Need help regarding foreigner seeking HIV treatment in Bangkok!

[bukikids]

hi everyone!

i would like to ask that can i do my CD4 and VL test at red cross and take the result to Bumrungrad Hospital in order to save some cost?

and comparing with Bumrungrad Hospital and bangkok hospital which one would be more cheaper?

[GBK]

In your position, I would be more concerned with the quality of the treatment and advice you are getting, so I would suggest sticking with Bumrungrad unless cost is a serious issue.

My experience there is limited to orthopaedic and reconstructive surgery, but they seem to have the country's top specialists on hand and the two procedures I had were flawless in execution, follow up and recovery.

Good luck!

[Sheryl]

Yes, you can. In addition, once having consulted the specialist, rather than buying your meds at the hospital (where the prices are marked up considerably) you can take a prescription from him/her back to the red cross and buy your meds from them at considerable saving.

Many TV members with HIV do exactly this.

Consultation costs are not much different between Bumrungrad and Bangkok Hospital. You should base your choice on doctor, not hospital.

I highly recommend Dr. Asda at Bumrungrad.

[babyjesus]

The doctors at Bumrungrad routinely work with lab results from Red Cross. Similarly, people under the care of Bumrungrad doctors for HIV routinely purchase their medications at Red Cross. The price difference for lab and meds is substantial.

[GBK]

You are getting some sound advice here bukukids.

I just called a friend of mine who is a Professor of Microbiology and he mentioned that a lady called Professor Mattana Hanvanich is widely considered Thailand's leading authority in this field and that she does consult at Bumrungrad. A quick Google appears to confirm this, although I didn't wade through all the results.

Let us know how you get on. A friend of mine on the Eastern Seaboard is sero-positive and he has all his treatments and medication provided by a clinic in Pattaya (sorry, don't know the name, as it's not a question I would be comfortable asking him) and he seems to be doing very well, although I don't know when he was diagnosed, but it was some years ago.

[coppywriter]

The BNH also has a very good specialist ( Dr. Pitaks ) and will give you a prescription for the meds to take to the Red Cross to fill. The cost for 30 days is around 2,600 baht or you can buy the generic ones there at around 1,200 bht for 30 days. CD4 and viral load tests etc can also be done at the Red Cross.

If you want to see a doctor at the Red Cross you can so there is no need to go to a big hospital.

Good luck and don't worry.

[Sheryl]

The doc at the Red Cross is extremely busy/often overbooked. I think they prefer that anyone with the means to do so see a private doctor, it's a rare farang who can't afford a single consultation fee. Lab tests and meds of course are another matter, serious money involved.

[coppywriter]

The doc at the Red Cross is extremely busy/often overbooked. I think they prefer that anyone with the means to do so see a private doctor, it's a rare farang who can't afford a single consultation fee. Lab tests and meds of course are another matter, serious money involved.

It was just a suggestion meant to help the OP

[GBK]

I have heard this too Sheryl. My mate over East said that a full set of lab tests (which is apparently 7 different individual levels tested) sets him back about B14,000. I don't know what his meds costs, but I imagine it's a lot more than what you mention above.

[coppywriter]

I have heard this too Sheryl. My mate over East said that a full set of lab tests (which is apparently 7 different individual levels tested) sets him back about B14,000. I don't know what his meds costs, but I imagine it's a lot more than what you mention above.

The cost of the meds that I quoted are correct.

[GBK]

From memory, I seem to remember him saying that he was paying between 6 and 7K Baht per month which, given what you quote above, means he's being seen off.

[coppywriter]

From memory, I seem to remember him saying that he was paying between 6 and 7K Baht per month which, given what you quote above, means he's being seen off.

Honestly he needs to get them from the Red Cross at the prices I have quoted. At the BNH and other places they are more like the figures you quote.

[Sheryl]

Bear in mind there are different medications, not all patients with hIV are on the same ones.

People with resistant forms of the virus may have to talk drugs that are not yet manufactured in Thailand, which means vastly more cost.

[coppywriter]

Bear in mind there are different medications, not all patients with hIV are on the same ones.

People with resistant forms of the virus may have to talk drugs that are not yet manufactured in Thailand, which means vastly more cost.

The Red Cross has a licence to import the drugs from the USA and the generic ones from India.

[Sheryl]

Do they have Indiann generic for all? E.g. Riplivirine?

[GBK]

Agreed, most generics are made in India.

With regard to the resistance test, my understanding is that this a genetic test that provides a % chance of one's "potential" resistance to the given combination ARV therapies and I also recall that my mate said he was paying B22k per month for 4 moths until the Doc was satisfied with his VL count and was prepared to put him on the cheaper alternatives and observe the continuing successful repression of viral replication.

[GBK]

IDK about that specific drug, but both India and Thailand threatened to ignore the patents and produce generics locally unless the Big Pharmas reduced their licensing fees.

BP's need to recoup their R&D and make a profit, which is fair enough, but a 30 year patent when something like HIV is killing millions a year, as it had been until fairly recently, is plain immoral IMO.

I do remember in 1995 an article in the Economist that said that monthly ARV combo therapy at that time was in the order of USD$1300 a month!

[coppywriter]

Do they have Indiann generic for all? E.g. Riplivirine?

I don't know the names of all the drugs they have but have been told that they have anything that a doctor can prescribe. Too find out exactly you can call them at the Annonymous Clinic

Anonymous Clinic, The Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre

104 Rajdamri Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Phone : 66-2-256-4107-9

FAX: 66-2-254-7577

[thailand49]

This is the cost at BPH in Pattaya, The full blood test as discussed is around 4,000 baht and comes along with the other usual stuff. A four month supply of medication is around 16,500 baht. I'm able to use my Pattaya Sport Club membership card and get 10% off the medication for my Thai friend so that bring it to around 14,500. So break it down per month for the medication it comes down to around 3,625 baht per month. Forgot there is also in addition a small fee for doctor along with a few other add on that add up to another 1,000 baht.

Good luck and thanks for the address on the Red Cross

Edited May 8, 2014 by thailand49

[Sheryl]

Agaun, costs of medication (even at same hospital) will vary with the specific medication.

[coppywriter]

Agaun, costs of medication (even at same hospital) will vary with the specific medication.

Well yes but that's rather obvious isn't it. I am just giving the OP a guide and trying to be helpfull, so can we just leave it there please, thanks.

[unended]

By now HIV is now a chronic disease that is scientifically well-known, with standardized treatments, and for which there are numerous meds to counter its progress once infected and keep it at bay ( though no cure as yet ); in fact, it is much easier to handle than, say, diabetes. As such, there is no real need to go to the expensive private hospitals, neither for a specialist, much less for meds. It would be a different story if you were to be hospitalized, which does not seem to be your case. As you know by now, an option is for you to see a specialist at the Red Cross clinic -- the most senior, experienced and celebrated specialist on HIV in Thailand happens to be the Director ( I disagree with a prior entry who gave the crown to a Bumrungrad specialist )-- and get the required meds there too. However, overall -- ie costs, quality of specialists, facilities... --, the best option in your case might be Siriraj government hospital.

At first and then every three months, you will have to pay for a consultation, a routine general blood test, a CD4 test, and a VL test ( six months for the latter when it becomes UD ). It is also recommended to take a resistance test at the very beginning. You are most unlikely to become resistant to meds if you adhere to their intake schedule but there is a chance that the HIV you were infected with was already resistant to certain meds.

Further, there are a number of effective meds available for first timers for which there are inexpensive generics. They are to be taken once or twice a day, depending on which med, and will most likely do the main job ( wipe it out from the blood ) which usually takes a few months. New meds are being added from time to time to the well-endowed HIV arsenal; generally they are similarly effective but more convenient and/or have fewer side effects, but are extremely expensive -- and remain so for a number of years since inception till generics, patent laws permitting, become available -- and hence government hospitals are unlikely to have them, and if they do, as when necessary due to resistance issues, they will charge the market price.

By the way, are you insured ?... Private insurance ? ( the issue here is not coverage since very few priv ins cover HIV, but rather future impact )... Do you work in Thailand and have access to Thai soc ins ?...Besides the medical aspects, you should deal properly with the administrative aspects involved as they are likely to condition various future options.

As indicated above, there are means within reach in Thailand to successfully confront the intruder...just take charge !

[pitt777]

I have heard that Thai Red Cross HIV/AIDS Research Centre Clinic in BANGKOK no longer provides treatment from july 2018....
     can anyone give me any information about that.....
     cause i am planning to travel to thailand for treatment.

[Sheryl]

Please do not make multiple posts in different threads. The other posts have been removed.

Where did you hear this? As it is news to me. I have heard nothing of this sort. And nothing on their website to suggest it.

Should understand though that for HIV they mostly do testing and fill prescriptions, you usually need to see a doctor elsewhere to prescribe. They only occasionally have a doctor on duty.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[pitt777]

Sheryl, I apologize  for my other posts.....actually i am very  scared about my health status....and my flight date is very near....so became anxious after getting that wrong information .

Thanks for the information.

 

I am planning to do tests and buy medicine ( if needed) from TRC......is that OK ?

Can you suggest some specialists in bangkok with center names other then bamrungrad hosp.

 

Regards.

 

 

 

 

 

[orchis]

you could contact thai red cross anonymous clinic directly.
or ask you question on poz(dot)com forums living with hiv, many people living in thailand on there.

[Sheryl]

6 hours ago, pitt777 said:

Sheryl, I apologize  for my other posts.....actually i am very  scared about my health status....and my flight date is very near....so became anxious after getting that wrong information .

Thanks for the information.

 

I am planning to do tests and buy medicine ( if needed) from TRC......is that OK ?

Can you suggest some specialists in bangkok with center names other then bamrungrad hosp.

 

Regards.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, you can buy meds at TRC.

 

The best specialist IMO is Prof. Asda Vibhagool  but he is at Bumrungrad .

 

Since you do nto want to go to Bumrungrad for some reason I suggest Dr Paithoon Boonma at Bangkok Hospital   https://www.bangkokhospital.com/index.php/en/find-a-doctor/search-result

 

 

 

 

 

 

[pitt777]

Sheryl and Orchis...thank you for your kind reply.

 

[Rhys]

Be strong...all the best.