Hi, just wondering if anyone has gone for a private consultation as they weren't getting anywhere with their current cardiologist.
Private Treatment : Hi, just wondering... - British Heart Fou...
Private Treatment
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Padalak6
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MichaelJHHeart Star
I had a private consultation after my first appointment at the Urgent Chest Pain Clinic. It was highly informative in understanding my situation and my medication adjusted to better deal with my symptoms and condition. Average cost is £200 - £250 for the initial consultation.
Hi,
Earlier this year I went from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation to permanent atrial fibrillation as a result of Covid-19. The wait to see an NHS cardiologist, even as an urgent, was over three months. As a result I saw two cardiologists privately, had an echocardiogram and ECG also done privately and then two Cardioversions. This all cost me a huge amount of savings - but the end result was a catheter ablation on the NHS last week and my Afib has gone (at the moment). If I hadn’t gone privately for all the initial work, then I’d probably still be in permanent Afib, which is horrendous. Personally, although it emptied me out financially, I thought that it was absolutely worth it. Hope that helps.
Yes, I too took the step to pay for a private consultation. It certainly helped me greatly, answering questions I had & giving me much reassurance.Good luck.
Kristin1812Heart Star
Yes. I went privately once, when I had to wait three months for my first NHS Cardiologist Appt. I had an ECG, then echo and a £600 bill. He said ‘there’s nothing wrong with your heart’. I had my first heart attack three weeks later.
I’ve only used the NHS since.
I would never again rely totally on an ECG . I had six and only the last one showed up by a very astute cardio nurse and I had to have an immediate bypass . Would always insist on an angiogram . I had an echo before my op and it showed nothing . So it sounds as if you had a hefty bill for not any results
My fiancé had numerous “normal ECG’s” whilst in the process of being diagnosed. In fact the only time he had an abnormal one was after his triple bypass when he developed AFib and other rhythm issues!
His problems were picked up on a CT scan and subsequent angiogram.
Yes I had private treatment for AF after I was told by my GP that it would be at least four months before I even got a first appointment on NHS. You will often see a consultant who works in the NHS as well, but you get to see the top consultant, and more importantly, the same consultant each time. If you can afford it, or have private medical cover, it is absolutely your right to have at least a first consultation privately, or a second opinion if you are not satisfied with your current treatment. You can always go back into NHS if you want to.
I had a private consultation because I got nowhere with NHS. I’d had massive heart attack sept 2020 and did not see a cardiologist from that time until June this year.( apparently , I was told, this us normal) !! I had very severe diarrhoea which started with the heart meds. The private consultant was nice but explained nothing and neither indicated what he was planning to do . He told me to stop Bisoprilol over the next week. If I had problems I could reach him on a number. Within 4 days my heart was thumping and I felt very insecure.
I could not reach him in the phone. His second number his secretaries did not answer either.
He got back to me 30 hours later. By which time I had taken the Bisoprilol again and things had settled.
What had not settled was my feeling of being utterly abandoned ( maybe over the top feelings)
It also made me feel worthless. I can’t explain.
I just disappeared into the home I had crawled out of.
My daughter phoned his secretary to complain
And he said I should go back the following day to see him, I didn’t go my self esteem had slumped .
I eventually wrote to my local hospitals cardiologist and told her if my problems. She phoned me and explained lots of things . One if them was that non of us had a cardiologist. When they have fitted stents and supplied meds we are seen as fixed. We would not see a specialist until of if we had symptoms . You would go to your doctor who would then refer you in.
So my private consultation was a disaster.
Heart issues sap your confidence , you have to build it back up along with your strength. COVID had made a very poor system worse.
I cannot understand how a person can have a heart attack and not be seen for a year by a specialist.
Yes I had 2 private cardio appointments and 1 EP private. Cost a bit but got me on a list. Nothing happened in our local hospital due to being and still are overwhelmed with covid. Money well spent.
I went to 2 different cardiologists because after my heart attack, I felt that the NHS guy could not address the symptoms I was getting.The first one changed my meds, or wanted to but my GP was reluctant to prescribe. The NHS cardiologist also was pretty unhappy with the opinion of the private guy, although I had gone to one of the best heart hospitals in the country.
Also, NHS cardiology departments also discuss patients in meetings where it's not just the opinion of one cardiologist which counts.
I did go to a second cardiologist privately, because I felt the medication was causing bad side effects, and I could not get an NHS appt.
I have to say that the second guy did a lot of good.
It's also important to keep the NHS cardiology people on side and happy with you. They understandably are unhappy with multiple diagnoses.
Husband is on a long waiting list to see cardiologist with NHS and he been referred as urgent so we are paying to see one Tuesday this week. We are desperate as he is getting unstable angina. Will let you know how it goes and whether it was worth it.
I am sorry to hear about your husband.
If your husband has unstable angina, especially chest pain at rest, I suggest you ring 111 now for advice rather than wait until Tuesday.
Thank you for your advice. We were in town on Friday and one attack came on and we had to get back home quickly. He has a tight chest all the time at moment. Something is brewing as he was like this before his first heart attack in 2007. I will ring 111 if he gets another one.
Actually he is getting a bad back pain as well at present across top of back not bottom,which is keeping him awake at night. I'm ringing 111
Good luck !
Come back and tell us all how things go for your husband.
Good luck for your husbands appt I hope he gets somewhere with his private consultation.
Thank you
Yes I have. If you are unhappy with where you are at present then it is money well spent.
I did. My NHS consultant insisted that my symptoms - including an abnormal ECG. - were caused by anxiety. I looked for a second opinion from cardiologist that specialised in arrythmias and who was actively involved in research, along with a track record of awards and academic positions.
I found a professor at a London hospital and arranged a private consultation. After several weeks of tests and talking to colleagues he diagnosed a rare sudden death syndrome called CPVT.
At that point I was transferred onto his NHS list as I didn’t have private health insurance and eventually had an ICD implanted.
That was 20 years ago.
I think that it is important to look for a cardiologist that specialises in a particular area and is involved in research. Otherwise you’re seeing the same type of cardiologist who has let you down , as ‘private’ cardiologists are often just NHS cardiologists who have a private practice on the side.
Hi I felt brushed aside buy the NHS after 5 years of not getting any information about what my heart problems were. Decided to go private. As someone on this forum said the Initial cost is only the cost of a car service. My cardiologist has put all my problems down in writing and with a recommended plan for follow ups and medication.With no holidays the last couple of years the money saved is going towards getting me fit to enjoy the next one. Good luck hope you soon get sorted
NOt with cardio but I have with a neuro surgeon and a pain consultant. The neuro surgeon admitted me immediately on his NHS list. Just be sure the private consultant doesn't end up being he one you already saw. It can happen.
Yes, never regretted it after after months of being ignored and brushed aside (including by my GP surgery). Was good to have somebody who listened and said the magic words "I think I can help you". Nobody expects miracles but it makes such a difference when you are taken seriously. It really was against my principles but being on my own and having nobody else to fight any battles for me I felt it was the only thing I could do, and I would do it again if I had to.
I needed to read that! I have hypertension, on various medications and yesterday felt really bad - shortage of breath, loss of appetite etc. Called 111 but listening to the lengthy ramblings, answering questions etc just made me feel worse. I got a call at 3:15 a.m. and apparently they called back but I didn’t pick up. This morning I was nauseous, breathless, b.p.195/103. I have an appointment for an echocardiograph in 2 weeks, followed by a telephone appointment with a cardiologist in December. My partner is so fed up at the problems getting worse, he wants to pay for me to get a private consultation but I was in 2 minds about it, so your post has reassured me! A cardiologist I saw some years ago said ‘It is not high blood pressure that makes you feel ill. It is because you are ill that you get high blood pressure.’ And it still has not been sorted!
Your past cardiologist's response was spot on and just what you needed to hear as it makes you realise some problems can be helped and should be. I hope you find the right one again and I think your partner is very wise in wanting you to get a consultation. Good luck, and at least you will feel you are being pro-active.
No, but I'd like to, as I have a lot of problems with my medication.
Do you have a good pharmacist, as they are often so much more up-to-date in their knowledge than the average GP as they do give a lot of over-the-counter advice. They don't all have to be graduates but I know how comprehensive a degree in pharmacology can be. My local pharmacy, well before all the recent covid restrictions, use to invite regulars collecting prescriptions for a consultation, privately as he has a small cubicle type room at the back room of the shop itself, and go through the items and suggest where necessary a discussion - tactful of course! - with the GP is anything seemed to merit it
Yes, our local pharmacy had a consultation room but they don't have them any more. However, my GP practice employs it's own Pharmacist so I will make an appointment to speak to him. Many thanks for your reply LBCdance.
Husband had a private consultation with a cardiologist today, brilliant he is having an angiogram and heart scan on the NHS and he got told he should have gone into hospital when he was getting the chest pains etc., well worth it.
That's great news I hope he gets sorted soon. I didnt realise that they could send you to the NHS for an angiogram i thought it would have to be done privately that's good to know, keep us updated how he gets on. I phoned a private Dr that had been recommended to me and i would be classed as a complex consultation which would take an hour and would cost £500, ouch i was shocked.
Ouch as well that is a lot of money, as my husband had two stents put in over 14 years ago apparently you can start having problems with them after that amount of time and the cardiologist was not prepared to leave my husband without doing something.
Sorry for the delay thank you to everyone for replying. I made a complaint about the cardiologist Dr that I have been seeing and has been fobbing me off over the years and I asked to see his boss. I saw the top boss today and he has said straightaway that because my double bypass didnt fully work 4years ago and my health has deteriorated he has looked at my angiogram from 2 1/2 years ago and said he is going to do an echo and another angiogram of which he will see if its viable to put about 3 stents in but if not I would need surgery again. So basically because this appointment went well and I'm happy with the outcome I wont need to go private.
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