Medical/Blood Laboratory

[elektrified]

Short report here of my results of visiting RAM and MTLab. It comes out to almost a wash.

Price for lab work at RAM: 7890 baht

MTLab: 7700 baht

Prices for specific lab work was almost the same at both places. The MTLb behind Carefour is a brand new building - they are still putting the finishing touches inside and out. For closeness and convenience I would use MTLab. However, if I decide to use the physicians from RAM, I'd rather use their lab. So at the moment I am undecided.

Four years ago when we used the old MTLab, I remember noticing a bigger price difference, but not anymore.

I don't know what tests you had but my Thai friend went to the place I mentioned in a post above and got a long list of blood and urine tests and her bill was less than 200 Baht!

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, TV CM Friends,

In addition to the resources mentioned already, we'd like to add that the Sriphat Medical Center (the admin unit for farangs within the larger Maharaj Nakorn ... aka Suan Dok ... hospital system on Thanon Suthep) had special "test packages" at large discounts. They also had documents in English describing the packages, tests, prices. Now, that was over three years ago when we saw those. I think those test packages included, or were part of a "complete physical," but really not sure.

We had a working link to on-line info in English way back then : http://www.cmed.cmu.ac.th/container-eng/?p=34

But that's not working now, and a brief bit of surfing around has not revealed an alternative. This link will get you to their main Thai page Google-tranlsated to English:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&langpair=th%7Cen&u=http://www.cmed.cmu.ac.th/

Haven't been able to find much from there.

Might be worth your while to stop by, find the cashier's office associated with Sriphat which is on the ground floor of the main building, and see if you can get some information. This main building we refer to is the one you usually go up to the 13th. floor of for intake whether you are farang or Thai.

Also, doing a search on this forum on "Sriphat" might pay off.

best, ~o;37;

[jimmym40]

Okay, I'll attempt to answer several posts from above in this one post.

Elekrified: I would suspect the long list of items you mentioned your friend had for 200 baht is called the CBC. It's considered one line item, but consists of around 8-14 different items within that test. It's kind of a standard test with any blood work.

jayjay: no, if you went in for normal blood test, each hospital/clinic has their own "package" deals starting at around 750 and up to 3,000 baht and even higher. I had a tier 3 package deal done at McCormick 8 months ago which included a series of blood tests, a chest x-ray and a doctor visit - paid 1990 baht. It included a CBC, renal profile, urinalysis, lipid profile, liver function test, sugar, uric acid, that's it. Not bad really.

Cobra: Here's what my testing/pricing covers, some of which you asked about.

One test I asked for was called 17 KETO-STERIOD TEST (this is a 24 hour collection of urine). This cost alone was 4800 baht

Others and prices: DHEA 800

Testosterone 400

Progesterone 400

Estradiol 600

Cortisol 500

CBC 190

The above test, except for the CBC are for hormone testing.

Some other pricing (from 3 yrs ago) are: HCV (hepatitis) 500

Hep B 200

Liver function test 500

ESR 100

Hypertension Risk 300

Creatinine 100

My recommendation for anyone wishing to start taking control of their medical history, start off with the normal "standard" blood work. Go to McCormick check on their different levels of packaging. See if something is out of whack and then go from there. I say McCormick for several reasons. Probably the least expensive, so much easier to get around (not so crowded) and pretty fast and efficient.

Side note: Anyone having blood work done anywhere at any time, request of copy of the results and start a folder. File them chronologically. It may come in handy some day if things start to go wrong.

This Visa is great. I've learned some thing and passed alot of good info along. Let's keep helping each other...

[Mrjustice]

I am a Quintupple-Bypass survivor; and, obviously take lots of meds. to lower cholesterol (and blood pressure);

and, must also regularly monitor blood (to check cholesterol levels, ensure no liver probs. from meds., etc.).

Saw you are trying Vit. B (Niacin). That's actually a very good idea. I am now combining that with Prescrip. Meds.

HOWEVER, you actually need to use pure Niacin (not just a Vit. B complex). The best source for pure generic Niacin

is GNC. And, you will need to take at least 1500mg/day to have any noticeable effect. HOWEVER, you must start

VERY SLOW, like 250/mg at a time, and build up - because when you first take it your head will feel like a blast furnace

for 30mins. or so. Unfortunately, that is a normal side-effect; but totally unharmful; and, it will go away once you build

up a tolerance. Niacin is supposed to both lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. Good luck.

There's a lab off Aom Muang road. I can probably find the name again, the prices seemed quite cheap.

Not really sure if I want cost to be the deciding factor in my health care. (yes I am not a cheap charlie)

The reason I like a doctor's opinion is because I am a lousy doctor.

My lab test came back with a high uric acid count. A high uric acid count will lead to Gout witch runs in my family.

The doctor took me off a common water pill that leads to a high uric acid count and put me on another. Viola no more high uric count.

That is not to say that if all I was doing was checking on some thing a Lab would not work. It would but it would not give me alternatives.

That's all irrelevant because the OP simply asked where a lab was, not a doctor, hospital, or a clinic.

Please read my post again. If you did indeed read it once.

I gave no such information. I merely stated a opinion and my reason for it. I also said that I could understand just getting a lab test.

For instance now that I know my uric acid level is subject to go up I could get a lab report on it to keep tabs on it.

One other thing I know through my doctor that my bad cholesterol count is high. She wants me to take Lipator. I don't and am trying a Vitamin b formula. Niacin I can keep tract of it by going to a lab. If it dosen't work out I can go back to the doctor.

All I am saying is have some information from a doctor. Don't try to be your own doctor. That is not a accusation just a word of caution.

[Mrjustice]

P.S. I agree with last poster's recommendation of McCormick Hospital's package checkups.

My wife and I both did this last year. Fast, efficient, complete, and good value.