Moving to Thailand

[ian1208]

'bouncing back' from a stint in the hospital is the best thing. Great read (again) and yes like Colin, made me smile.
Strange as it may seem to people here, I have no doubts about the quality of care in Thai hospitals. I spent seven days in a hell hole that is supposed to be Glasgow's best run hospital. When I was allowed to eat I simply couldn't. The refugees in Sudan, would have refused the food on grounds of being inhumane to eat.
When my doc asked about my urgency for flying and discovered where I was going, he actually said 'good health care in Thailand' and could see no problem if I needed to be looked at.
My only worry in LOS is the way or method they get you to hospital out there. I have seen people with injuries being literally thrown in trucks without due care to the potential patient.
Anyway stay healthy old chap. Perhaps will see you sooner rather than later.
Ian

[dan&ploy]

Ian 1: And it would have been completely free if I accepted the ward. The car park was free too and I forgot to mention that visitors seem free to come when they wished and they seem surprised that Ploy didn't stay overnight. There was a children's play area and computers on the floor I noticed as I left and it was for the visitors.

Ian 2: I saw the private health care in the UK and I didn't see this as very different. This was just a government hospital. The most important thing was they diagnosed and fixed me quickly and the doctors were friendly and explained everything. Hope to see you when you arrive.

[Harvey at home]

Hello Dan haven't been spending too much time on the forum recently but just read your report about your recent stay in hospital and am I glad that you are now feeling better.


Just for the record I was diagnosed with the same thing about 6 months ago in the UK and because it is apparently an age related thing the only advice was eat more slowly, (Chew your food more) take more carbs and plenty of stomach type exercises.


I used to get more than my share of unjustified bouts of the shizers, together with stomach cramps and apparently these symptoms were not caused by food poisoning but by partly undigested food lodging in those little baggy areas of the large intestine and then causing the bacteriological infection that was taken by me as eating some food that had been a bit off.

I occasionally suffer the same problems and if they have not totally dissapeared in say one week I resort to anti Biotics and they do the trick.

Touch wood I have not had the problem for over two months now so maybe the advice is working

[dan&ploy]

Yes Harvey, I put it down to food poisoning for a couple of days, especially as Ploy also had some stomach cramps the day after we had both eaten chicken together. Maybe that exacerbated the problem but it looks like something just waiting to happen.

I have looked on it as an opportunity to slightly change my routine. Less fried food when eating out, more fruit, less alcohol. I have always like my salad and vegetables anyway. I have even bought some AllBran but I doubt I will keep that up for long. I have realised that I have gone 7 days without alcohol now, the longest since I was a teenager I think. Do I feel better? I am not sure. But I have lost 3kg now and that has to be good.

[handyman]

Interesting Harvey ... The bit about eating slower ... I'm terrible for woofing my food down ... But I recently had a real bad stomach issue ... It spoilt a night out with friends in Pattaya ... Like you Dan I put it down to a bit of dodgy chicken I'd ate in a restaurant that night. Ended up with Sa having to drive us home and spending 2 days in bed ... Felt really bad ... I held off from the hospital visit ... Although for a while I thought I might have to go. If you don't get on with allbran Dan ... Weetabix is a good alternative ... And living in Thailand ... Well there is never any shortage of fresh fruit.

[dan&ploy]

Weetabix and cheese are my two Western food indulgences. But I thought I would try the AllBran just once even though the two strawberries in the packet photo hardly enhance its appeal.

As Harvey says it is an age thing but also diet, (although, as usual, I see there is argument over that depending where you read). But the doctor said to me that he sees few Asians with the problem as their diet has much more fibre. Some Internet sites confirm that and it can't do much harm so I am just trying to eat (a little) more fibre.

Graphically the doctor explained it is caused by being a little constipated and pushing too hard to eject the waste matter. You can eat what you like but you need to give your intestines an easier time of things.

[brian99]

As I have this as well and know I only developed it since coming to live here is there something about the expat life style that gives rise to it? Certainly in my case it could be lack of exercise, too much drinking and lack of roughage. The whole wheat bread tops and 7/11 sell is nothing of the sort, white rice has no roughage either.

[dan&ploy]

I think you are right Brian. Brown rice is better than white rice for fibre content, (if you don't eat Thai rice here I think you get publicly flogged), getting good bread as you say. Yet Asian people don't seem to suffer as much. I wonder why?

I thought my diet was OK but obviously not. It has been a good wake-up call anyway with little harm done.

[handyman]

Can't say I've looked since I've been here .. But back in the UK I used to buy a bag on natural bran .. Then sprinkle it on my Weetabix .. Just to boost the fibre up a a bit ... I get whole-wheat bread ... Either in Tesco's or 7-11 ... Not sure if its as good as wholemeal ... But must be better than the plain white bread. On the rice front .. We buy two different types ... And mix together. They come in vacuum packs ... Really nice ... One is called Organic Trio Cargo ... In a Gold pack ... And Organic Hommau Brown Rice .. In a green pack. I think the best investment I made since I have been here is a decent cross-trainer ... Its easy on the joints ... And do 30 minutes each morning ... Mon -Fri. It helps with the weight control ... I put on weight so easy ... When my friend came over at Christmas ... I put on 8 kilos in 16 days !!! Then it takes about 3 months to get that weight off !!!! I guess I'm unlucky as they're is a fat man always trying to get inside me ...

[dan&ploy]

I guess I'm unlucky as they're is a fat man always trying to get inside me ...

Unwelcome attention is a pain. Get a restraining order.

[jimmbo60]

I thought straining caused the problem

[Marcus]

Hi Dan,
Hope you're feeling much better now!
Thanks for the link to the wiki article.
I notice that eating meat is a major cause of this condition!
Wikipedia: Diverticulosis Risk Factors:

1. increasing age
2. constipation
3. a diet that is low in dietary fiber (contradicted by the latest study)
4. high intake of meat and red meat
5. connective tissue disorders (such as Marfan syndrome) that may cause weakness in the colon wall
6. hereditary or genetic predisposition

All the best and enjoy your veggies!

[handyman]

Thanks for pointing out the risk factors Marcus .... Oh well another joy to look forward to as I get old

[brian99]

Hi Dan,
Hope you're feeling much better now!
Thanks for the link to the wiki article.
I notice that eating meat is a major cause of this condition!
Wikipedia: Diverticulosis Risk Factors:



All the best and enjoy your veggies!

I was told not to eat much meat. When I told the nurse I had not had any for 40 years she seemed a bit disappointed. I would go with the roughage idea, but apart from that like so many other things it's probably genetic.

[the_link]

When I told the nurse I had not had any for 40 years she seemed a bit disappointed.

Smoked bacon and egg sandwich with a splash of brown sauce, brian, and you'll be in seventh heaven.

[Phetchy]

Sorry chaps, but when I went back to the UK a couple of years ago, my mum thought I was in need of a bit of building up.

The Audrey Hepburn connection might get Wolfy ready for his first breakfast at the Little Wonder.

[jimmbo60]

DSC_0253.jpg

Is this balanced enough, or heading for trouble

[the_link]

We're having ribeye tonight with homemade mushroom sauce, asparagus, chips and fried tomato.

Our diet in the UK consists of roughly 80% Thai-style food, I say Thai-style, as it's not quite the same as there, and the difference English. Good balance for us.

[Phetchy]

Wherever that pub was that you had your steak and chip(s) was Jimmbo, get back in there and offer them twenty quid for that table with the curly legs made by the famous Irish carpenter, Jac O'Bean. This time next year Rodders, we'll be millionaires!


http://www.onlinegalleries.com/art-a...de-table/99263

[jimmbo60]

Phetchy
My steak, my cooking, my table.
and I didn't pay twenty quid for it much much much less

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Antiques Road Show here I come