This wait time is beyond the pale .....

This man will continue throwing his weight around until people complain.

It really is a one-horse service here! There is a cardiology nurse for those who have just had a heart attack - been there, done that - but no other. I am not on their radar any more.

Luckygirl3

There is no specialist nurse clinic here unfortunately.

That is most unfortunate. I thought the network of Heart failure Clinics was countrywide. When we moved from Oxfordshire to Cambridgeshire last year, DH was transferred from the HF Clinic run at our local community hospital to one in Cambridgeshire that seems to operate from a surgery the other side of town.

The transfer was a bit clunky and we had to chase our new GP to get it organised, but I genuinely believe that the HF nurses are responsible for DH's current relative good health.

There is no specialist nurse clinic here unfortunately.

Luckygirl3, can you be referred to the heart failure nurse. I do not fully understand heart conditions but DH had a triple bypass 4 years ago and a pacemaker fitted two years ago and symptoms much like yours. The first year after it were hell. His pulse was irregular and he was in and out of hospital. We thought the end was near, then 18 months ago he was referred to the heart failure clinic. This is nurse run and they are uick to respond to any problems. Ask about it.

It is so good to be out the other side of an op!

Thank you Luckygirl I am home recovering, the op was 11 days ago. I’m so sorry it’s so stressful for you I hope you get good news soon. The NHS is on its knees!

I am sorry you had such a long wait. I hope things are going well for you now.

The nice cardiologist does not see patients privately.

Can you ask to see the nice surgeon privately? Or is that not possible?

I agree waiting lists are stupidly long I waited 14 months for my spinal operation . By the time my turn came I could hardly walk and was in so much pain it would make me cry . Privately it would have cost me between 15-30 thousand . Who has that kind of money?!

I think I am just an insufficiently patient patient!

I’m sorry to hear that you’re struggling Luckygirl and worrying only makes matters worse.
Do contact the secretaries and tell them you’ll accept a cancellation at short notice…….these do happen for a host of reasons.
When you are feeling particularly unwell it is important to be check in A & E ever if you do cross paths with the nasty man…….you could always tell him to not be so rude! Call him out and he might mellow!

I have had my CT lumbar spine 10 days ago - an MRI was needed but there is no clinic with pacemaker input for a very very long time - and I have now had a call to say the results are through and the specialist physio will ring me in Weds week to discuss the results.

It is very frustrating to know the results are there but I cannot know them yet!!!

I first went A&E in an ambulance,last year,paramedics had done an hours tests (ecg,etc,) on my hall floor as id collapsed twice in a row, in A& E they said my troponin levels were very high,they diagnosed a heart attack- turns out it was not.(angiogram done while in hospital) but i needed a heart valve replacing urgently.Took a long long few weeks wait while it was too dangerous to go home.Some hospitals have shorter waiting lists than others, but are further away.But they do keep on top of it to check, especially if you've no preferrance of hospital. There were ladies(many older than me) who were coming in, having stents in or pacemakers,then going home after a few days.While i was still there when they'd all come in & gone home.Even after my op.I'm rooting for you Luckygirl.🤞

I had bypass surgery last year and follow up was 6months but only with the Surgeons 'minnions', (none of whom were on my surgery team) So i asked secretary specifically to see my heart surgeon, so was 1 year &6weeks after my op- i too still have pain in wound area & op site for valve replaced, and i still have aneurysm- i still have a long way to get well, and my aneurysm means being opened up on bypass again. I honestly could have cried on hearing that.I hope you do better now Luckygirl13, but yes if you need more help its always best to ring the secretary of whichever consultant or surgeon you had.They are best placed to explain your problems, then 'the Boss' can arrange any further tests while you wait, and bump you up clinic list if its more urgent.

Contact the Patients Association for advice as it may be there are alternatives you can get provided by the NHS at less busy centres. Sounds awful, hope you get a solution soon!

I am sorry that you feel you ae banging your head against a brick wall, especially as you (or your insurance company) are forking out for it. It is reassuring that they are sitting on the angiogram as result when I had mine they straight away put in a stent as one artery was blocked to 94% at one point, so instant treatment was needed.

I hope that you get some news and treatment soon so you can get on with your life.

I read this post with great interest. I am having similar symptoms by the sounds of it - SOB on minimal exertion, dizzyness, tightening of diaphragm, shoulder pain and excessive, debilitating fatigue. I have private healthcare and have had an ECG, an ultrasound scan and a CT angiogram and no further forward. Last Friday I rang the private hospital 23 times ! 4 different departments and either engaged or no reply. Eventually I emailed cardiologist and admittedly got a prompt reply. But I’m fed up being told what it isnt. Need to be told what it IS and what they intend to do. Apparently the results from the angiogram had been on his desk 4 days and I would hear more this week 😡 Like you I feel my life is wasting away. I rarely leave home, as though almost asymptomatic whilst sitting, as soon as I attempt anything like a normal day’s activities I am quickly debilitated. My own GP had warned me I would have a long wait with NHS and as I have private cover which i have continued paying since retirement, I decided to use it. Needless to say its the same cardiologist I would see on NHS and tbh he’s not particularly pleasant either. Doesnt appear to appreciate my interest or questions. Tough !

It’s frightening these days when you become ill with a serious health problem.
Have you asked your cardiologist if he does private work if not I would make an appointment with the private shouty one but take copies of whatever you can get hold of, usually consultant letters to your Gp you can download so that you can show him as private consultants don’t have access to NHS data.
I was a nurse for over 30years and I’ve seen countless consultants with a god complex but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are not good at their job just an arrogant person.
But one thing I would advise is always try and take someone with you to the appointment, in my experience the consultant is less likely to be rude as there is a witness and they can often remember things that were said if you are a little anxious.
Failing this you have nothing to lose by going to A&E after all you aren’t going for a cold it’s a serious issue which should be treated as such.
Please let us know how it goes wishing you well 💐

You can ask your GP to refer to to a different hospital.

I have no advice to offer, just sympathy and very best wishes.

Never ever give up! Have faith that all will be well. Old age is not for sissies. Thinking of you 😘

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Maybe if you say where you live, others in nearby cities with the same condition might be able to share their positive experiences and say who their surgeon/consultant was.

They probably can't actually recommend someone but surely just quoting them in their positive story would be okay?
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I just wanted to say how sorry I am to read how ill you are feeling and hope that you can get some appropriate help soon.

So sorry to hear what a predicament you are in at the moment. I would take the advice to phone the consultants secretary and at the same time also contact your GP to see if your NHS apt can be prioritised. Failing that I would have an appt with the unpleasant consultant privately. It avoids a long journey to and from Birmingham and being dealt with by a man who shouts as you has to be better than suffering as you are. The apt may well be unpleasant but it could result in you feeling much better more quickly, the fact that he's not a pleasant man doesn't mean that he might not be a great cardiologist.

Luckygirl3

The wait in this scenario is always long because two blood tests are needed with at least two hours in between and each test in itself takes time. The aim is to see if troponin levels are rising and you can't do that with just one test.

I have been in this situation more than once and knew the score. The problem is that staff often do not have time to explain what is going on so bloods are taken and the patient is abandoned not knowing what the heck is going on.

Yes she said she had intervals between bloods & that’s why it took all night sat on those hard plastic chairs.