Georgina, ask your medecin traitant (as for pretty much everything) I think the checks start after 50, a few of my mates get them done, especially those who have family history. I was talking to one of them the other day who is in his mid 50s, razor fit racing cyclist, and he has a check up every year as his Dad died of it. As ever - start at your medecin traitant and go from there ;-)
along in an hour rather than a minute, and ironically I've just been to see my medecin (not traitant, he's away on holiday so I went to my kids' docteur which was much nicer as she's 30 something and female whereas my medecin traitant is in his 70s and an ex-army docteur...!) anyway for once it's the same in French Tracy, just pronounced at the end -at rather than -ate ;-)
and yes all that re-éducation - all sorts of funny toys. My eyes popped out when my OH came home with it all and started explaining what she'd been doing. talked to my sister in the UK who was surprised too as there seems to be non of that there. OH didn't bother doing it after our second but should have (her admition, not my opinion!)
@ Suzanne, yep, there is a definite difference and the computer can tell which bits you are squeezing, you have to laugh or you'd cry - not sure it really did help though!
I recently sent my husband to the doctors for an MOT due to a family member being terminally ill, start with your medecin traitant and he/she will go through everything and send you for all the necessary tests. He came back with lots of papers for all the various tests, all fully reimbursed and lots of worry all sorted. Not sure what the 'prostate' is in French - bet Andrew will be along in a minute and tell you!
@ Tracy - oh I'm imagining it will be highly embarrassing and hilarious at the same time. I did get an ordanance from my gyne after Izzy was born but I confess I didn't do anything with it. I just did the exercises in the baby books at home - however my Medecin now informs me I was working out my abdos apparently! I'd better go for the electric shock treatment then ;)
Has anyone posted about prostate check ups?
Where to get it done - what to ask for etc...
Oh Suzanne, the 're-education' is fascinating and will give you loads to write about. Some use just pelvic exercises, others involve using a 'sond' that is connected to a computer, giving you mild shocks and one friends midwife used her hand to do it manually!!!!!! Can't believe you haven't done it before!
My OH went to our doc a few weeks back because of a shoulder problem (honest - her right but not as bad as my left, so between us we could not change a light bulb - think about it). He tried a few tweaks and then asked if she had had a thorough check in the last couple of years. He knows she does the occasional thing back in Switzerland, so it is not always on record. She had not, so he had her off to the laboratory round the corner for various checks and then she was on her way to gynaecology, osteopath, etc. Last week she was told she has cartilage depletion, part of osteo-arthritis beginning, was told smoking out (believe that when I see it), change in diet to include XYZ. The gynaecologist saw her the same day, various things there and she has a couple more appointments in the next couple of weeks.
Because she was a university lecturer in the UK she had to have a medical to be confirmed in post. A GP saw her for a couple of minutes, OK-ed her. When she had some 'woman problems' as she put it, she went on a waiting list so that by the time she got there all symptoms were gone. Colorectal screening here, three tests in a sealed packet from the lab which she returned there and at the end of the same day collected the results. Attempt to do that in the UK involved a 'special clinic' which was her GP anyway, who had a 'look' then said 'probably no need' so no tests. Our medecin traitant is a bit of a useless communicator but at least conscientious and responds to questions reasonably immediately - for instance he phoned the hsopital to say I was on the way in when I broke the shoulder. So on the matter of the 'routine' three yearly tests for my OH he simply lined up every single one she required and has advised her about when she reaches 50 and additional ones begin, albeit she has nearly four years to go until then. We have a sage femme in the village who offers advice or group activities for women needing to know about women's health. On balance, I think they are all good. I am impressed.
@ Tracy - thanks for your kind offer but I believe in doing it myself so next time it will be easier :)
@ Helen - thanks for the links & info about Sage Femme - incidentally I got an ordanance for her too (10 seances re-education - now that will be interesting!)
hi all, It's Mirena that I've been given an ordanance for. My medecin did explain the 2 options for this as well as la pillule (which disagrees with me & I'm likely to forget with 3 small kids) So Mirena sounds like a good option. My Medecin is really great though, she's followed all of my pregnancies and does all the regular check ups & vaccins for les petites and I respect that she hands off to specialists when appropriate.
We have a family mutelle policy which is expensive (it covers some specialist fees up to 400%, dentist fees & opthamology fees) but every month we get back almost what we spend at the moment on medecin, kine, vaccin, traitements etc for the kids & as Tracy said those expensive echographies throughout pregnancy.
Last year I was rushed into hospital and afterwards had help in the home as well as daily nurse visits all covered 100% by the mutuelle & state. When Jasmine's weight plummeted as a 3m old baby she was referred to 'The Best' specialist at Montpellier hospital by our Medecin and in day hospital for all sorts of tests - bill for that was over 1000 euro. I now consider the mutuelle as an important part of our finances - just like life assurance is for your mortgage/family.
I'm glad my post has created so much discussion, often these are the areas we struggle with most as they're not the sort of topics you generally openly discuss. So thanks everyone.
My GP was horrified when I told her that I had been in France 5 years and not had a single check!! She gave me more "ordnances" than I care to think about for checks on this and that and the next thing!! All done and dusted now and they didn't find anything nasty!
Have to agree with Tracey that the "Mirena" is wonderful!! It has certainly helped keep things to a manageable level - in fact so manageable that it is basically unnoticeavble! A huge help as previously I was finding that being out of the house was nerve wracking for about 5 days a month! That was no fun!
So - for anybody who hasn't done so - be brave, get all those bits and pieces checked! The discomfort is temporary, and worth it for the peace of mind!! :-)
Thank you Suzanne, that's something I need to think about x
As an extra piece of information, the copper coil can cause heavier bleeding - the hormonal one causes it to almost disappear although I did have initial difficulties, it was certainly no worse than having a regular period! No contest in my book! (apart from when I lost it :-) )
as ever Tracy's on the ball - especially about mutuelle, mine costs me 20€ a month, my OH pays 50€ a month but both kids are on hers and it covers pretty much everything and when the kids are ill, need hospital treatment etc it's worth it's weight in gold!
Yes a medecin is a medicin, a gynécologue is a gynécologue etc.
I think it is worth pointing out that in France your medecin traitant is a 'generaliste' and like many other professions in France, it really is a case of - that's not my job. You need to visit your MT for a referral and tell them you think you need to see XYZ specialist, they then refer you for the specialist examination although for opthalmos and gynaes you don't need to have a referral. I have been in France many years and not one single MT has ever done a smear or gynae examination, not even my lovely lady MT who was the best advisor I ever had regarding my two babies - but only because she was a mother of young children herself.
Karen, it sounds like you had a dreadful experience which although you got free on the NHS, cost you more in the end than having a basic mutuel would have cost you. Had you gone through the correct channels you would have been entitled to sick pay and you wouldn't possibly (although who knows) have haemorraged in the first place!
Everyone, a mutuelle is essential, not an optional extra. There are various levels which start at very reasonable prices for just hospitalisation, you don't have to have one that covers everything. For example my Mirena which sells at over 100€ was completely free of charge to me through my mutuelle. The gynae costs around 55€ a time - no charge to me though. When it all went wrong and I was hopsitalised, no charge to me. I have good cause to be grateful to my mutuelle especially during my second pregnancy, my gynea gave me an echography every visit, as part of the visit - my 20 week scan showed serious abnormalities. No problem, whisked of to see a specialist in pre-natal abnormalites of babies kidneys (!!!!), within 2 days - wow, his consultation fee was enormous but - covered by the mutuelle, as were all the follow up visits for echographies every 3 months and pediatre visits. Don't risk it, we're not well of but health is everything.
For those of you who have young children, you can visit the PMI, which is a specialist clinic for babies and young children. They do all the check ups and childhdod vaccinations free of charge, you have to pay for the prescriptions as you usually do but the visits are free. The advantage is that they are midwifes and doctors who specialise in children (not necessarily pediatricians though) and it doesn't cost a penny.
Hello all,
I dont normally post, but as this is a subject dear to my heart, I thought I would put in my pennyworth. I work as a nurse in 2 doctor's surgeries, and am involved in the screening programmes and general health education.
The frottis are every 3 years from 25 to 65 years. The mammos are every two years, from 50 to 75 years and the 'hémoccult' which is the screening for colon cancer is also every two years from 50 to 75 years.
With the hémoccult, they may chase you up, or you may have a phone call to remind you from your friendly practice nurse!!
what's a bloke doing on this thread, well just to confirm what Stacy said about the two stérilet options - the copper one works just as well, no accidents since out second child was born 3 years ago, and there are no hormonal problems which might be experienced similar to the pill - you can stop taking the pill if it doesn't suite you, you have to go back to the gynéchologue to take the stérilet out!
The French system is good at doing colorectal screening. They send you a kit. You do 3 different 'collections', smearing the stuff on the cards and then you post it off. They test and let you know. I must say I'm not used to all these bodily tests flitting around the mail such as faecal samples and smear tests. In NZ the doctor keeps them and sends them off.
My tests all came back negative. The rectal cancer one isn't definitive as it just checks for microscopic blood but that's helpful and free for us older folks. You just have to put a little 'effort' into doing it.
Although I speak fairly fluent french I nevertheless looked up all the necessary vocab to do with contraception on a french website before visiting my doctor...and ended up being better informed than she was as it turned out...
Anyway...here is that website in case you want to prepare before going to see your doctor or sage femme: http://www.choisirsacontraception.fr/
Sorry, I have now had an introduction etc.