|
|
Post by mickjn on Feb 21, 2014 10:39:38 GMT 7
Greetings Lady's and Gentlemen
First to the Mods I am hoping I am posting in the right section if not could you please move to the right section.
I think I should give you a bit of information about myself before I start.I was put on the Disability Pension in 1998.In 1994 I had a brain tumour that was removed 3 times,5 operations on the head last one in 1998 with strong radiation and Doctor signed me of work and put me of the Disability Pension.I went alright for about 8 years then had a fall that left me right sided weakness and bruising on my brain but I got over it.I was coming to Land of Smiles two or three times a year for 30 days mainly a month sometimes two.I would always take enough PBS medicine to last me 2 months and a bit extra encase something happened to me and I ended up in hospital I know 3 of those medicines are not available in Thailand.The many times I have come to Thailand I have never been stopped because of medications and it is not on the card you fill in.When I returned to Australia I declared I had the medication.Sometimes they would let me go sometimes the would search my suitcase which was fair enough I have nothing to worry about.Last year I turned 65 and went once the OAP.Thats when they questioned me about my trips etc but it was sorted out pretty quick and everthing is going along good.I question I want to ask is this.Does anyone have to return to Australia for medication.My doctor said she will give me enough for 6 months on the PBS,does anyone know how long I would have to stay in Australia for.My doctor said I would just come and go but I was looking for other opiones.She said I could be help up for day if my Medicare Card or Pension Card had run out but DPS issue the card at the same office
If anyone has any thought on this I would appreciate hearing them
Thanks for taking the time to read my post
All the best
Mick
|
|
|
|
Post by Banjo on Feb 21, 2014 11:10:19 GMT 7
This sounds pretty much like what I was told when I went on the Age pension last year Mick.
Did the doctor mention how long it would take for your Medicare card to run out?
Centrelinks office can issue you a low income earners card as a temporary healthcare card immediately in theory, which you can use for prescriptions.
I got one when I was cut off a few years back.
Having to stay in Australia for a few days, or even several weeks will not effect your portability.
How carefully have you checked for Thailand availability?
|
|
|
|
Post by mickjn on Feb 21, 2014 11:33:54 GMT 7
This sounds pretty much like what I was told when I went on the Age pension last year Mick. Did the doctor mention how long it would take for your Medicare card to run out? Centrelinks office can issue you a low income earners card as a temporary healthcare card immediately in theory, which you can use for prescriptions. I got one when I was cut off a few years back. Having to stay in Australia for a few days, or even several weeks will not effect your portability. How carefully have you checked for Thailand availability? Hi Banjo Thanks for your reply The Doctor did not say but about my Medicare Card but the card I have now is valid until 2017.I am pretty sure they last 5 years.The new Pension Card comes every year so I would have to work it out that I am here in September Could you please tell me what you mean by Thailand avilabity Do you mean if I could get the tablets in Thailand instead of returning in Australia every 6 months or something else.Thanks for your help Banjo,all the best Mick |
|
|
|
Post by Banjo on Feb 21, 2014 11:45:26 GMT 7
Yes, I meant finding a source in Thailand.
|
|
|
|
Post by mickjn on Feb 21, 2014 12:11:32 GMT 7
Thanks Banjo,
Yes I went to the BKK Hospital in Pattaya and they could give me one of three, and expensive,Pattaya Memorial doesnt have any of the three.I am just a bit worried I am taking a lot of PBS Medicine out of Australia although I will have a Doctors letter.I do not mind coming back to Australia every 6 months as the medicine is expensive.Banjo do you think I am doing anything wrong.As far as I can see what I have read you can take enough out to last your trip but they do not say how long the trip will last is it 3 months is it 3 years.As I said the Doctor said she will give me letter for 6 months which suits me any less would be a bit of a headache eg having to return to Australia every 3 months would be making it hard
Mick
|
|
|
|
Post by Banjo on Feb 21, 2014 12:31:12 GMT 7
No, if you have the letter from the Doctor that should cover any concerns.
The reason I asked about the availability of the medication was that even if it was expensive you could probably still come out in front on what you would save on plane flights.
Australian doctors worry me a little as they really have to be persuaded to discuss alternative/different medication to their first choice, I suspect that this often involves deals with pharmaceutical companies.
|
|
|
|
Post by mickjn on Feb 21, 2014 13:49:18 GMT 7
OK I have a look around the net if I didn't have to come back that would be great.My mate is married to a lady that is very smart and my sons wife has a cousin that is a doctor and I know one of the girls that works at Fascinos in Pattaya pretty well.
|
|
|
|
Post by zorro1 on Feb 21, 2014 13:55:36 GMT 7
This might seem a bit to obvious but Why not have 2 doctors to supply you with 6 months each? Thats what I just did on my last trip and got 12 months worth
|
|
|
|
Post by mickjn on Feb 21, 2014 17:22:54 GMT 7
This might seem a bit to obvious but Why not have 2 doctors to supply you with 6 months each? Thats what I just did on my last trip and got 12 months worth Hi Sir Thanks for your reply.I would like to have a go believe me but to tell you the truth I am to scared.The 2 main tablets I take are anti epileptics.I am not epileptic but due to surgery on my brain they put me on the tablets.One is quite a big packet and other is not as big and there is another four,I think they would take up a lot of room in my case.Once when I was young I would have had no hesitation about having a go.The doctor that said she would give me the tablets isn't my principal doctor this is just a doctor I go to as my doctor is hard to get into but I could make an appointment and get them from him so that would give me 12 months.Also I have a specialist neurologist I go to once a year now I am thinking maybe he could give me 12 months,i will have to find that out. Could you please tell me how many different meds you are on and how much room they take in your case.If you were going to Land of Smiles did you just walked straight through I have never been stopped in Thailand.Also when you went to the two doctors you would have had the scripts filled at 2 different pharmacy's.How long did you get the medication before you went.Was this the first time.Thanks for all you help,all the best Mick |
|
|
|
Post by zorro1 on Feb 21, 2014 17:37:42 GMT 7
Mick Im on the same meds your on Lyrica/Gabba and I ordered max dose x max script for 12 months. I also ordered 20 packs of panadol osteo plus another 20 packs of assorted meds.
They took up 1/3 of a large suitcase and it was my first run with that amount and all I did was carry the original prescriptions, there really shouldnt be a problem but Im not 100% sure and I never been stopped and doubt I ever will.
"The doctor that said she would give me the tablets isn't my principal doctor this is just a doctor I go to as my doctor is hard to get into but I could make an appointment and get them from him so that would give me 12 months"
Are you sure you can get 12 from one doc? and you dont need to go to separate pharmacys either but make sure you pre order as they wont carry large amounts
|
|
|
|
Post by mickjn on Feb 21, 2014 18:35:19 GMT 7
Mick Im on the same meds your on Lyrica/Gabba and I ordered max dose x max script for 12 months. I also ordered 20 packs of panadol osteo plus another 20 packs of assorted meds. They took up 1/3 of a large suitcase and it was my first run with that amount and all I did was carry the original prescriptions, there really shouldnt be a problem but Im not 100% sure and I never been stopped and doubt I ever will. "The doctor that said she would give me the tablets isn't my principal doctor this is just a doctor I go to as my doctor is hard to get into but I could make an appointment and get them from him so that would give me 12 months" Are you sure you can get 12 from one doc? and you dont need to go to separate pharmacys either but make sure you pre order as they wont carry large amounts Thanks for your reply Sir I think you would be well in front of me.The Panadol Osteo are the same size as my biggest box of Kepra even bigger and Kepra are my biggest No I cannot get more than 6 months from one doctor I was just thinking maybe the Neurologist could give me 12 months is he is a specialist |
|
|
|
Post by aussieinusa on Mar 7, 2014 9:07:53 GMT 7
I am just a bit worried I am taking a lot of PBS Medicine out of Australia although I will have a Doctors letter.I do not mind coming back to Australia every 6 months as the medicine is expensive.Banjo do you think I am doing anything wrong.As far as I can see what I have read you can take enough out to last your trip but they do not say how long the trip will last is it 3 months is it 3 years.As I said the Doctor said she will give me letter for 6 months which suits me any less would be a bit of a headache eg having to return to Australia every 3 months would be making it hard Firstly, Mick, no you're not doing anything wrong, taking your meds overseas with you. Secondly, another option is to find out the full (non-PBS) cost of your meds here. For many, it's not too bad. Your doctor can write you as many non-PBS scripts as they think is necessary -- even a year or two's supply if they believe it's medically justified -- and you just pay full price for them. Call around a few chemists, including the nearest Chemist Warehouse, and ask them what price they could do for that many boxes of meds all bought at once; often they'll do you a pretty good deal. Your third option is to have PBS meds posted to you while you're overseas. This is legal, so long as they're exclusively for the use of an Aussie citizen traveling overseas -- i.e. you have to satisfy your doctor(s) that you're not 'diverting' (selling PBS-subsidised meds to someone else overseas), because they've all been warned about people taking some meds overseas with them for holiday spending money. Do you have any local family members you could have collect prescriptions and take them to the chemist for you? (You can probably organise to pay for your meds by phone using your credit card, so your family member doesn't have to.) And then take your meds to the post office? There are three downsides to having your meds posted over to you: 1. there's a lot of paperwork to get in order, and you have to have the complete bundle of paperwork with every package since you never know which ones will be opened and checked; 2. you have to make sure they're packed to be resistant to temperature changes so your meds don't go off in the mail (3 layers of bubble wrap sealed really tight works OK, or you can get special foil insulating packets); and 3. you're reliant on the postal services to get them to you on time. Aus Post are TERRIBLE -- I have literally had to delay travel plans and just sit around feeling rotten 'til they finally delivered parcels. They then 'investigated' and discovered it was my fault the parcel wasn't delivered in the promised 10 business days (more like 35) because if it was actually urgent I should've sent it via the 3 business day service. Wish I was joking! And I've heard many tales of packages disappearing from the post office in third world countries, though personally, I had no problems; it was always Aus Post causing the issues. Hope all that info helps. Getting meds overseas was one of the biggest issues for me, and apart from finding someone locally to prescribe them for you (which is pointless if your meds aren't approved in that country yet), the ones above are your best options. Sorry for the late reply; been sick and looking for somewhere else to live. |
|
|
|
Post by mickjn on Mar 10, 2014 12:06:46 GMT 7
Hi Sir
Thank you for answering my post.I am returning to Thailand soon.The doctor is going to write out for me 6 months of prescriptions.She will arrange with the chemist so that I can take the lot out in one go.I will go to Pattaya for 3 days and go to Fascinos where I have known the girl for quite a while and see it she can work something out for me.When I went to Thailand about 2 months ago I run out of blood pressure tablets,so I went to the lady and got them.When I went back to Australia the doctor took my blood pressure and it was very high.I showed the Thai tablets and she said no wonder it is high how many of these tablets are you taking.I said one she said no it is half the strength of the Australian once you should be taking 2.The Australian one costs me $6 month the Thai one was 600 baht and that was half strength so it might cost me double.I was looking at the price of the boxes the other day one was $400 and another was $600 for a months and I get the for $6 each in Australia.At the moment I can afford to come back to Australia but as I get older it will be expensive and a hard slog.The only other thing I can think of is going to BKK Hospital and seeing the Neuro and being admitted and changed the tablets to ones I could get in Thailand.
I hope you are feeling and bit better and up have found a place to live
Thank you
All the best
Mick
|
|
