Selecting the right Doctor seems more important than the hospital, so can anyone recommend a good gastroenterologist in Bkk? Would be for chronic stomach problems including ulcers that I need to have checked again. Had them for over ten years and been on losec all this time but problems just seem to be getting worse.

If you are in/near Bangkok, I was happy with Dr. Grover Harpreet Grover at Mission Hospital, one of the rare Western docs (US) licensed in Thailand. I had a gastroscopy with him about 2 months back.

Be aware though that prices at Mission, despite its non-profit status, are similiar to that of the private international hospitals. It was 9,000 for the endoscopy and that turned out to not include IV sedation, just the local spray top the back of the throat; if you want to be knocked out they will gladly oblige but it will cost additional (I mention because I encountered some was miscommunication on that point...the colonoscopy price is inclusive of IV sedation but not the gastroscopy). That said, it is a very nice, friendly hospital and Dr. Harpeet is very competent in both endocscopy and medical management of peptic ulcer disease, and being Western, you can talk straight with him and get detailed straight answers, often not the case with Thai docs.

Thanks for that Sheryl, sounds like the prices have gone up a bit. Don't fancy having an endoscopy again, last time I had xrays at Bumrungrad. I expect the endoscopy is far more revealing though. But the xrays came up with the same as the endoscopy had done a few years before.

cannot find Dr. Grover Harpreet Grover on their site was it Harpret Singh?

Yes, that's him, though the name card I got says Grover.

You should have endoscopy, it is much more definitive than Xray and allows for biopsy and h. pylori testing.

I just returned from 5 days at Bumrungrad and was treated by D. Nusont in the digestive center. He was great during my stay and a series of test to detect a gall bladder problem. Nursing staff,rooms and the techinicians that performed all the testing were just great. So a great experience for a hospital stay. Unfortunalety they didnt find the gall bladder probs or stones they were looking for...so my 10-12 hrs of intense stomach cramping is still a mystery. Dr. Nusont kept me informed as we moved along looking for the rootcause and his follow was great.

Hi Sheryl,

Would you know if that doctor at Mission recommends using long term maintenance therapy for a NSAID induced ulcer? I'm taking Ranitdine daily. My ulcer was healed 3 years ago.

If you are in/near Bangkok, I was happy with Dr. Grover Harpreet Grover at Mission Hospital, one of the rare Western docs (US) licensed in Thailand. I had a gastroscopy with him about 2 months back.

Be aware though that prices at Mission, despite its non-profit status, are similiar to that of the private international hospitals. It was 9,000 for the endoscopy and that turned out to not include IV sedation, just the local spray top the back of the throat; if you want to be knocked out they will gladly oblige but it will cost additional (I mention because I encountered some was miscommunication on that point...the colonoscopy price is inclusive of IV sedation but not the gastroscopy). That said, it is a very nice, friendly hospital and Dr. Harpeet is very competent in both endocscopy and medical management of peptic ulcer disease, and being Western, you can talk straight with him and get detailed straight answers, often not the case with Thai docs.

How much extra is the IV sedation?

I just returned from 5 days at Bumrungrad and was treated by D. Nusont in the digestive center. He was great during my stay and a series of test to detect a gall bladder problem. Nursing staff,rooms and the techinicians that performed all the testing were just great. So a great experience for a hospital stay. Unfortunalety they didnt find the gall bladder probs or stones they were looking for...so my 10-12 hrs of intense stomach cramping is still a mystery. Dr. Nusont kept me informed as we moved along looking for the rootcause and his follow was great.

Maybe worth a mention but did anyone bother to check for Acute Pancreatitis while you were in there ?

Hi Sheryl,

Would you know if that doctor at Mission recommends using long term maintenance therapy for a NSAID induced ulcer? I'm taking Ranitdine daily. My ulcer was healed 3 years ago.

Well at least several months of it would be standard, but whether or not you need it 3 years down the line depends on how fully you have healed (and also whether you still must take NSAIDs or are able to avoid them).

I just returned from 5 days at Bumrungrad and was treated by D. Nusont in the digestive center. He was great during my stay and a series of test to detect a gall bladder problem. Nursing staff,rooms and the techinicians that performed all the testing were just great. So a great experience for a hospital stay. Unfortunalety they didnt find the gall bladder probs or stones they were looking for...so my 10-12 hrs of intense stomach cramping is still a mystery. Dr. Nusont kept me informed as we moved along looking for the rootcause and his follow was great.

Maybe worth a mention but did anyone bother to check for Acute Pancreatitis while you were in there ?

Yes..I had all the tests they have..its usually just a process of elimination but nothing really showed that would call for the gall bladder to be removed.