Andy has been back in the UK for less than 2 weeks. He has registered with a GP, been seen by 2 doctors, had various tests, is being treated for an infection and is now waiting for results. I would call that a result.

charlie

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:33 pm Trat has a bangkok hospital, less than 2 hours from his home in Koh Kong....
which is where i told him to go BUT....... now he is at least getting a home visit and seeing the reason WHY he left the UK in the first place LOL
so anyone in KK, SNV, Kampot, Kep.... thats the best place to head
Just make sure u haven't used ur free 2 visa exempt land borders entries yet that year

I know that Trat has one as has Chantaburi etc. The biggest of the chain seems to be the one in Pattaya. Problem is, they will skin us like any of the others will do. Same company, same rip off.

Depending on condition I would always try to get to the military hospital in Sattahip. Thai provincial hospitals, i.e. the main hospital for the province as opposed to those serving districts, are usually not bad. Some big institutions in BKK, Philok, for instance, compare more than well with private ones. Actually, they are a class better.

The hint with the 2 overland entries is important. I had that problem in 2017 and it stayed in the back of my mind for those long months until we got to 2018. Kampot to Trat takes some time. from 8 Am to about 3 pm if one takes the arranged transfer. People can edge out up to 1 hr if they book only to the border and take the first van from there to trat. If taxi, of course, much better (both sides).

I just read another horror story about those SHV hospitals. Those 'physicians' almost succeeded in killing one more foreigner with their obvious stupidity/wrong diagnose. They diagnose those illnesses they can offer paid services for. Why not let a person die if you can money? Sending the person on is like sending money out of the door. Just make up a story and start billing. I m surprised that these people are still walking around. The concept of vendetta is little developed. Hearing this latest case I should put aside a sum in my will, just in case.

epidemiks wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:44 pm

Pizzalover wrote:Perhaps we need to highlight one aspect of Andy's story before we all forget it. He got an infection from the Kampot hospital.

Did he? I don't recall that claim, only that a Kampot hospital found a lump.

10-30% develop a UTI after using a catheter for 2-4 days, and for long time use it goes op to 90-100%, so I don't think the Kampot Hospital is to blame here.

"Once a catheter is placed, the daily incidence of bacteriuria is 3-10%".

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2040035-overview

Thanks for the info.

Do they make catheters to shove up the ass and drain away a persons shit ?

Duncan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2018 3:56 pm Do they make catheters to shove up the ass and drain away a persons shit ?

Spoiler:

I'd like to donate some to some ceo and k440 forum members

Have your used ones been effective?

that genius wrote:

Duncan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2018 3:56 pm Do they make catheters to shove up the ass and drain away a persons shit ?

Spoiler:

I'd like to donate some to some ceo and k440 forum members

Have your used ones been effective?

Called a rectal Foley!

Kammekor wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2018 3:19 pm

epidemiks wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:44 pm

Pizzalover wrote:Perhaps we need to highlight one aspect of Andy's story before we all forget it. He got an infection from the Kampot hospital.

Did he? I don't recall that claim, only that a Kampot hospital found a lump.

10-30% develop a UTI after using a catheter for 2-4 days, and for long time use it goes op to 90-100%, so I don't think the Kampot Hospital is to blame here.

"Once a catheter is placed, the daily incidence of bacteriuria is 3-10%".

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2040035-overview

The Kampot hospital had to put in a catheter immediately because my bladder was so full. It was around 14+ hours since I passed urine. Also, the doctor told me only one week for the catheter or I would have infection. At the hospital they had not picked up on the prostrate, but a tumour in my bladder. Also, I would recommend this hospital for more minor treatments. The Khmer doctors wanted me to see the urologist in PP. So, privet ambulance to PP. Where once in the hospital the doctor would not see me, even though it was all arranged with him. All I can think about this, is I had no insurance. I did have cash and the means to pay for his service. I was taken to another hospital, but no doctors could see me due to the new year holidays. I took the advice of the western doctor at Kampot to go back to my country. My Khmer partner was also very concerned about the cost of treatment in her country. One of her family members had been very ill lately and had paid so much money in PP. He was quite well off regarding money, and lived in PP. He ended up going for treatment in Vietnam, but unfortunately died shortly on his return.
Thailand would have been probably the better option. One member/good friend here on CEO offered to help me with costs at a Thai hospital. I could not thank him and his partner enough. But I am a proud man and always paid my own way in life.
But now I know more about the hospitals in Thailand due to posters. Should have made time to go. But taking advice from the western doctor I made the choice to go back to my own country. It's been a very difficult time and journey. But now I am here and being cared for. I have no bad words for the NHS in my country. I only hope it's sorted soon so I can return to Cambodia.
This is certainly a wakeup call for anyone who may develop an illness.

AndyKK wrote: ↑Sun Jan 14, 2018 5:32 pm Where once in the hospital the doctor would not see me, even though it was all arranged with him. All I can think about this, is I had no insurance. I did have cash and the means to pay for his service. I was taken to another hospital, but no doctors could see me due to the new year holidays.

I would be interested to know where the doctor refused to see you. I can understand the unavailable doctors due to new year. This occasionally happens with specialists, because there are not many and often they are visiting other areas. I have always been lucky however I once had to wait 2 days for second appointment with an ENT specialist as he was elsewhere in the country. I have never had problems with regard to payments, but they ask if I am happy with the costs of more expensive procedure such as skin graft with hospital stay ($1300) or CT scans ($200) for example.

I have used Central Hospital since it opened and been very impressed with the level of care and the competence of the staff. That is my first goto in any medical situation. They dealt with my skull fracture and subdural hematoma which was quite serious and also a serious foot trauma injury which had to be closed by "secondary intention" and took about 6months. The prices are very reasonable. If I need cardiovascular surgery and installation of a stent I could get it done there.

The A&E are pretty, cost for treatment starts from about $8/visit. There is a surgeon on call that can be there in an hour. He can also perform skin grafts if necessary, this usually requires a couple of nights in hospital. A friend of mine had a suspected heart condition. I actually "rung" the senior nurse on duty telling her of the problem. It took him 20minutes to get there and they had everything organised for his arrival including a Cardiologist to check him out.
http://www.central-hospital.com/ch/

Since money is a concern for most (including myself):

In the bad old days when I was still living in Thailand, I did my regular check up at a hospital of the Bangkok group. Sure, the reception was like a good hotel, the staff dressed like bank employees taking care of gold card customers, the docs spoke good English and made mistakes not all the time just regularly (at my cost). I never left the place under 3K baht or more.

Some years later I was upcountry and had a minor ailment. As it was anyhow time for the checkup I asked the provincial hospital if i could do that at the same time. I did have to wait in line, sitting instead of a couch with the Bankok Post before me, I was sitting on plastic chair. The whole environment was basic but clean, it was the outpatient section. Laboratory took also 30 min than at the Bangkok group hospital. The bill, which included more items than what I got usually done, was something like 380 Baht as opposed to 3K plus. I also had 2 prescription items that I had to pick up at the hospital's pharmacy. When I wanted to pay at the pharmacy I was told that the medication had been included in the 380 Baht.....

In other words, even if you do not have an insurance, even if your budget is not that great, there is no reason to skip on checkups. Go the Thailand. And even you're sick, do the same. Your dollar goes a long way in the Thai public system while private Cambodian clinics will rape you. They are not necessarily working for your health but their profit.

Thai docs were also very upfront about what is needed and what is an unnecessary expense. At private hospitals it is often like in a bar where the staff wants to bring you the next drink rather sooner than later.

The one thing that makes me wonder about Andy's case is that they did not catch the prostate problem. Blood in urine is usually associated with a very much enlarged prostate.

Andy I hope you will be well soon and that you book season tickets with a urologist for regular checkups. As said above: 99% survival if caught in time. Same for colon cancer. Maybe that is something to be looked at as well. In my home country the four major killers of men are: 1) Smoking 2) Drinking, fat food (heart attack) 3) prostate cancer 4) colon cancer.

All stuff we can avoid.