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Original poster

PLease give me some advice over chest infection and trip to France.

28 replies

PanicPants · 26/07/2007 13:57

I've had another thread about this so sorry if boring anyone again.

Had chest infection for weeks now. I've finished antibiotics and a course of steroids, all to no effect. Back to drs today. Been put on a further 15 day antibiotic course, more steriod tablets, antihistomine, methanol crystals and different inhalers.

What they want to do is send me up to hospital BUT we are supposed to be going to France fri night/sat morning.

I can't shift it, feel horrible, can't breath, fed up, and now beginning to seriously doubt we can go to France.

Lots of you have advised healthy foods like onion soup, curries, fruit etc which I'm trying to eat buckets of.

What else can I do? Never felt this ill before - beginning to get a bit scared.

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Original poster

PanicPants · 26/07/2007 14:03

bump - please help

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Original poster

PanicPants · 26/07/2007 14:14

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littleboo · 26/07/2007 14:15

what did your GP say about travelling to France?
How are you going flying, ferry??

PinkChick · 26/07/2007 14:18

sorry no idea, i have one too so was gunna sympathise, but hope someone has some proper advice for you and you feel better before you go

Original poster

PanicPants · 26/07/2007 14:21

Going by ferry. Dr said she would prefer us not to go, but has given me the stronger antibiotics to see me through the whole holoiday.
And to take 5x puff an hour of salbutamol in a spacer at home instead of going to hospital and using the nebuliser. (Does that seem to make sence to you?)

It will be me, dp and 2 year old ds going. Haven't started packing or have any euros etc etc (panic panic)

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littleboo · 26/07/2007 14:26

ferry better than flying
At the end of the day it depends on how bad you're feeling. A new course of antibiotics may just do the trick and get things shifting along with all the other meds.
If you do decide to cancel do you have insurance , you could then get a letter from the Gp saying they considered you unfit to travel.
If all else fails the healthcare system in france is supposed to be very good, just in case.
Good luck

NorthernMusgrave · 26/07/2007 14:28

Got health insurance?
Health care very good in France, but would you rather feel shit at home or shit in another country? Can you speak French? Whereabouts you going? Explaining to a doctor what is wrong if you don't speak the lingo could be tricky. Chest infection is infection de voies respiratoires btw.

There is a risk it could turn into pneumonia which would be hellish and mean a hospital stay whether you like it or not. I would suggest you take iron supplements now vitamin C and zinc, that will boost your immunity and white blood cells. But I'd think long and hard about going in the first place. It won't be much of a holiday if the most you get to see of France is the inside of one of their hospitals. It would suck for your dh and ds too. Can you not claim a refund on the cost of booking because of illness?

Original poster

PanicPants · 26/07/2007 14:28

I suppose that's what I was really asking really, about how easy it would be to be treated in France.

We are insured, and have the new european cards (used to be E111) so I'm thinking, we'll go, and if I really bad I can go to the drs there?

Can I do that (haven't ever been ill abroad before)?

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PinkChick · 26/07/2007 14:29

check you insurance tho cos most wont cover existing illness(only saw this last night when booking our hol insurance)

Original poster

PanicPants · 26/07/2007 14:31

NorthernMusgrove, no can't speak much french, we're going to Brittany near St Malo. Is it possible to just hop back onto a ferry? Can you do that, just turn up in the car to get back to England?

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CountessDracula · 26/07/2007 14:31

Do you have holiday insurance
If your dr says not to travel they will refund you the holiday and you can re-book

TBH I wouldn't go if it were me unless there was considerable improvement by tomorrow evening
Can you just go to bed til then?

Original poster

PanicPants · 26/07/2007 14:32

Going to check my insurance now Pinkchick

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NorthernMusgrave · 26/07/2007 14:32

Yes you can go to the docs in France, you have to pay upfront and you get the refund from your insurance company. But unless you are in a tourist area a lot of the docs won't really know what to do, so make sure they fill in the relevant details for you and keep the receipt of prescriptions and so on.

Not sure they can do anything other than what is already being done. You need plenty of rest and fluids and everything else. Hols can be stressful, I'd seriously consider cancelling, not worth putting your health at risk I don't think.

PinkChick · 26/07/2007 14:33

hope it DOES cover you..but didnt want to to rely on it without seeing first.

NorthernMusgrave · 26/07/2007 14:34

Yes you can panicpants but it will cost you and you might have to wait for the next available space.

I really wouldn't do it, not worth the stress etc. The only good point I can see is that Brittany is quite touristy and full of ex-pats so chances of encountering an English speaking doctor are quite high.

Twiglett · 26/07/2007 14:35

god panicpants .. I'm really sorry but I'd cancel the holiday .. postpone it

please don't mess around with chest infections .. I had a serious one a year or so ago, totally knocked off my feet, incapable of looking after children for about 6 weeks, 5 courses antibiotics, 1 flashing ambulance trip to hospital, had to go away to convalesce .. took almost a year to feel almost normal .. still have week chest now and succomb to anything it seems

foxinsocks · 26/07/2007 14:37

I would find out if they can fit you in at the hospital for an x-ray before the end of Friday (if that's what the GP wants you to do - they may be able to!).

NorthernMusgrave · 26/07/2007 14:39

x-ray good idea.

Original poster

PanicPants · 26/07/2007 14:50

Twiglett that sounds horrendous, Just checked the insurance documents and all it says is the about the excess if needing treatment etc. Can't see anything about pre excisitng illnesses.

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NorthernMusgrave · 26/07/2007 14:52

If you knew you had the chest infection before you went, they will try to get out of paying you anything for treatment because of infection, esp if your gp says they advised you not to go. I know lots of people who have been stung by this.

Twiglett · 26/07/2007 14:53

did you get ill after you took out travel insurance?

in which case just call them and ask them about what would happen if doc makes you cancel

Original poster

PanicPants · 26/07/2007 14:54

Yes, took out the insurance back in February i think. Only got ill a few weeks ago. Will call them and then going to have a lie down and think, but thanks for your advice.

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PinkChick · 26/07/2007 16:01

when i booked mine last night it said if you had a pre existing injury/illness or knew you had something wrong and were awaiting diagnosis or that you had been advised or would have been advised to not travel had you sen a doc.,...i would go on their website and check as if you were a new customer.hth

Twiglett · 26/07/2007 19:50

what have you decided to do?

Original poster

PanicPants · 27/07/2007 11:24

Right. Don't feel quite as bad today, headach and fever not as noticable, although chest still bad.

Phoned the insurance company last night and we are now covered against cancellation or medical costs for the chest infection (Thank you ladies, I'd never thought to do that if it wasn't for mn!)

We've also checked the availability of ferries leaving ST Malo back to UK, and there are quite a few all with spaces so far.

Also looked at locations of dr/hospitals etc where we're staying and there are lots.

So, unless I get worse today, we're going to go (God help me!)

Dp packed last night, so God only knows what clothes of mine and ds that he has packed.

Any more advice?

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