Cardiac rehab

[Cutekitten]

Hi all, I recently had 5 stents fitted during two angioplasties a month apart, after bouts of chest pain on exertion. I was referred to the NHS rapid access chest pain clinic by my GP who stated I would get an appointment fairly quickly even though waiting for the tests could be lengthy. After waiting 7 weeks and more or less confined to the house in fear of a HA, I received an appointment. The day before the appointment they rang and cancelled it and I wouldn’t receive another one until 10 weeks from referral. In the meantime I accessed my husbands health insurance and went private. After my stents were fitted I asked about cardiac rehab and the sister said we we all know what we should be doing don’t we! Can I go through my GP and be referred to NHS cardiac rehab do you think?

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

I thought my six week wait for the Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic was poor but yours sounds rediculous. When I was told there was a four month wait for an angiogram (at this stage I had not been prescribed any medication for angina) I had the angiogram done privately. My bypass was done under the NHS as you need very deep pockets!

As regards rehab I do not see why not although it may depend what is done locally - unfortunately it is a real post code lottery. I would suggest you ask your GP for referral. The nurses who do the initial assessment may want a detailed report from the hospital that did the angiogram and stents. Good luck!

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

That's a terrible waiting time!

When I had my heart attack I was automatically referred to Cardio Rehab. I imagine that would not happen if the procedure was done privately. As Michael says - approach your GP to get a referral. Unfortunately rehab is not of a consistent standard around the country, but if in your area where it is well funded, rehab is an exceptionally good process to go through

[Cutekitten]

Thanks guys I think I will try via the GP . I’m not sure when it’s appropriate to attend cardiac rehab after intervention, I’m only week 2 after the second stents so just building my walking up gradually around locally, I feel stronger each day but do know my limits. Many thanks for your replies.

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to Cutekitten]

The process where I live is:-

1 - get referred

2 - invited in for an interview where they take your details, put you on a treadmill for a few minutes to see if you can do that

3- get called back for an exercise tolerance test - put on a treadmill while wired up to ecg and BP machine, from that they're able to determine what level of exercise you can start off at. At the end of the test you agree days/times you want to attend and agree a start date

It takes a bit of time to get through this process, especially as the service is heavily subscribed, but once you've got through all the procedure it's well worth it.

Good luck.

[Cutekitten in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

That sounds like what should have happened, I think expected wait time for first appointment should have been 2 weeks, but obviously not in my area. Unfortunately I’m not alone here as others have experienced this delay too, according to my GP surgery.

[thetidders]

That seems to be a long time waiting for a rapid access appointment, I was referred by my GP on a Friday one week & was sent an appointment for the next Friday. I had to have a triple bypass & that was just under 4 months after the initial appointment. Cardiac Rehab appointment was received automatically post op.

I live in the same area as Spirit of the Floyd so the procedure for Rehab was just as he has described.

Jean

[Khonkaen]

That is nearly as bad as Thailand where I had my HA and stents, "any questions?" was my aftercare " what if I forget to take my tablets?" " You die!" So got onto the internet, Youtube maninly and did rehab DIY. Then I returned to the UK and nothing was available, not even prescription meds. So some of us are on our own it seems.

Makes this forum even more important, good luck.

Oh, I was lucky with my HA, live 4km from Khon Kaen Heart Hospital, cost my £9,000 and lucky too I had it.

[Desanthony]

Hi yes,

Go to your GP and ask for a referral or look on the BHF website and you should find a hospital near you that deals with this - if you have a cardiac nurse looking after you they should be able to give you details too. I was lucky someone told me about this and told me which classes to go to - now I can't remember who that was but glad I could go to the GP and say exactly what I wanted and he referred me there and then and I either went that week or the following week - I think it was someone at the gym I attended told me that the classes were held there and when and I went to see them during one of the classes I think I saw my Doc on the Friday and went to the first class on the following Thursday.