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Where to buy glucose meter in Pattaya?


JvKr

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I need to buy a glucose meter to do self-checks of blood sugar level, and visited quite a few pharmacies already here in Pattaya looking for it. Surprisingly, non of them had the glucose meter.

Could you advise if this device could be bought in Pattaya, or I need to go to Bangkok to obtain it, please? Thanks very much in advance!

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Just a guess:

on the basement of Central Word (beach road) there is a medical supply shop (remember seeing wheelchairs, bandages and others).

Would be surprised if they don't have.

Last resort would be ordering online from a Thai shop, as I did for an electronic blood pressure device.

Later I found that there is plenty available in my province.

I you want an address of an online shop, I can go to the archives.

Edited by KhunBENQ
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Gents, thanks very much indeed for your prompt response, I'm really pleased!

I will visit all the locations mentioned above today, and hope to buy the glucose meter with no problem now - thank you for your help once again!

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Find that hard to believe, even in my nearest Pharmacy shops Thai, in 2 different Villages have them....... The one I have is ACCU-CHEK Meter, the other shop has a different make

I an way a proof that the diabetes (type 2) is becoming a widespread disease also in Thailand.

At our rural village health center they do diabetes checks on a regular basis,

(step daughter is a village health assistant/helper)

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Much cheaper if you have a friend in the UK to buy one and plenty of strips and send it over. same with blood pressure machine brought it via Argos for 4.99, same model here nearly 25pounds.

Surely a much bigger choice in the UK, and scope for special offers that rarely occur in Thailand, but my model of BP monitor is GBP22 at Amazon and was about GBP28 here, so not a huge difference.

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Debates

I would be surprised if Fascino on Pattaya Nua didn't have one. Failing that you can buy online at Lazada.

they only have tester for diabetes checked already

Isn't that what the OP wants? "glucose meter" "diabetes tester" same same or not?

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Find that hard to believe, even in my nearest Pharmacy shops Thai, in 2 different Villages have them....... The one I have is ACCU-CHEK Meter, the other shop has a different make

I an way a proof that the diabetes (type 2) is becoming a widespread disease also in Thailand.

At our rural village health center they do diabetes checks on a regular basis,

(step daughter is a village health assistant/helper)

Yet despite the importance of accurate BG testing, you won't find a control solution in any pharmacy. When you ask about it you are met with blank stares... despite every monitor having detailed information about calibrating monitors through the use of at least 2 control solutions... which normally come in 3 concentrations - high range, medium range and low range.

I won't buy a monitor in Thailand. I buy them off Ebay and ensure that the strips are a reasonable price and control solutions are available for the monitor I buy.

If you can't calibrate your monitor, it's basically useless as the variance of the numbers can be so high that a normal person could be diagnosed as diabetic and visa versa. I've tested the same sample of blood on 2 different monitors and had over 20 mg/dl difference. They were both new monitors with fresh strips.

This is extremely significant considering that normal is 100 mg/dl and diabetic is 126 mg/dl (fasting readings).

There is another way they can be checked - it's not a perfect way, but better than nothing. You take your monitor to the pathology lab and test your blood at the same time as you have your blood extracted (from your arm) and compare results. Bear in mind that readings from venous blood from your arm can vary from capillary blood from your fingers. I've done this a number of times in the past. This could be tested at FBS levels and after a high carb meal to test the full range of your monitor. It's normally around 100 baht to do a test at the lab.

It's good to get an HbA1c test every 3 months too as it will give you a good idea of your average blood sugar control. They are normally about 300 baht or so.

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Yes Fascino in Pattaya Nua and Soi Khatalo both stock the Accuk Chek meter as does Boots, the Boots in Royal Garden also offer a free self test facility.

Twice over the last 10 years Fascino stopped stocking the testing strips for 2 monitors I had, rendering them useless.

They did offer to exchange the last one I bought there for a different one.

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Much cheaper if you have a friend in the UK to buy one and plenty of strips and send it over. same with blood pressure machine brought it via Argos for 4.99, same model here nearly 25pounds.

Surely a much bigger choice in the UK, and scope for special offers that rarely occur in Thailand, but my model of BP monitor is GBP22 at Amazon and was about GBP28 here, so not a huge difference.

Come on! That's a huge difference for you.biggrin.png

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I consider blood glucose control to in the dark ages here compared to western standards. Back home it is not unusual to be given the meter free as companies know the money is in the strips and not the meter. That little game now is thrown a monkey wrench with the popularity of generic strips.

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I got mine at Boot's Pharmacy next to Tops. But the Girls their were sort of clueless. Say for Diabetic and not Glucose.

Sure! I didn't think about that.

While "glucose meter" is a correct term, you will still have a hard time to be understood.

"blood check / diabetes", "blood check / sugar" might be understood by those with basic English knowledge.

In such cases always have a print of an example device and you are fine.

Like from this page:

http://www.biomed.in.th/review-acc-chek-glucose-monitor/

In Thai:

http://www.thai-language.com/?blu=4KTD1_jNp7XDx6i56dO10sXjueDF1820aA!!

Edited by KhunBENQ
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I consider blood glucose control to in the dark ages here compared to western standards. Back home it is not unusual to be given the meter free as companies know the money is in the strips and not the meter. That little game now is thrown a monkey wrench with the popularity of generic strips.

You can buy meters virtually free with bulk strips on Ebay. I bought one last year - The meter ended up costing a few bucks extra.

Edited by tropo
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