How long should I fast before a health check-up in Thailand?
Fasting is required for accurate blood glucose and cholesterol readings. Thai hospitals typically specify:
- ▸Standard fasting: 8–12 hours before your appointment — no food, only plain water allowed
- ▸Most hospitals recommend: last meal the night before, appointment the following morning
- ▸Water: drink water freely — dehydration makes blood draws harder and affects kidney markers
- ▸Coffee, tea, juice: NOT allowed — even black coffee affects blood glucose and liver enzymes
- ▸Chewing gum: avoid — can stimulate digestive enzymes and affect results
- ▸Medications: take essential medications (blood pressure, heart) with a small sip of water — check with your doctor
- ▸If you are diabetic: follow your diabetologist's specific fasting guidance; standard fasting rules may not apply
What to bring to your health check-up appointment
Bring the following documents and items to your appointment:
- ▸Passport: required for international patient registration at all Thai private hospitals
- ▸Insurance card: if you have international health insurance with direct billing
- ▸List of current medications: name, dosage, frequency — both brand name and generic if possible
- ▸Previous health check-up results: especially useful for comparison of trending values (cholesterol, HbA1c)
- ▸Glasses or contact lenses: removed for eye exams if included in your package
- ▸Comfortable clothing: loose-fitting for ECG, blood pressure cuff, ultrasound access
- ▸Underwear (for women): you may be asked to change into a hospital gown for imaging
- ▸Any specialist referral letters: if your GP requested specific tests
What to avoid before your health check-up
Activities and substances that can affect your test results:
- ▸Alcohol: avoid for at least 48 hours before — raises liver enzymes (AST/ALT/GGT), triglycerides, and uric acid
- ▸Strenuous exercise: avoid 24 hours before — raises CK (creatine kinase), AST, and LDH falsely
- ▸High-fat meals: avoid 48 hours before — affects cholesterol and triglyceride readings
- ▸Protein supplements: avoid 24 hours before — can raise creatinine and affect kidney function markers
- ▸Sexual activity (for men): abstain 24–72 hours before if PSA (prostate) test is included
- ▸Menstruation (for women): inform the hospital — Pap smear may need to be rescheduled if heavy flow
- ▸Iron supplements: avoid 24 hours before — affects serum iron and ferritin levels
Understanding your health check-up results
Most Thai hospitals provide results with normal range references and an explanatory physician consultation. Key things to know:
- ▸Normal ranges: printed alongside each result — flag any value outside the range for discussion
- ▸Physician consultation: included in most packages — ask specific questions, don't rush
- ▸Digital copies: request a PDF download — most hospitals offer this via patient portal or email
- ▸English results: standard at all major private hospitals — ask if only Thai provided
- ▸Trending: most value comes from comparing year-on-year results — keep a digital record
- ▸Follow-up referrals: if any abnormal results require specialist follow-up, the doctor will advise
- ▸Second opinion: for any concerning result, all Thai international hospitals offer specialist referrals