[Helicobacter Pylori]

13 minutes ago, gargamon said:

Someone asked and I didn't see a clear response.

 

What is/are the test(s) that can determine if someone has HP? 

 

Yes, you can get an endoscopy and they can take samples, but that seems quite cumbersome and likely expensive. There's apparently a breath test, and maybe other mechanisms able to determine whether the bacteria is present.

 

So if someone knowledgeable could tell the tests, and which are available in Thailand, and maybe the estimated cost, it would be greatly appreciated.

1. Urease breath test (important to stop PPIs if on them beforehand, preferrably for 2 weeks)

 

2. Stool test (antigen or PCR. Usally antigen). Not as widely available here as breath test but large hospitals can do. (Ditto re PPI). 

 

There is also a blood test (serology) but it is not as accurate as the 2 above and cannot distinguish current from past infection. 

 

3. I seem to remember paying about 2k for urea breath test. I don't know for stool test but might be 1-2 k. (Private hospital rate). 

 

 

[Detached retina treatment]

Glad to hear you got it attended to, and in time.  

[Lithium - Which Brands Are Available?]

7 hours ago, David Rudd said:

 

 

7 hours ago, David Rudd said:

Hi Sheryl I have been taking pridel modified release for over 30y 800mg know moving to Hua hin I understand you cannot get can you help please 

 

You need to discuss with your pyschiatrist and explain to him that in Thailand only short acting forms of lithium 300 mg are available. Priadel is sustained release so not the same. Your doctor might advise to switch to a different medication or to switch to short acting lithium on a different dosage schedule. In either case, best to make the change and get stabilized on it before moving to Thailand.

 

I think you mean sodium vaproic acid not sodium valpuratte.  This is available in Thailand in both immediate and sustained release. It is essential to know exactly what dose and type you are on.

 

While these drugs in Thailand do not require a prescription, you should   be under care of a psychiatrist to monitor blood levels and adjust as needed.

 

The best source for that from Hua Hin is the government pysch hospital in Thonburi

 

https://www.somdet.go.th/

 

It will be about a 2 1/2 drive or bus ride from Hua Hin. Best to use their after hours clinic rather than public channel, the doctors are more senior and in less of a rush. 

 

 

 

 

[Institute of Dermatology (Bangkok), how to get a new lesion assessed]

Public channel is only Mon - Fri. After hours clinic includes Saturdays.

 

After hours costs much more. Also be aware that many treatments are nor available after hours. Mainly you can just do consultation. So depending on what you need you might have to come back during public hours for it. But being seen privately can expedite  getting appointment for procedures during publuc hours. 

[Helicobacter Pylori]

2 hours ago, cooked said:

Many of us would disagree. Weetabix is not good for the digestion, meat is. You have a disease of the digestive tract, sounds like a digestion problem to me. You can completely change the wildlife living in your digestive tract by changing your diet.

He does not have a digestion problem or GERD.

 

He has an esophageal condition and h. Pylori was found incidentally after endoscopy to dilate a strictured esophagus.

[Moving older Thai children to the UK]

7 hours ago, Phuyai said:

If both children were to attend a school in Bangkok before applying to migrate to the UK, then:

* the older child would be close to this magic age of 18 after graduation - requiring a visa application that is not under a family unit option?

* If higher education study is contemplated for the younger child, then the 3-year qualifying UK residence period applicable for non-international fee admission (mentioned by @richard_smith237) may suggest moving to complete school education in UK?

Yes the clock is ticking.  To my understanding not possible to get family visa once 18. 

 

For the qualifying residence period, always possible to take a gap year or two. For that matter cannot assume time needed to complete secondary studies won't be longer upon switch to UK schools.  Indeed unless they have been in very good private schools I would expect it to need 1-2 years additional time, and that is assuming already fluent in English. 

 

It is the age if the older child that is the limiting factor here. 

 

So unfortunately OP needs to decide one way or the other pretty soon.

 

 

[Moving older Thai children to the UK]

36 minutes ago, theblether said:

 

Do not, under any circumstances, seek an area with a "substantial Thai population." They are overrun with a demographic that any decent Thai family would avoid like the plague. 

 

"Thai rak Thai" is a nonsense in the UK. No decent Thai woman flies 6000 miles to consort with rotten-hearted hookers. 

I did not say "substantial". Just enough Thais that they can have at least a few Thai friends/classmates. There are middle class neighborhoods in the UK with Thais -- middle class Thais, hardly "rotten hearted hookers". I am staying in one right now.

[Moving older Thai children to the UK]

On 4/21/2024 at 6:36 PM, MangoKorat said:

 

Even if he was to try and move his wife and kids to the UK, he would have a very hard time getting a visa for the 16 year old.  Even the 13 year old wouldn't be so easy.  UK Immigration don't give a hoot about splitting families up. The older kids are, the harder it gets.

 According to UK gov website no issue until age 18. Below 18, whether age 1 or 16, same same.

 

He will of course have to meet the financials, and wife and each child are a separate visa application.

 

In terms of the kids' adjustment, I would recommend settling in an area with a Thai population, there are a fair number of them.

[Has anyone heard of a new law ??]

1 hour ago, iian23 said:

Something is going on, I know someone who has just been refused travel from UK (airline supposed to have contacted Bangkok immigration to confirm) having  travelled on exempt 2 times in the last year. Below from London embassy site. The first line says only 2 entries per year with no explanation but then further down it sepecifies by land and sea.

 

 

Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme

 

UK ordinary passport holders can travel to Thailand without visa for no longer than 30 days (maximum 2 times/year).

 

All UK travel documents (Refugee/Emergency) must apply for the visa before traveling to Thailand.

        - Foreigners entering Thailand by any means under the Visa Exemption scheme are required at the port of entry to have proof of planned travel (confirmed air, train, bus, or boat tickets) to leave Thailand within 30 days of the arrival date. Otherwise, a visa must be obtained before entering Thailand.

        - For traveling to Thailand by land and sea, UK ordinary passport holders are eligible for Visa Exemption Scheme with a maximum of twice in a calendar year. 

going on, I know someone who has been refused travel from UK having  travelled on exempt 2 times in the last year.

Having made 2 prior exempt entries is unlikely to be reason for airline refusal to board.

 

Airlines do not usually thumb through  prior history. They just refer to IATA listed requirements which are:

 

1. Return on onward flight within 30 days. (Usual reason for refusal). 

 

2. Passport valudity of at least 6 months and citizen of country eligible for visa exemption.

 

 

 

 

[Polish man falls to his death from 62-metre cell tower in Surat Thani]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

I would do the bloods on the autopsy first - telling someone their relative died from a depression suicide may well be different to saying he was so stoned he thought he could fly

It takes a month or more to get toxicology results. They can hardly delay that long to notify family of the death. 

[Polish man falls to his death from 62-metre cell tower in Surat Thani]

An insensitive post has been removed. 

[Non-O leave on vacation]

Unless what you have is a multi-entry  visa that will still be unexpired(visa date, not date stamped in for), you cannot return under that visa unless you first get a re-entry permit. Otherwise you have to start the visa process all over.

 

No such thing as being allowed one re-entry without re-entry  permit.

 

Visas are never renewed on entry nor can they be renewed incountry. Multiple entry visas (which can only be obtained abroad) will generate a new permission of stay when you leave and re-enter during the period of visa validity as stated on the original visa stamp.

 

Where did you get your non-O and is it really non-O or non-OA? What exactly does the original visa stamp say? 

[Has anyone heard of a new law ??]

IOs receive generic instructions to make sure people are not living in Thailand without an appropriate visa. Periodically this message is ramped up but-- typically for Thai government  proclamations -- without clear, objective criteria for making that dermination. So IOs (and their local supervisors) are left to wing it.

 

Many but not all do seem to use "more than 180 days a year" as a yardstick for the  point at which the person might be taken aside for further questioning and possibly barred from entry if IO not satisfied with the responses.

 

 Their computer system readily shows them durations of stay and it is usually time in country not number of trips that cause concern for air entries. Basically they want to be sure you are really a tourist and not actually living in Thailand without proper visa.  But given the vagueness of the instructions they get, and the natural  variations in IO mood and degree of zeal, odd things  sometimes happen.

 

They will usually take into account residence in the region if you can prove it (e g. Long term visa for a nearby country) though you might have to explain it as well as why you like to come to Thailand often. 

 

Things like back to back entries and long stays are likely to raise concern. But it is hit and miss, hence there continue to be people living here full time on strings of visa exempt and visa entries  leading to periodic campaigns to stop this by telling IOs to be more "vigilant", leading to more confusion and erratic decisions. 

 

Concrete rules would actually be better IMO but that just doesn't seem to be the style here. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Has anyone heard of a new law ??]

Therw has long been a restriction on land border entries visa-exempt (2 a year).  Does not apply to residents of neighboring countries. And does not apply to entries by air.

 

 

[Married in California, uncontested divorce wife in thailand]

Moved to the appropriate forum.

 

 

[Non Immigrant O - return ticket]

Return ticket is not needed for visa holders. Only those coming vusa exempt. 

[French national apprehended in Bangkok on kidnap charge]

On 4/20/2024 at 4:10 AM, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Yes, But the clincher might be the fact that she admitted to entering Thailand illegally.

Diersten further claimed to have met the Lebanese man in Dubai previously and explained her failure to report her entry into Thailand was due to safety concerns.

It is not really clear what is meant by "failure to report her entry".

 

Might simply mean no TM30 filed.

[Throat doc sought]

8 hours ago, saintdomingo said:

 

The CT Scan, is that the one where you are in a tube and the top end finishes vary close to your head.? If that's it I had one years ago and was not keen.

You may be remembering an MRI. CT also involves being in a sort of tubular device but a bit larger and without the metallic noises.

 

Anyway cannot be avoided as it sounds like you have a mass. 

[Throat doc sought]

53 minutes ago, Puccini said:

Aren't 20k for a CT scan at St. Louis hospital a bit hefty?

Nor if it is with contrast, which is probably the case. 

[Contraceptive implants in Pattaya, any clinics?]

Yes, free for Thais. Any government hospital can do it.

 

PrIvate hospitals can also do it but of course that costs.

 

While there is at least 1 Gyn clinic in Pattaya I am doubtful it does implants. 

 

I would recommend any woman considering implants to have first used either progestin only pill or injectable  to make sure it suits as it is a bit of a hassle to remove the implants. (The medication in progestin-only pills and in the injection are same as in the implant). 

 

 

[Detached retina treatment]

3 minutes ago, 3STTW said:

@Sheryl I went to the Eye Clinic at BPH Pattaya and had a sight test, eye pressure test, blood pressure test and an inspection by a clinician who decided she wasn't an opthamologist on that occasion. I have a feeling she may have been filling in over Songkran.

Hence the advice to make a later appointment.

It remains the best advice to go to Rutnin.

 

Failing that you could try a trip to A&E at BPH. Not the Eye Center -- A&E.

 

 

[Detached retina treatment]

24 minutes ago, 3STTW said:

Okay, thanks for all the informed replies. What I have is a myriad of tiny dots and circles, along with strings of 'shower hair' for want of a better description. However, my peripheral vision seems to be okay and my near/far vision is blurry but still fairly good.

@Sheryl, I also read that it should be a medical emergency but BPH didn't have anything available until 25/4. I'm booked in.

@treetops @Mike Lister Thanks for the info. I have no 'curtaining' so I'll wait for the appointment and get it sorted out.

 

Bi

As it sounds like more than a single floater and occurred suddenly I suggest you go directly to Rutnin in Bangkok. It is a dedicated eye hospital. 

 

Out of curiousity  did you actually go to A&E at BPH or just call?  The people who field phone calls are usually just clerks without medical training and making appointments is about all they do. 

[Chiang Mai Geriatric Hospital]

2 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

 

Make an appointment to see Dr Morgan at the Healthcare Medical Centre that is almost directly across the road from Geriatric hospital.

 

For the kind of non-specific feeling well OP describes this is an excellent suggestion. Dr. Morgan is one of the few doctors in Thailand who provide GP-like services and she can do some additional tests/exams, rule out some problems and then help direct you to the most appropriate specialist if needed.

[Detached retina treatment]

Moved to health forum.

 

Retinal detachment is an emergency.

 

However from what you say, you might just have age-related floaters. These are common and usually require no treatment (and as annoying as they seem, your brain will soon learn to ignore them).

 

New onset of floaters does warrant a retinal exam but it is not as super urgent as  classic signs of detachment would be (flashes of light, reduction in visual field, blurred vision). If any of the former occur, go straight to an emergency room of a large hospital.

[Helicobacter Pylori]

Everyone doe not have h. pylori. But it is common, current estimate is 35 - 40% of the world's population.

 

https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(23)05687-1/fulltext

 

Prevalence is higher in developing countries due to poorer hygiene conditions. Can be as high as 95% there.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6632043/

 

HP infection can vary by severity.  When they test for it, either by biopsy or breath test, the results give an indication of the bacterial count (often just shown as plus signs). The higher the count the more likely to be symptomatic.

 

Prevention is basic hygiene and safe water. Especially important  is hand washing before food preparation and before eating.

 

Treatment has already been discussed in this thread and OP is already on treatment. It is strongly recommended to repeat test for HP after completing treatment as there is sometimes resistance and re-treatment may be necessary.