Paris doctor house calls
 

I am in Paris, arrived about a week ago. The evening before I left Boston, I developed a cough and was wheezing. I went to urgent care the day of my departure, got antibiotics and cough syrup to take in case things got worse while I was away. Also an inhaler because I have a history of asthma which has lain dormant for fifteen or twenty years now.

After a week I was not feeling better and have been getting quite winded, even though I have canceled almost all my activities. I have been feeling like I'm living in the last act of La Boheme. Well not quite, but it did come to mind.

So today I called SOS Medecins, a group of doctors in the Paris area who are available, according to their website, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. An hour after I called a doctor arrived, examined me, diagnosed me with bronchitis and asthma, wrote a prescription to add to those I already had been taking, and charged me 80 euros, for which he wrote a receipt for me to submit to my insurance company.

I don't know whether the person on the phone would have understood me in English, as I spoke in French to him, but I suspect one could make oneself understood if necessary.

I believe I had read about this service here before, and I thought I would report on my experience.

Good ! (Well I mean good move - sorry you are ill).
Fir the sake of others in case you need urgent care you call
1 emergency (100 ?)
2 go to nearest hospital
3 call SOS médecins'
4 go to a pharmacist who will propose a solution.

Hi Nkiki. I hope you feel better soon.

I called SOS Medicins when Susan became ill in Paris. We had a doctor in our flat within an hour. I think the fee was about 50 euros, but that was in 2009. It was a great service.

You will also be pleasantly surprised by the prices at the pharmacy when you fill that prescription.

Yes, healthcare in France is absolutely wonderful, and inexpensive even if you are a tourist and not part of the healthcare system.

Sorry that you are sick, but you're in a good place to be taken care of.

Very helpful topic, thank you Nikki and the others who have posted. I agree that healthcare in France is great.

Aw Nikki so sorry you are sick in Paris. I hope that you feel better soon and can enjoy the rest of your time there.

If you are ill but 'ambulatory' Monday through Saturday, you can also just walk into a 'Centre Médical' which are all over Paris (Google is your friend) and pay 25 euros to see a doctor. Most of them open at 7 or 7:30 a.m. (a lot of them are near the big train stations for the convenience of commuters) and are open until at least 8 p.m.

Thank you all.

Anselm, I have been thinking of you and Susan a lot this week. I am staying in the same place in the Batignolles. In addition to the intervening years, I think the SOS Medecins price might have been higher than the regular price because it is a weekend.

Nikki
Please keep us current on your recovery. Hope you will have time enough to enjoy Paris as you begin to feel better.

Nikki,
Feel better.
Several years ago while staying in Paris, I woke up in pain, unable to move. We also called SOS Medicins and were given an English speaking operator and Doctor. I think they answered in French but when I spoke English found a English speaker to help me. He came to our apartment, prescribed medicines that saved the trip for us. I believe I also paid 80€ and this was in 2008. SOS Medicines s a wonderful resource which was mentioned in information we were given about our apartment.

SOS Medecins charges a set fee because they are off-duty doctors who come to your home.

The Emergency Room charges a lot less, depending on any tests you might need - but you will often wait a long time to be seen. You will have the bill sent to wherever it is you live.

I agree that the first course of action - especially if you are in respiratory distress or think you have broken a bone or have an appendicitis-like pain - would be to go to the nearest Emergency Room.
Most admit nurses speak English, and so do the doctors. Bring your actual passport with you.

I can proffer you no advice but hope the treatment works and you feel better soon. What a rotten thing to happen when you are in Paris, Nikki.

Thanks for this, Nikki. I also hope you are recovered.

We were in Lyons when DH started having problems and the SOS docs were available then as well for €50. A wonderful service. I emailed DH's doc about it but he never responded! Figures, eh?

Please take care.

"I am staying in the same place in the Batignolles."

Oh my word. Almost overwhelming memories, Nikki. Take good care of yourself.

I hope your recovery is swift Nikki. Glad you called SOS Medicins, it's a great service. Such a shame to spend your time in Paris feeling lousy.

Just a note for those not familiar with the service, my husband and I were both quite ill with similar complaints as Nikki's and we had to call SOS Medicins twice within a week. The second doctor disagreed with the 3 or 4 medications the first had prescribed and so we went out to get another 3 or 4. They do seem to like to layer them. The total cost was about 10 euros.

The doctor also arranged for a technician to come to the apartment to draw blood. The only thing we had to go out for was an X-ray (turned out DH had pneumonia, I bonchitis) and to get the prescriptions filled. Both the X-ray and the phamacie were just around the corner. About as easy as it can get.

So sorry to hear that a bronchitis and asthma spoilt a part of your trip. I don't know when you're going back home, but I'd be delighted to show you Dijon on a day trip, to help you forget about that naughty period (and meet you at last). Think about it! :)

I wish, coco! But I think I had better save my breath for shorter excursions while I'm here this time. Flying home Friday.

Another time Nikki I hope! Enjoy the rest of your stay and take care.

Saving for future.