Hi all,
My husband and I have been offered jobs in Guangdong. My husband has chronic back ad neck pain from an old sports injury. He's prescribed Lyrica here in the states. How would he likely be treated in China? Would he continue to receive his prescription as before?
Chronic pain in China
Re: Chronic pain in China
I live in Guangdong province and would suggest you try to bring your prescription medication with you from the states. You may be able to get it locally or some version of it. Our experience with doctors in China, even at the international clinic, is they want to try weaker meds before the western equivalent. Lots of teachers I know go to Hong Kong for medical treatment and medicines.
Response
His treatment is going to depend a lot on the health policy of the IS and your level of time and financial commitment.
First, talk to your current doctor and see how much Lyrica you can get with your health insurance to bring with you.
Second, you need to talk to your ISs HR and find out how the health care program works. The main issue is do you have to get your medical care from a local hospital or does it include a western clinic. if its a western clinic, than contact them and ask. If you have a western provider they can handle a lot of the issues with importation and will be better able to communicate alternatives if they fall out of your financial comfort zone. Assuming cost isnt an issue, its not hard for the western provider to import the medication from HK, and you just pick it up and pay or the policy provider is billed.
Third, outside of that then it depends what you are willing to do. You can get Lyrica in HK and even around a couple of the pharmacies out at Shamian island near the consulate in GZ. Its pricey though and youd have to pay the coin yourself and hope you get some if anything back on the reimbursement. Adding travel costs though and your looking at a full day on the weekend if not the whole weekend depending on how you plan the travel. The cash price at the counter is cheaper (about half) than the US but adding travel costs and time and the saving arent stellar.
Fourth, the other option is to talk to your doctor about an alternative such as Gabapentin which is a much older drug in the same class as Lyrica. Its also much cheaper in China (about 5% the cost of Lyrica in the US) and commonly available very likely even in whatever rural location you are in. The cost is probably a covered/reimbursable prescription under your ISs health plan and if it isnt its so cheap absorbing the cost would be trivial.
Fifth, I would agree in part with @mathgym, physicians tend to be more conservative about medication, especially pain management in China that relies on narcotic or opioid medication. You will likely spend more time finding a doctor who is more liberal about the chronic use of such drugs. However, Lyrica isnt one of those medications and you wont have much if any problem getting therapeutic level dosages prescribed. Your spouse may have to take a step or two back and let the physician try some alternatives or lower dosages, but if he needs it they will prescribe the dosage that works.
First, talk to your current doctor and see how much Lyrica you can get with your health insurance to bring with you.
Second, you need to talk to your ISs HR and find out how the health care program works. The main issue is do you have to get your medical care from a local hospital or does it include a western clinic. if its a western clinic, than contact them and ask. If you have a western provider they can handle a lot of the issues with importation and will be better able to communicate alternatives if they fall out of your financial comfort zone. Assuming cost isnt an issue, its not hard for the western provider to import the medication from HK, and you just pick it up and pay or the policy provider is billed.
Third, outside of that then it depends what you are willing to do. You can get Lyrica in HK and even around a couple of the pharmacies out at Shamian island near the consulate in GZ. Its pricey though and youd have to pay the coin yourself and hope you get some if anything back on the reimbursement. Adding travel costs though and your looking at a full day on the weekend if not the whole weekend depending on how you plan the travel. The cash price at the counter is cheaper (about half) than the US but adding travel costs and time and the saving arent stellar.
Fourth, the other option is to talk to your doctor about an alternative such as Gabapentin which is a much older drug in the same class as Lyrica. Its also much cheaper in China (about 5% the cost of Lyrica in the US) and commonly available very likely even in whatever rural location you are in. The cost is probably a covered/reimbursable prescription under your ISs health plan and if it isnt its so cheap absorbing the cost would be trivial.
Fifth, I would agree in part with @mathgym, physicians tend to be more conservative about medication, especially pain management in China that relies on narcotic or opioid medication. You will likely spend more time finding a doctor who is more liberal about the chronic use of such drugs. However, Lyrica isnt one of those medications and you wont have much if any problem getting therapeutic level dosages prescribed. Your spouse may have to take a step or two back and let the physician try some alternatives or lower dosages, but if he needs it they will prescribe the dosage that works.
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mistyknight
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2016 5:59 am
Re: Chronic pain in China
Umm.. the Consulate hasn't been located on Shamian Island in almost 10 years and the pharmacies don't really cater to expats especially with that class of medication. Anyway, check with United Family Healthcare. The majority of staff are Westerners and are more inclined to prescribe meds. Most expats get their meds there and if they don't have it will go to HK. If you do have to go to HK the cost is less than 50 USD roundtrip by train (cheaper by bus). We often go in the morning and come back later that evening.
Not coming back to read responses- I have no interest in arguing what I know to be true. Just wanted to share some actual facts from someone who lives here and deals with people needing prescriptions regularly.
Not coming back to read responses- I have no interest in arguing what I know to be true. Just wanted to share some actual facts from someone who lives here and deals with people needing prescriptions regularly.
Discussion
The Polish consulate is there, but what I meant was the old historical consulate quarter on Shamian island. The area caters to tourists, and has more tourist friendly pharmacies, that tend to carry more medications that tourists might need.
As to costs, my assumption was your not paying the full cost in coin where you are in the US, your insurance is paying something and your paying something and while medication is much cheaper after factoring travel costs, the savings arent stellar.
As to costs, my assumption was your not paying the full cost in coin where you are in the US, your insurance is paying something and your paying something and while medication is much cheaper after factoring travel costs, the savings arent stellar.
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wanderluzt
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2013 2:42 am
- Location: overseas
Re: Chronic pain in China
I went to Hong Kong to get Lryica. You can ride the train very cheaply into HK. My Dr, a physicatrist, would give me three months at a time. It was covered by insurance. I would bring in a large suitcase to shop for Western type groceries as it was cheaper and make a day or weekend of it. I do not remember if the expat Dr in China could get me Lryica. If you tell the pharmacy in the states you are moving out of the country you might be able to get more then the prescription, but at cost, not they insurance, maybe. Definitely ask the Dr for your medical diagnosis and prescription as it makes the transition easier. Good luck. I liked China.