea can spread to other areas apparently, but a urine test and throat swab would have ruled it out

Neither of which he did; he was too busy writing his Opus Grande AKA list of  medicaments.

Well, it is said that Doctors bury their mistakes.