But this really sounds like the underlying issue is the steroid use. Is there any plan to mitigate that or is that not an issue anymore ?

Thanks for your post.
 
I just didn't have any confidence in the Doctor at Sirikit but that is not the point
 
The doctors actually did have different diagnosis in that the UK Doctor identified the right eye as the one that I have had a major vision loss in as the one with the worst Cataract that needed an immediate operation but in fairness to the Lady Doctor becasue the cataract in the right eye was/is maturing  so very quickly, then  at the time of her diagnosis the left eye could have been  actually and in fact worse at the time of here examination. 
 
But she didn't refer me to an Ophthalmic neurologist, instead asking me to make another appointment for a month later.
 
In the UK hospital at A&E I had all the tests in under 3 hours  including the  CT scan and also a referral to the eye Doctor, within another 3 hours I also had a diagnosis and a treatment plan. 
 
The costs of all the tests I had  in Thailand would have been more than the costs of the amount I paid in airfare  to BA so economically I feel that the trip was well worth it and  justified.
A bonus being that I was understood and could ask questions relevant to the problem
 
The Eye Doctor seemed to be very much on top of his job and I felt very confident in him, the equipment in the first  A & E hospital, as in the eye hospital seemed to be brand new  and apart from the waiting list I feel very elated and pleased with the outcome .
 
As to the operation I have an appointment again in two weeks with the eye Doctor and if the waiting time is still the same will consider returning to Thailand to maybe one of the rural Military hospitals for the operation, Having said that, there is also waiting lists in Thailand for cataracr removal so it could be that I would have to wait longer.
 
Teddogs point about the low cost of going to India is also of interest and maybe he  could enlighten me a bit more on that matter?
 
Once again thanks for both posts and  info, maybe  India could be a distinct possibility ?
 
 
 

Teddog has mentioned India treatment before but provides little usable detail. A thread dedicated to India medical treatment would be helpful

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

3 hours ago, n210mp said:

Thanks for your post.
 
I just didn't have any confidence in the Doctor at Sirikit but that is not the point
 
The doctors actually did have different diagnosis in that the UK Doctor identified the right eye as the one that I have had a major vision loss in as the one with the worst Cataract that needed an immediate operation but in fairness to the Lady Doctor becasue the cataract in the right eye was/is maturing  so very quickly, then  at the time of her diagnosis the left eye could have been  actually and in fact worse at the time of here examination. 
 
But she didn't refer me to an Ophthalmic neurologist, instead asking me to make another appointment for a month later.
 
In the UK hospital at A&E I had all the tests in under 3 hours  including the  CT scan and also a referral to the eye Doctor, within another 3 hours I also had a diagnosis and a treatment plan. 
 
The costs of all the tests I had  in Thailand would have been more than the costs of the amount I paid in airfare  to BA so economically I feel that the trip was well worth it and  justified.
A bonus being that I was understood and could ask questions relevant to the problem
 
The Eye Doctor seemed to be very much on top of his job and I felt very confident in him, the equipment in the first  A & E hospital, as in the eye hospital seemed to be brand new  and apart from the waiting list I feel very elated and pleased with the outcome .
 
As to the operation I have an appointment again in two weeks with the eye Doctor and if the waiting time is still the same will consider returning to Thailand to maybe one of the rural Military hospitals for the operation, Having said that, there is also waiting lists in Thailand for cataracr removal so it could be that I would have to wait longer.
 
Teddogs point about the low cost of going to India is also of interest and maybe he  could enlighten me a bit more on that matter?
 
Once again thanks for both posts and  info, maybe  India could be a distinct possibility ?
 
 
 

Teddog has mentioned India treatment before but provides little usable detail. A thread dedicated to India medical treatment would be helpful

That would be more than useful,a pinned topic,but at what amounts to a repeated exercise, again and again ,and  I have been warned about providing lists for medical matters and charges, yes at 1/80th even 1/160th of Thailand charges (fna) India is a superb choice.  All I suggest is whatever you are looking for  (eye)  go to google 'eye hospital 'Calcutta (nearest point)  5000 baht return 2 hours away, ...and start from there   do know the prices and may dig some out, but look up too' mediconnect calcutta'  or anywhere really  ,but Calcutta is nearest

 Was asked to name surgeon there when I had prostate reduction surgery there few month ago, all I can answer is how the hell would I know, with 18 urology surgeons operating,All I knew head of Dept, prof Nellis,head surgeon Dr Dixit ,and only white man there, was huge training hosp   35 000 baht 5 days in patient,cost here in Thailand no doubt half a million ,utterly superb...but you are not going there just for that  executive  health check up 19000 baht here   700 baht there...colonoscopy  up to 32000 here   400 baht there   and so on...open heart surgery just over 50.000         Hospital was  KLES Belguam India   about 6 hours from Goa     Bit like comparing a rowing boat with a battleship  Thailand is a mere backwater

4 hours ago, n210mp said:

 

 

I just didn't have any confidence in the Doctor at Sirikit but that is not the point

 

The doctors actually did have different diagnosis in that the UK Doctor identified the right eye as the one that I have had a major vision loss in as the one with the worst Cataract that needed an immediate operation but in fairness to the Lady Doctor becasue the cataract in the right eye was/is maturing  so very quickly, then  at the time of her diagnosis the left eye could have been  actually and in fact worse at the time of here examination. 

 

Teddogs point about the low cost of going to India is also of interest and maybe he  could enlighten me a bit more on that matter?

 

Once again thanks for both posts and  info, maybe  India could be a distinct possibility ?

 

 

 

 

After being diagnosed at Sirikit, Rutnin and the UK, you're now considering India? 

 

You are seriously at risk of sounding like a dog chasing its tail.

If next someone pops up and suggests the Philippines and another says try Indonesia, will they be added to your shopping list?

 

Personally, based on what you have posted here, Rutnin or Sirikit seem good choices.

Send Rutnin an e-mail, pin down the costs involved and when they can do it.

I'm surprised you are willing to wait 15 weeks when you have someone you trust in the UK already advising you need "an immediate operation"

Fifteen weeks time and the UK will be pretty nippy by then. 

If you get it done in Thailand, presumably you will have your wife to support you which should be a bonus... or maybe that's not the case, I don't know.

Just decide on one of the options currently available rather than dilly dallying any longer.

 

Good luck with the path you select.

 

 

 

11 hours ago, n210mp said:

Thanks for your post.

 

I just didn't have any confidence in the Doctor at Sirikit but that is not the point

 

The doctors actually did have different diagnosis in that the UK Doctor identified the right eye as the one that I have had a major vision loss in as the one with the worst Cataract that needed an immediate operation but in fairness to the Lady Doctor becasue the cataract in the right eye was/is maturing  so very quickly, then  at the time of her diagnosis the left eye could have been  actually and in fact worse at the time of here examination. 

 

But she didn't refer me to an Ophthalmic neurologist, instead asking me to make another appointment for a month later.

 

In the UK hospital at A&E I had all the tests in under 3 hours  including the  CT scan and also a referral to the eye Doctor, within another 3 hours I also had a diagnosis and a treatment plan. 

 

The costs of all the tests I had  in Thailand would have been more than the costs of the amount I paid in airfare  to BA so economically I feel that the trip was well worth it and  justified.

A bonus being that I was understood and could ask questions relevant to the problem

 

The Eye Doctor seemed to be very much on top of his job and I felt very confident in him, the equipment in the first  A & E hospital, as in the eye hospital seemed to be brand new  and apart from the waiting list I feel very elated and pleased with the outcome .

 

As to the operation I have an appointment again in two weeks with the eye Doctor and if the waiting time is still the same will consider returning to Thailand to maybe one of the rural Military hospitals for the operation, Having said that, there is also waiting lists in Thailand for cataracr removal so it could be that I would have to wait longer.

 

Teddogs point about the low cost of going to India is also of interest and maybe he  could enlighten me a bit more on that matter?

 

Once again thanks for both posts and  info, maybe  India could be a distinct possibility ?

 

 

 

Usually about a one month wait in Thailand at military and government hospitals, sometimes more.

 

Cost at the military and government hospital where I am (Prachinburi) 20,000 baht per eye, but might  be more in the Pattaya area where due to large number of foreigners there may be double tier pricing.

 

With cataract surgery as with any surgery or medical procedure, you need to consider not just the cost of the procedure but the costs and time involved in dealing with any complications that may arise. You would IMO be foolish not to stay with treatment in the UK now that you are there and already in the system.  Cataract surgery complications are not common but they do occur and can be quite major.

 

It was quite important in your case to rule out neurological problems so good that you went to the UK and got all that done. Even with a rapidly maturing cataract one does not usually lose vision suddenly.

On 08/08/2017 at 7:19 AM, tonray said:

But this really sounds like the underlying issue is the steroid use. Is there any plan to mitigate that or is that not an issue anymore ?

There was  when I came to the UK but just getting a Doctor to sign  on with was an issue (After signing on then  having to wait wait two weeks for a Doctors appointment which I  havnt had yet,  is why I went to the local A & E department) then after meeting the Doctor  needing to get a referral to an Orthopaedic surgeon and then foreseeably going on another waiting list etc etc.

 

In any event IMHO the procedure to take away the metal and replace it with another material would be too long and drawn out a process which because of money and time restraints makes me think I could not endure .

 

Having said that and this may be illusionary, I am now down to 5 mg of prednisalone taken at night and the alergy seems to be a lot less than it was in Thailand, maybe this is becasue of the temperature and the fact that the legion on my legs are not being coated with salt from sweating which seems to irritate my condition .

(It certainly is damp and could in the North West)

22 hours ago, kkerry said:

 

After being diagnosed at Sirikit, Rutnin and the UK, you're now considering India? 

 

You are seriously at risk of sounding like a dog chasing its tail.

If next someone pops up and suggests the Philippines and another says try Indonesia, will they be added to your shopping list?

 

Personally, based on what you have posted here, Rutnin or Sirikit seem good choices.

Send Rutnin an e-mail, pin down the costs involved and when they can do it.

I'm surprised you are willing to wait 15 weeks when you have someone you trust in the UK already advising you need "an immediate operation"

Fifteen weeks time and the UK will be pretty nippy by then. 

If you get it done in Thailand, presumably you will have your wife to support you which should be a bonus... or maybe that's not the case, I don't know.

Just decide on one of the options currently available rather than dilly dallying any longer.

 

Good luck with the path you select.

 

 

 

Yes I am considering any treatment that would conserve my limited funds and I make no apologies for that!

 

I think that the reason I am looking at India is not just for the Eye treatment becasue I feel the Sheryl's comments on the military hospital in Pratchaburri sounds the best option, however when I return to Thailand  and the alergy may well once again be  stimulated by the temp and humidity  to an unbearable degree the India hospital may well be an alternative for the removal the alergy cause , the Titanium and screws in my leg. 

 

I am not willing (Or able) to wait 15 weeks in the UK, I just dont have the option to sit here waiting for an operation that may well not even happen in the 15 week period and at my time of life I want to be with my wife who is alone and whilst intelligent and competent missing me as I am missing her 

37 minutes ago, n210mp said:

There was  when I came to the UK but just getting a Doctor to sign  on with was an issue (After signing on then  having to wait wait two weeks for a Doctors appointment which I  havnt had yet,  is why I went to the local A & E department) then after meeting the Doctor  needing to get a referral to an Orthopaedic surgeon and then foreseeably going on another waiting list etc etc.

 

In any event IMHO the procedure to take away the metal and replace it with another material would be too long and drawn out a process which because of money and time restraints makes me think I could not endure .

 

Having said that and this may be illusionary, I am now down to 5 mg of prednisalone taken at night and the alergy seems to be a lot less than it was in Thailand, maybe this is becasue of the temperature and the fact that the legion on my legs are not being coated with salt from sweating which seems to irritate my condition .

(It certainly is damp and could in the North West)

You can try protecting your wound with zinc oxide cream it may help. 

Orthopaedics is one thing Indias are particularly good at, I know,  two procedures over the years there, for knee

 A Yank sailorjon, was having trouble, money too ,charges at the damned private hospital are without doubt problematic, went over to India for treatment a while ago  'fear of life' got a bit irate at suggestion of going home,not been on since, wonder how he's getting on

 Leave you mrs at home if going over, bit daunting for Thai women, but sure is eye opener when in the hospital there and no one to take care    Ill try and guide you with few suggestions when time comes near.   Just about to move ,or I would be going over too in next few weeks, want my bowel cancer/skin/down the throat scans done too

Orthopaedics is one thing Indias are particularly good at, I know,  two procedures over the years there, for knee

 A Yank sailorjon, was having trouble, money too ,charges at the damned private hospital are without doubt problematic, went over to India for treatment a while ago  'fear of life' got a bit irate at suggestion of going home,not been on since, wonder how he's getting on
 Leave you mrs at home if going over, bit daunting for Thai women, but sure is eye opener when in the hospital there and no one to take care    Ill try and guide you with few suggestions when time comes near.   Just about to move ,or I would be going over too in next few weeks, want my bowel cancer/skin/down the throat scans done too

Thanks everything and anything possible at the moment so I am keeping all options open


Sent from my SM-J700F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

You can try protecting your wound with zinc oxide cream it may help. 

Yes thanks I will try it

Sent from my SM-J700F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

On 8/8/2017 at 2:39 PM, scubascuba3 said:

On 8/8/2017 at 1:09 PM, n210mp said:

The costs of all the tests I had  in Thailand would have been more than the costs of the amount I paid in airfare  to BA so economically I feel that the trip was well worth it and  justified.
A bonus being that I was understood and could ask questions relevant to the problem
Teddogs point about the low cost of going to India is also of interest and maybe he  could enlighten me a bit more on that matter?
 
Once again thanks for both posts and  info, maybe  India could be a distinct possibility ?
 
 
 

6

Teddog has mentioned India treatment before but provides little usable detail. A thread dedicated to India medical treatment would be helpful

 Yes good comment,would be good to have a viable thread offering alternative to medical care for hard up farang in Thailand,keep a lot more farang here than making a bolt for home when the doctor comes a'calling, keeps the pressure off govt. hospitals too,  the shysters in private hospital's might object though

 

  Incident a while ago in foremost private hospital Pattaya ,patient went ballistic,wiped the floor with hospital staff and doctors at treatment received and billing. The story did the rounds well, was passing comment in Pattaya rag about this particular incident.

  Had a couple of run-ins with them few years ago, gullible and stupid walked into one(yes the one) after trip to Yellowstone,walking pneumonia ,ICU  no doctor came for 12 hours,just got worse, (probably as they wanted)  stripped off the pads got dressed and asked to see director, half hour or so ,cops threatened from either side was asked how much I wanted to pay  ha ha, other time skin check up,told the doc he was lying back of the ear of course  escorted out of hospital

 

 Yes good comment,would be good to have a viable thread offering alternative to medical care for hard up farang in Thailand,keep a lot more farang here than making a bolt for home when the doctor comes a'calling, keeps the pressure off govt. hospitals too,  the shysters in private hospital's might object though
 
  Incident a while ago in foremost private hospital Pattaya ,patient went ballistic,wiped the floor with hospital staff and doctors at treatment received and billing. The story did the rounds well, was passing comment in Pattaya rag about this particular incident.
  Had a couple of run-ins with them few years ago, gullible and stupid walked into one(yes the one) after trip to Yellowstone,walking pneumonia ,ICU  no doctor came for 12 hours,just got worse, (probably as they wanted)  stripped off the pads got dressed and asked to see director, half hour or so ,cops threatened from either side was asked how much I wanted to pay  ha ha, other time skin check up,told the doc he was lying back of the ear of course  escorted out of hospital
 

Sadly they see farang as ATMs. In UK i don't know of anyone who goes to the Drs and gets put on a drip. In Thailand its common practice.

It has nothing to do with farangs, Thai patients also receive drips unnecessarily. And, to a lesser extent, this even happens t in government hospitals where there is no financial incentive.

 

It is just the medical culture here.

 

There is also the fact that people dehydrate much more quickly in this hot humid climate than they would in the west. And, doctors here tend to assume patients will not follow instructions at home (e.g. to drink a lot of fluids) nor can they be relied upon to return if they get worse, and they treat on those assumptions.

Just now, Sheryl said:

It has nothing to do with farangs, Thai patients also receive drips unnecessarily. And, to a lesser extent, this even happens t in government hospitals where there is no financial incentive.

 

It is just the medical culture here.

 

There is also the fact that people dehydrate much more quickly in this hot humid climate than they would in the west. And, doctors here tend to assume patients will not follow instructions at home (e.g. to drink a lot of fluids) nor can they be relied upon to return if they get worse, and they treat on those assumptions.

Would add that it costs a lot less to keep a patient in hospital overnight here than in the West and the bed is normally available here to do so.

22 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

23 hours ago, teddog said:

 Yes good comment,would be good to have a viable thread offering alternative to medical care for hard up farang in Thailand,keep a lot more farang here than making a bolt for home when the doctor comes a'calling, keeps the pressure off govt. hospitals too,  the shysters in private hospital's might object though
 
  Incident a while ago in foremost private hospital Pattaya ,patient went ballistic,wiped the floor with hospital staff and doctors at treatment received and billing. The story did the rounds well, was passing comment in Pattaya rag about this particular incident.
  Had a couple of run-ins with them few years ago, gullible and stupid walked into one(yes the one) after trip to Yellowstone,walking pneumonia ,ICU  no doctor came for 12 hours,just got worse, (probably as they wanted)  stripped off the pads got dressed and asked to see director, half hour or so ,cops threatened from either side was asked how much I wanted to pay  ha ha, other time skin check up,told the doc he was lying back of the ear of course  escorted out of hospital
 

Sadly they see farang as ATMs. In UK i don't know of anyone who goes to the Drs and gets put on a drip. In Thailand its common practice.

In the USA very common practice especially with certain patient populations that are prone to dehydration such as the elderly.

Update the 26th of August 2017

 

I arrived in the UK on Thursday night at 9 40 pm of the 3^rd of August 1017 after a freezing flight in economy class on a BA triple 7 Aircraft which apart from the low temp in the cabin was absolutely first class.

 

The M&S food was also excellent as were the airline staff couldn't have been nicer or more efficient taking in account they were two staff down.

 

On arrival at Manchester I was picked up by my friends and by midnight was tucked up in bed where I managed just 3 hours sleep before giving up on trying to sleep and got up and made some early morning breakfast.

 

At 9 0 am I was at my old Doctors surgery who had previously said that I would be able to get back on their panel but when I filled the forms in etc I was told that they couldn't take me on because I was staying at n address out of their area, this was a real letdown.

 

I had to get a new Doctor very quickly and so I went to a local Primary care Doctor  near to where I was living and filled in all the forms only to be told that I would have to see their Practice nurse before I could see a Doctor, only problem the earliest I could see the nurse would be the 18^th of August. (Two weeks)

 

The cold in my rural backwater was making me very uncomfortable to say the least and the 10/15 years both physically and mentally I had lost in Thailand were now catching up on me to the extent that my whole body was freezing up and making even the simplest walk a major effort. For the first time in a long time I actually felt my age!

 

I also noticed a massive sea change in the manner and way that people in the UK treat an older person from the way that they do in Thailand.

 

Here in the UK I felt as though I was on the outside looking in and was perceived as an old man, the only folk who seemed to have any civil response to me were people of my own age group.

 

I was now in a fairly deep depression as to whether I had made a good decision in coming here in the first place.

 

So Saturday came along and I was truly fed up and so with my friends echoing Sheryl’s advice I decided to go to the local accident and emergency unit first thing Monday morning

 

I was at the hospital at 9 0 am and after establishing my British identity and filling in some forms I was accepted for free treatment from the NHS.

 

I was seen by a beautiful and knowledgeable Pakistani trainee Doctor who once again said I had done the right thing in coming into the A&E unit, who immediately ordered blood tests, ECG and a CT scan.

 

The above took me up to 1 0 pm and then I was asked to see a more senior Doctor together with the trainee Doctor who informed me that the CT scan and all the other test were quite normal and as for my eyes they were going to refer me to an Eye specialist.

 

As you may appreciate I was over the moon with this information and was even more elated when the young Doctor asked me if I wanted her to make an appointment with an eye specialist of course my answer was in the affirmative.

 

I was then thinking to myself that here we go maybe it will be months before I can see an eye specialist but ten minutes later the young Doctor returned and said that “Could I go to another hospital about 9 miles away for an appointment with an eye specialist at 4 0 pm today !!!!!!!!

 

I could not believe what was happening here.

 

And so I went to the other hospital and was seen by a senior eye consultant who after a very thorough examination confirmed that I had cataracts in both eyes with no damage to any part of my eyes and arranged for me to have a second examination not 4 weeks later which is the norm but only two weeks later which I had on Thursday the 24^th where after a second examination I was booked in for cataract surgery which had a waiting time of two months.

 

I was also placed on their cancellation list and so the operation could be actually sooner.

 

Whilst still feeling like an outsider in my own home Country this visit has actually been an “eye opener” for me personally.

 

I will never ever gain “Knock” the UK or the NHS or take for granted my privileged UK status.

I feel a little humility in that my stay with my good friends and the treatment I have received has made me aware of a new understanding of just how lucky I am to have been born a “Brit”

 

One "after thought" in my summary.

 

In coming here as a Septuagenarian and after a few years In the heat and humidity of Thailand I consider it  is not for the faint hearted or those who are not  reasonably healthy unless they have a good centrally heated home based support to minimize the adverse effects of the climate.

 

 

I am now waiting for the date of the surgery and attempting to pass away the time by going to the local leisure center where I have taken advantage of a scheme through the Doctors where I can get heavily subsidized rates together with a 12 week course led by a personal trainer to get my body back to where it was when I was in the lovely heat and humidity of Thailand.

 

I am also taking full advantage of my "Bus Pass" getting to know my old  home stomping ground from the top deck of a double Decker and although when  I feel bored by this rather boring form of entertainment I just think how it could be if all the test had been negative .

 

"There go I but from the grace of God and a fantastic NHS""

 

From one lucky and appreciative Lancashire lad!

 

 

Thank you to all those who participated in my thread especially the lovely Sheryl

One hurdle at a time i guess. Re your GPs, maybe it would have been easier if you just said you lived at old address. GPs are so inefficient i doubt they check