foot blister in Paris
 

This may seem like an odd topic but I know there are people who are regulars who will have the answer. In Paris with a really bad blister on the back of a foot which is swollen and seems infected. Short of a trip to a doctor, does anyone know what the Pharmacie sells like Neosporin? So many things have different names and its hard to communicate with the chemist sometimes. Any suggestions?

So sorry to hear this.

You need to see a doctor. I'm not sure a topical ointment will clear up an infected foot. At the very least go to a Pharmacie and have the pharmacist take a look at it.

Flaze,

I feel your pain. In the past, we have simply walked into a Pharmacie and pointed at whatever ails us (never anything normally covered by clothing, by the way :-)) and gotten great results. Throw around the word "ampoule" and they should be able to help you. Paris pharmacies are what made my sister and myself addicts of french blister "band aids." It is now one of the first purchases we make everytime we get there. Good luck with the ankle and I hope you get some relief.

Cicatril (think the spelling is correct) is a commonly suggested cream for that kind of problem. Agree with above, let the French pharmacists guide you. They're very knowledgeable.

I haven't needed to use a pharmicist in France, but in Switzerland, Austria and Italy I have gone in to a pharmacy to translate for friends who had very bad blisters, minor scrapes, or other skin problems. We would show (or describe) the problem to the pharmacist, and he or she would provide the solution. At least in those countries, and I would hope in France too, the pharmicists are trained (and authorized) to "prescribe" for minor conditions such as blisters so you don't have to go see a doctor. In Switzerland, the pharmicist asked if the blister was "open", and when the answer was yes, recommended the Compeed blister plasters after the site was thoroughly cleaned. That worked very well. The antibiotic ointments and such were not out on a shelf for us to choose; the pharmicist selected the right one. The pharmicist will also be able to advise you if it requires the attention of a doctor. Good luck.

Agree with the advice about going to the pharmacist plus also this is not the time to skimp on taxis. If you didn't pack open-backed shoes, buy a pair or -- no kidding, cut out the back of your shoe to avoid further irritiation.

Thank you so much for your excellent advice- I knew you guys would have the answer.

Pharmacists are very well informed in France and can provide all sorts of remedies for blisters. They also generally know if something is going to require a visit to the doctor, so if you fear infection, ask the pharmacist about it.

I used to use Parfenac, but when I was in france last October, they told me it was now by prescription only so they gave me the no-prescription....(name TBD..I have it at home)

Totally agree about how knowledgeable and reliable the French pharmacists are.

I wanted to add that if your French - or your medical French LOL - isn't that good, there's the Pharmacie Anglaise just off the Champs Elysees. Unfortunately I don't remember the exact address, but closer to the Arc and on the right side of the Champs as you head up to L'Etoile. I was able to explain my requirements in English, which is very helpful when in pain!

As it's much later in the day than your OP, I hope you got the aid you needed!

From one of my guidebooks [Avant Guide Paris, (c)2000]:
"Unlike their American counterparts, French pharmacists can bandage wounds and diagnose minor illnesses."

"Two that are open 24/7:
Pharmacie Les Champs, 84 Ave. des Champs-Elysees, M-Georges V, tel 01.45.62.02.41

Pharmacie Europeenne de la Place de Clichy, 6 Pl. de Clichy, M-Place de Clichy, tel 01.48.74.65.18"

There's at least one pharmacy open twenty-four hours a day in every neighborhood. In some cases, this duty is rotated among pharmacies, and those that are closed will have a sign indicating the address of the one that is open. In other areas, certain pharmacies remain open 24 hours a day as a matter of business policy.

The Pharmacie Anglaise is on the rue de La Boëtie off the Champs, right next to the Quick restaurant on the corner. They are a standard pharmacy but also carry an unusually large selection of products from the US and UK (although you still won't find Pepto-Bismol, which is banned in France).

Overall, I've always found French pharmacists to be much better informed than American pharmacists. There's always an accredited pharmacist on duty, although there may be other employees working in large pharmacies.

Remember also that you can only buy medications in a pharmacy, even over-the-counter products; you won't find them in supermarkets or anywhere else. You can buy medication for pets in a pharmacy, too. And if you like to pick mushrooms in the countryside, your local French pharmacist is trained to identify those that are edible and those that are poisonous for you.

My DH walked for two days in Paris wearing leather clogs......he got the
mother of all blisters - it was so bad
when the pharmacist took off the make-
shift bandage he bled all over the
lovely marble floor - a real mess!
She applied some kind of salve, bound
him up and sent him limping back to
the hotel where he spent 24 hours
without leaving the room!

She did such a professional job that by
the next day he was out and about
again - albeit wearing sneakers, not
clogs!

For tourists who do stupid things,
French pharmacists are a wonderful
resource......

And next time -- wear blister-preventing sox. Every time we would go to Europe my husband would promptly get a blister and then have to suffer until his feet toughened up. I found a couple of different brands (in hiking and/or biking stores) and now -- VOILA -- no more blisters. They are not cheap -- so we save them just for trips -- but they are worth their weight in gold IMHO!!

On blister preventing sox. This is what I do. Wear a pair of short hose under a pair of thin sox. The secret is having the two layers to take the friction so your feet don't have to.

I learned this the hard way and never had a problem since. Now if only keeping one's feet from getting sore (from all the walking) were so simple.

I get horrible blisters every time I break in new dance shoes, and in Málaga it happened once that I had a blister so deep, it was more like a hole. The pharmacist did bandage me up, which was so helpful, and I bought these amazing padded band-aids called made by "compeed". You can put a little salve on the would, then stick the compeed patch over it and it is like having skin. I literally danced my way through the blisters and did fine. They sell compeed in France. Just make sure the skin around the wound is clean and dry.

You can buy Compeed in the states too. They are called Band Aid Blister Block . I never travel without them and I don't wait until I get a blister to use them!

Have no suggestion for your infection but will tell you my experience. My husband put on a brand new pair of shoes (unknown to me) to wear on the plane. By the time we walked through the airport he had a HUGE blister.

Luckily I was carrying a couple of either Dr. Scholl's or Band-Aid brand blister bandages. They are jell like and stay on for a couple of days. They cushioned his heel enough that he was able to put the same shoes back on and wear them without a problem. So don't cut up your shoes as another poster suggested.

These bandages come in different sizes - a huge one for heels and a smaller one for fingers and toes. The smaller ones have saved my little toes. There is also something you can buy that I believe is called mole skin but not sure. My son used that backpacking. I hope you can find these over there.

http://www.drscholls.com/edu.aspx?eduid=2

http://www.bandaid.com/footcare.shtml

This article on blister care tells you how to drain and care for a blister:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/f.../aa031400a.htm

apply an antibiotic ointment such as bacitracin with polymyxin B (double antibiotic ointment) or bacitracin alone. Avoid ointments that contain neomycin because they are more likely to cause an allergic reaction. Finally, cover the blister with a bandage. Change the dressing daily.

Get well soon Flaze.

The pharmacie in your neighborhood should have a sign in the window indicating which ones nearby are open (when all the others are closed). Look for "pharmacie de garde".

The Magic bandaids from the pharmacie worked and all is well!!! Thank you all for such good advice. Next time I feel sure this son will bring a pair of sneakers no matter how unfashionable.