hi all. sorry but mogg is moaning again . phoned the waiting list number yesterday to see if they had the date for my ablation.

[moggdog]

ive been waiting two months already. so they said thats ok then. you only have to wait another 7. and im sorry but i blew my top and started swearing down the phone. so is anyone else in this position? and can i ask for a referal? oh im from bristol .

[bryanunger]

Been waiting a month but seems like a year. Cant work and it is driving me crazy. Faint, dizzy, half to sit. Called 911 the other day cause I thought I was going to die on the community center floor. Boke but alive. 500 dollar ride to the ER. Will never do that again.

[dedeottie]

I live in south Wales and am on an 8 month waiting list for an initial appointment with a cardiologist. 4 more months to go. I will probably have given up and paid to go privately before I get a date.

[jeanjeannie50]

Mogg - I can understand your annoyance!!! To have to wait 9 months for your ablation is such a long time! When I waited 6 months for my first ablation (which was just over two years ago) I didn't mind as my AF was paroxysmal and only lasted for a few hours and although it made me feel tired for a few days afterwards I could cope. Then last Christmas I spent 6 days in hospital with my pulse racing away and I went on the waiting list for my second ablation - another 6 months wait with my AF forcing me to give up work. I had my last ablation in June, initially I wasn't too bad afterwards but then a few months later I went into permanent AF with my heart beating so fast I was again admitted to hospital for 6 days. I was sent out with it still racing between 100 and 130 on amiodarone and digoxin. Next Wednesday I'm having a cardioversion. If that doesn't work I'll be back on the ablation waiting list again! At the moment I can do very little other than sit, if I have to wait 6 months like that I will be swearing with you! I don't understand why people who are completely disabled by their AF are not put on an emergency list to have their procedure carried out ASAP.

[BobD Volunteer]

Lest be honest, and I am probably being contentious here, AF is not life threatening and whilst we all know how it can affect our lives there are many people much worse off than we are. There is a finite number of EPs available and perhaps due to the work of AF Association much more awareness of the condition. When I had my last ablation there was a maximum waiting time imposed on the hospitals so something may have changed as I thought it was six months. Remember you do have the right to choose your consultant so maybe shop around and see if you can find one with a shorter list.

BobD

[rosyG]

have a look at the NHS choices website- it tells you how long the waiting lists tend to be as well as feedback from patients and staff about the standards. If you find a better alternative go and see your GP and ask him/her to do the referral while you are there ( they don't all know about the choose and book process as i found to my cost and so had delays- not very long ones) If you go for a London one, ( I have an appt at the Royal Brompton) some have patient accommodation at a reasonable price- I noticed this for the Brompton if one is coming a ong way for an outpatients appt early in the day.

[Hidden]

9 months is far, far too long to wait. 9 weeks would be a long time for some cases. It might not be directly life-threatening, except in exceptional cases, but it can be very life-changing.

Looking at the website Rosy has just highlighted, this page (below), as I read it, states that there is a maximum waiting time of 18 weeks. The waiting time is from date of referral by your GP, and the clock stops on being admitted to hospital for an operation or treatment. If they cannot do it within that time period, there seems to be procedures you can through to hopefully bring it forward or at least complain?

I don't know any details, just read it on this page nhs.uk/choiceinthenhs/right...

I would formally complain, as I will, because although I hate to do it, with a large organisation the number of complaints will drive a lot of decisions.

Good luck and if it helps, I been waiting months as well, just to see the EP. My time will be up by the time I have a consultation, unless they fit me next week

[Sabina]

I had my ablation at Nottingham City Hospital. I was told the waiting time would be four months and it was exactly that. I thought was a reasonable wait. Good luck!

[meadfoot]

I have been told by my consultant that the waiting list for ablation here in Yorkshire is 12 months.

[Hidden]

NHS website ... "For non-urgent conditions, patients can expect to start their treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral."

And that's even accepting that AFib is non-urgent !!!!!!!

[Brian101]

Probably the worst part is they don't give you a date - they just say 2 or 3 months - your head can't work to that if you have a date whenever that is, you might be cheesed off its so long but you can get your head around it and time flies, push them for a date Mogg even if gets changed - it will calm you

Brian