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[Ursula123]

Wise ones if the Omlet forum I need some advise and who better to ask.

Having had a nagging pain in my lower right abdomen for a couple of weeks, I finally bit the bullet and took myself off to the Doctor yesterday, not a big deal if I were in the UK but trying to explain myself and understand the reply in French was a challenge in itself.

After a good poking and prodding the doctor declared I have a hernia and gave me a prescription for an ultrasound ( you book your follow on treatment yourself at the specialist of your choice ), I have an appointment for this on 5th April. I am due to go skiing next week and asked his advice, he shrugged and said my choice but it will hurt and the best thing to do was sit and drink hot wine, only a French doctor would prescribe wine. I am not silly enough to ski and do more damage.

My question to you is, is there anything I can do to ease the pain and help the situation.

 

[Daphne]

I'm sorry I don't have any advice, but I know the difficulties of trying to communicate the details of medical things in another language, so I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone and you have my sympathies. My BIL was told he had high cohlesterol in France, and was advised to cut down on this, that and the other, including cheese.  Just the one piece per day was the advice, camembert is fine (doctor and patient live in Normandy).  I hope somebody can come along and be more use to you.   I hope you can enjoy the apres ski a bit, at the very least, even if you are not hurtling down any mountains.

[soapdragon]

Sorry to hear that, Ursula. No experience here but have you Googled? I know that there is lots of conflicting info out there - some silly, some scary and some downright dangerous - but, if you looked at the NHS advice then I'm sure they'd have wise words. If I ever feel brave enough to Google anything medical it's the NHS sites that I look at!

Totally agree though that ⛷️ is probably not advisable! And I think I'd have been tempted to ask for a prescription for that hot wine 

 

[Grandmashazzie]

Hi Ursula, have you done any strenuous exercise or lifting recently. I haven’t had hernia but a few months ago at gym class some members were absent due to hernias, caused presumably by the weights. My understanding is most settle with rest although the hernia  if for example is bowel can become strangulated but that would be very painful and need hospitalisation. I wouldn’t be rushing to ski as it sounds like it would irritate it further and stop it settling.

[Luvachicken]

I have no idea about hernias but wanted to say I hope it's not too painful and that it gets better soon xxx

[Beantree]

Fortunately both our Doctor and Dentist speak English Ursula123. You need to be very careful with that hernia, because they can get nasty, so excessive movement or lifting must be avoided. Although it may stabilise there will always be a weakness there unfortunately and in my case neither side settled and both required operations. One was due to lifting and the other a car crash. The operation is simple enough, recovery is very quick and both have been totally successful in my case. They used to stitch the muscles together but that wasn't always successful so now they use a mesh which becomes embedded and holds everything together. At this stage you need to make sure your healthcare is adequate as in my case they didn't cover surgery within 3 months of the start of the top-up assurance contract.

[Ursula123]

2 hours ago, Beantree said:

Fortunately both our Doctor and Dentist speak English Ursula123. You need to be very careful with that hernia, because they can get nasty, so excessive movement or lifting must be avoided. Although it may stabilise there will always be a weakness there unfortunately and in my case neither side settled and both required operations. One was due to lifting and the other a car crash. The operation is simple enough, recovery is very quick and both have been totally successful in my case. They used to stitch the muscles together but that wasn't always successful so now they use a mesh which becomes embedded and holds everything together. At this stage you need to make sure your healthcare is adequate as in my case they didn't cover surgery within 3 months of the start of the top-up assurance contract.

Thanks Beantree, my doctor does speak some English and between us we managed, I have a scan booked for 5th April and will go from there. I never bothered with top up insurance as I am never poorly, visiting the doctor every three or so years and am happy to pay the top up proportion after the Carte Vitale is taken into account, the same with my migraine tablets on prescription which work out far cheaper than the UK 3 euro compared to the £8.50 prescription charge. However today I have taken out a mutuelle and this covers me from 1st March and can claim my top up on my recent doctors visit, I can only claim up to 100% for the first month but after that it is 150%.Hopefully it will stabalise and the pain will subside as it feels like someone is sticking a knife in me, I just feel so helpless as I am normally so active and I hate asking for help.

 

16 hours ago, Luvachicken said:

I have no idea about hernias but wanted to say I hope it's not too painful and that it gets better soon xxx

Thank you

17 hours ago, Grandmashazzie said:

Hi Ursula, have you done any strenuous exercise or lifting recently. I haven’t had hernia but a few months ago at gym class some members were absent due to hernias, caused presumably by the weights. My understanding is most settle with rest although the hernia  if for example is bowel can become strangulated but that would be very painful and need hospitalisation. I wouldn’t be rushing to ski as it sounds like it would irritate it further and stop it settling.

I was changing the brakes on my car and my foot slipped of the wheel brace, and i think this is the cause. Just thought I had pulled a muscle and got on with it for a few days.

[Beantree]

I'm the same as you Ursula; never ill really, especially now we are here and the stress levels have dropped. Fortunate really, as the sneaky changes recently made to the UK S1 healthcare system left me with no cover whatsoever for over a year. Problem is the top-up generally only covers treatment which the Carte Vitale covers, so without the card top-up was pointless and that card took a lot of getting. Everything is in place now though. Accepting the top-up could be a total waste of money, it could also be an absolute godsend if something does go seriously wrong and it is worth noting that in a serious car accident payments are met between the car and health policies.

Just to explain to anyone reading this. In some cases you pay cash up-front and then claim it back, but which is now more often done automatically as the systems are linked, so no cash changes hands, although the doctor visits are €25 cash which then is credited to your bank account over the following weeks. The Health department pays 70% of the nationally set fee and the top-up pays the remainder, so 30%. But, if your treatment is over the national charge level you will be left short unless your policy covers more, so say 150%. It is all very complicated initially and if you are not in 'the system' you will need to pay cash up front; even the French struggle with it!

Hope you get sorted Ursula. Far better chance and far quicker here I think, than in the UK.

[Ursula123]

Beantree, My Carte Vitale was with me within 3 months of registering as a ME, I paid the Dr 25 euro on Monday evening and the 70%  was back in the bank on Wednesday. Can not fault the system here, I could of had my scan next week had I not been away.

We weighed up the pro's and con's and decided it was best to get, we pay 70Euro per month for us both and I got the first month free as I told them I was shopping around

[ajm200]

Hope they can do something to ease the pain @Ursula123.  I had investigations for severe stomach pain a few years ago and it turned out to be a small hernia,  I was told that most women who’ve had children have done degree of hernia and never know as most never cause pain.  I do remember how painful it was at the time.  Mine did settle down and rarely gives me problems now just acid reflux and heartburn from time to time. 

Take it easy and I hope you feel better soon 

[Grandmashazzie]

Hi ajm,yes I too have that. It is hiatus hernia when your stomach contents push up into the oesophagus. I think Ursula is talking about abdominal hernia when a bit of abdominal organs can push through a bit of muscle, that’s why it can happen after strenuous exercise and that’s why you have to make sure loop of bowel doesn’t become inflamed or have it’s blood supply compromised as that can be surgical emergency.

[Ursula123]

Thank you AJM, yes Grandmashazzie is correct it is an abdominal hernia, the pain has been better today as I have been resting, also have my hold it all in knickers on 

[Valkyrie]

My grandmother wore a girdle to keep her hernia in place.  She was always digging in the garden and lifting things!  My dad had a double hernia but he had to have an operation.  Hope you can get it sorted.