Surgery and Medications

Hi Jim/Luz,

I have created a new thread with your post on the Cuenca forum in order to help you to receive more constructive feedback from the members.

Thanks

Priscilla 

Thanks!

Have you spoken to your doctor about the health ramifications of living in an elevation like Cuenca?   Have you ever spent time at such an altitude?

Never spent time at that elevation. Will be speaking to my doctor about this, but wanted to know if others who had successful bypass surgery have had experience living in Cuenca.  Thanks.

Problems with altitude are very much an individual problem aside from whatever pulmonary issues a person may have……..the point begin that a doctor can not accurately guess how a person may respond.
The best guide would be how you are now, can you walk without restrictions?  Climb stairs without problems?  Things like this would be a good guide.
Note that there is normally an adjustment period for altitude from a one to several days….

There are no restrictions. I plan to visit for about a month before I finally decide about living there to get an idea of how the altitude would affect me. I also will be speaking with my pulmonary doctor as I have sleep apnea which is being successfully treated with  a CPAP machine. Thanks again.

Depending on how long you are coming, make sure you have whatever CPAP spare parts or items needed as they may not be available here…..
If you are OK with the activities mentioned, you should be OK in Cuenca…..take it easy for the first couple days and then see how it goes…..
If problems, you can always go to a lower altitude…….perhaps visit one of Ecuador's finest cities, warm and humid, Guayaquil, where everybody feels loved, mostly our Señor Elvis……
Guayaquil is nice, but has some dangerous parts…..almost all away from the common tourist areas also….

Thanks again!

Jim, I have a health history similar to yours having had bypass surgery 15 years ago. I have found that Cuenca has excellent medical support. I have a US trained cardiologist and it didn't take three weeks to get an appointment. I called in the morning and was seeing the doctor that afternoon. The next morning I was having blood labs and echocardiogram and that afternoon was back seeing the cardiologist for a treatment plan. Dr. Molina is at the Santa Inez Clinic, speaks English and I have every confidence in his medical slills.

Statins and levothyroxine are readily available.  Don't know about the others.

Thank you. I will look him up when I get there.

If anyone needs CPAP supplies, I found a resource.

Glomedical
Ave Miguel Cordero Davila 1-403 y Ave Paucarbamba
Esquine Building Work Center 5th floor Office# 503
Cuenca

Contact Person at Phone # 096-939-3276
Monday through Friday 11-12:30

Hope this helps someone.

Jim/Luz wrote:

My wife an I are thinking of moving to Cuenca in about a year. We are in our mid 70's... Also we are concerned about getting medications we take. Are AMLODIPINE 10MG, ATORVASTATIN 40MG, RAMIPRIL 10 MG, and LEVOTHROXINE 75MCG available at pharmacies? Also is SAM-EE available. Thanks for any comments.

Jim/Luz

I'm taking Lisinopril and Chlorthalidone for blood pressure. So on one of my exploratory trips here, I needed to get the drug name and dosage in Spanish. So...

1. Google Search for the drug by NDC number. For example the Chlorthalidone, I searched 00378-0222-01 ndc. The top result was to a site called Medication Daily. http://www.medicationdaily.com/chlortha … 78-0222-01

There I was able to get from the first paragraph:

NDC 00378-0222-01
View All 3 Label ImagesThe National Drug Code 00378-0222-01 is a form of Chlorthalidone distributed by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. since May 05, 2012. Each dose contains 25mg of active ingredients. It is registered to the Food and Drug Administration under the Structured Product Label 15dd224a-87ad-48dc-80b1-e8382a452c4c which contains NDC codes for 2 packages with various quantities.
Product Details
Strength:    25mg
Quantity:    100
Package Quantity:    1
Package:    Plastic Bottle
Route:    Oral
Color:    Yellow
Imprint:    M;35
Score:    1
Shape:    Round
Size:    7mm

2. Copy and paste this into Google Translate... From which I got:

NDC 00378-0222-01
Ver los 3 Label ImagesThe Código Nacional de Medicamentos 00378-0222-01 es una forma de clortalidona distribuido por Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. desde 05 de mayo de 2012. Cada dosis contiene 25 mg de ingredientes activos. Está registrado en la Administración de Alimentos y Drogas bajo la 15dd224a-87ad-48DC-80B1-e8382a452c4c Estructurado Etiqueta del producto que contiene códigos NDC para 2 paquetes con diferentes cantidades.
detalles del producto
Fuerza: 25 mg
Cantidad: 100
Paquete Cantidad: 1
Paquete: botella de plástico
Ruta: Oral
Color: Amarillo
Aviso legal: M; 35
Puntuación: 1
Forma: Redondo
Tamaño: 7mm

So I now knew that Chlorthalidone is called Clortalidona in Spanish.

3. Take the Spanish translations to the pharmacy and to check availability and formulation. For example for the Lisinopril, I was taking 40mg, but the biggest they have available is 20mg.

Fybeca carried both my pills OTC. They will also be able to tell you if you have to see a doctor to get a prescription for any of yours.

I had brought 90 days worth with me from EEUU, but within those first three months, had lost 50+ pounds, was eating fresh everyday and kept track of my blood pressure, which reduced to low normal range. So I decided to go with the 20mg Lisinopril and keep watch. A year later when I was home for my daughter's wedding, I had a check up and told the doc what I was doing and all he had to say was, "Keep it up. Everything looks fine." My pressure at that check-up was 112/65... much better that a couple of years earlier (which was usually in the 150/100 range)

I do not know about the SAM-e, but (I may be incorrect) I believe it is an OTC supplement. There are many supplements available here, but they do cost dearly. Again when you have "boots on the ground" on one of your exploratory trips just check the pharmacies and there are lots of other places that only sell supplements.

Hope this helps.

symo

Reply.  My husband had a stint and he is doing fine here even living above Cuenca 1000 ft. We have had nothing but problems with our visas so get all your paperwork done in US. We also have had problems with housing and the NOISE. Very noisy country. The dogs bark all the time. No noise control on motorcycles, boom boxes, loud speakers etc, the land prices are too much so renting is recommended. The language could be a problem if you have trouble memoriZing. Come and visit first
We wish we would have.