echocardiogram

[Darren86]

hi had a echocardiogram 3 weeks ago had a letter yesterday saying I’ve got another appointment at outpatients to see a consultant. Does this normally happen or have they found something

[Tigger_2]

Well, I'd say it's a pretty normal sequence of events.

You have a problem, you get some tests done, then you get a follow up with the consultant.

Don't read too much into it. I'd be worrying if there was no follow up.

I hope it goes well for you.

[Yumz199725]

Yeah it's normal to have a follow up with a consultant to discuss your echo I'm having mine in November and I had my echo in July x

[Sootyismycat]

Dear Darren

When I really did have a big problem, the consultant rang me the next day. So nothing to unduly worry about.

Sooty

[Survivor1952]

When I had my first echo with a problem they admitted me there and then.

[Hidden]

My first echo found my congenital heart issue, mind you I was in A and E at the time, a bit of a surreal moment looking at my pumping heart with the echo technician . My second echo which was a year later is taken at my congenital heart clinic that's taken just before I see the consultant on the same morning. We did not discuss the second one as she must have a quick scan of the data and if nothing changes then there is nothing really to discuss. Naturally this is all new to me so I assume next year when I have my next clinic then another echo will be done to just check nothing has changed. It is concerning but the way I have got to look at it now is that iam being checked once a year. A bit like an mot. But I can sense that you are anxious and concerned and that is natural.

[Silvasava]

Had my ECG and Echo 3 weeks ago. Waiting for appointment with my cardiologist now to discuss results.

[elliebath]

I had a few weeks wait between the echo and seeing the consultant. I imagine 3-4 weeks is pretty standard in non-urgent cases.

[HappyPaws]

Hi, presumably you had a reason to have an echo? Good luck with what follows.

I had an echo in Nov 2021 and only saw a cardiologist in Jun 2022. About 4 weeks after the echo I received a 4 line letter from a nurse practitioner telling me my mild heart failure was now moderate and I needed my gp to prescribe me at least three types of drugs. I wasn’t even aware I had mild heart failure! I’d seen the same nurse in a consultation 10 weeks before the echo. Heart failure was never mentioned at that point and the echo I had 11 years previously was never followed up… the consultant said it was borderline!

Having been on this site for a little while now I’m beginning to realise every nhs trust is different. In my area they are so over stretched they really only seem to deal with emergencies. Once you’re off the critical list you’re almost completely lost from view. It seems like a postcode lottery! The GPs here care but have their hands tied, pressure of work and lack of resources (trained staff, funding and equipment) means they can’t deliver the service they are supposed to. I had to wait 5 weeks for an ecg at our surgery as they only have one machine and not every nurse can use it. The appointment took less than 10 minutes and the nurse was in a right strop! When I asked if she could do blood pressure too as that was what was requested in my text asking me to book she only took it begrudgingly. Yet the waste elsewhere in the process of healthcare is outrageous!

If you’re seeing a cardiologist at least your getting the best… make the most of the visit, take someone with you so you can discuss what you have heard, ask them to take notes for you too. You will probably get a letter back sometime after the meeting. Mine took weeks to arrive and the invite letter said I couldn’t take anyone with me but the consultant said he would have been ok with it. Trying to remember everything and taking any news alone can be unhelpful when emotions are running high.

Good luck 🤞 I hope all is ok for you.