Waiting forever for Heart MRI

[IanEvans1960]

At my echocardiogram, I was told I needed to go direct to A&E and they they had spoken to cardiology and I was to be admitted. I wasn’t they just sent me home. Had to chase up my emergency cardiology appointment, which was a month from echo. Now I’m awaiting an heart MRI. Apparently 3 month wait for an appointment before they decide if I need surgery. In the meantime I cannot do anything without chest pain, breathlessness and coughing. Has anyone else had to wait ages for treatment, when they have been told it is urgent?

[Ageingfast]

Yes!

But I think different medics use different terminology.

What I would like to mention is that when I got really urgent, like weeks to live, boy the medics shifted themselves. I had the MRI and expected to wait weeks, but in 24 hrs the consultant cardiologist was on the phone, on a Sunday.

This was at the height of Lockdown yet the medics still moved heaven and earth to save my life.

It was a brilliant op and gave me my life back.

Best wishes

Sooty

[Yumz199725]

I had to wait ages for my results of cardiac MRI bout 6 months. Sorry your suffering so much, why did they send you home instead of admitting you that's odd x

[IanEvans1960 in reply to Yumz199725]

They said that I wasn’t having a heart attack and therefore wasn’t that important, although they did say that my condition was very serious and to come back immediately if I got worse. I was back in a few days later but there were no beds available and after 27 hours I was discharged with lots of meds and told I would get an emergency cardiologist appointment within the week. After chasing it, I got to see the specialist a month later.

[Honeybee1961]

Sorry to hear that you are going through this Ian and I agree that it does not sound right at all. Did anyone at A&E advise you to go back there if you experienced these ongoing symptoms? The advice I have always received since my heart attack/bypass surgery etc has always been that if I experience chest pain and/or breathlessness, I should go to A&E. The echo shows that you have some heart issues of concern so even more reason for you have this taken more seriously.

[IanEvans1960 in reply to Honeybee1961]

I get chest pain, breathlessness and coughing most of the time

[IanEvans1960 in reply to Honeybee1961]

yes they did. I have been close to going back lots of times but then the symptoms fade. I get some chest pain or pressure pretty much all the time

[Fullofheart]

Where I am in the UK it's about 12 month wait for cardiac MRI. Much quicker for echo. I don't think you should have to wait for the former in order to be treated but you don't say what you were admitted for or what the surgery is that you are anticipating. Unless I've missed that.

I would definitely ask more questions of the cardiac team. Could you also ring BHF if you are finding answers not forthcoming? They usually have good advice.

[IanEvans1960 in reply to Fullofheart]

The wait here is 3 months. Although I haven’t had a heart attack my heart is enlarged and the chamber is not filling with enough blood, hence my EF is under 20% and I also have a blocked bundle branch. They mentioned fitting a modified pacemaker. In the meantime I’m left with chest pain, breathlessness and coughing at the smallest amount of exercise

[Honeybee1961 in reply to IanEvans1960]

I really feel for you being left with this limited information and ongoing symptoms, Ian. Did cardiology give you any explanation as to what they thought might have caused your enlarged heart and reduced EF? Or is any further information dependent on the elusive MRI? Hopefully the drugs they have given you will provide some protection in the meantime.

[Scho1]

contact the unit who will do your MRI and ask to be put on the cancellation list. My husband did and got an appointment within a week. Granted it was a Sunday but what does that matter? Good luck.

[IanEvans1960 in reply to Scho1]

Good idea. I hadn’t thought of that

[Honeybee1961 in reply to IanEvans1960]

yes, definitely worth a shot. It was a couple of years ago but, I managed to hurry along my cardiac MRI by phoning the imaging dept. who helpfully told me that if cardiology requested it as “urgent” I would be seen a lot more quickly. I asked cardiology to do this (they seemed weirdly unaware that it would make a difference), and sure enough I got an appointment within a couple of weeks.

[SeanCRT-D]

I had to wait a few months for my MRI. Not helped by the fact that they sent the original appointment letter to an address where I used to live ten years ago!! Even after calling them a few times, I eventually had an MRI last August and have had a CRT-D fitted early March.