What's going on?

I am sooo frustrated! Have had two lead pm for 10 years, recently updated to 3 lead CRT. On 2/10/14' . When I go In for a check the nurse never tells me anything. Just "it's fine". No results, nothing. Yesterday, when I went I. She said "you're in Afib". I asked how long. She said since 2/10/14' the day the new crt was implanted. I was shocked since when I went ten days after it was implanted, she did not say anything about my being in "Afib". I asked to see the doctor who implanted it, and he was there. She left, to talk to him, came back and said he could not see me today. Said to call back next week and tell them how I was feeling. I have never been given any feedback, just it's o.k. I am ready to ditch this doctor even though he is supposedly "the best" . Am I being unreasonable to expect more than this?

9 Comments

Worst case

by Theknotguy - 2014-03-22 05:03:27

If you don't get warm fuzzies with the doctor, it's time to get someone else. With heart disease, the more communication the better.

My cardio keeps me in the loop. Consequently I know more about my disease and take an active role in my therapy. I feel better and have a lot more positive outlook.

In the USA you can change doctors at any time and for any reason. Talk to your medical insurance company and find out who are the other cardiologists in your area.

For example: I have afib that can go into a rapid heartbeat. (Afib with RVR.) I was lying in bed, went into an afib session where my heart rate went from 60 bpm up to 140 bpm. The step down facility I was in was staffed with Africans. No one would help and I was forced to call my wife and she called 911. (Won't go into details here as it involves a lot of cussing and swearing.)
Didn't know what to do, Africans didn't help, I ended up in the ER, and it almost killed me. A lot of stress (Which added to the problem.), a lot of frustration, a lot of fear.

Discussed this session with my Cardiologist. I now have a plan. I know what medications to take, when, dosages, how to monitor the situation, and when to call 911 to get the trip to the ER. So when the same thing started again, I went through the procedure my Cardiologist outlined. Instead of a fast trip to the ER and a big hospital bill, I was able to control my situation with medication. I was calm, didn't go into a panic, and came out of the situation feeling not too bad. So communications with the doctor resulted in a better health situation for me.

You hear about these "great" doctors. Upon meeting them they will quite often come across as a**ho**s. They may truly be great, but if you end up dead because you can't communicate with them it really isn't worth it. Maybe they are sorry, maybe they are too busy to be sorry. It doesn't matter - you're still dead. Not worth it in my book.

I look forward to my appointments with my cardiologist. I'm planning on having a good appointment, feel I'm going to get good information, and don't have any stress. I feel this really helps me take better care of myself.

Sorry you're not getting help from your present cardio guy. Hope things get better in the future.

Theknotguy

Feedback

by Orba615 - 2014-03-22 06:03:39

Thanks so much to the two of you who gave me feedback. It is much appreciated. I am going "to take the bull by the horns" and insist on a copy of the report, also talk to the office manager and tell her what I expect. If this doctor and his office personnel cannot provide it, there are many other heart doctors in my city of Nashville, Tn. May try Vanderbilt because of its reputation. How intelligent do you have to be? I read it or part of it while she was gone anyway.

Ditto

by NiceNiecey - 2014-03-22 10:03:45

Sorry that you, too, have a gal in your cardiology office that exudes warmth (sarcasm). The gal in my office seems very competent but if they told me I was in Afib again and the doctor didn't want to see me because he was too busy? I'd be pissed, no doubt about it.

If you need to get a bit pushy, do it. It's your life, not theirs, and as a patient you have rights too. If you don't get satisfaction pretty quickly, I'd change doctors ASAP. Afib is nothing to mess with.

Keep us posted.

Niecey

Thanks

by Orba615 - 2014-03-23 02:03:32

Thank you ditto and all others who responded. What's the difference in atrial flutter and af?

A flutter

by Bostonstrong - 2014-03-23 03:03:59

Produces regular but rapid waves with a sawtooth appearance on EKG. A fib looks like scribbles, reflecting irregular quivering of the atrium rather than regular rhythmic contractions.
Hope you find a better doctor. I'm relatively new to being a patient and have seen more a$&h&$@? than a proctologist in the past year. My interrogation says I have 9.4 years of battery left. Don't plant to go back for at least 9 years.
My primary care NP is amazing, the other doctors, surgeons, anesthesiologists, Pacer reps, and office staff Ihave dealt with are nowhere near her league when it comes to being human beings.

Batter life

by Orba615 - 2014-03-23 04:03:30

Thanks Ditto. My pm battery tested good until it was nearly 10 years old, but when replacement was implanted went into Afib and according to that great nurse I saw last Friday have bee In Afib since, but doc did not have time to see me. Am not scheduled to see him until June. Can you believe? Am. now shopping for a new doctor.

Ditto

by MEP - 2014-03-23 10:03:08

I'm a physician with pm X4 years for complete ht block who also had atrial flutter (ablated).

There is no excuse for the way you were treated.
Change your care immediately.
Mic Jogger

Manner or competence?

by Dave H - 2014-03-24 01:03:12

Late April, 2012 before my PM implant I was aboard an ambulance headed to the ER with an out of rythm 260 heart rate. EMS medic was in touch with my EP who told the medic to do nothing since I was scheduled for my 3rd ablation the next day. Medic (a just out of the Army medic)
stated, "He's in V-Tach now -- V-Fib is next! I just can't do nothing!" Doc restated his order. Medic turned to me and said, "Will you sign this form giving me permission to do anything I want to help you?" A ex-Army medic? You bet! When I was in the USAF, I worked with AF and Navy Hosp. Corpsmen and have utmost respect for those folks. I signed over the EP's protests. Medic inserted into my IV a Diltiazem drip. Within 5 minutes I was in SR with a pulse of 90. Best move of my life!

--Dave--

god vs Bad

by Orba615 - 2014-03-24 02:03:27

Thanks Dave. What is wrong with these medical "professionals". What about the Hippocratic (spelling is Wrong I know but you know what I mean) Oath? There are good doctors I know, but some of them need to be digging ditches. Do you think they could?

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