Insulin Supply In Koh Samui/Koh Phangan

[ghotine]

Hi,

Can anyone advise where insulin for an insulin pump can be sourced in Koh Samui, specifically NovaRapid? My Son in on holiday and travelled from Pattaya to Koh Samui today and realised after the 10-hour bus journey that he had left his entire supply of NovaRapid in the hotel's fridge in Pattaya. He's been on to the hotel and they can't find it so he has to find a new source. He has a letter from his hospital consultant describing the prescribed medicines he needs to travel with, including the NovaRapid. He has visited the three hospitals on Koh Samui today and reports that none are able to supply it as they do not have any. He is booked in to a hotel in Koh Phangan from the 7th to the 11th so is it possible to get it there if it's not possible to get on Koh Samui? If it's not available on either island can anyone recommend a way to purchase online from somewhere in Thailand that can courier it to him?

All assistance gratefully received!

Gary

[Sheryl]

Do you really mean an insulin pump or an Insulin pen?

NovoRapid AFAIK comes only in the form of Penfill, a pen like device that autoinjects. Not the same thing as an insulin pump.

Assuming that what he actually uses is not a pump but the Penfill, NovoRapid refill cartridges are available in Thailand. and do not require a prescription. I think the best thing to do would be to contact the manufacturer and see how best to arrange purchase with delivery by courier.

Novonordisk

4 Fl, Sethiwan Tower

139 Pan Rd

Silom

Bangkok 10500

Tel: 0 2237 9263-4, 0 2266 6043-5

Fax: 0 2237 9265

Email: Pttj AT novonordisk DOT COM

Kviy AT novonordisk DOT COM

However it might be easier for you to contact them in your home country or their head office, as your son may run into language issues, and also Thai companies are often not set up to take telephone or online orders with credit card payment, and would likely hesitate to mail it with payment on delivery for fear of not getting paid.

Head office of Novonordisk is in Denmark

Novo Nordisk A/S

Novo Allé

2880 Bagsværd

DENMARK

Tel: +45 4444 8888

Fax: +45 4449 0555

And they have offices in many western countries as well, since I don't know what country you are in, go to

http://www.novonordisk.com/about_us/contact_us/contact_us.asp

and click on the country you need to get details.

Explain the situation and see if they would help in explaining it to their Thailand office and making some type of arrangement for payment and shipment.

If what he needs is NOT a refill cartridge for a NovoRapid Penfill then better talk to his doctor and get clarified exactly what it is his pump requires, in generic terms as opposed to brand names and then try the local hospitals again.

[ghotine]

Do you really mean an insulin pump or an Insulin pen?

Yes it is a pump but is uses the same insulin as the pens but from a vial rather than a cartridge. I have emailed the two addresses you very helpfully provided to ask if they are able to supply and courier to him. Might not hear anything until tomorrow as it's Sunday and I guess they are not 24 x 7.

Many thanks for your assistance - I'll let you know how I get on.

Gary

[Sheryl]

AFAIK they have only the cartridges, not the vials, in Thailand. But no harm in asking.

Possibly the bigger international hospitals in Thailand would have it but it would be very hard to find that out without actually going and consulting a doc and now is hardly the time (floods).

So your best bet is probably to talk to the manufacturer about sending it in from abroad by courier.

In a worst case scenario (i.e. running completely out) your son should go to Bangkok Samui Hospital and consult a doctor to find the best interim form of insulin to use, making sure the doctor knows what it was he had been on so as to best approximate it. And is no other form of insulin aspart here but there are other rapid acting insulins, a specialist could advise on this and how to adjust dosage of the pump.

Suggest squaring this away before he goes to Koh Phagnan.