Cardio Rehab or not

[PeteSand]

In had a huge heart attack on January 8th and to be honest the help from then has been awful.

I had the attack in derby had fast ambulance trip to Derby hospital and had stent out in straight away , was told the complet left hand side of my hewart had shut down ,?

Then sent home after 6 days and told they would be in touch, nothing , at all

Called my doctor in Gloucester as I live down here and he said he would change my case to Gloucester Royal

So from then i had one phone appointment from consultant who said he wanted to cut meds down and me to have an ECG , so went for that and heard nothing

Then I got a letter asking me to go for Echocardiograph , want for that then nothing apart form the nurse who did it said my heart was operating at 30 instead of the normal 50 whatever that means

The my docs sent me a copy of letter saying the consultant was thinking of suggesting i had a diffibulator fitted , only suggesting but needed to talk to others

Then nothing again

Then out of the blue i had a call from an implant technician on a Wednesday asking me to come in on the Friday to have it fitted , he said the treatment i had had was awful and he could not believe i had been treated so badly , strange but true and really scary to say the least , I said no as i had no explanation from consultant or doctor why i might need this

This guy then said he was leaving and moving to Birmingham the following week

So now last week i get a letter from this guy confirming an appointment with him by phone on 5th Dec, hard to believe but this was followed 2 days later with a phone call from a nurse to carry out a telephone pre op , I have still not had any of this explained to me and nothing telling me if my condition is bad or good and if i really need it and if so why

This is all crazy and i am just lost now and terrified , obviously i just have to wait to talk to this guy now on 5th Dec but in the meantime I just wondered if this was usual treatment and if anyone has experience with this diffibulator fitting and operation as to be quite honest I am worried to bits

I had no help with rehab when i left hospital i could not even get up the stairs in one go , two rests and lots of out of breath , I went to a private physios who has helped and i am a lot better now but he said the support i had had was appalling

Has anyone had treatment like this and can anyone help me with this diffibulator thing so i know what i am letting myself in for

Pete Sanderson ( 66 not young but to young to give up )

[10gingercats]

How about contacting your MP at his/her surgery (they hold them regularly ) and take a copy of this e mail or similar to explain this treatment/non treatment to them?This is apallling and i fail to see how they they would not help to put a few things right.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello Peter,I am so to hear you have had such a poor experience of care.

I suggest you contact the Patient Advisory Liaison Service PALS of the hospital concerned.

You'll find their contact details on the hospital's website.

Make a list of issues that you would like to raise such as you were offered no cardiac rehab. The poor communication between the clinical staff and yourself.

Ask for a copy of your medical notes.

State what you would like to happen next, such as a face to face appointment with the appropriate senior clinician. A further discussion of the procedure you have been offered.

The clinicians have a professional responsibility to allow you to make an informed choice which you can't do at the moment.

Tell them how this poor experience of care has made you feel.

I hope you get this issue resolved promptly.

[scentedgardener]

I'm under the same hospital and my experience has been less than stellar throughout.As per your previous post and my reply contact PALS and obtain copies of all paperwork, write letters, make phone calls, etc.

It's very hard to do these things when you feel rubbish and are also quite scared, but a necessary evil.

I had a 24 hr holter and an echo, waited to hear from cardiologist but when it got to 3 months I rang his secretary. The results had been floating in the ether, they hadn't been received by tge consultant.

Good luck.

[Guitarlewis]

Heart attack victim had stent great hospital stay . The cardio rehab for clacton well the first time I turned up an they hot the time wrong . I got there and they had all gone home. 2nd appointment I got a voucemail the day after an the 3rd appointment I was unable to answer phone as you can't phone them back I hot struck off with shitty letters coming through my letterbox. Mentioned thus to my Gp he said would I like to try again with them I said won't bother. Good luck with yours .

[cachaciero]

I would suggest that a "nasty gram" to your MP. plus copy to your local CCG. I have heard rumours that the NHS basically puts anybody over the age of 60 to the back of whichever que you are in.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to cachaciero]

CCG's have been replaced by integrated care systems (ICSs).Far better to contact the Patient Advisory Liaison Service PALS of the hospital involved.

Have you got any evidence for your statement about those over 60, having poorer care from the NHS?

My mother in law, aged 86 years, had a CRT-D inserted within days of her admission to hospital, with a heart attack, atrial fibrillation and heart failure diagnosis, earlier this year.