I just read a rather disturbing article on Stickmans site in regards to Drs handing out pain killers rather than antibiotics to make more money from a patient on repeat visits...has anyone has anyone else found this in Thailand?

If you dont want to read the whole article just do a search for first instance of "Bumrungrad". The man/women involved in the story is an American and a bargirl...she had P.I.D (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease) which can have some potentially very serious effects if not treated quickly.

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Reader/reader1676.htm

I realise some people on this site look down on Stickmans site due to the type of articles posted...but I thought this one was a good warning to be on your guard and not take Drs advice at face value. Ultimatly the problem was solved due to the Americans own research and advice to the girl.

Like here, Stickman has good and bad info...

Gotta be pro-active in your health care here, in my long and extensive experience with medicos here.

The internet has literally saved my life from Thai doctors on more than one ocassion, and I'm not kidding.

I rarely go see a doctor without having a plan of attack, and with the attitude that this doctor is there to service me, and I am always the decision-maker on any issue. Most times, I know exactly what I want, like a blood test, and I just need the doc to interpret the results. I STILL verify everything I can on the internet.

Thankfully, my favored doc is on the same wave-length, and cooperates well.

Buyer Berware, as always

Like here, Stickman has good and bad info...

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I've read some nonsense on this site, but looking for good info among Stickman's reader contributions is like looking for a "good girl" in Patpong.

A friend had a similar thing happen a couple of years ago at Bumrungrad. He had a bad stomach upset which seemed to take ages to clear up and dragged on and on, and the doctor there did a stool test and diagnosed Salmonella. He prescribed several weeks of Cipro to knock it out - 3000 Baht in total.

However, the friend didn't take the Cipro and waited a few days until he went back to farangland, and two stool tests there came back negative.

Was left with the question were the antibiotics really necessary...

I am afraid I have to say that during my current illness (Sciatica) I have been prescribed drugs that do not work, I dont need or have loads of the same thing already.

I was until recently the type of person who always thought "Doctor knows best" well my attitude to that is very different, mainly due to remarks and suggestions made by Posters on this site.

It has become plain to me that I have fallen foul of Doctors on "Commission" out here, and now I intend to be more like Ajarn and adopt the attitude that I am a Customer and "do I beleive in what they are trying to sell me is best for me before I buy it?",

From now on as well as having a "Pain I The Arse" Im gonna be one!

TP, It's kinda easy to cop an atittude with some docs when it becomes apparent that you know more than they do, at least regarding the issue at hand....

I used to gravitate towards old Thai docs because of perceived experience, but I've seen that many have been just 'floating' for years, not doing any further studies, just relying on past training, and doing mostly clinic-type work. Now I go for the young docs, because I think they're often more likely to have better, and more recent, training.