A week or so ago I went to the doctor for a refreshment of my 6 monthly pill prescription and she, not my normal doctor, insisted on me having a blood test.
So when I went to the town for something else I dropped into the lab. They were on strike. So, having to go again yesterday I returned there. The grumpy woman behind the glass kept me waiting, unsmiling and non speaking for 5 minutes while she shuffled some papers then took my prescription and demanded ‘pas mange?’ I said yes apart from a petit cafe. ‘Avec sucre?’ Just a little bit. No good, that’s food come back another time.
So, as I have to go back with Galys tomorrow I will try again. I could ring the nurses to come to the house but they might suggest a pm rdv and I can’t wait that long for my first coffee.
She also wanted ID and refused my driving licence. I experienced a similar thing in a hospital some years ago but had heard, and found, since that that was acceptable now. Not with grumpy features it isn’t, might be better if she was on the picket line again.
I miss Fran for many reasons, but not having regular early nurses is certainly one of them.
If a blood test prescription stipulates " à jeun" it means “on an empty stomach”
Infirmiers need to be told that important point… and they will come first-thing…
Ours generally comes between 7.30 and 8am so we wait patiently and sip water…
If the weather is good and OH is well enough, we don’t contact infirmiers… we take ourselves to the Lab, first thing, to relieve the workload for the infirmiers, but it’s still only water which is ingested until after the needle has struck
Yes, these labs have been on strike.
I had to wait so long for the nurse to give me my injection that I had to put it back in the fridge.
She had been taking blood tests for people who had to be a jeun.
My comment to such brusk french, which are not that many, is, ah a le pen supporter! Usually that cuts through their attitude.
Mind you David by now you should be familiar with having to give blood on an empty stomach. I think its good this new Doc wants a blood sample rather than just continuing with meds ad nauseam.
I agree. OH and I are on meds and our MT insists on annual blood tests. So much more responsible than just continuing endlessly without checking all well. It’s one of the things I love about the French system, how prevention and early detection are part of the mindset.
I think those of you who can just wander up to your lab without an appointment are lucky (or maybe not). We have to book - Doctolib works just fine for us - and as the test is a routine one we don’t have to rush, can book days ahead and get the first appointment at 7am. No problem with “a jeun” that early in the day.
Note about drinking water from our lab:
“Pour la plupart des analyses, même celles nécessitant un jeûne, il est toléré de boire un verre d’eau plate. L’eau gazeuse est à éviter. Attention : le test respiratoire pour la recherche de Helicobacter pylori nécessite toutefois de ne pas avoir bu avant sa réalisation.”
Heartily agree about “water”… tap water is wot we drink… but if even that is verboten, then the Doc will make it plain from the outset…
Frankly, for someone being given a scrip for a bloodtest… it’s surely worthwhile just checking with ones Doc… "wot does this mean for me??.. starvation and dehydration ??
Mostly, it’s discussed (in my experience) but Docs will differ .
Poor David wasted his time/journey, quite unintentionally.
In my experience, our lab always seems to ask if we’ve eaten regardless of the test so I always trot along just as it opens, having had a glass of (flat) water - or maybe two to aid the extraction process. The only part of me that is delicate are my veins…
yep… just the standard patter… some tests must be done “before”… and some tests can be done “any old time”…
but if you say… yes, bacon, eggs, sausages and fried bread… they will doubly check that the specific “tests” required to be done on your blood… won’t give a darn what you’ve eaten…
I know what a jeun means but was advised last time that a cup of coffee didn’t count, no mention of sugar was made so it didn’t occur to me. But my main complaint was not that but the appalling attitude behind the counter. It wasn’t a wasted journey @Corona, I had to go to the town with Galys for her vet rdv.
And for the same reason today, I made a return trip this morning and did the blood test at the same time. The previous person wasn’t there and the place was peopled with happy smiling faces.
I’ve never had to give ID for blood tests, just the prescription. Is she afraid someone is sitting the test for you
I use Biogroup, they have two or three clinics around here. They’re very friendly, very efficient, results back by email on the day before close of business. And, of course, all free.
The only time I had an ID request was the pre-surgery test when they were checking for infections and blood group. I found that my identity was being checked at every step of the operation preparation, presumably to manage the risk of error through misidentification
Like the hospitals, our laboratory always asks for identification… and one time, recently, I waited patiently while the chap in front rifled his pockets to find something acceptable… seems he’d left the house so early and in such a rush… that he’s every scrap of paper but nothing suitable…
finally (and I think charitably) the clerk did accept the V5 of his vehicle… yep, it was a Brit… (I kept very quiet…)
No problem with “a jeun” that early in the day.
