hi all I had a heart attack in December and since I’ve been to A&E 4 times with different symptoms which luckily was nothing, however all 4 times I’ve been left to sit in A&E even with chest pains, im very scared to go to A&E again now because they just leave me there for hours when I thought speed was key in those situations.
Has anyone any advice as to what I can do to try to get attention quicker?
I guess a hospital is the best place to be with chest pains at least. Though last time I was in A&E when my dog accidentally nipped a bit of my nose off someone collapsed to the floor saying 'HELP ME!'. Nobody did (no staff at least).
If you go to A&E as a result of having chest pains which you believe to be serious and possibly life threatening, either under your own efforts or blue lighted, when you are there you are certainly in the best place. So although for your previous visits you sat there in what may have been to be an unnecessarily long time, you were assessed, which suggests your situation was not deemed to be too serious, and certainly not life threatening or you would not have been discharged, which to some extent should be re-assuring. However if serious chest pains return I suggest you do get yourself to A&E because although it may be inconvenient to be discharged after several hours with the comment that it is nothing to be overly concerned about, it may not, and you might regret not going, assuming you are around to tell the tale.
Hi Cookie firstly I'm so sorry you had a heart attack. I had my heart attack quite out of the blue last March and it was such a dreadful shock. Like you also after the initial HA and in patient treatment, I've been back to A&E 4 times on various occasions with further chest pains and discomfort when it has persisted. Every time I've been told - you've done the right thing, we want to see you now and check you out, much better now that when it's too late! Long waits in A&E are standard these days but as Lowerfield says once assessed at least you are being seen.
Later last year, I did tackle the returning chest pains with my GP as I learnt to distinguish what was most likely an acid tummy (as I call it) and when started on Omeprazole, later changed to Lansoprazole things really did settle down. I made some dietary changes too, added back into my diet some carbohydrates (wholemeal bread, pasta, rice) and this also helped to calm down my digestive tract. But if this hadn't helped I would have gone back to my GP (after getting checked at A&E) and talked about it further, to rule out anything else.
When I had my heart attack last year it felt like indigestion. This is very common apparently. So now if I have any pain in my chest I sit, try to keep calm and if after a while it's still there I call 999 or just go to the hospital. And steel myself for a long wait. Take care and all the best with your rehabilitation and recovery.
Hi hillsanddales8 so I went to A&E last night at 19.30 and was discharged at 6.30 this morning.
I had 2 blood tests and 2 ECG’s nothing found thankfully.
I asked the question to the dr that if I go to A&E with a potential heart attack why would I be left for 11 hours to which the Dr replied, once the blood and ECG’s are done they have the results quite quickly so if anything came back that was concerning they would deal with me so if nothing did comeback they don’t prioritise me and are happy to let me wait longer.
I don’t think I agree with that because when I did have my heart attack I was still left in A&E for 14 hours so I don’t really know what to make of that
Different hospital, but I can attest after my ECG tests, I was seen again within 10 minutes as I had had a HA and the treatment/help was excellent under circumstances (ie. I was treated in corridor etc).
But when I called 999 their diagnosis was someone will call you back in the hour. I waited 90 minutes and then I decided to take myself to A&E (as pain was bad) and then had another 3 hour wait for triage.
Despite all the waiting, a&e has to be the best place.
what other posters have said are so true. In answer to your specific question, how to get attention quicker, you just have to wait it out. Take a book with you!
Don't worry - I can give you proper information . You don't mention where in the UK as pressures in A/E (or as it is properly called, the "Emergency department" ) and waiting times can vary up and down the country. All ED's will triage and prioritise "chest pain" - and you will get an ECG ( and possibly blood taken - as soon as practicably possible after you have booked in .. The ECG will then be reviewed by a clinician to see if there is anything acute..If you are then left waiting for "hours" after that..It simply means that there is nothing acute on the ECG that warrants more urgent treatment... Also of course serial blood tests (for troponin) can only be done after a time interval of at least 2 hours .. (to see if it has risen within that time period.. ) - so for that reason alone you are committed to a stay of several hours. If you are finding you are attending the ED on a regular basis for what is turning out to be episodes of "non-cardiac chest pain" that of course is another issue that you will have to address. Let me know if this helps you.
I usually call 111 first, they ask lots of questions and advise on what to do next - they can send a paramedic or ambulance as appropriate or suggest that you go to A&E
Sadly, long waits are sometimes unavoidable
I have had pretty much the same experience as you with A&E.
In my case, A&E did a triage for all patients before you get to wait. I don't know if that happened in your case?. In my case the questions they asked gave them enough confidence to decide that I was not in any immediate danger.
I guess they have a lot of experience in doing an initial diagnosis.
A+E trip
Unexpected A&E visit
Post heart attack readmission to A&E
missing a beat 
Ectopic heartbeats after a virus.
