Good luck I have had a few procedures in France, but not a colonoscopy.
When meeting with your anesthésiste make sure you take all your prescriptions (ordinances) with you, a friend was almost sent away as she forgot to take them (finally found a list of medications in a GP report) .
For opérations not sure about yours you need to have a betadine (French antiseptic) shower, I was even told to wash my hair with it for an Achilles’ tendon repair. I had forgotten to do this before arriving in hospital and was tutted at by the nurses and given a bottle to use.
Finally I had what I consider the Consultant from Hell, my MT told me before I met her she was « une peux difficile » that was an understatement she spoke at a rate of knots and resented being asked to repeat herself. My wife who’s French is much better that mine would repeat what she said back to her and she would respond with of course that is what I said.
I chatted to the nurses who told me they get together in threes to talk to her as she even speaks too quickly for them.
I finally had enough of her when I asked to modify her treatment she said I could either accept it or I would not be her patient. Guess what I turned around and walked out. I went back to my MT who laughed and told me that in Occitanie the older consultants have no respect for the patients.
I changed Consultants to a younger lady who is great, listens to me and tries to work with my drug preferences. ( that sounds a bit odd but I am on a mix of immunosuprssing drugs)
It is my only gripe about the French Health Service that some doctors are still back in the dark ages where patients are only there to listen and obey. The first specialist I went to see told me that my particular mix of immunosuppressive drugs was an “anglo-saxon cocktail” that was not effective, and he wouldn’t prescribe it and would give me something else. Which I had already told him didn’t work for me, and that I was happy on my drugs. I didn’t accept his prescription and never went back.
Patient-led healthcare isn’t always ideal though. My wife has glaucoma (and had cataracts) and has been repeatedly offered potentially life-changing options in her treatment with inadequate information and little time to make sense of it before a decision was required. While there are exceptions, many patients would be better off being directed by a specialist who knows and understands the risks and outcomes, rather than being offered 2 or 3 options and effectively told to pick one.
So far outcomes have been either good or at least no apparent harm has resulted, but it’s been far from ideal.
The more I know about health care, the less I think many patients can actually give any kind of meaningful informed consent.
Would you like us to try laser trabeculectomy? It may lower the pressure in your eyes (the patient has low pressure glaucoma, caused by something other than pressure) and there’s a 25% (I can’t remember the actual figure, but it was not insignificant) risk of permanent damage. My wife asked him to explain the procedure twice, which he was huffy about, and agreed to the procedure without really knowing what they were going to do - subsequent research at home was much more informative.
Consent has always been obtained after impartation of information, but seldom with meaningful comprehension, at least at the time.
I was very fortunate to have a huffy professor calm down and explain chemotherapy to me after I asked some pretty searching questions, delayed treatment whilst I looked into the cytotoxic drugs and asked yet more questions before signing. I dont get anywhere near that help from my GP.
Thankfully, we have a wondeful group of Doctors’ at our local clinic who are absolutely brilliant to deal with. They even get my “humour” when it comes to things of a medical nature Once again, that you all so much for your feedback. I am now actually sleeping right through the night. But of course, just when you think everything is fine, the bloody Linky box starts playing up! For the last six days the power has been going off and on, off and on and today it has gone entirely. We have rung EDF twice and Endis are apparently “investigating” the situation. We shall call the emergeny number as this not good for business. Ya all have a great day. Cheers - Steve
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I asked my young, French, imperious male ophthalmologist who spoke much too fast if I might tape record our discussion so that I could listen back to it later and make sure I had fully understood. He immediately offered to speak English and became another person because he had to speak more slowly and carefully as he searched for the right English words and it became much more a conversation of equals - it was a revelation. And we now have a much better relationship.
There is a huge range of behaviours that could fall under the heading of “directed”. A doctor can direct without being a pompous and patronising idiot, and can give patients suitable explanations so they know what is going on even if not being asked for a decision. And can ask questions so they have a better idea of what might suit a patient. Even if patient led care not appropriate all the time, patient centred care is.
And yes some things are quite complicated, especially given many people’s poor understanding of science, but worth doing. Impossible for all conditions but since I have an incurable, chronic disease I was offered and expert patient programme. I can now better manage the disease myself, call on medical personnel less often, and my health has improved. These programmes are (were?) increasingly common in the UK. I asked my specialist here about similar programmes in France. She is a modern, young doctor and looked at me with some surprise.
Hello Steve, just to add some thoughts to the wonderful responses already posted.
My husband was scheduled for a colonoscopy on the 5th of January (Happy New Year !!) IT SAVED HIS LIFE without any doubt, he’s still in hospital at the moment(was rushed in as an emergency direct from the colonoscopy ) but is due to be discharged soon. Had he not had his colonoscopy when he did he would not be here now.
He had a strict 3 day pre-op diet sheet to follow (basically no fibre at all ) which was really hard, and the pre-op purge was pretty prolonged ,buy Aloe Vera wet toilet wipes they were a godsend. Good luck hope all goes well E.
Sounds like good news! Caught in time although generally bowel cancers are slow growing compared to others a blocked bowel could be very dangerous.
I was amazed that I didn’t need a pre op purge, in fact the evening before I had steak and ale pie and a pint in the Doggetts before setting off for the hospital, well you never know so I thought might as well enjoy myself
I had my first one done in Germany. He left it up to me if I wanted anything. I said no. He then had difficulty getting round a bend in my colon. It was pretty uncomfortable! My second was in France, they didn’t ask me, just did it as a day patient with a short anaesthetic. No problem! Would definitely recommend it like that. Nothing to worry about.
Worry not - had one a couple of years ago no problem at all except giving the gas and air mask back at the end! Its good stuff!
Worst bit is the industrial grade laxative the night before, you’ll need a good book when it kicks in! I took my seat about 20:30 and got to bed about 02:00 next morning much to my OH’s amusement!!!
I’ve had a colonoscopy twice in the UK - first time I was offered anaesthetic but declined, as I wanted to be able to drive myself home afterwards; fortunately the procedure was entirely painless (if somewhat undignified!) - as others have mentioned there is a live “inside broadcast” on a big TV which you can watch or ignore as you prefer!
The surgeon removed a couple of polyps which thankfully turned out to be benign, and asked me to come back in 3 months for another go as he wanted to remove another somewhat larger polyp. Afterwards I was given a very British cup of tea and a sandwich and biscuits - maybe in a French hospital you’ll get a jambon-beurre and a p’tit verre?
The second time I was given an intravenous sedative, so had to be collected from the hospital as I wasn’t allowed to drive afterwards.
Again, a painless procedure, and a great relief to be given the all-clear having had the pesky bits taken out.
As mentioned, the worst bit of it is not being allowed solid food for 24 hours prior to the ops, and the “flush out” medication - just stay near a loo as it works with very little notice sometimes! But if you do decide to watch the show on the surgeon’s TV you will be impressed by how spick and span your insides are!!
I am not surprised by that reaction. It is a classic French system though, highly medicalised (i.e. high intervention) and highly regulated, and by that I mean that if it is in specialist’s domain, then a specialist will do it. I have seen so many consultants in France for things that would have been performed by nurses and other equally qualified people in the UK.
It’s also why many routine procedures are still often performed under general aesthetic in France, whereas in the UK and Scandinavia they are done under local or with sedation only (or with nothing in the case of your sisters). I have forgotten the percentages; however, France is slowly moving that way as well.
I have recently stayed in a trauma ward after breaking my T3 vetrebrae. The care was excellent, but the orthopaedic surgeons in this ward were non-communicative. The poor guy next to me was wheeled off for surgery and didn’t even know if they were just going to remove some toes or amputate his whole foot!!!
Once again, that you all so much for your feedback. I am now actually sleeping right through the night. But of course, just when you think everything is fine, the bloody Linky box starts playing up! For the last six days the power has been going off and on, off and on and today it has gone entirely. We have rung EDF twice and Endis are apparently “investigating” the situation. We shall call the emergeny number as this not good for business. Ya all have a great day. Cheers - Steve
