Hi,

My father has some stomach acidity (acid reflux disease) problem since last 15 years. He arrived here a couple of months back on a visit visa... I bought his travel insurance w few weeks back.

Now, I have two problems:

1. He lost the packets of medicines he brought from Pakistan. And I need to buy them from some drug store here but drug store will not give any medicines without prescription. Any idea, how can I get a prescription for that???

2. I had similar acidicty problem last year and my family doctor in canada told was caused by some sort of bacteria. After some medical tests, she gave me medication and after a month everything was OK. (Doctors in Pakistan had told my father that there is no cure for the disease and he should keep on having those capsules for life.) I am wondering if there is some permanent cure for his situation. I want to get him checked up here and if there is a permanent cure, I want to proceed with it.

I wanted to know if insurance company will cover him in any of the above two cases.

What should be the proper process for getting him diagnosed here? How much will it cost? etc etc.

Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

HI !
U r very lucky to get cure of Acid reflux .. It seems that yours was at initial stage .
I have a similar severe problem from last 10 years and I had been also on a drug . I had seen specialist here and they recommended me to take the pill ( Nexium ) for the rest of my life . They claimed that it is a safe drug with minimum or no side effects .
If this is the same drug that your father was accustomed to , you can ask your family Dr. to prescribe in your name . Depending on your personal relations with Dr. I do not see it as a big deal .
The permanent cure is to have a operation done . I do not know the details but they seem to tighten the food pipe ( knot ) . Since it comes under pre existing conditions I doubt that insurance company will cover this expense . You might have to see a specialist to figure out the cost related to this operation .
Best of luck
Ashwani

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Growing Old Is Mandatory ..Growing UP is Optional

I used to suffer from stomach aciditty also and was on medication, which was supposed to be for life. After coming to Canada, my doctor gave me Nexium ..... http://www.purplepill.com/ard/index.aspx ..... this medication i took and i haven't had the daily acidity problem ...... So it wouldn't be a bad idea to go to a walk in clinic pay $40 and i think the meds would be $ 120- $140 for 2/3 months ..... what was the name of the medicine he took in Pakistan?

Hi,
chances are this will not be covered with travel insurance. Standard travel insurance is for emergency purpose only. If you read the fine prints, pre-existing condition or emergency related to pre-existing conditions are not covered unless you have the policy underwritten by the company. Underwriting is done when you disclose pre-existing condition during application process. Company will then decide if this can be covered and what will be the premium.
For prescription, you will have to see doctor and check with insurance company if this will be covered. Also you will have to pay deductible if it is covered.
Hope this answers your question.

1. There r many OTC meds available. May be some of that will help?
2. Get med from Pak thru someone coming over.
3. Go to any walk in clinic/your family Doc. There are many places which charge only $25-$30 for the visit. For all you know, he may get a better medicine than what he has been taking.

You can call the nurse and try to get some more information on your options
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/program/telehealth/telehealth_mn.html

Thank you all for the responses.

Ashwani, Doctor in Pakistan also said that operation is the only solution.

Puttoo, my father uses omeprazole... I am not sure if it is a generic name or what...