Update on all the Cardiology appointments.

[vannin]

You may remember me saying I had a lot of breathlessness since a year ago. My GP was mostly quite dismissive, said it was irregular heartbeat, after a few ECGs showed nothing in particular, but never followed up a possible cause. I was left on low-dose Propranolol. I finally got the right referrals when the senior partner took over my appointments in May. In the past week, have seen a consultant in Thoracic Medicine, then had a Pulmonary Angiogram CT yesterday.

This morning, as soon as the consultant read the results, he rang me, said I had 'multiple' blood clots on both lungs and must come into the Day Unit for today. I had a Warfarin injection in my tummy, then they assessed treatment and decided to send me home with anti-coagulant tablets which are more suitable than Warfarin.

So, progress at last, and I'll see how the treatment goes. I am annoyed with my former GP to put it mildly.

[Penny]

So pleased you have at last got satisfaction. Lets hope the treatment from now helps you along with improvement on your breathing and all else. Cheers Penny

[Andere Richtingen]

Thank goodness somebody has at last taken some notice! I'm amazed your first GP was so dismissive of the irregular heartbeat because they usually want to get you on anti-coagulants asap to prevent blood clots. Are you on Rivaroxaban?
No doubt you'll be carefully monitored for a while until they get the regime right but in the meantime and I hope you feel much better soon.

[vannin]

Thank you Penny and Andere. It is Apixaban, Andere, I guess they are similar and the hospital pharmacist explained everything to me at great length while I was in the ward.

Since 2003 I have been on an anti-coagulant called Dipyridamole, first prescribed because I had a few TIAs. It seems that it guards against Stroke but not against blood clots/embolism!!!

[caroljoyce]

So, progress at last, and I'll see how the treatment goes. I am annoyed with my former GP to put it mildly.

It's good that you're being treated properly at last Viv.

Are you planning on letting your old doctor know of your dissatisfaction?

[vannin]

Carol, I certainly feel inclined to let the GP know, but must calm down first, not go in with all guns blazing!
I have the impression that the consultant has expressed some disgust when he sent a letter to the Practice yesterday morning, between studying my results and phoning to tell me.

When I had my consultation last week, he shook his head in a disbelieving way when I was describing the past year. Then he asked 'Why on earth were you prescribed Propranolol?' If he had been a less helpful person, I would have said 'ME the patient, you the expert, so YOU tell ME'. But I said I didn't know. It is good to find a professional who inspires immediate confidence.

[Maywalk]

It looks as though you are getting the right treament now Viv so just let the Consultant deal with it.
If you start getting worked up its not going to do you any good.
YES I know it can be extremely annoying and you want the doctor reprimanded but at the same time getting worked up about it is NOT doing you any good.
Just let the meds do their job and the Consultant will see from your hospital record what was prescribed by who.
Good Luck and I hope things will soon be a lot better for you.

[vannin]

Maisie, you are a most wise lady, and I respect every word that droppeth from your keyboard! All my thanks for this. Sometimes I just feel too weary to have a go at anyone, I just want a quiet (healthy) life.

[dita]

Well at least your mind should be feeling a little easier now Vannin, -Quote- ( Vannin said ---I was left on low-dose Propranolol.)---- I have been on them for years, they are beta-blockers which are sometimes used for anxiety problems too instead of anti-depressants and that is why I was prescribed them along with BP reducing pills. I myself have very little faith in GP's nowadays----for a start the language barrier is no asset to either Doc or Patient. Sorry don't mean to be ant-social in any way.

[vannin]

Dita, you are not anti-social. I firmly believe that foreign medical staff of all levels should be proficient in English as part of qualifying to practice here.

[caroljoyce]

I'm not suggesting you get 'worked up' or 'have a go' at the old GP.
Just a polite & dignified letter pointing out the wrongs he has done.

Surely he should be told?

[vannin]

No Carol, \I know you were never suggesting any blazing guns. My own auto-suggestion was doing all that! But I remind myself that the consultant was so angry,he fired-off a letter to the GP Practice as soon as he had my results, and before he phoned me. So I shall observe any follow-up now.

[vannin]

Yesterday a few hours in A & E after being instructed to call an ambulance for myself.

All's well today, but yesterday morning after a bad weekend, believing the medication for lungs had failed me, spoke to a medical secretary at Wycombe Hospital who told me to ring 999 for an ambulance to A & E, Stoke Mandeville (27 miles away) where I had a lot of tests. These revealed after a few hours something about heart enzymes being OK, that my week is starting better than the w-end did and I stay on my same anti-coagulant as before. Came home by taxi. The urgency of the situation was in case my heart had been compromised on Friday - probably by more activity than usual.

Met a lot of super staff and fellow patients of A & E, and the paramedics. The A & E of our local hospital was closed years ago and all our petitions to bring it back are ignored.

[caroljoyce]

That's a long way to have to go to hospital for tests Viv.
I'm glad it seems to be sorted now.

[Penny]

Goodness me vannin, do hope you are sailing along nicely now. Take it easy and no more busy weekend.s cheers Penny