All fine and dandy...

[April_May]

Just been for first cardiology appointment after being referred by A&E doc. First stop ECG (normal) and blood pressure (129/96), this is pretty high for me, I’m always 120/80 reliably.

Cardiologist repeats to me that echo is normal, ecg 24hr tape was normal, blood pressure is nothing to worry about and that if my chest pains last for days then it can’t be my heart. Pushed me out the door asking why I had been referred.

I’m relieved of course that he is so confident that I’m fine, but a little disappointed by how dismissive he was. Cut me off every time I tried to say anything, told me off for knowing my own pulse and respiration rate (didn’t care that my respiration rate is reliably very low). Bedside manner needs work I think (he was running over an hour late and I was his last patient of the day so think he wanted to get rid, he was taking phone calls during my appointment too.)and no indication of what to do about my chest pains and shortness of breath.

No point to this. Just an irritated grumble from an ungrateful healthy person with chest pain!

[Andie1975]

Sorry but you can have chest pain lasting days. My chest pains lasted most of the day for two weeks and I was told it was reflux only to have a heart attack after being turned away 3 times in A and E. Sometimes they get it wrong especially if you are a young female.

[scottish1]

OMG, so sorry you experienced such a rude and arrogant cardiologist. Taking calls when he is with you is just plain rude and he would have quickly complained if you had done that to him. Go back to your GP and explain what happened and that you still have no answers for your pain. Hopefully you will get seen by a more caring cardiologist.

[Speakeazi]

Hi, no excuses whatsoever. You must persist if you feel that you have not been heard.

I had a diagnosis of heart disease in my LAD 40% blocked. The cardiologist said he wouldn’t check any other arteries for plaques.

He’d also asked if I had pain in my legs. He chose to ignore my answer. I eventually found that I have PAD with a block in my femoral artery and lots of other plaques throughout my arteries.

I am lucky to now have a great team that looks after me and I do the stuff to help myself stay healthy.

Please don’t give up and go back to you gp. You are entitled to a second opinion.

Take care.

[April_May]

Thanks everyone. I feel like a very small fish in a pond of big ones. The cardiologist and the GP’s I’ve seen don’t seem to take me seriously at all. I’m young(ish), slim, female, in good shape so to them everything must be caused by anxiety (which I don’t currently suffer from but have in years past).

In November I had high DDimer levels. Today I tried to tell him about a knotted pain/cramp in the back of my thigh and burning sensation below that that I’ve had for a week or so, he said ‘are your ankles swollen’, I said ‘um, I don’t think so’ and he said ‘it’s fine it’s not your heart’ and ushered me to the door. I didn’t understand how he could be so sure it wasn’t a clotting issue when I had had raised clotting factors in Nov with unresolved cause.

I would happily accept it as an outcome if he had taken any time at all to listen to my symptoms or to explain what other possible causes there might be.

I feel disappointed and lost, my GPs aren’t any better than this guy so going back to them won’t help. I might look for a private consultant just so I can have a proper chat and understand what might be going on if it isn’t heart.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Group sigh, grinding of teeth and inner scream!

😶😬😩

It was unprofessional for him to talk on his phone during a consultation. I have known health care professionals disciplined for this unless it was for good reason.

The NHS Constitution is very clear that every patient has the right to expect to be treated with respect and dignity.

Time for a second opinion.