bangkokcritter

Hi, This is my first posting. I'm seriously considering giving myself a lap band as a birthday present to myself. I'm an expat living in Thailand, where the medical care is outstanding and reasonably priced. I'll be checking out hospitals this weekend - there are 3 that actually do the procedure. Since there aren't any books here about the Lap Band, I'm relying mostly on the Internet (though I have ordered a couple of books from Amazon) for all my information. I guess my biggest concern is longterm success and side-effects. Any pearls of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!

Hello Pastor Raymond, I'll be visiting two of the three hospitals and "interviewing" the surgeons in about 10 days (I teach at a university, and we are in the middle of finals). Bumrungrad is the most famous of the three - Sixty Minutes did a report on them (I'm sure you can find the transcript on google). I had my knee surgery there - excellent hospital, but on the expensive side, at least for Asia. They get most of their patients from Medical Tourism. My biggest complaint is that they have gotten a bit too big for my taste. It is a very luxurious hospital - they even have room service!!!! Starbucks anyone? You will be assigned a pretty 'hostess' who speaks your language and she'll accompany you through the maze of the hospital as you go from department to department to get your various tests. The rooms are wonderful, more like an hotel than a hospital. The other two hospitals cater more to the rich Thais and expats. I'm probably leaning towards one of these two, but will know more after I meet with the doctors. The care is on par with Bumrungrad, but less luxurious and less expensive. I've gone to BNH for dental care and was very impressed. I've had friends who have been hospitalized at both and were very happy. If you can wait till mid-July, I'll give you a complete report of my impressions of both the doctors and facilities. Cristina

Hi, The medical care in Bangkok is excellent. I had knee surgery here a couple of years ago and was very impressed by the care I received. As far as the cost of the lap band procedure, I'm in the process of getting all the information. I'll pass it along as soon as I get it. The three hospitals that I'm seriously considering are: Bumrungrad, Samitivej, and Bangkok Nursing Home (BNH). They all have websites, so you can google them and even email them. Language isn't a problem - almost all the doctors who work in these hospitals have studied in an English speaking country. Most of the nurses speak English as well. The one thing I really like about the hospitals here is that they really pamper you. Unlike the States where they ship you home asap, in Thailand, they will probably keep you as in-patient for a few days. The cost of a hospital isn't expensive (compared to the US). If you want any kind of info from Thailand, let me know. Since I live here, I can probably answer most of your questions.

Hi, Thanks for the speedy reply. I can understand your concern about medical care in Asia, but in some countries (Thailand, Hong Kong, and Singapore) the care is as good as the States and a good deal cheaper. I had knee surgery here about 2 years ago - both the surgeon and the care I received were outstanding. Actually, almost all the doctors in the private hospitals here have studied either in the States, Canada, or the UK and more often than not are board certified in these countries. I hope you don't mind if I ask some questions. If one isn't ever hungry, how does one know if we are eating enough or getting the proper nutrition? When one reaches one's goal weight, how does one 'stop' losing weight? Can one be a vegetarian and still have the lap band? Why can't we drink and eat at the same time? I'll be using this site as my support - I'm sure there are no support groups here! I see you are from the New York area - me too!!! I was born and raised in New York!!! Again, thanks.