My favourite pharmacy in Udon!

I always go to the one opposite Ban Hoy market.

The guy and his Filipino wife both speak good English and if they can't help you immediately, will always recommend that you go and see a doctor first vs. just selling you something that will probably be of no use or could even make your condition worse.

And that's what they recommended I do yesterday and today I'm very glad and relieved that I did and which is why I've started this post.

Good on 'em, both!

I dont like to go to any pharmacy as it usually means either me or my son are sick , the only thing i buy regular are from Boots in the compek are the ugly pills - they are excelent and work brilliantly . I did enquire ref some slimming tablets but was lost in translation and they gave me sleeping tablets - still a fat sod but had a great nights sleep boomboom

No No, Boots is for ladies! My favourite pharmacy is on 2nd floor (or is it 3rd) in the compek. Very friendy people. They always ask "anything else sir?" with a glimt in their eye.

Do you mean that "Vill (V) there (V) be (V) anything (V) else (V), sir?" (V) glint in their eye?

I have compared prices at 4 or 5 different pharmacies around town but have found that for my particular conditions (diabetes, high bp, heart disease, cholesterol and gout) I am financially better off buying my meds at AEK Udon after my regular doctor writes the prescripts. They also give a 10% discount when paying with an ATM card.

Polehawk, I can match you disease for disease except for the gout. I didn’t know that grout was a chronic condition requiring maintenance medication.
Anyway, I buy:
Glucofage (Metformin) 500mg for 2-3 bahts a tablet at Boots/Tesco
Simvastatin (generic Zocor) 40 mg for 10 bahts a tablet at Boots/Tesco; 6 bahts a tablet at the pharmacy across the road from Ban Hoy market.
Recently, I have been told here and also offline about a few pharmacies near the market across the street from Ngee Soon on the Phosri Road. Will check them out for the next batch.
Still looking for a local source for Prinivil/Lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor.
Within a few days, I will have a check-up for lipids, sugar, etc. Then I plan to see an internal medicine type for a medicine tune up. Would you recommend one for me.
I am also PMing you.

Alchai wrote:No No, Boots is for ladies! My favourite pharmacy is on 2nd floor (or is it 3rd) in the compek. Very friendy people. They always ask "anything else sir?" with a glimt in their eye.

That bloke's viagra sales must have nosedived since the recession and red shirts got rid of most of the sexpats!

Ray.Charles wrote:Polehawk, I can match you disease for disease except for the gout. I didn’t know that grout was a chronic condition requiring maintenance medication.
Anyway, I buy:
Glucofage (Metformin) 500mg for 2-3 bahts a tablet at Boots/Tesco
Simvastatin (generic Zocor) 40 mg for 10 bahts a tablet at Boots/Tesco; 6 bahts a tablet at the pharmacy across the road from Ban Hoy market.
Recently, I have been told here and also offline about a few pharmacies near the market across the street from Ngee Soon on the Phosri Road. Will check them out for the next batch.
Still looking for a local source for Prinivil/Lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor.
Within a few days, I will have a check-up for lipids, sugar, etc. Then I plan to see an internal medicine type for a medicine tune up. Would you recommend one for me.
I am also PMing you.

Ray, I answered your PM with my info on the BP and heart meds but Tritace (Altace) for BP is my most expensive one at 22.5 baht (after discount) per 5mg tablet. My Glucophage at 4 baht per tab and Simvastatin at 10 baht per tab are close to what you're paying although did notice that you also get the Simvastatins across from Ban Hoy at 6 baht each. Generally, I feel that if the prices of my meds are closely competitive with others around town then I will stick with the hospital pharmacy but do try to compare prices. I've been on Probenecid 500 mg for maintenance of the gout condition for a number of years. If you have ever had a gout attack then you might consider it a chronic condition.

My internist at AEK has been Dr Aram for past 4 years and I'm satisfied with him. He does a good job of monitoring bloodwork (including A1C) bi-monthly and all other necessary tests.

polehawk wrote:Do you mean that "Vill (V) there (V) be (V) anything (V) else (V), sir?" (V) glint in their eye?

Exactly Polehawk, said with a "V" shaped mouth.

Joking aside, I do buy my blood sugar monitoring supplies from this pharmacy (Somchak's on the 2nd floor?). The owner speaks good English and is very knowledgeable. Believe his family owns a couple of other pharmacies around town including the one across from Ban Hoy market.

And he has never offered to sell me Viagara.

Jack, my Probenecid 500mg tablets cost 4.5 baht each after the AEK discount. Developed a kidney stone and my doctor says prolonged use (2 per day for 15 years in my case) of the Probenecid may be the cause of it so will be changing my prescript next visit. Not sure yet what it will be but could be the Allopurinol.

pienmash wrote:I dont like to go to any pharmacy as it usually means either me or my son are sick , the only thing i buy regular are from Boots in the compek are the ugly pills - they are excelent and work brilliantly . I did enquire ref some slimming tablets but was lost in translation and they gave me sleeping tablets - still a fat sod but had a great nights sleep boomboom

he he he CAN i ask does any one know a good brand of diet pills? i really need to loose weight asap

Interesting you guys just pointed out three brothers with different pharmacy's

I use Som Sak across the street from Bon Hoy market. I have tried all three of them. If the one your going to doesn't have what you need he will call the other brothers and see if they have in stock.

The aspect of AEK surprises me, may not be similar meds that I normally use, that could make a difference

jackspratt wrote:

polehawk wrote: I've been on Probenecid 500 mg for maintenance of the gout condition for a number of years. If you have ever had a gout attack then you might consider it a chronic condition.

ph what do you pay for the Probenecid?

I am going to the BD hospital this morning for my 3 monthly script of Allopurinol (100mg @ 1/day), which cost me 1 baht each - hospital pharmacy only.

Allopurinol does a very similar job to Probenecid in the treatment of gout (by controlling the uric acid), although it is a completely different drug.

Hello everyone. I am quite new to Udonmap, so please forgive my unsolicited opinion.

I was reading this thread while looking for a suitable pharmacy, and although the thread is old, I thought I might clarify the difference between allopurinol and probenecid.

Gout, as you all know, is caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood, and acute attacks are caused by crystals forming in the joints. While acute gout attacks are painful, and may require emergent treatment, the chronic condition of gout needs management over time. As part of the so-called "metabolic syndrome", it is genetically linked, but can be managed by weight loss, exercise and diet, and by drugs. Eating meat, which is high in purines (a type of amino acid), often causes sharp increases in uric acid, and can lead to an acute attack. Gout was once known as a 'rich man's disease', since few peasants could afford to eat meat every day, and fewer could attain the level of obesity which contributes to the disease...

The excess buildup of uric acid can be for one of two reasons: excess production, or insufficient excretion. Allopurinol works by reducing uric acid production, while probenicid inhibits renal tubular re-absorption of uric acid, thereby increasing excretion in the urine.

Generally, when your doctor first diagnoses gout, he/she should do a 24 hr. urine collection, as well as a serum uric acid test. This will guide them to the correct drug. In practice, however, since Probenicid is a very old and reliable drug, it is often prescribed as a panacea. Colchicine is often added to Probenicid, and has been in use since ancient Greek times.

Using the correct drug is important for people with diabetes, because they need to avoid adverse effects to their kidneys. If uric acid production is excessive, allopurinol is the preferred treatment, because high concentrations of uric acid can form kidney stones, and probenicid may have other kidney side effects. If production is within the normal range, then probenicid should be used to increase excretion.

I hope this hasn't been too pedantic; I urge anyone with gout, or other of the metabolic diseases, to seek medical advice, and NEVER self-treat.

Good health.

i have mentioned this more than once , i always go to the big pharmacy 20m inside the phon phisai road , incoming at the traffic lights at the end of the market,so as it is for some difficult to find , it does not look like a pharmacy outside , but is supplier of doctors, clinics , and other pharmacies...., and has a wide range of medicines, i include a picture...


good luck...