Job Discussion Forums

necha · Joined: 04 May 2014 Posts: 1

Hello everyone. I am in the process of looking for a teaching job in China and have and interview set up. I am married and my husband will come a long with me. He is diabetic and am worried he might not be able to get good medical care. Has anyone taken there spouse to China and how did it work out.
Any feedback would really help. Thanks Very Happy

mambawamba · Joined: 12 Jun 2012 Posts: 311

Generally pretty easy to take spouse with you, not dependent on his/her length, they even allow short ones in too.

davelister · Joined: 15 Jul 2013 Posts: 214

erm he's a diabetic, not a dwarf Wink

edit; Oh, I see. I didn't notice the 'long spouse' in the title earlier

fpshangzhou · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 280

I have first hand experience with the hospitals and clinics because my little one was born here.Some of the Chinese public/gov't operated hospitals are very dodgy (unsanitary facilities & archaic medical practices) and I wouldn't have my dog treated there. However, there are western clinics in tier 1 & 2 cities. Check out the facilities offered for your respective target city and look online for expat websites for that city. Do your homework and you should be fine.

Cheers,

Aaron

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

I know that a couple of the posters in china are diabetic. Try searching and then PMing people

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

hmmm....so, um, will it be you, or the long spouse, who shall be
working with the china? will you be bringing yore own china a long
in you're luggage? or will ewe be ship ping it?

SledgeCleaver · Joined: 02 Mar 2013 Posts: 126

Shroob · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 1339

If it helps, China's diabetic population is huge. I know that having a lot of something doesn't guarantee good care, but it's not unknown here and a lot of people will suffer from it.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

Bud Powell · Joined: 11 Jul 2013 Posts: 1736

Is he type 2 or type 1 diabetic? I see metformin (for type 2) in the glass cases in just about every pharmacy I go in. I don't know about insulin for type 1.

doogsville · Joined: 17 Nov 2011 Posts: 924 Location: China

Is he type 1 or type 2? I have type 2 diabetes, and I've never seen a doctor about it in the three and a half years I've been here. I take Glucophage tablets and check my blood sugar level from time to time. I try to stay healthy using diet and exercise. My blood sugar levels are okay, but not great, since the diet and exercise regime is not as good as it could be. The reason I don't use doctors here is because I don't trust them. I know diabetes is common here, and I guess doctors are familiar with it, but I just don't want to take the chance of being ripped off for shoddy medical care.

Before anyone tells me I'm nuts not to see a doctor, I should point out that the best way to deal with type 2 diabetes is through diet and exercise. All a doctor can do it check your sugar levels and tell you if you have any of the horrendous medical problems type 2 causes. If you have, your screwed anyway, since they're not reversible. Taking responsibility for my own body and knowing the consequences of this disease means I'm healthier than I have been in years. A lot of people I know in the UK with it just carry on as they did before diagnoses, in the belief that the medical profession will take care of whatever damage may occur. They are mistaken. If you lose a foot, they aren't going to sew it back on. If you go blind they aren't going to give you your sight back and if your kidneys fail you're unlikely to get a replacement.

By the way, if he's type two, and needs meds, I strongly advise that he gets, or brings, a blood sugar monitor. I moved house, and switched pharmacies, from one that was recommended by other foreign teachers to one that was closer to the new place. a month later I had all the symptoms I had when I got the original diagnoses. I bought a blood sugar monitor and my sugar was through the roof. The meds from the new place were fake, probably just chalk. Within days of getting meds from the old pharmacy my sugar levels were back to normal.

I have no experience of the regime required for controlling type 1, but if he does come, he will need to find a good source of real insulin, and take extra, extra care of himself. It might be an idea to find an expat site for the city your coming to and ask if anyone there has any experience or recommendations for a good local hospital (all doctors are based in hospitals here).

Didah · Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 9:59 am Post subject:

Greetings,

I worked with an American colleague in a training program for Chinese English teachers two summers ago in China. He had diabetes and took insulin. He has been in China for years and told me that he had no problem getting insulin or managing his diabetes in China. In fact, he said the insulin cost a lot less in China than the States and it is sold over the counter without a prescription.

By the way, is that a one-China or two-China policy?

Good Luck.

LarssonCrew · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 1308

I am diabetic, taking insulin.

No real problems except a few:

Some times they make you sign names when buying, and they get into a big old 'omg we can't enter a non Chinese official name and number blah blah' so have to spend 30 minutes messing about

And another time I bought insulin which was fake, almost cost me my life!