- Joined
- Feb 22, 2011
- Messages
- 4
hi all
just went to a Korean hospital (one near Seocho station--St. Mary's Catholic hospital I think?) to get my asacol prescription renewed for the first time, and there was a big kerfuffle over my dosage.... apparently 800mg asacol is a foreign concept over here (I've been on 6x800mg for a couple years now)... not a huge surprise to me, since its a relatively new treatment to North America, but they were very concerned whether a human body could withstand a dosage that high.. I was sent to a GI specialist who said I shouldn't be on that high a dosage unless I had a 'scope done... I said under no circumstances was that happening in a foreign country. so they put me on the old dose (6x400mg/day...), but I've been taking them 3 times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and no big problems have arisen. Its only been a week, though.
maybe due to my change in diet and routine its been working out...either way--good to know for prospective IBD-English teachers. they arranged for me to see a more knowledgeable GI specialist (a *professor*) at the end of the month to see how I'm doing and discuss dosage. I'll update as things happen.
I wasn't covered on the national health insurance when I made the trip, and the visit to the doctor, specialist visit, and medication cost a total of $254.20 (CND). the people at the hospital were very nice. I had a nice old man (doctor) to translate for me and we talked about Korean poetry while we had to wait. the health system is great here, just a little behind on GI medication stuff. def. Colitis friendly, though you should have your medication ready for a couple months in advance before coming over here, to avoid stress like this in your first month. Seoul is excellent! if you're considering working here, come the hell over here. the cherry blossoms are out & they're beautiful.
sincerely,
Pete Gibbon
just went to a Korean hospital (one near Seocho station--St. Mary's Catholic hospital I think?) to get my asacol prescription renewed for the first time, and there was a big kerfuffle over my dosage.... apparently 800mg asacol is a foreign concept over here (I've been on 6x800mg for a couple years now)... not a huge surprise to me, since its a relatively new treatment to North America, but they were very concerned whether a human body could withstand a dosage that high.. I was sent to a GI specialist who said I shouldn't be on that high a dosage unless I had a 'scope done... I said under no circumstances was that happening in a foreign country. so they put me on the old dose (6x400mg/day...), but I've been taking them 3 times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and no big problems have arisen. Its only been a week, though.
maybe due to my change in diet and routine its been working out...either way--good to know for prospective IBD-English teachers. they arranged for me to see a more knowledgeable GI specialist (a *professor*) at the end of the month to see how I'm doing and discuss dosage. I'll update as things happen.
I wasn't covered on the national health insurance when I made the trip, and the visit to the doctor, specialist visit, and medication cost a total of $254.20 (CND). the people at the hospital were very nice. I had a nice old man (doctor) to translate for me and we talked about Korean poetry while we had to wait. the health system is great here, just a little behind on GI medication stuff. def. Colitis friendly, though you should have your medication ready for a couple months in advance before coming over here, to avoid stress like this in your first month. Seoul is excellent! if you're considering working here, come the hell over here. the cherry blossoms are out & they're beautiful.
sincerely,
Pete Gibbon
