First appointment with Cardiologist

[Alicant]

I have HF& AF ..EF 38% on 4 Pillars..

I know lots of different opinions ..I am preparing list of questions for my first appointment with a Cardiologist (15 months after diagnosis) .I am trying to make sure I ask ALL the relevant questions..big ask but any questions you think ..should be asked ? Maybe that you forgot!!!Will post to other areas ..don’t know how to cross post….many thanks

[ozziebob]

Have you looked at the Related Posts section further down this page?

[Alicant in reply to ozziebob]

Cheers checking out Bob

[Vonnegut]

Ask to see an EP cardiologist as those are the guys who specialise in electrical problems in the heart which ours is, rather than the plumbing and ask to have an echocardiogram to check the structure of your heart if you haven’t had one already.

[Alicant in reply to Vonnegut]

Thanks ..useful

[DawnTX in reply to Vonnegut]

here in the states you don’t see your ep until referred by your is the plumber.

[Vonnegut in reply to DawnTX]

I found the EP I saw privately through the AFA online, after the doctors failed to come up with anything else after the lowest dose of Bisoprolol proved too much for me to take daily. After my PAF was finally diagnosed, I was told I would be called to have an echocardiogram soon and not that soon after I had one and the nice guy who did it explained that my heart was structurally fine and that it just had an intermittent electrical fault.

[DawnTX in reply to Vonnegut]

wow you sound like you got a good one

[Vonnegut]

Hope it goes well.

[DawnTX]

Wow, I wish I could help but things are so different where you are. my first I went to the GP who sent me directly to my cardiologist, who turned me over to my EP and by the end of two weeks I was having my first ablation All of the testing was done during the visits I had a loop recorder implanted to confirm afib Unless having an event it cannot be on an EKG the first step with my an anticoagulant

I would listen to the doctor first and then ask questions I started with meds thanks to the loop recorder. I had my first ablation two weeks later. Until recently, I have only been dealing with my EP.Two years ago, I was fitted with a special pacemaker. My doctor called me unique I have had a tech assigned to since the OR.

see what he tells you there’s a lot that goes into all of this and you will have a big learning curve. I’m still learning years later. Best of luck.

[Ppiman]

Questions I would ask:

1. Would a cardiac MRI or at least an echo scan be the next step?

2. Is my AF causing my reduced heart output?

3. What is the likely long term outcome?

Steve

[Alicant in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks Steve