Back Surgery

Just wondering if anyone has had back surgery recently for lumbar spondylosis or similar,if so how did they get on and was it worth it,which hospital,etc.
I had an MRI scan yesterday (8000 baht at MRI Centre) and have been told i need surgery which will cost 200,000 baht.
Was wondering about getting it done in UK on NHS but as i have been out of the country for awhile and my last NHS doctor told me i could no longer be registered with him because of this, i suppose nobody will touch me.(good after you have paid in all your working life) Anyone know of a way around this?

I had a microdisectomy done last Dec. at Bumrungrad in Bangkok. This procedure is when they make a small incision in your back and remove a piece of herniated disc. I was almost suicidal with the pain before the operation and 100% pain free right afterwards. I have had to work at building up my back muscles for the last year with some discomfort in the process but I now live a good life again. The cost was about 150,000 baht total with the MRI and my Doctor was Dr. Sarapong. A great guy and a very good doctor. The hospital is clean and the staff were fantastic. I did all this in less than 2 days, in Canada it would have taken 2 or 3 years and I probably would have got an infection in the dirty poorly run hospitals there. If I were you I would go see them, Good luck.

Thanks for that.
I don't think i will have micro surgery as i have problems with three discs. The doctor who will be doing the surgery is at Udon hospital. I saw the hospital you recommend on the web and i think they charge about the same, not sure about Udon hospital though,might go and have a second opinion at AEK.

Thanks again

TicToc wrote:Just wondering if anyone has had back surgery recently for lumbar spondylosis or similar,if so how did they get on and was it worth it,which hospital,etc.
I had an MRI scan yesterday (8000 baht at MRI Centre) and have been told i need surgery which will cost 200,000 baht.
Was wondering about getting it done in UK on NHS but as i have been out of the country for awhile and my last NHS doctor told me i could no longer be registered with him because of this, i suppose nobody will touch me.(good after you have paid in all your working life) Anyone know of a way around this?

TicToc, IF you still hold a BRITISH Passport,then you are entitled to Medical aid in the U.K,Does'nt matter how long you've been away from the U.K,I Would Kick Up a Right Stink if I was ever refused......I Think I would even get the press involved.......

It is not that simple 747. If you are a white Anglo Saxon who was borne in the UK & have a British Passport that is no longer an automatic entitlement to free treatment under the NHS. Only, under very specific circumstances will you get treated for free. I have the official leaflet....I will try & copy & post it here, or if someone specifically wants a copy then if they PM me their e-mail I will send it on...

BobHelm wrote:It is not that simple 747. If you are a white Anglo Saxon who was borne in the UK & have a British Passport that is no longer an automatic entitlement to free treatment under the NHS. Only, under very specific circumstances will you get treated for free. I have the official leaflet....I will try & copy & post it here, or if someone specifically wants a copy then if they PM me their e-mail I will send it on...

Bob, Thanks for your reply, It's just that I STILL have the same GP as I've had for the past 18 Years in England,And My Doctor still prescribes all my medicine for me ( And I dont pay,due to being Diabetic )I Just send an e-mail telling The Doctor when I'm coming back ( Twice a Year ) and I collect it when I go back, Also I still have my Diabetic review twice a year at THIS Doctors...FREE

Yes Bob, that's how i understand it. My doctor said under the new laws if you are out of the country for more than three months you can no longer be registered under the NHS. I told him that i shall expect a full refund,he laughed.

I attempted to be completely honest with them when I needed some NHS help & that has proved to be a very foolish thing for me to have done...
Lie like mad is my advice!! No I am not being serious about that but it does madden me rather...
I am still paying income tax in the UK every month & they still insist that I am not entitled to free treatment, although I have confused them greatly with a plea for exemption under a little loop hole which has kept them thinking & quiet for the last month!!

Bob, Just to tell you, I have'nt had to lie to My Doctor at all,Infact each time I go to see her,I take her a small souvenir from Thailand.......I Do understand of course that should I ask her for a " Home " Visit this would prove rather difficult..

I think 747 Man's situation is somewhat different, to that being described. If my understanding is correct 747Man doesn't live permanently here in LOS., or at least he spends regular periods back in the UK working (and presumably also paying NIC's). Therefore he would and should continue to be entitled to receive free NHS treatment, unlike those who live and stay permanently in LOS, with only occasional brief return visits to the UK.

MAYBE Tic Toc could tell his Uk Doctor that he has now returned to the UK to live, at least until the next time he "visits" Thailand! .. And also make sure that any NIC's are up to date, if he hasn't yet reached retirement age.

Correct...........

How about ...... go back home, sign on the dole for a month or two, and then apply for the treatment. Failing that, go live in Delhi for a week or two before going home. (sorry Bob couldn't resist it ......... just joking)

Without wishing to suggest anything....UK nationals who have been outside the UK but in a EU country(ies) are perfectly entitled to receive NHS treatment. As far as I am aware no one employed by the NHS can demand to see your passport & you only have to 'prove' things if they decide that you need to pay & you want to dispute that. So if, for example purposes only, you had been staying in Spain for a couple of years & had now decided to come back 'home' because you missed it so much(yeah I know most people would have a problem keeping a straight face when saying that ) you would be 100% entitled to free NHS treatment...

Bob, Even when I come to live here on a permenant basis,I WILL if I need to go back there for any surgery that I may need......After all I'll still be a BRITISH Subject, And why should I pay thousands of pounds ( Which I dont have anyway ) Against say 600.00 Airfare.........

OR what about getting the treatment done in another EU country. The fact that you have a UK passport entitles you to treatment in the same way that EU nationals can get treatment in UK. By the time all the office wallas have done all the checking, you've had the job done, and are back home in Thailand