Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dean_burrito]

Anyone ever have a surgery in Seoul? Particularly a hernia surgery?
I'll try to keep my story brief. I caught some type of flu (not the swine flu) last week in Thailand that gave me a chronic cough. This cough apparently offset a congenital hernia (inguinal).
On May 5th I went to Seoul Metropolitan Hospital near Samsong Station. The flu was in full flare and I had a major shortness of breath. The surgeon tells me I can not have a hernia surgery till I have recovered from the flu. Then I go to the next room and they give me some breathing test. I'm wheezing and coughing and panting because of my illness and any movement is causing major pain with the hernia. They have me blow in some tube. I can barely blow. They say blow again. I try to explain my flu condition and that I'm about to puke if I have to blow again. So of course they say blow again and then send me on my way.
The English translator says to me that I need to come back the following Monday (yesterday) for an asthma test. So I go in and they tell me I have asthma and they must cure this before I can have the surgery.
I used to suffer from the occasional asthma attack when I was younger due to allergies. I haven't had an attack in over two years though. But nonetheless I guess that perhaps it is possible there test was somehow conclusive. They give me some prescription and sent me on my way. Throughout the day I've taken a total of 10 pills.
That is why I'm up and a quarter past 5 in the morning on Tuesday writing this. I haven't slept a wink. I decided to look up the medication that I'm taking and it's no wonder I'm awake.
Here is what wikipedia has to say on the meds,
1. Prednisolone- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prednisolone
2. Almagate- I can't even find any information on this one.
3. Theophylline- This is the scary one, theophylline
"Due to its numerous side-effects, these drugs are now rarely administered for clinical use."
"It can reach toxic levels when taken with fatty meals, an effect called dose dumping."
I might also add that they confused my weight and height with my blood pressure and tried to say I also had a problem with that.
Anyways I guess I'm having my doubts if this is safe or maybe I'm just nervous. But my Spidey sense is tingling and some sleep last night would have been nice. Little did I know two of the meds cause insomnia.
Can anybody suggest another place to get this operation in Seoul? Or have some words of comfort? I feel like I've been treated for everything except the hernia.
Thanks

[wshgu]

Well, the hernia is not live threathening if it is not trapped. But operating on you when you have an asthmatic attack is definitely life threathening or you end up in icu on a ventilator for a few days. That will definitely jack up your bills.

You can try the university hospitals like Severance or Samsung or Asan.

Goodluck!

[teachergirltoo]

I always recommend getting a second opinion unless you completely trust your doctor. I had surgery at AJOU University Hospital last Fall. My surgeon was excellent, had really good English, and I he was so thorough about explaining every test that I totally trusted him. It sounds like you need to find a doctor that you feel confidence in. As recommended by the above poster those hospitals probably have top level doctors also.

[dean_burrito]

Thanks for the responses. My aunt is a doctor back in the States and I finally heard back from here. The drugs I was prescribed definitely weren't for me and she found it a little hard to believe that they were still prescribed today.
I like the surgeon at this hospital. He told me get rid of the flu and the congestion and he could do the operation. But these other people wanted to treat me for asthma and high blood pressure which I do not need. I stopped taking the pills and still have not been able to sleep and have been grinding my teeth all day.

[Kellie]

My dad's got asthma too, so it's hard for him to breath normally, he has to suffer the wheezing which is caused by asthma.
I've searched for some remedies to relieve his wheezing, and I showed this to him https://authorityremedies.com/home-remedies-for-wheezing/ but somehow he doesn't believe in anything and refuses to apply all remedies I found or suggest!
What should I do??

[ttompatz]

I find the use of Theophylline both strange and outdated. Unless you have blood monitoring to ensure the correct therapeutic dose (blood serum levels) it is all but useless (you never get the correct serum levels) and there are far better options for asthma control that are available.

The corticosteriod (Prednisolone) is not uncommon for uncontrolled asthma. It is usually for a short term (7-14 days) duration and then discontinued after that when you are placed on a non-steroidal asthma control.

The Almagate is for acid control (stomach acid) or upset stomach. If you don't like it then there is always TUMS, Rolaids or good old baking soda. It is given to mitigate the heartburn caused by Prednisolone.

.

[EZE]

I had an inguinal hernia surgery at Joyfull Hospital in Gangnam three years ago, and it was done under local anesthesia. Everything went fine. The cost (with Korean National Health Insurance) was something like 350,000 won. I could've gone home the same evening, but I stayed the night in the general ward which is free with national insurance. Dr. Bae was the surgeon and he still works there. www.joyfullhospital.com

[SeoulNate]

/u

[Hatcher]

I had a couple of surgeries, none of which were serious, and had great treatment. I suggest the major hospitals including Konkuk.