Cardio app.....

[EireCara]

HI Everyone, Well I had my long awaited cardio app yesterday. As soon as I arrived I was told that Dr.Foley was not there as he had a family bereavement.

I was seen by a young doc who looked about 20yrs old but was probably about 25. He had a very ''loud and busy'' way about him. I felt like telling him I was there with a heart problem not my hearing.

Anyway, it was all down hill from the moment we met. After saying ''hello'' he preceded to read my file (he had never seen me before) and after about 5 minutes he said have you ever taken amiodarone. I said yes but had to stop it due to side effects, so he said we will try you on flecadine (sp) it is good for a.fib and see how you go !!!! I said, I would like a moment to explain 'how unwell Im feeling'' and he said ''yea well the a.fib is probably responsible for that''. I said could the leaking MV and TV not have something to do with it. He said most people have MODERATE tricuspid leakage and are just fine, and a moderately leaking or floppy MV should not be causing me to feel so unwell.

I said ''what about the high pressures in the right side of my heart, they would not allow me to do a stress test due to it in my local hospital....to which he replied..., Ah, they are not that high yet. I said, I also have this pain in my upper abdomen which is getting worse lately and he said ''I dont know what that could be''. He also said even though I have a.fib and valve problems that there is absolutely no need for me to take warfarin, and he would discuss this with DR.Foley......

That was it....My spirit crashed to the floor and I couldnt speak another word.

He said he couldnt write a prescription for me as he would have to check it out with DR.Foley first but he wouldnt see him until next week sometime and would phone me as to whether I will be starting on flecadine (sp) or not.And everything about his presence said....''now go'' Im finished with you.

I just nodded and said goodbye as I left the room. My mind was sobbing cryng, inside. I had to wait over 4 hours for my lift home and I sat in a daze in a different outpatients waiting area where I just blended in with about 30 people, but I felt more alone than ever.

Im soo sorry for constantly having bad news when I come on here, I wish I could write a post which says something positive but I cant.

Im absolutely devistated. Today, I would be happy to end it all, but for now, my children need me.

 

[kfay]

Jacqui, I'm so sorry your appt. didn't go the way you wanted. I do think that the a-fib could be making you feel like crap. If they got that under control I think you would feel much better. Can you call Dr. Foley's office and ask to speak to his nurse? I would try that and see if she can get him to call you back on the phone so that you can speak to him directly. Ask him if you can have an ep study and have an ablation for the a-fib. My tricuspid valve leakage is severe and I have mild leakage on my mitral valve and the only thing I notice is occasional shortness of breath. However, when I have a-fib, which fortunately isn't very often and doesn't last for more than a minute or two, I feel awful and feel like I'm going to pass out. Jacqui, I think of you often and am hopeful that you will find a solution.

Kim

 

[WayneGM]

Sorry to hear you're appointment didn't turn out as you had hoped. All I can say is hang in there, and my thoughts and best wishes are with you.

 

[Freddie]

Jacqui,
this guys attitude was really uncalled for. If I were you I'd phone Dr.Foley office and tell his nurse/receptionist what had happened and you want to see Dr.Foley a.s.a.p. You didn't wait 4 months to be treated like crap.

Good Luck and Best wishes

 

[marie]

I don't have any advice for you but I do want you to know you're in my thoughts and prayers. I'm sorry you were treated that way. Just hang in there. Earline

 

[Nancy]

Oh Jacqui-

How terrible. We all care about you and worry too. Please make sure you come here often even if it only to say, "hi" and "bye", just so we know you are OK.

Do you have family or friends there that you keep contact with?

It is true that afib can make you feel terrible. Joe had it for many years. But there seems to be a lot more going on than that.

You'll be in my prayers.

 

[Susan BAV]

Jackie, I'm sorry to read how disappointed you are. I understand that crushed feeling and have been there also. Hang in there, because tomorrow is another opportunity for a better day. And you have your children who love and need you. Hopefully this doctor's fresh mind and approach might possibly be the thing to help you out--I sure hope so!

But I also wanted to tell you that I think a person needs to be hospitalized when put on flecadine (I don't think that's spelled correctly either) although I have read of some experiences otherwise. You may want to look into that.

I hope this med may be just the thing to help you to feel better. Best wishes and post again.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Jacqui, I second the suggestions to call Dr. Foley's office and request (demand?) an opportunity to speak with him, either in person or via telephone.

I suspect the drug that was recommended was "Flecainide" which is an anti-arrhythmic. It seemed to me that it's primary use is for PVC's (from the information I saw on http://www.drugs.com/pro/flecainide.html) Several references and links are listed on GOOGLE for this drug.

For A-Fib, Sotalol (generic form of BetaPace) is often prescribed, at least here in the USA. I have found this drug to be effective for me. It is 'usually' recommended that patients be hospitalized for a few days to ensure that no dangerous arrhythmias are triggered while the patient 'adjusts' to the medication.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[marky]

Jacqui
I am so sorry that your hopes were squashed with this doctor. I 3rd the recomendation to call dr. foley.. and Demand your rights.. You waited so long and were just treated unfairly!
No answers for you just a big hug{{{{Jacqui}}}} and prayers

 

[lance]

EireCara,
What a dork of a doctor. I'm sorry to learn about your experience. Doesn't seem to me he is a cardiologist, lacked the expertise to deal with your concerns and didn't want to say so.
You should certainly relay your experience to Dr. Foley and soon.
Best wishes

 

[Superbob]

Jacqui,

I am so sorry your long-awaited cardio appointment turned out like this. I echo all the others in hoping you can get redress for this.

I gather Ireland has a nationalized health care system. I won't make a political point of your plight, but I have to wonder if that's part of the reason you have such problems getting an appointment and then getting decent treatment. I pray that you will get the diagnosis and treatment you need and deserve soon....

Hang in there.

 

[Bridgette]

Ireland does have a national/public health system, similar to New Zealand's.
To everyone who has said to Jacqui that she should call Dr Foley's office and demand to speak to him - I know you are well intentioned - BUT I'm afraid that in a public health system things just don't work like that. If you are lucky you might get to speak to a nurse or receptionist, and they MIGHT agree to pass a message to the cardiologist, but they probably will not.
You see, in a system such as this, self referral is a big no-no, the specialists work on referrals from the GP's - like I could not ring up and book an appointment for myself - I would have to go to my GP and he would write to the hospital and then I would go onto a waiting list to be seen in a clinic.
This is why Jacqui is getting such a raw deal - in a public system there are such LONG waiting lists for specialist appointments...
I imagine that, like New Zealand, Ireland also has a private system running alongside the national one, but of course that is user pays, and unless you have medical insurance (very dear), the cost is prohibitive for the average person.

Jacquie, I would like to echo what someone else in this thread said - I have lots of experience with paroxysmal AF, and AF DOES make you feel like crap, really awful.
In the past, the cardio at the hospital was going to put me on Flecainide next time I went into AF - in NZ this drug is sometimes used for people with AF - he said it is more effective (quicker) at reverting people to sinus rhythm than Amiodarone. In the end I didn't need to go on it, but before you dismiss it just research it a bit on the web, and maybe talk to your GP about it because it just may help in the short term (can you get your GP to prescribe Warfarin for you?)
Have you had electrical cardioversion at all? I had that done and it worked, and I stayed in SR from that time until the time of my op, when I had the Maze done along with my valve replacement.
Anyway, I know that you are up against it as far as getting specialist appts etc goes - I hope that maybe trying Flecainide may help you in the meantime.

Bridgette

 

[Bad Mad]

Ireland does have a national/public health system, similar to New Zealand's.
To everyone who has said to Jacqui that she should call Dr Foley's office and demand to speak to him - I know you are well intentioned - BUT I'm afraid that in a public health system things just don't work like that. If you are lucky you might get to speak to a nurse or receptionist, and they MIGHT agree to pass a message to the cardiologist, but they probably will not.
You see, in a system such as this, self referral is a big no-no, the specialists work on referrals from the GP's - like I could not ring up and book an appointment for myself - I would have to go to my GP and he would write to the hospital and then I would go onto a waiting list to be seen in a clinic.
This is why Jacqui is getting such a raw deal - in a public system there are such LONG waiting lists for specialist appointments...
I imagine that, like New Zealand, Ireland also has a private system running alongside the national one, but of course that is user pays, and unless you have medical insurance (very dear), the cost is prohibitive for the average person.


Jacquie, I would like to echo what someone else in this thread said - I have lots of experience with paroxysmal AF, and AF DOES make you feel like crap, really awful.
In the past, the cardio at the hospital was going to put me on Flecainide next time I went into AF - in NZ this drug is sometimes used for people with AF - he said it is more effective (quicker) at reverting people to sinus rhythm than Amiodarone. In the end I didn't need to go on it, but before you dismiss it just research it a bit on the web, and maybe talk to your GP about it because it just may help in the short term (can you get your GP to prescribe Warfarin for you?)
Have you had electrical cardioversion at all? I had that done and it worked, and I stayed in SR from that time until the time of my op, when I had the Maze done along with my valve replacement.
Anyway, I know that you are up against it as far as getting specialist appts etc goes - I hope that maybe trying Flecainide may help you in the meantime.

Bridgette

Much of what you say is right, but I wouldn't tar all of them with the one brush. My cardiologist never failed to reply to any of the many emails that I sent him over this past couple of years, and in some cases went out of his way/schedule to telephone me to discuss things. The same with my surgeon who carried out my recent surgery. Let me give you a few examples from my own experience that could give a different perspective on the value of the "dreaded" NHS.

My cardiologist emails me copies of all my echo reports.

For both of my OHS's I was waiting less then 2 months for my surgery.

Second time around I could have requested a different surgeon (even in England) to do my surgery.

The care/treatment that I received while in hospital, which IMO was reflected in a completely hitch free recovery (both times), was a good as any private health care system.

Maybe, I have just been fortunate, but I think there are ways and means to get the best for yourself out of Public Health.

None of this helps you Jacqui, but maybe you should (if you haven't already) try emailing this guy.

Time/resource/financial constraints do mean that some people do not get the treatment/service they deserve on the NHS which can make it inferior to other systems in terms of efficiency. That said I would argue that many of the surgeons/cardios etc. are just as good as those in other parts of the world.
I often wondered about a Private health Care System and the ramifications that may follow if introduced in the UK and Ireland.

My fear would be that it would only serve to widen gaps in social deprivation, with wealth and health being too inextricably linked for my liking.

PS. Hope things improve for you soon Jacqui.

 

[Curtsmum]

So sorry to read your post Jacqui, sending you hugs and best wishes.