Pain

[goldengai]

What`s the current situation with regards to receiving opioid analgesics for pain in Thailand? Need a doctor`s prescsription?

[meatboy]

no problem at all,you should be able to get most painkillers at all pharmacys what are you taking now.

[goldengai]

Prescribed NASAIDs. OTC stuff. I`m in a country a few flight hours from Thailand that will not prescribe opioid analgesics, regardless of the pain level, unless it`s a case of terminal cancer. It`s Draconian. [email=I@

name='meatboy' timestamp='1310268601' post='4548060]

no problem at all,you should be able to get most painkillers at all pharmacys what are you taking now.

[meatboy]

where ever you are might have stricer controls,i used to take ibuprofen but they can cause stomach bleeding,nsaids are used to treat inflammation,eg.sports injuries,what are you taking them for.

[Sheryl]

Misinformation posted above. The OP is not asking about NSAIDs, he is asking about narcotics.

Opiate painkillers in Thailand are strictly controlled drugs. Not only need to be prescribed by a doctor but also can only be obtained at a hospital pharmacy.

Thai doctors tend to be very, very reluctant to prescribe opiates. Indeed short of terminal cancer or inpatient use immediately after surgery, it is rare for them to do so. In other words, about the same as the country you are in.

In Cambodia, codeine (but not stronger opiates) is OTC.

[meatboy]

Misinformation posted above. The OP is not asking about NSAIDs, he is asking about narcotics.

Opiate painkillers in Thailand are strictly controlled drugs. Not only need to be prescribed by a doctor but also can only be obtained at a hospital pharmacy.

Thai doctors tend to be very, very reluctant to prescribe opiates. Indeed short of terminal cancer or inpatient use immediately after surgery, it is rare for them to do so. In other words, about the same as the country you are in.

In Cambodia, codeine (but not stronger opiates) is OTC.

i know there are 2types non-narcotic and narcotic,but i was wanting the op to say what he wanted as i know morphine,fentanyl, codeine and heroin comes under narcotic drugs but as he has not replied i asume it is narcotic.

[Sheryl]

He specifically said opiate in the original post. Opiate = narcotic.

[katana]

Hi Sheryl, is tramadol in Thailand strictly controlled too?

[meatboy]

He specifically said opiate in the original post. Opiate = narcotic.

my appoligies sheryl i was thinking about what i used to take,i used to suffer great pain from my joints and was prescribed codeine which the docter told me they are nacotic,then when i was about to go to malaysia i looked up their drug laws and it scared me so i told the dr.and he prescibed what he called a non-narcotic [ibuprofen],so i will keep my mouth shut in future.

[Sheryl]

Hi Sheryl, is tramadol in Thailand strictly controlled too?

no, it is OTC.

Available in many locally made brands.

Not that it affects some people badly (neuro-psychiatric effects). Not everyone, but worth be aware of.

[katana]

Thanks Sheryl.

I have a friend planning a trip to LOS for a couple of weeks who takes tramadol + paracetamol for flare-ups of neuralgia.

Looks like they'll be OK to bring in their own supply of tramadol or buy it there should the need arise.

[newtronbom]

Just for general information. It is very difficult to get any narcotic prescribed here in T/L unless you are terminal. It can be done if you know which hospital to go to (which any visitor won't) and if your illness warrants it. There is also a really limited choice of meds. Kapanol slow release is most common, but MST tabs are available too at a few places. Tramadol is the nearest thing to a strong synthetic narcotic here, but you can buy that over the counter most anywhere. Don't waste money on a doctor for that. Meds like Hydromorphone just don't exist. People abusing the system, as usual, is mostly responsible for this situation. So is corruption in the department that orders all narcotics or serious meds (ritalin for example) into the country. It seems odd to me, that a country that has such a long history of exporting opiates, needs to import drugs like morphine from other countries and can not trust itself to produce them locally. Anyone reading this, who genuinely has a reason to take meds like this, can PM me for help if you like. Those of us living here long term, tend to help each other out with things like this, especially as there are not too many with problems serious enough to need meds like this. I get really angry, when meds disappear from the drug stores, cause they are being abused. Lomotil is a prime example of this. Many of us here suffer from "IBS" - irritable bowel syndrome - and Lomotil is the only drug that will relieve it for us- apart from opium - and it is the best anti diarrhea med bar none. Loperamide just doesn't do the same job. I don't know of any place selling it now. If anyone does, please PM me. It can still be had at the hospitals, but who wants the drama and the cost?

Edited July 15, 2011 by newtronbom