Waiting List For Respiratory Apt. at hospital?

[Woofly]

I was diagnosed 16 years ago with COPD I have managed it quite well (with the help of the COPD nurse!) In June I had an infection and took my emergency meds. This time they didn't work, unfortunately I was away so could see the Dr. I took another dose of the emergency meds. but the wheezing and coughing continued. I eventually got an appt. with the Dr. He said I must take yet ANOTHER emergency dose! He did recommend changing my medication, which I did. I was a little better but then I started coughing dreadfully, and felt really poorly. I had had the FLU job and even though maybe it was that?

The Dr has FINALLY agreed to refer me to the Respiratory Dept. at the hospital. I telephoned to make the app. today and.... drum roll please....... The waiting list is 12 yes TWELVE MONTHS!!! is this normal? personally I think it is disgusting and am very upset. I get the feeling they want the older patients to die off!

Have any of you had to wait so long?

[sassy59]

In a word Woofly, no! Pete never have to wait that long. That seems ridiculous. Can your GP do anything? I hope things improve. Xxxxx

[Woofly in reply to sassy59]

Hi Sassy, it was the GP that referred me! he says there is nothing he can do. I think it is disgraceful. Thank you for your reply

[sassy59 in reply to Woofly]

Yes I understand that but I wondered if the GP could speak to a respiratory doctor to move things along if possible. Xxxx

[Spacecat1]

I must be lucky I usually get an appointment within a few weeks. Ring consultant secretary tell her how she may be able to help. It does seem a long time.

[Woofly in reply to Spacecat1]

Hi Spacecat, Wow! you are certainly lucky, I have to wait weeks to get a GP appointment! Maybe I should move elsewhere!

[rayyan25]

Hi ,

Sorry to hear about that but yes I'm only 41 now I was diagnosed with COPD nearly 4 yrs ago and had to wait 9 months for my first appointments.

I was so frustrated and stressed for all the waiting time.

Anyways good luck & wish you well.

[Patsy164]

Hi Woofly it is disgusting I agree. My friend had a similar situation had to wait ages for an appointment but kept ringing for a cancellation and was fortunate to get a much earlier one. Also the nurse or doctor may help. Good luck and keep us updated.

[Woofly in reply to Patsy164]

I am seeing the nurse on Friday, I will ask her to try and get me an earlier appointment. Fingers crossed. Thank you for your reply.

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to Woofly]

🤞 I hope you get an earlier appointment. 12 months is shocking.

[DaleyWaley]

Waiting list where I live is in excess of 20 weeks. So I am continually put in a list more than 20 weeks. Every time I call the appt no, the same response. Sorry, but we cant make an appt if the waiting time is more than 20 weeks. Has been a vicious spiral now for 10 months. Oh, and this is already 7 months after the GO had referred me .....twice.

I was always a regular at the COPD clinic, but once your condition is "managed", you are discharged!. But my condition has never been managed; and every morning, I wake up with a mouth so dry that I cannot easily gasp for breath. My mucous build-up does not permit easy breathing through my nose. Water does not help the dryness! And....all the time.....breathing is becoming more challenging.....yet my condition is managed by Trimbow......I don't even exhibit symptoms of a COPD patient. The consultant agreed at the outset that my breathing problems were not as one would expect with 70% FEV1/FVC. So....why not investigate further rather than discharging me......and then never being able to get back into the system again!!

[Ergendl in reply to DaleyWaley]

When my mouth ends up like the bottom of a budgie cage regularly, I use xylimelts. A bit expensive but they really seem to help.

[DaleyWaley in reply to Ergendl]

Thanks for the advice . However, I already have loads of Glandosane spray and regularly suck Xerostom pastilles .....the latter contain xylitol.....which I suspect is the same as Xylimelts.

Unfortunately, I seem to benefit little from any of these.

[dmf64]

hi, that's awful to have to wait 12 months. You say you have a resp nurse, ask her to call the consultants secretary and plead your case. My pulmonary rehab nurse managed to get my referral appointment for valves brought from my consultants" not our borough so don't know how long you will wait" to appointment on 14/11 so seven weeks which isn't bad going. Definitely a postcode lottery nowadays i must be lucky never waited longer than 10 weeks

Goodluck i hope you are seen soon, debbie

[pete511dog]

TOLD to wait 16 weeks but told at the start but it only took 12 weeks

[arcangel17]

Shocking isn't I waited 8 months and like yourself since March I've taken more infections than I've ever had every week I hand in spit sample and it comes back resistant to the antibiotics I'm on so we stop them start ones they suggest from the laboratory the phlegm/ mucus gets darker other sample comes back resistant to antibiotics stop them and start new ones this goes on for around 3 months then clears for 2 then starts all over again.this month was really bad I ended up in hospital for 4 days but they didn't tell me I had pneumonia and influenza it was when I read my discharge letter it said that's what I was being treated for so wasnt happy that was the Thursday went to my own gp on the monday for something unrelated when he said about hospital and how he didn't like the sound of me could he listen to my chest of course I said oh em dont understand why they sent you home when you clearly still have pneumonia WHAT !!!

So I made the decision with him to be treated at home this time WHY OH WHY does anyone know why they wont give me a nebuliser at home it seems to do the trick in hospital and would surely save them a lot off money and bed space or is that to logical

But WOOFLY can you get a hold of your consultant secretary phone number and speak to her I have mind and shes lovely and slway passes messages on to him for his patients or keep phoning for any cancellations

Hope you get answers soon

[katieoxo60]

That is ridiculous, if you were a new patient you would have to be seen within18 weeks & diagnostic tests within six weeks these targets are not being met by the way and mental health services are worse. There are supposed to be emergency clinics for illnesses like yours that flare up and cannot be resolved by GPs . Try attending the A&E instead. Its just took me six months to get a diagnosis varified, now I have to wait another two months to go on the operating list. My advice is call Pals and see what they suggest if no one complains nothing will change. Not everyone has to wait that length of time I wonder why.!!!! I have just had to wait three weeks to see a GP then she had an emergency so I have to wait another week. Don't beleive any of the glossy mags saying the NHS is changing for better it only applies to this years funded project. Chronic long term illness & old age are bottom of the funding pile thats the political side of it , does not help us when we are ill again and need care or treatment. I hope you get this matter sorted in less than a year but I am not very optimistic for you. The latest joke is "Maybe they are hoping some of us will die waiting" not funny if your the one s suffering , we don't expect a cure but our illness should be managed to keep us maximumly well as can be with equality,diginity & care

[Nickcv]

I had an appointment at the respiratory laboratory at my hospital this Friday after a 5 month wait. I've received a call to say it's cancelled due to illness and a new appointment will be made that most likely means another 2 month wait.

[Neville33]

Call the resp dr's secr and get on cancellation list...keep calling secr weekly...you will get in sooner

[Hidden]

I didn’t have to wait long at all and now have appointments set ahead for every three months. Just for maintenance. I think it’s because when it was discovered I have Alpha one antitrypsin deficiency they became more interested as they’d never dealt with that type of genetic copd. I live in rural area in the USA. I think having to wait so long is absurd. Here in the states one would just be forced to go to the emergency department at a local hospital which would cost a fortune.