Diabetes class 1

[loogkreung]

A friend would like to move to Thailand, but is concerned about finding a regular supply of insulin. Are there any diabetes sufferers living here, and how do you manage it?

[jrtmedic]

If your friend can say which insulin(s) he uses members will comment on availability.

[Mario2008]

Do advise him that in he will not be able to get diabetes and its side effects insured as it will be a pre-existing condition.

[loogkreung]

Thanks for the above comments. I'm unaware of the different kinds of medication. He injects before each meal, and takes no oral medicine as far as I know. He hasn't mentioned anything about insurance.

[jrtmedic]

There are different types of injectable insulin.

If your friend wishes to know if his "brand/type" is available in Thailand then that information must be supplied.

He may also need information about the blood testing strips he uses.

[loogkreung]

To jrtmedic

He takes novorapid pen insulin before each meal and lantus before he goes to bed. Any comments appreciated. Thanks for the previous comments, guys

[ThaiBob]

To jrtmedic

He takes novorapid pen insulin before each meal and lantus before he goes to bed. Any comments appreciated. Thanks for the previous comments, guys

I have found most insulins and delivery systems are available here. I test frequently and I bring all my testing supplies from USA. Also bring a backup meter as they are expensive here.

[loogkreung]

Thanks thaibob. What is the cost of buying and shipping per month. Regards

[Sheryl]

To jrtmedic

He takes novorapid pen insulin before each meal and lantus before he goes to bed. Any comments appreciated. Thanks for the previous comments, guys

Both of these insulin preparations are available in Thailand. They are imports and thus will be comparatively costly, though.

A much bigger problem will be the overall cost of health care as with this pre-existing condition he will have difficulty getting insurance, and hospital costs can be considerable even in public hospitals in case of serious injury of catastrophic illness (traffic accident...heart attack... stroke etc.). He should be sure to have put aside at least 5 million baht to cover medical emergencies, aside form having enough $ to cover routine day to day medical costs.

[jrtmedic]

loogkreung

I am late ! Agree with everything Sheryl has told you!

Best wishes to your friend.

[loogkreung]

Thanks Sheryl

[loogkreung]

And jrtmedic

[iamanisland]

Dont know if this is helpful or not but I will share anyway.

A friend of mine was diagnosed with type 1 way back in 2006 about 3 weeks before he was about to say good bye to the uk and go travel indefinitely. Apartment sold money organised tickets brought etc...

This clearly knocked him for six and alot of extra stress and worry that he did not need at the time. I think I was more worried because I was going with him to travel too.

Anyway we managed to delay the trip for a few more weeks while he under went the show and tell on how to look after himself and live with injections.

His doctor gave him the all clear however the maximum amount of insulin that he could get precribed was 3 months. Not much good when your plaining on travelling indefinitely. But hey 3 months was 3 months so off we went. Oh he had to buy some special bag like a roll up thing that keeps the insulin cold for days if careful.

During the first 3 months we started the search for insulin and this is what we found...

Starting in india we went to many many pharmacies to ask. All were willing to sell with out any prescription however most just offered a brown glass bottle and disposible syringes!!!! Not quite what he was looking for. When if showed them his brand new shiney injection and dispencing pen there where a lot of strange looks as if he had showed them something from the 24th century, this was not a good sign for the future.

Then we started with the bigger pharmacies in the cities we had more luck there. Same story as above at first but then when he showed the special pen they took it and started to search in books which was followed by phone calls and eventually the answer came. "Yes sir we can get this it will take 2 days to deliver special order" Fantastic we thought then for the bad part the cost. .. approximatley £10 each and this was just for the one he takes at night time once a day. Very very exspensive compared to the uk. So he brought some there and then and started to skip some of the after food injections so he could build up some extra supplies.

We manged to get through the first six months by buying when we could and the same story of the purchases was repeated all over asia including thailand. Pretty much all types are available but quite often has to be ordered in and it will be exspensive.

His solution in the end was to return to the uk and he convinced his nurse and doctor to give 6 months supply which in the end they agreed to do so and that was that. He now survives doing that method buying some, occasionaly skipping some after meal ones and returning to his own doctor around every 8/10 months for another 6 months supply.

The biggest problem however was the test strips that is a big problem. He and I never new that there was such a monoply on somthing so simple. Every manufacturer is different one machine one type of strip and not interchangable as you would think.

Only solution to this problem was to bite the bullet and buy a locally manufacturered machine. Exspensive yes but then no more problems with buying test strips.

Hope the info is of some help.

I remind you that it is from a few years ago and things always change.

But the bottom line is yes insulin is available but at a price and if you wish to keep same type for same dispensing system then it will be very exspensive. But as for the strips there was never a solution other than buying a new tester.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[loogkreung]

To iamanisland

Thanks for taking the time to make such a detailed reply, it really is appreciated. I've only just joined thaivisa and finding it a really useful site. Cheers!

[ThaiBob]

Thanks thaibob. What is the cost of buying and shipping per month. Regards

I get my diabetic meds and supplies basically free since I have a Medicare plus health plan in the USA. Friends bring me my stuff when they visit. When I did price meds a few years ago I found them to be cheaper than retail in America. Search TV as this cost topic has been discussed before. Speaking as a diabetic for 40 plus years, your friend should have no reservations about moving here provided his disease is under control.

[loogkreung]

Hi guys.

My friend now has all the information as regards cost and availability. The manufacturer replied and said something about national insurance in Thailand. Does anybody know anyone who is able to make a claim for insulin? Here is part of the letter:

'Thailand does have a national insurance programme covering insulin through public hospitals however it may depend on your employment status if you are eligible as a foreigner and may not necessarily cover NovoRapid.'

[Sheryl]

Hi guys.

My friend now has all the information as regards cost and availability. The manufacturer replied and said something about national insurance in Thailand. Does anybody know anyone who is able to make a claim for insulin? Here is part of the letter:

'Thailand does have a national insurance programme covering insulin through public hospitals however it may depend on your employment status if you are eligible as a foreigner and may not necessarily cover NovoRapid.'

The system he refers to is limited to people employed in the formal sector. All employees have small deductions made to their paychecks and are covered by what is termed the "Social Security" scheme. It provides full medical cover with no restrictions on pre-existing conditions, and once you have it, you can maintain it for life (even once no longer employed) if you make arrangements to keep up the payments It does not, however, kick in until you have been employed for a full year.

This is by far the best insurance option for a foreigner with pre-existing illness, but it requires that he have legal employment (work permit etc). It woudl indeed cover insulin though not necessarilky the costly brands your friend is on.

Other forms of national insurance are limited to Thai nationals only.

[loogkreung]

Thanks Sheryl.