For a cheap price
It's time again to have PSA checked in my blood. In the absence of a prostate, the PSA value should be unmeasurable, or as is the norm in the Netherlands, less than 0,1. Last year I could just call the GP in Overloon, pick up a bulletin there, have blood drawn in Vierlingsbeek and call the GP 2 days later for the results. Now we have to investigate how that works here.
During one of our trips through the area, we saw that there is a specialized cancer hospital just outside Lampang. James, the artist who is painting a portrait of Mieke, lives nearby, so on the morning she poses I drive on to the hospital. It all looks just like the hospital in Chiang Dao where we did the health check for the driver's license a few months ago (http://opwegnaarthailand.blogspot.com).
I report to a kind of reception that I come for and am referred to counter 1. There I tell again what I'm here for, after which I can continue to counter 8. My details are recorded at this counter, including the names of my parents and Mike's phone number. The latter points you out nicely so that things can sometimes go wrong in a hospital.
Now I have to go to counter 6. The nurse shows me a chair near a blood pressure monitor as I also remember from Chiang Dao. I put my hand in, but soon bump into a stapler and tape machine stored inside. With a shy smile I am shown to the next chair. The blood pressure monitor there is empty, so my arm will fit through now. Then the nurse points a kind of pistol at my forehead, with which she seems to be able to measure my temperature. I'm still of the generation of a thermometer in your ass, so I'm impressed.
After height and weight have also been determined, I can go to counter 7. My papers will be stamped there and I will be forwarded to counter 9. I have only just sat down when I am told that I can sit down at consultation room 11/3 for a conversation with the doctor. I try to make it clear that I am only interested in the PSA value of my blood, but understand that it cannot be determined without prior consultation with the doctor.
A nice nurse opens the door of the consulting room for me and wants to let me go. However, the door can only open a little bit, so a somewhat awkward situation arises, but I still manage to get in. There I see why the door couldn't open any further. The consulting room is completely full of all kinds of stuff, including a complete bicycle, but somewhere in a corner I also see someone behind a table who apparently is the doctor. She says that the hospital does not have a prostate cancer specialty, but that they can measure PSA. That's exactly what I'm here for, and I really hope I never need to see a prostate cancer specialist again, so I kindly nod that I understand.
Back to counter 9, where I get a form with which I have to go to counter 4. There I have to pay 350 baht, after which I have to report to counter 5. In a small room behind counter 5, a tube of blood is finally drawn. Again counter 9 is the destination. There I am told that I can pick up the results at counter 8 in an hour and a half.
I use the time to pick up Mieke and have lunch together. Then we drive back to the hospital and report to desk 8. We are picked up by a nurse who takes us back to consulting room 11/3, where we squeeze through the half-open door together, after which the doctor gives us the good news: the PSA value is 0,0. Now I can go to desk 9 for a copy of the research report. The nurse hands it to me and says, "you may go home now." Yeaaaaa…. we can go home, with a good report. Nurses, doctor, blood sampler, analyst, they all dealt with me. And that for 350 baht (about a tenner). So that was really cheap.
What a hassle… I've been doing this for years at a small laboratory on the Naklua road near the fish market
Giving blood for 12 hours costs 1200 baht and he checks it on 30 points.. if you also want to measure PSA it costs 800 baht more
The same evening everything neatly by e-mail the results
Giving blood takes me 5 minutes and then get out of here
Much less fun to write a blog about 😉
near the fish market you say, can you also indicate an soi?
Willem
The name is Pattaya Clinic Laboratory
Address is 678/1 Moo 5
Succes
Sorry I forgot to mention also hand in a jar of urine because he also checks uric acid etc ... furthermore the standard things such as good and bad chloresterol, sugar etc etc
Eh 350 baht or 2000. I recently visited the hospital in Uttaradit because I looked around the waist for heat rash (chuffing of the waistband). I thought wounded straight to the dermatologist. So no.
Register first. Then wait your turn in a waiting room. Record blood pressure, weight and height.
Then forwarded to a large treatment room with up to 12 patients in an open space where a general doctor first comes to take a look.
Getting the comment from him is something for the dermatologist.
So please bring a note for the colleague.
There in the waiting room. Will the assistant ask for blood pressure, height and weight. Luckily I was able to tell her that.
Then to a dermatologist. Looked. Diagnosis and notes what to do. Oh keep it cool and dry.
Prescription for 2 types of cream and XNUMX types of tablets.
Now first to the checkout. Of course wait until we were allowed and pay. Bill total 135 bath. Research and medicine.
Take the receipt and the prescription to the pharmacy. After 15 minutes already ready to learn back home.
Present hospital at 8.00:13 am. Ready at XNUMX
15. Isn't it so bad without an appointment?
Very nice and friendly staff. I am often treated differently in the Netherlands and Belgium.
The problem is that only the level of the PSA says nothing or little about whether or not the patient has prostate cancer.
A too high PSA can also be caused by, among other things, a harmless inflammation, or a benign enlargement of the prostate, which is possible in many men from a certain age.
Even a longer bike ride can already cause an increase.
The biggest misery of an increase is that many urologists find it apparently financially lucrative and immediately advise a so-called biopsy.
A biopsy that cannot yet offer 100% certainty, and is also associated with risks.
As a patient with a high PSA value, even after a biopsy you still have an uncertainty, which can seriously damage the quality of life for some.
As a patient you can only hope for a urologist who gives honest advice, and who does not only think about his own finances.
Beats. You cannot make a diagnosis based on the PSA value, but at most you can include it as one of the elements in an overall picture. If your PSA is too high and continues to rise, it is a serious indication that something may be wrong. You also have to take your age into account. It is always wise to be well informed before you take any further steps.
Cf. You better not let me test you...!!!
80% of men have prostate cancer later in life… but do not notice it.
Read so many horror stories after surgery… incontinent impotent etc.
PV
My doctor always says that more men die with prostate cancer than die from prostate cancer.
Hello Francois and Mieke, at the last minute another positive story from you, so just a reaction, Mieke congratulations on your birthday, Jos gave us a book, don't forget????
Two more nights and we fly back to Chiang Mai, Marc will pick us up on Wednesday,, evening to the Riveriside, Judith has to work, then acclimatize, We hope to see you again soon, Muuskes cell phone as before 081 4730118, I assume that we are soon going to Lampaang, so please contact us. Keep it good, Hugs Muuske and John.
It is what FrancoisNangLae says, less fun to write a blog about this. But when I read the story like this and look at the counter numbers .I would almost say that the hospital wants to cheer you up a bit by making you feel in to be Pattaya….only you have to read “soi” in front of the counter.
Assume that in consultation room 11/3 mainly male staff were walking around….?
The PSA value can rise after the removal of the prostate, my prostate was removed 5 years ago, biopsy had shown that I did indeed have malignant cancer. the first 3 to 4 years the PSA value remained 0. Now the last 2 blood tests show that the PSA value is starting to rise again. Now next month I have to have a Galium PSMA scan done at the UZ in Antwerp to determine exactly where the cancer cells are located in order to determine exactly where I need to be irradiated.
I just wanted to point out that removing the prostate is NOT a guarantee that you are free from cancer.
MVGR
Robert
Funny how the discussion on a blog is always about a detail from that blog, and rarely about the main topic (in this case, the funny state of affairs in the hospital for Dutch eyes). For clarity:
– an elevated psa does not mean you have cancer. In conjunction with other data, it may be one of the clues that you need to do further research.
– testing is of little use if there is no reason for it. This does not only apply to PSA, by the way.
– indeed, more men die from prostate cancer than from prostate cancer, but that does not make it an innocent form of cancer. Your age and the aggressiveness of the tumor are important factors.
– indeed, the psa can rise after removal of the prostate. If you read the blog carefully you can see that that is exactly why I wanted to test. After removal of the prostate, an increase in the PSA is a serious indication that there are still cancer cells in your body. So testing for PSA is very useful in a number of circumstances.