The state of the NHS

[Stephanietee]

Having been on this forum for some on the now I have to say how depressed I feel when I think of the experiences so many people (myself included) have with their GPs and cardiologists. Why should we, the patients, have to find out information which they should have at their fingertips and why is it that the attitude is, well, it's not dangerous, live with it - never mind the fact one feels absolutely ghastly some or all of the time. and why does everything take so long, letters,monitors etc etc. Well of course I know that the answer is the NHS is underfunded and understaffed but it is never going to be right is it.

Sorry for the rant, just feel so exasperated with it all.

Stephanietee

[Hidden]

I agree with you Stephanie . Some people do seemingly have a pretty raw deal from their GPs and cardios. I consider myself fortunate in that I've had pretty good treatment.

I think it helps if patients educate themselves as much as possible about their condition so that they do not feel fobbed off and can enter into a discussion about their treatment.

[Stephanietee in reply to Hidden]

One shouldn't have to though should we. It's ok for those of us who are articulate enough to do so but so many aren't and it is so hard for them..

Stephanietee

[PeterWh in reply to Stephanietee]

Agree. If that is the case get someone to help you and take someone along with you. Also taking notes and questions along really helps a lot. Sometimes anybody's initial reactions / thoughts may not be the 100% correct ones. That applies in all areas of life, not just medical, where there is a lot of information and a lot of possibilities.

[Jennifer53 in reply to Hidden]

I totally agree with Yatsura. With getting your own information you are taking back control of your body. In the medical model we are just another illness but to ourselves and our families we are more than just an illness. We need to know what the doctors are choosing for us and why they do so. Knowledge is power

[Hidden]

Hello. My SVT was diagnosed after a traumatic 3 hours, 220bpm heart rate and trip to A&E by ambulance. The care I got was good, waited in A&E for over 4 hours before being discharged. What I found very poor was the complete lack of any advice on how to try and prevent having another SVT episode- I was just left to walk out of the hospital and told I'd get an appointment with the arrhythmia nurse. I felt really poorly after and wasn't warned about this, so spent the next week totally stressed and not sleeping thinking I was going into SVT again and that I would die. The appointment letter arrived 3 weeks later and my appointment was for 3 months after that. I took it upon myself to do research about SVT and saw my own GP to discuss it ( he was ok but quite dismissive of my fears ). The arrhythmia clinic and nurse was excellent but I had all the fears and doubts hanging over me for 3 months which was quite stressful. The NHS is struggling, I know I work in it, but the basics are being neglected (giving good aftercare and support) so it's no wonder people often end up back in hospital. We can't always assume patients have the ability to do their own research and then act upon it. I'm lucky to have access to this site and others and have changed my lifestyle to try and prevent having to go to A&E again.

[stargazer61]

Yes! Yes! Yes! Couldn't agree more, i've not got time to write just now, but maybe you could look at my posts? I just read your first post, and notice you mentioned hypnosis - are you still interested in this? My experience was very positive, i have very little money but had been given some for my christmas and birthday which i was saving for something special, used it on hypnosis, no regrets, let me know. I don't know if i'd have had the courage to reduce/come off my meds on my own without that and a new form of yoga recently started. I thought i was going mental at one point, very scary to be left alone and attempting to research whilst so ill on meds. Wish i'd had an arrhythmia clinic, still waiting to see ep, since middle of november. Total lack of after-care, if my partner hadn't been off work with stress, i have no idea how i'd have coped. You're not alone for sure, delighted to rant along with you and happy to share any self-help i can.

[Stephanietee in reply to stargazer61]

No I don't think I mentioned hypnosis but it sounds as though it worked for you and anything is worth a try.

Thanks for replying.

Stephanietee

[Hidden]

Hmm...I've struggled with the NHS.

I got excellent care when I presented as an emergency years ago, but mistakes were made subsequently and when I eventually complained and asked for accountability and the truth I encountered a dreadful situation with cover ups and evasive answers. It's left me unnerved and struggling to understand what I am facing in terms of my health going forwards...although some departments/hospitals have been more honest than others.

Very worrying when a heart condition is the issue and difficult to trust going forwards too.

[art195]

Hello everyone. I have posted on here before about this through personal expetience . I have had svt and atrial ectopics etc and been in hospital four times because of this and had an angiogram and various other tests etc but still suffering really scary symptoms daily ! I think the hospital staff were pretty good ( although still no satisfactory cure ) but my gripe is with my local g.p. surgery . I still feel very dizzy and weak with fainting etc but my so called doctors at surgery are arrogant and disinterested to the point of being offensive to me ( one gp in particular ).! He more or less told me to stop going to the surgery because its wasting his time ! ! He just seems worried about his own salary and his sailing his yacht ! !

[djroute66]

i know where you are coming from . i never heard of AF when i ending up in hospital. i was in for 10 days because they could get the warfarin levels right. it drove me nearly insane. constantly watching doctors and nurses coming and going. it was all very confusing and frightening. that was three years ago and i have lived with the pill in the pocket since then. i still think we are lucky to have the nhs , but through to pressures put on the service we are slowly losing that most important factor of communication and understanding. when i finally left hospital for the first couple of month i was in a daze. in work i was like a zombie just waiting for my stroke to happen. clearly there was a lack of clear information given to me. specially as i also suffer with anxiety. and then it begins the internet searching for answers. some good some bad some contradictory some uplifting and some depressing. but we will try everything because we are desperate for an answer. this is a good place to come as the people on here can help take the legwork out of whatever your concern are. as for the NHS i can only prayer for the staff that they don't get to demoralized. but the service was never design to take this size of population we have today

[Hidden]

My experience is that if you have a serious emergency, which I've had once, then they are terrific, world class. But when it comes to just looking after our health, sorry, but it quite often (and I mean too often) doesn't work very well. I've even had a specialist that I saw once privately who was marvellous. I then saw him a year later under the NHS (he didn't recognise me) and he treated me like an idiot and it was a waste of time. OK, I am an idiot but there's no reason to treat me like one 😄