A full medical check up in the Bangkok area?

[Gee Bangkok]

Hi All

 

A medical check up here in Bangkok a clinic or hospital any recommendations please? 

 

Thank you 

 

Gee 

 

 

[ezzra]

I'm sure that our Sheryl will come in soon to help, but from experience, better shop around among the big hospitals

with what your requirements are for the best price...

[proton]

Last time I had one in Bkk it came up with a list of bad results, went back to the UK had the same tests, no problems. So I never bothered since, don't trust them here.

[mfinasi]

I'm considering RSU health in maybe a month or two, it's been mentioned before by Sheryl but that post was some years ago. The prices on website, if correct, seems very fair, not too much different than play google is my doctor and own lab work.  Anyone know if they box you into the age ranges for the health checks? I just want the cheap package plus 3 extra tests.. 

If money is no object though I would happily go for BNH on Covaent road, everything just seems spot on there, even the small things - the comfy chairs, little roof garden, to the valet parking, that said you pay for it! 

[zhounan]

I tried four different hospitals in my area and I think Ramkhamhaeng Hospital is the better one. 

[Sluglord]

Search Saint Louis and praram 9 hospitals. Look for packages. You might still be able to get New Year promotion.

[Sheryl]

OP how old are you and what tests are you seeking? 

 

Any particular health problems or risk factors?

 

One cannot rely on "packages" to include what you need. They tend to omit needed things and include tests not indicated for general screening. You need to start by deciding what tests to get.

[Sheryl]

On 2/6/2024 at 10:45 AM, mfinasi said:

I'm considering RSU health in maybe a month or two, it's been mentioned before by Sheryl but that post was some years ago. The prices on website, if correct, seems very fair, not too much different than play google is my doctor and own lab work.  Anyone know if they box you into the age ranges for the health checks? I just want the cheap package plus 3 extra tests.. 

 

Pretty much anywhere you can opt for whatever package you want and add on additional tests.

 

Age related "packages" are not well designed here and higher age packages often contain unreliable tests not suitable for health screening while still omitting things you need.

 

 

[Gee Bangkok]

I'm 56...

 

I don't really know what tests I should be doing. 

 

A general thing? 

[Gee Bangkok]

No health problems.... 

 

As far as I know 

[richard_smith237]

The Major hospitals all run health screening packages...

I do them yearly with Thai Elite and get a choice of a hanful of hosptials and have done full Medical Check-ups at Bumrungrad, Bangkok Hosptial and Samitivej.

 

The package has varied over the years... 

It used to be full on - stress EKG - i.e. running on a treadmill, with EKG, then using ultra-sound to map the heart valves (interesting stuff to see)...    These last few years its just been a standard EKG on a tread-mill.

They also do the chest x-ray, full blood screening, full abdominal ultrasound.... also the vision and hearing tests (which I'm not bothered about)...

 

Most Hospitals have these packages advertised on their Websites.

 

As an example: https://www.samitivejhospitals.com/package/detail/annual-health-check-up-packages-samitivej-sukhumvit#check-up

 

[Sheryl]

36 minutes ago, Gee Bangkok said:

I'm 56...

 

I don't really know what tests I should be doing. 

 

A general thing? 

 

At 56 with no known health problems I would suggest:

 

CBC

ALT/AST

BUN

Creatnine

Lipid Panel: HDL, LDL, triglycerides

HB1Ac

PSA

Exercise Stress Test (which includes EKG)

Eye Pressure

 

You should also get a colonoscopy if you have not had one in past 10 years, but that needs to be arranged separately.

 

None of the hospital "packages" will exactly match what you need (usually the case). The basic packages will usually omit HB1Ac, PSA and EST.  The more extensive packages will include the ofllowing unnecessary test which are not suitable for screening purposes and quite likely to give false positives leading to unnececessary and expensive further tests:

- abdominal ultrasound

-"tumor markers" - AFP, CEA etc

- Hepatitis panel

 

Abdominal ultrasound and Hepatitis panel are necessary only if liver enzymes (blood test) come back abnormal or you have specific known risk factors or symptoms.

 

The so-called "tumor markers" are not recommended for mass screening and often positive in people without cancer; in addition the normal range used in Thailand for AFP is much lower than international. (This is because of a high incidence of primary liver cancer in Thais - not relevant for Westerners among who primary liver cancer is very rare).

 

The "gold heart" package at Vejthani Hospital (8,700 baht) includes everything you need except PSA and eye pressure. You might contact them and ask if these 2 things can be added on. https://www.vejthani.com/packages-and-programs/cardiac-screening-package/

 

Alternatively:

 

RSU Standard checkup (3,900 baht) has everything you need except for PSA, HB1Ac and EST (stress test). Contact them and aks what it would cost to add these  https://rsuhealth.com/product/ตรวจสุขภาพ-24-รายการ-standard-check-up-package-สำ/

 

 

 

[Sluglord]

OP I forgot..

 

There is a clinic in Huay Kwang next to Ganesha shrine. You can get lab tests done here very cheap. Google each test to find out what it tests and and acceptable ranges. Very cheap. I just do this now. These tests often go out to hospitals anyway so you could probably go to any clinic.

 

Redundant to Sheryl's list. Probably most of these not in standard packages.

 

Liver enzymes (ALT, AST)

Hb1Ac (better than fasting blood sugar)

Fibroscan / liver

Ultrasound upper abdomen /liver

PSA

Manual prostste exam (DRE)

Lipid panel (HFl, LDK, triglycerides)

BUN and creatnine

C reactive protein

Complete blood count

Free + total Testosterone, SHBG

 

EDIT that clinic also has same pkgs thru the year. I think B1300 for a battery of tests. I do this plus add ons

[FruitPudding]

On 2/7/2024 at 10:29 AM, Sheryl said:

OP how old are you and what tests are you seeking? 

 

Any particular health problems or risk factors?

 

One cannot rely on "packages" to include what you need. They tend to omit needed things and include tests not indicated for general screening. You need to start by deciding what tests to get.

 

https://chulalongkornhospital.go.th/kcmh/en/annual-health-examination-program/

 

What do you think of Chula's package for a typical middle aged guy?

 

There are add-ons at the bottom of the page.

 

I am thinking of going for Program 1 (age 35+) and then adding on all the add-ons, except the hepatitis tests and the STD tests. Probably don't need the thyroid tests too, right?

 

 

 

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, FruitPudding said:

 

https://chulalongkornhospital.go.th/kcmh/en/annual-health-examination-program/

 

What do you think of Chula's package for a typical middle aged guy?

 

There are add-ons at the bottom of the page.

 

I am thinking of going for Program 1 (age 35+) and then adding on all the add-ons, except the hepatitis tests and the STD tests. Probably don't need the thyroid tests too, right?

 

 

 

If you have not had a TDH in past 10 yrars, eise yo add it.

 

Also add LFL, Hb1ac, PSA

[Lorry]

On 2/7/2024 at 12:56 PM, Sheryl said:

You should also get a colonoscopy if you have not had one in past 10 years, but that needs to be arranged separately.

That's the most important one

[FruitPudding]

12 hours ago, Sheryl said:

If you have not had a TDH in past 10 yrars, eise yo add it.

 

What's this for?

 

12 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

Also add LFL, Hb1ac, PSA

 

Is that LDL?

[FruitPudding]

10 hours ago, Lorry said:

That's the most important one

 

I wonder if regular occult blood stool exams would suffice?

[chiang mai]

2 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

 

I wonder if regular occult blood stool exams would suffice?

Not really. A colononscopy and endoscopy is painless, usually sedated so you feel nothing and wake up refreshed.

[FruitPudding]

On 2/6/2024 at 10:56 AM, Sluglord said:

Search Saint Louis and praram 9 hospitals. Look for packages. You might still be able to get New Year promotion.

 

How much is the discount? Is it every year?

 

[FruitPudding]

The Saint Louis packages look decent. 

 

But the only difference between the 30+ and 40+ year old male packages is an exercise stress test and a stool exam, but it costs 3k more just for those two things.

 

 

[chiang mai]

Cardio stress test is highly recommended, it's how I found out I had blocked arteries and needed a cardiac stent.

[FruitPudding]

Mission Hospital offers a cardio ankle vascular index test whereas St Louis offers an exercise stress test, both at same price packages. 

 

I wonder which is better?

 

These packages always seem to have some weird marketing trade-offs. 

[chiang mai]

5 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

Mission Hospital offers a cardio ankle vascular index test whereas St Louis offers an exercise stress test, both at same price packages. 

 

I wonder which is better?

 

These packages always seem to have some weird marketing trade-offs. 

They test for different things. The cardio stress test checks for cardiac blockages and heart health, an ankle brachia test checks for peripheral artery disease. Get the stress test, the AB test is cheap enough on its own anyway, if needed.

[Lorry]

57 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

 

I wonder if regular occult blood stool exams would suffice?

No.

A colonoscopy is recommended every 10 years,  starting at 45 or 50, until somewhere in your 70s (depends on guidelines and individual)

[Lorry]

1 hour ago, FruitPudding said:

 

What's this for?

TSH test checks  thyroid function.

 

1 hour ago, FruitPudding said:

 

Is that LDL?

I think so

[chiang mai]

1 minute ago, Lorry said:

TSH test checks  thyroid function.

 

I think so

TSH and FT4 are the important ones to check the thyroid, an extremely important and often ignored test (speaking as the person who had his removed).

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, FruitPudding said:

The Saint Louis packages look decent. 

 

But the only difference between the 30+ and 40+ year old male packages is an exercise stress test and a stool exam, but it costs 3k more just for those two things.

 

 

Stress test does normally cost around ek. More in some places. Petformed by a cardiologist.

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, FruitPudding said:

 

What's this for?

 

 

Is that LDL?

Sorry yrs  LDL. Typo. 

[bear9]

Was thinking of getting a health check up for my father early 70s no underlying health conditions that are known. Just thought i would be a good idea as has been a while.

 

Was thinking king chulalongkorn as it would be much cheaper than the likes of Bumrungrad and less likely they try to sell unnecessary tests etc. Only question is do you know if you can book appointment with them if you are not already signed up to the hospital. I dont want him to have to go to the hospital sign up then make appointment to come back again another day to do the check up. Prefer if you can book in advance without being signed up to the hospital but not sure if possible?

 

If not perhaps Bangkok Christian hospital would be the next best option or does anyone have any other suggestions for hospital to use for this?

 

Thanks