Recommendations to get INR blood tests in BKK

[mattthemachine]

Hey guys, I would really appreciate it if you guys could help me out. I am looking to see if I can get recommendations for a clinic that can test my INR levels since I take Warfarin, hopefully it's close to a BTS. I ran out of doctor visits since I used a lot for followups to a pulmonary embolism checkup and a separate medical issue. I still wanted to pay the hospital for the blood test. All they needed to do was tell me what the numbers were in an e-mail since they are stable. If the numbers are off, then I can come in and spend the night to get my INR normalized again. The nurses agreed with my logic but when they approached the doctor he told them I still needed to come in "just in case" the numbers blew up. 

If the numbers were off, I'd just come in to get them normalized. Not that difficult. It seemed like he was more concerned with his "bottom line" than that silly little Hippocratic oath that he took because my appointments with him were pretty useless. He would tell me my numbers were fine, listen to my breathing with the stethoscope, and then tell me to go. I'm sure it had something to do with hospital protocol too, but I digress. 

Finding a place just to get tested has been a pain in the neck. I did find a Hospital who would do it for 490 baht, which is decent and something I can live with but it's no where near a BTS or MRT and 25 KM east of where I live (I live right by the Bang Wa BTS). 

I was hoping if some of you guys could help me out and give me a suggestion where to look. 

Thanks

 

Matt

[rodknock]

if you need to follow your pt/inr, i would suggest you buy your own meter.

over the long run it will be cheaper and more convenient.

i am on warfarin  for life and i test weekly.

if you do decide to look for one be careful as one of the two meters have had a recall(alere).

you should look on _bay under coaguchek, that is were i get my test strips and bought my meter.

can not beat having your own machine and all it requires is a finger stick.

if you would like to talk just pm me.

[Sheryl]

I suggest you look into costs at the following,:

 

1. Phyathai 3 Hospital  http://www.phyathai.com/contactus/en

It is on Pekhasem Road just a little east of the Bang Wa BTS

 

2. St Louis Hospital   http://www.saintlouis.or.th/index

It is on your BTS line, get off at Surasak Station

[meatboy]

10 hours ago, rodknock said:

if you need to follow your pt/inr, i would suggest you buy your own meter.

over the long run it will be cheaper and more convenient.

i am on warfarin  for life and i test weekly.

if you do decide to look for one be careful as one of the two meters have had a recall(alere).

you should look on _bay under coaguchek, that is were i get my test strips and bought my meter.

can not beat having your own machine and all it requires is a finger stick.

if you would like to talk just pm me.

i did just that in september. as the above post says MAGIC.

[meatboy]

the one i bought was ROCHE COAGUCHEK XS.BANGKOK.

if you want the details i will pm.you.

[mattthemachine]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses so far. I would have responded quicker but I got no e-mail notification. Maybe it hit my spam..... anyway....

I had a Pulmonary Embolism in May, so I have to keep taking the stuff until May. I thought about getting my own machine too, but for now, it wouldn't be practical if I stop in May. The prices I saw were $1000 unless you got yours for a lot less. 

Thanks for the suggestions Sheryl, but Phaya Thai 3 was the Hospital that refused to work with my schedule and wanted either all of my money for a useless doctors visit "just in case my numbers are bad" or none of my money. 

I guess I could give Saint Louis Hospital a check and follow up with Bangkok Christian since I never heard back from them. Also King Chulakorn hospital is on a rail system too. I just noticed a University, Ramathibodi Hospital, is off of a BTS. It's sucks to go that far but there is a Mayo Clinic father north. 

I can also try the Hospital right next to my school too, but haven't given it a shot yet since they want you to see a Doctor too, which I don't need. 

 

If you guys know a blood clinic that does it for sure, it will save my time with looking. :) I've been struggling to look for about 6 weeks now and I'm running into dead ends and finding Hospitals who will do it that are 30 KM away. 

[rodknock]

i went to bumrungrad once and did not have to see a doctor. do not remember the cost.

[mattthemachine]

When did you go out of curiosity? 

I feel like I am trolling saying this, but funny you mentioned them, I received an e-mail from them and they said I would need to still see a doctor. Thanks for the idea though. 

[rodknock]

it was probably 4yrs. ago. i only went to compare the readings on my old alere. alere first had a recall on the test strips and now is also on the machine.

just went and asked to do pt/inr and nurse came out and did it with a rouche machine.

 

got a question, was there any talk with your doctor about a vena cava minor filter?

when i had my dvt they put in a greenfield filter. supposed to help prevent pulmonary embolism.

i am not in the medical field only an experienced patient.

[mattthemachine]

No because the primary problem was in the lungs and Oxygen wasn't going out to my muscles. I got so bad I couldn't walk two doors down the hall without having to stop to catch my breath I got so bad. 

I believe DVT is much different from PE. 

[rodknock]

dvt leads to pe. blood clot moving to lungs

[mattthemachine]

Yeah, good point. Clots do start in the legs. I never had DVT. I just went to the full blown PE. Yay, lucky me. :)

[rodknock]

yes most pe starts in the lower extremity's and moves up to the lungs.

has your doctor suggested compression stockings at all? they do help!!

like i said i am not in the medical field, only an experienced patient.

when i had my dvt docs said i was 30 minuets from dying. when i went to emergency room(usa), they had 2iv lines in me and were giving me meds within 15 min. of walking in. fastest service i ever got.

if i were you i would ask on here who is the best cardiologist in Thailand and go see him.

p/e is nothing to scoff off!!!!!

i see you are a new member here, sheryl can give you some of the best information you will ever get in Thailand!!

[mattthemachine]

I definitely appreciated Sheryl's help. :) 

 

Even though I've completely recovered from it I'm not scoffing it off. 

 

I can try looking into the stockings too. Those might be interesting to get. Thanks for the idea. 

[THAILIBAN]

On 11/23/2016 at 10:05 PM, mattthemachine said:

I definitely appreciated Sheryl's help. :) 

 

Even though I've completely recovered from it I'm not scoffing it off. 

 

I can try looking into the stockings too. Those might be interesting to get. Thanks for the idea. 

 

 

not exactly next to a BTS stop, but not too far from MRT Ratchadaphisek or Lat Phrao.

 

Prices are very low compared to any hospital.

You just go there and they will email you the result a few hours later.

I used them many times for several blood tests / markers

Full blood count costs just 100 Baht (it was 60 Baht until earlier this year)

 

https://www.brianet.com/en/