Getting old

[Moonlover]

On 5/11/2024 at 8:02 PM, ancharee said:

Hi, been a smoker and drinker 53 years now 70 year old, starting to feel the problems, bronchitis throat problems, question is would a MRI scan or a medical check up be better. Thanks 

 

 

 

Your only issue seems to revolve around your lifestyle and you don't need anyone to tell you that there are two key changes that you can make to improve your health Quit smoking and quit drinking. Do you really need to pay a doctor to tell you that?

 

Regarding your bronchitis, there are plenty home remedies that can improve your breathing that you can explore. There are plenty of helpful tips in the web site below. But quit smoking first!

 

https://www.healthline.com/health/home-remedies-for-bronchitis

 

Learn to take charge of your own health, it really can pay dividends. That has always been my approach and I'm fit and healthy at 78.

 

If you want to learn more about my approach to fitness and health, go and visit this website. I’ve practice this art for many years and it’s done me a power of good.

 

https://flowingzen.com/start-here/

 

 

Edited June 24 by Moonlover

[nobodysfriend]

On 5/11/2024 at 8:02 PM, ancharee said:

Hi, been a smoker and drinker 53 years now 70 year old,

 

Sounds like you abused your body a lot before .

Now , it is time for a change in lifestyle ... reduce everything , try to be positive and happy about every day without wanting too much .

Time can be a healer ...

Hope you have left a lot of it ...

[Sheryl]

@ancharee

 

As a smoker, even if you stop now -- which you absolutely should do, and if necessary get medical help to do so -- you should get a low-dose CT scan to check for lung cancer. These scans, which are relatively new, can detect lung cancer in  its earliest stages and has been a game changer in the prognosis and treatment of lung cancer. Caught early, survival rates are excellent. Where in Thaland do you live?

 

Low dose CT scan for lung cancer is recommended yearly for current and former smokers over age 50 who have a 20 pack-year history or more.  A pack-year is equal to smoking 1 pack (or about 20 cigarettes) per day for a year. For example,  smoking 1 pack a day for 20 years, or by smoking 2 packs a day for 10 years, or smoking a half pack a day for 40 years.

 

As for your throat/bronchitis issues, these need a visit to a doctor (internist or pulmonary specialist) to assess whether it is simple bronchitis  or the start of something more. Important that they thoroughly examine your throat. Aside from lung cancer, problems associated with smoking include COPD and cancers of the mouth and throat.

 

[ancharee]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

@ancharee

 

As a smoker, even if you stop now -- which you absolutely should do, and if necessary get medical help to do so -- you should get a low-dose CT scan to check for lung cancer. These scans, which are relatively new, can detect lung cancer in  its earliest stages and has been a game changer in the prognosis and treatment of lung cancer. Caught early, survival rates are excellent. Where in Thaland do you live?

 

Low dose CT scan for lung cancer is recommended yearly for current and former smokers over age 50 who have a 20 pack-year history or more.  A pack-year is equal to smoking 1 pack (or about 20 cigarettes) per day for a year. For example,  smoking 1 pack a day for 20 years, or by smoking 2 packs a day for 10 years, or smoking a half pack a day for 40 years.

 

As for your throat/bronchitis issues, these need a visit to a doctor (internist or pulmonary specialist) to assess whether it is simple bronchitis  or the start of something more. Important that they thoroughly examine your throat. Aside from lung cancer, problems associated with smoking include COPD and cancers of the mouth and throat.

 

Thanks , I live 100k north east of Buriram

[oldcpu]

There are Health Insurance companies in Europe that take a different view - where for those over a certain age, they require the person to take an annual medical.  If one does not do so, their health insurance can become invalid.

 

What I was told was that these Health Insurance companies looked at the statistics, and their assessment was it was cheaper for them, if a medical problem was diagnosed early (and treated) as opposed to diagnosed later, when the treatment was often much more expensive.

 

I appreciate there are many in this thread who have an entirely different view - but I think when a Health Insurance company looks at this from a straight $$ and cents point of view, one should give more consideration for going for an annual medical.

 

Now having typed that - I also believe don't always follow through with every recommendation from a medical from a private Thailand hospital, as I believe they are often looking for money. ...  Rather get a second opinion where appropriate. Often one's medical health insurance (I know mine will) pay for a second opinion.

.

Edited June 24 by oldcpu

[The Fugitive]

58 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

There are Health Insurance companies in Europe that take a different view - where for those over a certain age, they require the person to take an annual medical.  If one does not do so, their health insurance can become invalid.

 

What I was told was that these Health Insurance companies looked at the statistics, and their assessment was it was cheaper for them, if a medical problem was diagnosed early (and treated) as opposed to diagnosed later, when the treatment was often much more expensive.

 

I appreciate there are many in this thread who have an entirely different view - but I think when a Health Insurance company looks at this from a straight $$ and cents point of view, one should give more consideration for going for an annual medical.

 

Now having typed that - I also believe don't always follow through with every recommendation from a medical from a private Thailand hospital, as I believe they are often looking for money. ...  Rather get a second opinion where appropriate. Often one's medical health insurance (I know mine will) pay for a second opinion.

Good and valid points! An annual medical by your Health Insurance Company is also likely to be a lot more thorough than, say, a five-yearly United Kingdom, National Health Service health check for persons aged 40 to 74. A UK doctor told me that such checks do not include cancer. My concern would be that if an annual medical indicated an increased risk of a serious disease (even though you had not actually developed the disease) the insurance company might decline to accept renewal of your policy.  

[jas007]

On 5/11/2024 at 8:02 PM, ancharee said:

Hi, been a smoker and drinker 53 years now 70 year old, starting to feel the problems, bronchitis throat problems, question is would a MRI scan or a medical check up be better. Thanks 

 

 

 

Neither of those things is going to fix anything.   They’ll just tell you what’s wrong, if anything.
 

It sounds as if you already know what you’re doing wrong.  Why not just stop?   Stop smoking. Stop drinking.  That can’t hurt, unless you’re hopelessly addicted to alcohol, in which case you might need some medical help.

 

 One of my old friends now has lung cancer.  He had surgery a year ago, but the cancer returned.  He was a smoker for 50 years, but he refused to quit. He has now quit. It’s funny how the fear of death will motivate people to do the right thing.

[nglodnig]

On 5/11/2024 at 3:02 PM, ancharee said:

Hi, been a smoker and drinker 53 years now 70 year old

As my mother (in her 70s/80s) was told by her doctor there was no point in giving up smoking as the effects would take too long to wear off - she was on five a day 

Edited June 24 by nglodnig

[Sheryl]

6 hours ago, ancharee said:

Thanks , I live 100k north east of Buriram

Best option is Khon Kaen University Hospitsl (Srinagarind). 

 

2 options there: regular public channel, or their semi-private channel ("Special Medical Clinic"). Unless really short 9f funds, the second option is recommended -- faster and you are treated directly by senior doctors. 

https://www.smckku.com/

 

I assume they will be able to do low dose CT screening for lung cancer. But if not  it is definitely availsble at Bangkok Hospital Khon Kaen.

[CANSIAM]

My Father diagnosed with lung cancer Aug 8, 2019, passed away December 3, 2020 smoked heavily after diagnoses...... doesn't take long........take care of yourself !

[Incorrigible1]

On 5/11/2024 at 3:54 PM, Denim said:

.  I have sciatica. This can have several causes but knowing exactly what is causing it would not help much since I have already changed my habits to cover the most likely causes. This has been quite successful and although it has not gone away I can live with it.

Some words of encouragement.  I had sciatica for about four years.  Tried muscle relaxants, different sleeping positions, whatever I could think of. Earlier this year, a doctor in Bangkok recommended strengthening the body core.  After two weeks of ab crunches, the sciatica went away.  I also did yoga bag stretching and strengthening exercises.  Sciatica also led to my walking abnormally.  Custom made shoe inserts resolved this issue.  I am now in the third week of a hiking holiday

[oldcpu]

5 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

My concern would be that if an annual medical indicated an increased risk of a serious disease (even though you had not actually developed the disease) the insurance company might decline to accept renewal of your policy.  

 

I think for an individual going for Health Insurance, that is a valid concern if forced to change insurance companies.  I suspect thou there is a good possibility that the existing insurance company would still renew one's policy, BUT they MIGHT put a new clause that a new 'precondition' will not be covered.  I am not 100% certain that would happen, as the pre-condition developed while one was under that Health Insurance company's coverage , but I guess such is possible.  Someone who knows more about Health Insurance than myself would need to chime and and confirm that such is a BIG and VALID concern.  It could very well be.

 

Also whether or not a developing pre-condition creates a Health Insurance issue (with ones finances, or one's Visa approval (if one has a Visa requiring health insurance)) is not something I know.

 

In my case there is no issue if I were to develop a pre-condition, as my insurance is part of a group package of possibly more than 1,000 people, and I have been on this insurance plan for over 20 years.  I had no preconditions at the start over 20-year ago (nor since), so anything that develops now, that insurance company is obligated to cover (if they want to keep their +1,000 person contract).

 

The biggest thing I have noted - as I mentioned, is the Thailand private hospitals, after a medical, will come up with all sorts of recommendations of extra examinations and tests so to make more money for the hospital.  One needs to make a good assessment as to whether such recommendations are really necessary (ie go for a second opinion where possible) - or if one's insurance company covers it all and one is not worried about a renewal with the Insurance company, then I suppose one could go for the Thailand hospitals' possibly unnecessary recommendations.

 

Edited June 24 by oldcpu

[ancharee]

On 6/24/2024 at 9:06 PM, Sheryl said:

Best option is Khon Kaen University Hospitsl (Srinagarind). 

 

2 options there: regular public channel, or their semi-private channel ("Special Medical Clinic"). Unless really short 9f funds, the second option is recommended -- faster and you are treated directly by senior doctors. 

https://www.smckku.com/

 

I assume they will be able to do low dose CT screening for lung cancer. But if not  it is definitely availsble at Bangkok Hospital Khon Kaen.

thanks Sheryl