Rant if I may

[megnben]

Have just had a letter saying that I have been taken off the angiogram waiting list as the original beta blockers did not suit me and so have been removed WHAT

Am taking another type of beta blocker anyway but what good is taking me off the list going to do in fact would have thought being unable to take them would make the angio more of a priority

Have emailed to say that i am taking pills ,hoping that am not going to the beggining of long wait again and cant understand the logic of my removal unless its a number crunching thing for the gov lists

[Hidden]

Hi Megnben

I can understand why you are so angry and confused. I would write to your GP and copy the letter to the consultant cardiologist and chief executive asking for an explanation that you can understand. What you have said here doesn't make any sense.

[patch14]

I agree, go back to your GP with the letter and ask to speak to your Cardiologist. With pressure from both there may be a better outcome to this. Someone somewhere has taken an executive decision I think!!

[sindy]

i agree, go to your gp or phone your consultants secretary up. thats what there there for. could be a typing error. be assertive it's your body. good luck i would be interested to know what the outcome is if this is true.

[megnben]

Rang consulants secretary .She tells me following my email yesterday the consultant rang my gp practice and asked that my DR contacts them with details of my meds and my state of fitness for angio without meds.She would not respond to my pointing out that if I cant take them i would be more at risk and so should not be removed from waiting list however says if all ok with GP etc will not lose my place in the 3-4 month wait for proceedure. I was so cross that i forgot to point out that i worked for nhs for 40 years and know that to remove folk from lists even temporarily massages the figures for gov guidelines quite nicely. She also said not being able to take aspirin might influence the decision.

[Bumley]

Hi Megnben,

I have now had three angiograms, first of which was following a Heart attack and led on to a triple By Pass. I am sensitive to aspirin (anaphylactic shock) and this precluded me from having stents and together with diabetes meant that the bypass was recommended. I was told that one of the advantages of Angiogram is that whilst they are looking and if they find a blockage they can deploy a stent immediately

My subsequent Angiograms were as a result of A and E admission with unstable angina, again my aspirin sensitivity was a problem. It was OK because I had no blockages. It was touch and go whether I had one but since I was admitted as an emergency I got priority.

From the time I had a bypass I have been on a Beta Blocker and recently had them changed by a cardiologist because of breathing difficulties and have now been put on Ivabradine to slow my heart rate

I know most of this probably not relevant to you but might help.

regards

David

[sandybrown in reply to Bumley]

Hello,

Thank you for this information. I am allergic to Aspirin!. On my first blood sugar check the reading was high therefore I am a diabetic. It is under control with life style change. My cholesterol has been high. Statin can bring it down but I am trying to control it via food intake.

Has a stress test and my appointment with a cardiologist is on 02/12/13. One of my question is do I need a angiogram? From what I have read above I need to ask more questions.

My new question is "Do I need a bypass?"

Would appreciate any helpful information from you, thanks.

[Bumley in reply to sandybrown]

Hi Bala,

When I was admitted from A and E I had had a heart attack and was then stabilised on an insulin pump. After a week I then had a stress test which I failed miserably.

I was transferred to St Thomas's Hospital had the Angiogram done and as I mentioned above led on to a Bypass mainly due to my aspirin intolerance. I should also point out I am on insulin and have been for 19 years. Prior to that I had adjusted my diet etc for four years before.

More often than not they will do an angiogram if blockages are suspected and stents are used.

Hope this helps.

regards

David

[megnben]

As someone who cant tolerate aspirin and I am also diabetic now wondering if the consultant will even consider doing an angio . Aspirin burns through my stomach lining causing awful pain but for a month have been taking it also raberaprazole to stop the stomach acid and still the pain grew to be more than I could take so came off of it,DR says clopidogerel is also a platelet med but that it would also burn the stomach and in her words "you dont want to be admitted with pain from it as they will think its a heart attack"

Thanks David for telling me your experience as its far more informative than anything from the medical bods !! Maybe im being unfair and have only been removed from list while they sort out if and why it should be done with safety

[Bumley in reply to megnben]

Hi Megnben,

Since I had my bypass in 2009 I have been prescribed Clopidogrel 75MG and initially given Omeprazole due to my hyperacidity. The Omeprazole was stopped because of it contraindication with Clopidogrel and given Ranitidine which was ok but needed large doses. My old GP would not consider any thing else and when I change a year ago my new GP researched and found that Lansoprazole was ok and so it has proved! I was told that you should not take Clopidogrel for more than a year but since I am allergic to aspirin I am stuck with it for life.

Interestingly, I also had an endoscopy done (for obstructions in my throat and acidity) and that showed I had Gastritis, which the Grasto ? doctor said was likely to be caused by Clopidogrel. By the way went on to a Sleep clinic (courtesy of my wonderful new doctor) and have been diagnosed with sleep apnoea and now have a CPAP machine to keep my company at night!

Regards

David

[megnben in reply to Bumley]

You sure have more than your share of problems David

[malcolmp]

I'm sorry to hear about the problems your experiencing.My mother suffered with diabetes,which eventually led to renal failure and fatal heart attack.Through my experiences with the nhs treatment of my mother i have sought to take responsibility for my own health,by researching high quality natural health solutions.I now use vitamin d supplements and arginine supplements combined with a healthy lifestyle.

Sometimes you have to think outside of the conventional box when it comes to something as important as you health.I hope you find a solution to your pain and suffering from whatever direction that may come.