Back on October 16th I had my coronary angiogram. After it I was told I'll need a TAVI.I was told the results would go to a "Panel" to make further decisions etc.
I was told the TAVI would be done in Cardiff.
As yet I have heard nothing.
Has anyone gone through same procedure in Wales?
My coronary angiogram was carried out at The Grange in Cwmbran.
Thanks
Yup South Wales Carmarthen based, had CT angiogram, neck doppler and echocardiogram in June/July and had the TAVI in August. However mine was rushed as I also have lung cancer. Keep pushing phone them ask for an update on the MDT (Panel/Multi Disciplinary Team - this includes medical and surgical cardiac people, nurses, anaesthetists, physios etc) , here and in Swansea they meet every week.
Call the friendly secretary and ask her what is happening, try and get the name and number of a specialist nurse. Sadly, if you don't push it will take longer. You should at the very least have had a decision or plan from the MDT by now - that could mean more tests, some prehabilitation, diet etc
Thank you.I have just rang the cardiologist secretary. She looked on the system and I've not gone to the "panel" yet.
She is going to email the cardiologist and find out some more information and will call me back when she receives a reply.
I did ask about "specialist nurse" but she didn't have thst information on her system.
She was very kind and understanding though.
I feel better now having talked to her.
Good to hear that you feel better when taking some control, make a diary/calendar entry to call her next week - just in case she doesn't get back to you.
Here in South Wales the specialist nurses are 'appointed' when the decision to do the op is made, probably the same there.
Had a call out of the blue from the cardiologist this morning. His secretary obviously passed on my concerns. He just confirmed where we were at with the heart condition following the previous tests and then coronary angiogram.
He re confirmed that I had severe aortic stenosis and is sending everything to the surgeons for TAVI and I can expect to hear back from them.
He was unable to give timescales but hopefully now not too long to wait.
Great news, it definitely pays to push, give it a couple of weeks and then call again if you haven't heard anything; Christmas is fast approaching and everything will wind down.
I attended A&E at the Grange and was kept in. Following tests I was told I needed a TAVI but that it would be at the Heath Hospital in Cardiff. There were no beds available there at the time. As a result I spent 7 weeks in hospital (Grange and Heath) before the operation. In the ward I was in at the Heath there were a number of patients waiting transfer to other hospitals for open heart surgery. The "not knowing when" became depressing. I would gladly have gone home and waited but that wasn't allowed.
That happened to a friend of mine. He was kept in at hospital in Bristol. He lives in Cheltenham. I assume that you have had the TAVI now? If so, hope all is OK.
It's a shame the "system" cannot be explained.
I went through my GP initially back in April with feeling breathless and it all advanced after that.
Maybe when I receive a call back from the secretary of cardiologist I will know more.
The only real problem with a long hospital stay is that I live alone and have no family living locally so laundry was a particular problem. I washed things like underwear and pajamas in the bathroom sink and dried them over the back of the chair beside the bed. I have very good neighbours who helped when they could but I wasn't the only one in the ward with little or no access to outside help.
I was surprised at the staff lack of understanding of disability issues. One man admitted with severe double vision and no spectacles, couldn't see well enough to take his medication or even pour water into a beaker without help but that help wasn't often provided automatically. He often failed to take all his meds and never managed to fill his beaker without pouring water over the table or floor.
So sorry to hear about that. In fact I was quite shocked to hear that. What's happened to general nursing care.
I think this is now the standard the ward I was in had broken toilets and showers, you really had to be very assertive when asking for help. There was a lady on my ward with dementia and they just shouted at her all the time. Disgraceful behaviour.
That's absolutely disgraceful behaviour.
I’ve had some upsetting results.
CT Coronary Angiogram 
Aortic Stenosis Awaiting TAVI procedure
