Cost Of Certain Presciption Drugs In Thailand.

[ignis]

Dr in the UK must run there practice as a business, many prescription drugs are old or cheaper versions to start with so not really any problem with over the counter meds here.

Yes (oddly enough) Tramadol a over the counter drug, but Aspirin [so say] is a prescription drug.......... Aspilrts = same same are over the counter ??

Edit: also (oddly enough) 'codeine' over the counter meds in UK but is I believe band in Thailand

Edited December 21, 2012 by ignis

[lopburi3]

Actually there are a lot of problems with OTC and prescription drugs sold in Thailand. False drugs are common and expired/improperly stored drugs are also a serious problem from all accounts I have read. I would not buy drugs from any containers - blister pack is common for everything these days and at least it has some protection and an expiration date (not that it can't be false if something worth faking). There may be more than a 'good guy' reason for the large variance in drug store prices.

[ignis]

Actually there are a lot of problems with OTC and prescription drugs sold in Thailand. False drugs are common and expired/improperly stored drugs are also a serious problem from all accounts I have read. I would not buy drugs from any containers - blister pack is common for everything these days and at least it has some protection and an expiration date (not that it can't be false if something worth faking). There may be more than a 'good guy' reason for the large variance in drug store prices.

I would not buy drugs from any containers....... No I buy the sealed unopened container full.,,, My Metformin I bought last week says use before 5 December 2014... by that time will be well into my next Container.......... My container of Vitamins date is 7 July 2015 ........ If buying blister packs buy the unopened box full, = at least 20% or more cheaper

[lopburi3]

I was thinking of the 5000 type containers that some drug stores still use for dispensing medications rather than the sealed consumer containers like Tylenol. But remember that expiration date is based on a stated storage condition that is not likely to be found in Thailand.

[ignis]

I was thinking of the 5000 type containers that some drug stores still use for dispensing medications rather than the sealed consumer containers like Tylenol. But remember that expiration date is based on a stated storage condition that is not likely to be found in Thailand.

Yes also what I am talking about, most of these containers are 1.000 or 500 tablets per container.. buy the container cost a mere fraction of the blister pack price... Buy the full unopened box of blister pack = same........ my blood pressure pills cost 75 baht for 1x strip of 10... buy the full box = 51 baht per strip.

[NewlyMintedThai]

99% of the counterfeit drugs sold in Thailand are comprised of Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra.

For others, stick to a well-established pharmacy and your reasons for concern are close to nil.

[lopburi3]

That has not been my experience as have been sold them in shopping mall store here (not talking about your list of illegal drug sales) in Bangkok and most reports I have seen point to a high level of counterfeit malaria and other drugs in many areas of the country.

This report was Nation in 2010 - this seems to represent only the fraction of legal but fake medicine the government actually found.

---Last year, the government seized 145,000 tablets of counterfeit medicine worth Bt58 million. This does not include the many illegal products that have been smuggled across the border.---

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/09/29/business/Serious-crackdown-on-counterfeit-drugs-planned-30138956.html

[chiang mai]

That has not been my experience as have been sold them in shopping mall store here (not talking about your list of illegal drug sales) in Bangkok and most reports I have seen point to a high level of counterfeit malaria and other drugs in many areas of the country.

This report was Nation in 2010 - this seems to represent only the fraction of legal but fake medicine the government actually found.

---Last year, the government seized 145,000 tablets of counterfeit medicine worth Bt58 million. This does not include the many illegal products that have been smuggled across the border.---

http://www.nationmul...d-30138956.html

I agree, the list of fake products goes way beyond the ED drugs and it's a major problem.

[NewlyMintedThai]

99% ED.

But believe what you want.

[chiang mai]

99% ED.

But believe what you want.

Please post a link confirming your statistics.

[NewlyMintedThai]

99% ED.

But believe what you want.

Please post a link confirming your statistics.

Don't have one.

As said, believe what you want. But this is something about which I have intimate personal knowledge.

[chiang mai]

Inimate and personal eh, sounds serious!

[Backwoods]

I just went over all the post on this thread and find the generous giving of solid information to be impressive... This info will be valuable to me when I arrive in Thailand in late Spring 2013. Personally, I am very fortunate to have retained my health - so far... I have done this by consistently taking health supplements and vitamins for about 14 years. But - in the future - I may well need the kind of drugs discussed here. So this series of posts have been a big help by knowing what can be available in Thailand when I need it.

By the way - to relieve or even prevent many ailments of those of use who are of the aging class of folks - I recommend - Omega 3 Fish oils (or Flax oils for women only), Turmeric (Curcumin), Lecithin, Lycopene, Saw Palmetto extract and Selenium for men, perhaps Soy Iso-Flavones for women, daily low does aspirin 81 mg., Lutein for eye/visual problem, Vitamin D (as D3) &E, Plus a High dose B complex... At about 50-70 USD a month - this regimen has kept me quite healthy and has relieved some aggravating problems. To see for yourself - just google and look for research studies on any of these - not industry advertising claims.

Question: Does anyone know whether propoxyphene hydrochloride / napsylate - (Darvon) is available at Thai Pharmacies? I do have some old soccer (excuse me football) and parachuting injuries that nag at me sometimes... ? Joe

No must get through a hospital pharmacy, bbest you can get without a prescription is Tramadol

[NancyL]

I hope that JdGruen's regime of supplements and vitamins is also supplemented with a good annual physical at a well-qualified medical facility. Too often, I've heard people extolling the value of supplements and upon asking, I'm told something like "I haven't seen a doctor in 15 years, I'm healthy and know what I need". I guess Dr. Google and the University of Wikipedia are well respected by these people.

That being said, Hubby and I do take vitamins and a few supplements. We review these with our doctors during our annual physicals and follow their advice. What we take may not be right for others, but we each take a daily multivitamin and low dose aspirin, Hubby has Omega fish oil and I have calcium and glucosamine/chondrodin. The price of these vitamins and supplements is amazingly high in Thailand. Each quarter, I place an order for them at Drugstore.com and have that package delivered to our mailforwarding service in the U.S., where they repack it to the lowest volume, somehow lose all paperwork about the price we paid and resend it to us via DHL. Lately, we haven't even had it stopped in customs. They did when we first started to do this, but it's obvious from the quantities and products we're shipping that it's for personal use and we aren't reselling it as a business venture. Perhaps that has helped our shipment sail thru customs. Even when it was stopped and duty charged, it was still cheaper than getting the products in Thailand.

Some of the products, like a fish-oil product with all the various Omega's, I couldn't even locate here. In comparison, it was very easy to locate generic, low cost versions of the "prescription" drugs we need.

Edited December 22, 2012 by NancyL

[lopburi3]

Actually Omacor 1000mg fish oil is easily available here if you can pay the price (73 baht each from hospital).

[uhuh]

This pharmacy in Bangkok seems to get the most positive reviews, here on ThaiVisa and on other forums, re: price and availability.

Maybe have a friend pop in for you and get a feel for prices?

South East Pharmacy

207 Sukhumvit Road, Watthana, Sukhumvit, Bangkok, Bangkok, 10110

management changed recently, now they are not so cheap anymore and not so well stocked

and the new staff knows nothing about drugs, there usually is no pharmacist visible

[stoli]

I am not a doctor, but my doctor prescribed Furosemide to me as a water pill. It worked in that fashion also. While I was on it, he also had me take potassium, and I peed like a racehorse.

Furosemide 20mg......blood pressure. ?????

[stoli]

I watched something on one of the Asian channels on Sophon not long ago. They suggested that eating about a pound of pears per day takes elevated blood pressure down to normal levels, without any further medication. Pears are a fruit not available in Thailand, but plenty in the UK. Acid reflux? The drugs you named are for a heliobacter infection. If you are not diagnosed with this but have mere heartburns, a very cheap drug here is 'Antacil.' An antacid that neutralises stomach acid. 6 Baht for a pack of ten pills, one or two of them do away with a heartburn.

There are several stores here in Pattaya that sell pears. I love them, but I couldn't eat a pound a day with a gun pointed at my head.

[meatboy]

here is my cost from a supplier in korat.

amlodipine 5mg.100tabs=300bht.

omeprazole [miracid] 20mg.14tabs=45bht.

warfarin[orfarin] 3mg.100tabs=450bht.

[Sheryl]

I am not a doctor, but my doctor prescribed Furosemide to me as a water pill. It worked in that fashion also. While I was on it, he also had me take potassium, and I peed like a racehorse.

Furosemide 20mg......blood pressure. ?????

This and other diuretics are indeed used to reduce blood pressure.

[defib]

Thanks for all replies which have been very useful to me indeed. Yes just to agree with Sheryl, Furosemide is a tablet for among other uses is taken to help regulate blood pressure. Meatboy prices are well reasonable on three of my drugs, but all in all, the prices given in this thread on all the medications, it seems i will have no problem on affordability in Thailand. Thanks again!

[Sheryl]

Note though that the Symbicort is likely to cost more than all your the locally made meds combined. As will the candesartan if you are not able to get changed over to losartan.

Exactly what Symbicort costs I don't know but if you do a search for it in this forum you'll find posts friom other TV members who use it and you can PM and ask them.

[chiang mai]

99% ED.

But believe what you want.

http://www.thaivisa....fake-t-b-drugs/

It's time to update your views on this point matey!

Edited February 6, 2013 by chiang mai

[BlackJack]

is there a cheaper BP med than Blopress as its 1100 baht PM

[BritManToo]

9 minutes ago, BlackJack said:

s there a cheaper BP med than Blopress as its 1100 baht PM

Doxazocin, 1bht/tablet (2mg) from the government hospitals or 250bht per 100 (4mg) from any Thai pharmacy.

Edited February 7, 2020 by BritManToo