Many people think it’s weird/scary to go to Bangkok to have medical work done. I have visited hospitals before in Bangkok on a previous trip when I had asthma and was impressed with the high level of equipment and efficiency. 60 minutes did an episode about medical treatment in Bangkok for such things as heart bypass, hip and knee replacements, not to talk about cosmetic surgery (I have attached the episode below – it is very interesting). It is far cheaper to fly to Bangkok have your hospital stay (which is like a high end hotel stay) and spend time recovering than to have the same procedure done in the states. You even had money to spend on a holiday before your procedure and you still saved money. Many of these doctors have been trained in the states.
My day spent at Samijevite Hospital having my Advanced Lady Checkup:
- Arrive 6:50am
- Get blood taken 7:15
- Go get chest X-ray
- Mammogram
- Ultra sound breasts, gall bladder kidney lung pancreas liver- upper abdomen
- Lower abdomen ultrasound
- Bladder not full so eat and drink tons of water
- Go back not full enough wait another 20 min drinking tons more water then finally pee and number 2 take samples
- go back and have an intrasonic exam
- Find 3cm fibroid pressing on bladder
- Meet with MD go over partial results
- Pap smear
- See specialist MD about fibroid
- He suggests removal for $5000 2 night stay in hospital
- Get booklet
- Pay 17500 baht = $567US
- Leave by 12:18pm
I was impressed with the efficiency of my visit. I saw 3 doctors had many different procedures, blood work, mammogram, chest X-ray, ultra sound, pap smear, MD, specialist all in one morning. There is no way you could do that in the states. I was escorted to each area by an assistant and never kept waiting more than 15-20 minutes. The only downside of the whole experience was the language barrier. Everyone spoke English but sometimes it was not clear and I had to have things repeated many times.
My overall health – I need to lose 35-40 lbs and exercise more. I already knew this and was hoping this physical would jump start me into taking action. Darn it’s hard to not eat lovely food and drink incredible wine so I will always struggle with this especially since exercise is not fun to me but hard work and my body hurts as I try to get fit. Sure wish I got those endorphins my skinny friends love. (I think they lie about it actually). I only exercise because I know I should. Otherwise I’m pretty healthy and have a good liver blood count which is very important to me since my life choosing is WINE. The new thing I had no idea I had was a fibroid.
I must have had this fibroid for a long time. This is the first time I have been told I have a fibroid the same size as my uterus and it has been pressing on my bladder. No wonder I have to pee all the time. I have decided to call it Phyllis the Fibroid. I am also going to have a 2nd opinion in the states and then decide if I should have it removed. Will I return to Bangkok or stay in the states for removal? It’s hard to say at the moment. I do think medicine in Thailand is very superior and in some cases farther advanced than the states not to talk about cheaper. I’m just not sure I want to have surgery done in Thailand. Having a physical is one thing but having stitches and a fibroid is another thing. Also why does having a fibroid entail a 2 night 3 day stay in a hospital? I’ve had several friends have them removed on an outpatient basis. Hhhhmmm I do think you get pampered and have more pain relief drugs in Thailand.
