Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Health Concerns while Traveling

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

Our motorbike taxi in the Dominican Republic

Traveling brings about lots of challenges in daily living, and flexibility is the key to going with the flow.

My last physical was in Chiang Mai, Thailand where, as they  say, “everything OK.” But it had been two years ago, so I was feeling the need for having blood work done.

Now living in Panajachel, Guatemala, I did the required fasting for 12 hours and gave my samples at the local lab, La Asuncion, around 8:00 AM. The cost was about $25USD. By three in the afternoon the lab emailed my results to me. All tests were within the normal range, and that was good news. 

The following day I walked into the local health clinic, not far from our hotel, and had them check my blood pressure. Unexpectedly, I was high… I told myself not to worry as I had been drinking coffee, but I decided to go to a doctor the following morning just to check again. This reading was also high… Not off the charts, but enough that my doctor put me on medication.

This was a first for me.

I followed up 12 days later with my doctor and my pressure was close to normal. However, to be on the safe side, he recommended that I have an EKG to check my heart. The issue was that I had travel plans to go to Oaxaca, Mexico in two days and didn’t want to have this medical information worrying me throughout that trip. So I told him I would do this procedure when I returned to Pana in a month.

Years ago a good friend of mine told me he would rather not know about his health issues as he felt great and played tennis. He has since died, so I figure it’s better to know.

Once we got settled in Oaxaca I decided to buy a blood pressure machine at a local pharmacy which cost 535 Pesos, or $29 USDollars. The readings were all over the place not giving me the peace of mind I was looking for, so I took it to a nearby clinic and asked them to check me once with their cuff and once with my own machine. Both readings were close enough for me to know the accuracy of the device; however the nurse noted that my blood pressure was still elevated. I inquired if they could perform an EKG and she told me that around the corner was a cardiologist office, and that I should go there.

Don’t try this in the States

I easily found the place and went inside where maybe 15 people were waiting. I asked the lady at the desk if they did Echo-Cardiograms and she responded yes, gave me a rough estimate of the cost and told me to return at 5:00 PM.

I did return later in the day and didn’t sit for two minutes when the doctor called me into his office. His English skills were quite good and we find this to be the case worldwide with doctors. After a series of questions and me explaining my history and why I am there, he examines me and does, in fact, do an Echo-Cardiogram which includes an EKG.

Everything is normal he tells me, which is a relief, but my blood pressure needs adjusting.

He recommends increasing my meds a bit and to continue enjoying Mexico. His cost for the office visit and the procedure was $54 USDollars and I was back at our hotel 50 minutes later.

Where else can you walk into a specialist’s office - in this case a cardiologist - and receive treatment and results in the same day with minimal expense and hassle? Actually, this can be done in many places including Mexico, and Thailand.

I have since emailed the results of my Echo-Cardio exam to the doctor in Panajachel so that he is informed of my progress.

Many of our readers are concerned about leaving the comfort of the States and the familiarity of their doctors. Let me assure you 99% of your health needs can be taken care of regardless of where you travel, most of the time with less hassle, expense and better care.

For more examples of great care while on the road, read:

The Tooth Implant

The Pricing of a Medical Emergency in Guatemala

For more information on Medical Tourism, click here

What's Your Number? - How much money do you need to retire?

About the Authors

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli are recognized retirement experts and internationally published authors on topics of finance, medical tourism and world travel. With the wealth of information they share on their award winning website RetireEarlyLifestyle.com, they have been helping people achieve their own retirement dreams since 1991. They wrote the popular books, The Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement and Your Retirement Dream IS Possible available on their website bookstore or on Amazon.com.

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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