My wife has been to the GP several times with (relative) breathlessness. I was concerned immediately that it was heart related but they have been faffing around with chest x-rays and spirometry tests for months.
Finally GP said he was giving her a cardiology referral. She then described a chest pain she had in December and he said it was a heart attack, and she should have gone to A&E.
He did the referral and told her it might take 4 weeks. She had a message at 4 weeks to say she would be getting an appointment. That was 2-3 weeks ago.
I don't like nagging her to follow up so I phoned Cardiology today. I have been told she is on a general referral waiting list which is 6-9 months!
Now I'm guessing that had she gone to A&E with a heart attack she would have been having an angiogram within 24 hours. Maybe this doesn't happen any more?
If we can't get some action when we see the GP today then we will do what we have to do. Can one self refer for a heart MRI or angiogram? I suppose it will have to be proposed by a consultant. I have no doubt we can get a private referral from the GP but is that the best way to pursue this?
Neither of use wants to wait up to 9 months to find out is she will have another heart attack, which feels to be a high risk when her coronary arteries are already implicated.
I suppose I'm just venting really. I suspect the GP has cocked up the referral but that could be paranoia.
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Go to A&E, get her to say she has chest pain, when she is rolling through the system, the 'pain' can diminish...
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Our GP says anything like chest/arm/neck pain or tightness that might be heart related is phone 999 immediately territory.
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Dial 999 and Get her to A&E as soon as it happens, but first of all get back to the GP for an URGENT referral. GP can do it..
Dr youngrovergirl has explained to countless friends what to do. If it's one of her obstetrics patients she knows the ways to do things. So your GP should have referred her to a Rapid access clinic, in the first place. as yrg calls it.
Last edited by: ORB>> on Mon 16 Mar 26 at 16:04
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I was referred by my GP for an admittedly non critical problem over a year ago and have only just been seen.
Despite chasing, once referred the GP told me that it is out of their hands and down to the hospital.
The advice to go to A&E is sound. They will at least do basic tests to ensure there is no immediate problem. I suggest you go when there is unlikely to be a long wait - cold weather brings out the falls and broken bones, saturday the diy incompetents, friday evening those suffering with excess alcohol etc.
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In my case, 12yrs ago now, it was lower back pain that prompted me. I had the same pain in 94, in the night, the duty doctor arrived quickly and told his driver to ring 999 straight away so I knew what the 2014 pain was. Mrs T drove me to A&E this time and they diagnosed, treated and found me a bed. I didn't come home for 2 weeks after a triple by-pass was prescribed ! Do as Duncan says, my paramedic daughter tells me they want the call-outs, that's what they're there for.
Came home and she'd bought a new stair carpet in pale blue ......and me no stranger to the workshop and garage ! Still, I haven't destroyed it yet...don't they take advantage !
Hope it's sorted quickly.
Ted
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Thanks for the comments.
We saw a F2 on general practice rotation who as it happens is going to cardiology later this year.
There was no mention in the notes or referral of a heart attack which is really odd. I can remember clearly the boss coming back from her January appointment saying she had described her chest pains to her regular GP who said emphatically "that was a heart attack" before saying he would refer her.
Today's doctor said she had had the symptoms of a heart attack but the duration of the symptoms was shorter than would have been expected. He will discuss with cardiology, he thinks she should have an angiogram.
We'll see what transpires and take it from there. He did a thorough run down on her January ECG and said it was good. I'm pretty sure he thinks it's angina.
Her blood pressure is through the roof so she's likely getting an increase in her Ramipril.
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A few years ago i was suffering with controlled angina.
I had an appointment re getting stents.
Having done the investigation I was told " All finished, you can get of the bed and go home."
My reply was " I am not sure about that because I now have uncontrolled angina"
The best place to have such an event with my consultant and other specialists.
Response was rapid. Not going home. You are staying here and then got instant drug treatment.
Three days later moved to St Georges and stents fitted.
More recently.
I woke up on a Saturday morning feeling unwell.
One side of my face feeling odd and corner of my mouth drooping/dribbling.
Surgery closed so I called my daughter , a senior hospital consultant, who after a few checks said it appears to be Bells Palsy.
Drove to A&E. Said to reception " i think I have had a stroke. I have seen the TV adverts etc etc."
Quickly triaged and then bypassed the A&E bed bays and saw a consultant.
Who kept reassuring me that I had not had a stroke.
Heavy dose of antibiotics prescribed and discharged.
The quickest visit to A & E ever.
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I fear we are going round the loop again. Message today to say she has been prescribed omeprazole, which she doesn't need. And amlodipine 5mg on top of her ramipril for her hypertension which she stopped taking some time back because of leg cramps. And an appointment for a chest x-ray, which she had at least two of last year.
If we can't get something to answer the question on the coronary arteries then we'll have a private scan of one kind or another.
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Heart problems - private tests? - Duncan
