First Dates star Fred Sirieix has shared details of recent medical procedures following a routine blood test.
The TV personality and maître d’ shared photos of himself in the hospital on Friday (29 September), beginning with an image of himself smiling from his bed.
In his caption, he explained that he’d undergone a gastroscopy and colonoscopy to investigate the results of a blood test that detected a “slight deficiency in iron”.
He wrote: “To be honest the mere thought of these procedures really stressed me out. What might be found? Not only that but these are invasive procedures.”
Sirieix then explained that while it is compulsory for patients to be sedated during these procedures, it is possible to opt out of sedation in the UK.
“A gastroscopy only requires a numbing spray on the throat while air and gas is offered for the colonoscopy,” he added.
The TV star then shared that after conversations with other doctors, one including his brother, he’d decided against sedation in order to return to his plans more quickly.
“You see I do not believe nor want to take drugs I do not need,” he wrote. “I’m busy and can’t afford to take 24 hours off just because I’m scared of a simple tube and camera going from my mouth to my stomach and another going from my bum to the end of my colon.”
Sirieix then told his fans his take on the feeling of the procedures, calling the gastroscopy “awful”, compared to the colonoscopy.
Fred Sirieix in the hospital— (Instagram / Fred Sirieix)
“The gastroscopy is the most unpleasant of the two because it makes you gag,” he wrote. “Basically it is awful. However it just lasts five minutes. Pain wise I’ve had much worse. Anyone could take it.”
A gastroscopy involves a camera inserted into a patient’s throat to inspect the upper part of the digestive system, while a colonoscopy, which inspects the bowels, involves the camera being passed through the anus.
“The colonoscopy is easy peasy in contrast,” Sirieix continued. “A bit weird I must admit because it is up your bum but we all have one and c’est la vie.
“However it is NOT painful. It lasts about 20/30 minutes. We talked throughout with Dr Bansi and his team,” he wrote, adding that they wanted to know how his frequent collaborator, Gino D’Acampo, was doing.
The First Dates mainstay then concluded his caption by stating that he’d celebrate the successful procedures with an Indian meal and a bottle of wine.
Earlier this year, Sirieix was praised after opening his third restaurant to be staffed by prisoners.
