Hospital visit cost?

[mLink]

I live in Shenzhen and have been trying to get over stomach problems for almost a year now. I think its time I give up on the mainland. The docs here told me I have acid reflux disease, gastritis or both. I've bought their meds, tried different combinations of different ones, and it just keeps evolving into different feelings of bad. Does anyone recommend a hospital to go to? I don't have insurance is another problem, so if you know how much it might cost that would be good, but hard to know so any info would be appreciated. I can't deal with heartburn everyday anymore, it's driving me crazy..

[KnowItAll]

mLink - have you tried Zantac - worked like a charm for me and still works well.

If you're from the US or know someone there .. you can get it really cheap, off the shelf.

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranitidine )

Also, are you sure you need a hospital and not a private doctor? Chances are if you walk into an out patient department you're going to get stuck with whatever doc happens to be on rotation - some good, some not so good.

[mLink]

I'd love a private doctor. I'm just used to shenzhen and I really know nothing of how things are done in HK. Here in the mainland, if you need a doc you go to the hospital I have been trying so many pills and powders that i don't know the name of, both western meds and Chinese meds. Not once was it Zantac though. I'm definitely up for trying it, but i think i want to be assessed by some real doctor first since these people here apparently can't get the job done. Who knows how bad my stomach is at this point, Zantac might not be strong enough So private doctor wise, anyone you personally recommend? Thank you for the quick response. This is really frustrating.

[KnowItAll]

Couple of options - Canossa Outpaitent department (costs around $190 during regular hours 9-6 weekdays and 9-1pm on saturday and then increases). I'll check on one of the doctors, nice malaysian guy who takes a healing approach over .. stuff the punter with anti-biotics - which is common in HK.

I also recommend Brian Walker ( http://www.dr-walker.hk/about/?page=about ) who tends to take a better approach to chronic problems like yours. Not sure what his charges are .. I'd think they're close to $500-800 per consult.

[mLink]

Thanks for the help and info, I eagerly await the info on the Malaysian guy So you had/have acid reflux? How often do you get the symptoms of it? After using Zantac have you been able to return to eating and drinking some of the bad things like tomatoes and coffee?

[KnowItAll]

Was never a chronic issue for me ... a couple of things seem to cause the problem.

It did get bad on trips to Korea .. but that I blame squarely on the diet (beef, kimchi and soju)...

Needless to say that I now travel with a bottle of zantacs.

[shilo507]

Can't advise you on a hospital I'm afraid but
Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD) is pretty common and as I am sure you are aware can be worsened by stress, spicy food, alcohol etc.

I assume you have tried over-the-counter antacids such as Gaviscon which is certainly available in some of the larger Watson and Manning stores in HK? I find the liquid Gaviscon better than the tablets.

Not sure really what a hospital can do apart from giving you a barium meal and an endoscopy.

Try a combination of a liquid antacid, avoiding eating late at night and raising the head of the bed with books about 10-15cm to prevent acid from refluxing.

I spent a fortune last year at St Paul's Hospital in Causeway Bay HK presenting with severe sore throats each time caused by acid reflux and the idiots told me that I had to have a tonsillectomy which I really did not fancy (I had no insurance) and was referred to an ENT specialist. I had 3 courses of broad-spectrum anti-biotics of ever-increasing strength to no avail. I cut out the late nights and beer, took no food within a few hours of sleeping and tracked down a bottle of trusty Gaviscon and within a few days I was fine.

I am not saying it will work for you but certainly worth a try. All the best.

[mLink]

I gave up drinking since January, gave up eating and drinking the most known foods to cause GERD, I don't eat past 8, lost 50 pounds in the hopes that would relieve pressure around my stomach. There's still more I can do, but you'd think after that, this problem would have improved no? Definately am stressed and I know of the effect of it. I sometimes wonder if I just go home to the states for a while if it will just go away(me being away from home for a while is a big source of stress for me). Never tried this Gaviscon, but I will read up on it and maybe make a trip in for it if the doc thinks I should go with it. Oh and I already did an endoscopy...god was that horrible. Looks like I may need another if I'm gonna go with HK docs to see how bad it has gotten. Thanks for the info though.

[shilo507]

Yes - endoscopy's aren't the most pleasant experiences in the world.

Stress may well be the cause of your condition. Definitely worth a trip into Hk one weekend to get Gaviscon. I believe there was a thread about Gaviscon a few weeks ago on this board and where to buy it in HK. I know Mannings and Watsons in Hennessy Road HK Island sell it but check out the previous thread on the subject. All the best