Considering that MRI in the US costs 1000 USD, for the procedure alone, and only for one part of the body, I think Taiwan’s is a bargain.
Why Americans continue to put up with this is anyone’s guess.
I did an brain MRI at Taiwan University hospital. I believe the cost was around NT$450 (with NHI). That was 15 years ago.
I did one 5 years ago and it cost me around 3000NT$ at Adventist with NI card
The “might” might be the operative word there. The best thing to do would be to go to a neurologist (if it’s a brain issue) at a hospital and get them to schedule one for you. If they don’t recommend it, you can still ask to self-pay and have it done. I had one in the past few months and it didn’t cost much on top of the doctor’s visit.
Last time I had gotten blood work done the doctor said one of my hormones are a little high. He recommended a MRI of my petituary gland to check for abnormalities. That costs 1000 US there. I should ask for it here.
A friend in the USA had an MRI at a clinic which charged him US$10,000.
Prolactin? I had the exact same thing. A doctor told me it was way too high, but then I talked to the urologist down the hall who said it wasn’t that uncommon in not-young men. Pituitary is fine, though.
I think it helps if you see a doctor at a hospital at which they do MRIs, even if they do the tests at a different branch of that hospital. Neither of my doctors have ‘recommended’ I take any test. They just ask me when I can show up and book the appointment.
That’s it. I think my level was like 7 and normal was around 4 or so.
My main issue at the time (and now) is low T and possibly pre diabetes
I think they might use different numbers here because 15 is the highest level for men and I’m above that.
But if you were told you were pre-diabetes I’d turn that around fast. My brother didn’t take care of himself and got type 2 and he’s bad off now.
I’m not even sure what I should do about it. Diets are expensive and Taiwan heat makes exercise very hard.
Plus I’m not even sure any amount of exercise is helping.
I’d talk to a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist, or just google it as all have probably written about it. It was sugar and lack of exercise that did my brother. I didn’t expect dieting was expensive. I saved money when I had to.
As I told you exercise has been found to help. You can exercise in cool aircon indoors for 50ntd a go.
I’m getting a fair bit of exercise, not much choice here, and apart from a couple of cups of iced teas I don’t drink much sugar, so no idea why I would be pre diabetes. In fact I don’t eat much sugary stuff because a lot of it makes me thirsty. I don’t drink either.
I seen many Taiwanese drink several cups of bubble tea daily and they don’t end up diabetic. I drink them maybe twice a month. Too expensive and I get tired of it.
Oh you can be sure them who gobble up bubble tea will end up if not diabetic, at least with liver and/or kidney problems. Way too much sugar.
As to you or anyone else who does not consume a lot of visible sugar: It is the rice. Rice has way too much sugar (glucose). Add noodles and a bit of bread and if you have a predisposition, you´ll be over the red line before you know it.
That is why we advocate keto. Or at least, do not have white rice every day. No, not even the black rice. Wild rice is the only one that has half the sugar and it is hard to find/way expensive here in Taiwan.
And yes, exercise, just a bit. I think your job is quite physical but if you try building muscle, it will be better for your metabolism.
And here in Taiwan an MRI with NHI is quite affordable. Last hospital stay I had 2 done, but I can´t recall the cost of it because I also chose private room and other extras.
Pal just came back from the States. She was down South so she had a Win Dixie nearby and she would buy these boxes of Devil´s food and devour them. Then she would get thirsty because of the sugar… so she washed the lot down with a liter or two of Coke…
I’m talking about the average Taiwanese office workers who drinks probably no less than 2 big cups of bubble tea daily, and hardly walks since he/she either drives or rides scooters.
I think taking public transport is better for your health because you HAVE to walk a fair bit getting between trains, bus stops, or to wherever the bus wouldn’t take you. America is a failure in this regard, because there’s hardly any public transport of consequence, and anyone who takes them are seen as miserable failures. That and even under private insurance healthcare is unaffordable is a travesty. “Affordable” care act actually made healthcare unaffordable sometimes because health insurance that meets obamacare requirement is very expensive. They should just expand medicaid/medicare to all citizens and make it mandatory. But I guess they can’t afford that (but they can afford F35’s which are expensive as hell)
Actually, there are several articles in local news regarding people who indulged in milk tea and ended up with diabetes…
One thing foreigners have to know is that most people here are what is called “skinny fat”. They seem like straws, and actually have no muscle to speak of, and a high percentage of fatty tissue, because as you mention, they do not exercise and drink too many sugary drinks.
I agree on public transportation helping to keep one in shape. In the old country, it was a kilometer to the bus stop. When I started working in Taiwan, I walked like 600 meters from the bus stop to the office, then another kilometer to my second job. Then for the next position, I walked only 300 meters. Now it is barely 100. It is noticeable. Also longer hours, more sitting, developed a very conspicuous “flotation device”.
In the old country, it is considered shameful to take the already dangerous and decrepit public transportation. Like, anyone who is anyone must have a car to be someone. The newer, the flashier, the better. It is a status symbol. And as a result we have gridlocks of 8 hours, commutes are 4 hours, for a city smaller than Taipei and the population of one district in Taichung.
My CNC neighbor probably drinks more than 2 bubble tea a day. He asks for “no sugar” but the fact is, those bubbles contain way more carb than the sugar in the tea. You’re better off asking for milk tea without any bubbles than bubble tea without sugar. Not to mention, those bubbles are already pretty heavily sugared. It’s worse in the summer, I almost have to eat basically shaved ice for lunch everyday because eating any other food just heats me up. That’s a lot of sugar… But I wager shaved ice is much healthier than those snow cones in the US that basically only contains artificially flavored and colored sugar water.
I had an MRI on my knee last month. Completely free. Go under the knife tomorrow for a cartilage repair. Cost of 6000 for the surgical materials. Hospital stay is also free but I do have a whole family of peasants in the next bed to me. 
Is it a different type of machine for a head or a knee MRI?
Even surgery is cheap here. I needed it once and it didn’t cost much more. I paid extra for a slightly more private room. Didn’t help. The other two in the room were watching videos on their phones without headphones. South Park sounds the same in Chinese and English.
Private room or double. 3 is a crowd.
Remember you need a caretaker, there are visitors, doctors and nurses on their rounds, so do the Math…the more is not merrier.
Hook up with extra private insurance and Bob’s your uncle.