Ct scan results are in but won't tell me what they are and no consultant appointment available

[elliejjtiny]

Ds4 had a ct scan a month ago and we were told results would be 2-6 weeks. I was getting impatient so I phoned to chase it up. Literally ended up going round in a loop phoning a number, being told they can't help, ring this number etc until I end up being put through to the first number again. Finally I got someone who looked up the test results on the computer but then said the results were in but she couldn't tell me what they are, the consultant had to do it. We haven't got a consultant yet, the referral got sent in March. I got told to ring another number where the person tried to book an appointment with a consultant from a different specialty. Then I was told that there were no appointments available and I would have to wait until new appointments have been released.

I am now scared that the results are bad news if they won't tell me over the phone and looks like it's going to be ages before I can find out anything.

Then I go to the next thing on my life admin list which is book ds5's appointment with the asthma nurse. There is a new message that you have to listen to before you can speak to a human. Apparently our GP surgery is now closed in the afternoons and it's an 8 week wait to see a gp for a routine appointment (thankfully I'm not needing one of those). There is also a bit about how there has been an increase in patients getting angry with staff and it won't be tolerated.

I've always thought that if you have to wait ages for an appointment then you don't need to worry, it's probably nothing serious. But these days I'm not remotely confident in this theory.

If there was anything to worry about, you would know about it by now. The admin staff are not trained to interpret radiology results and would get into a lot of trouble if they gave them to you over the phone without being guided by a clinician in what to tell you.

Admim staff won't have a clue what radiology results mean. A lot of clinical staff would struggle to understand them never mind being able to interpret whether there were any degree of clinical significance.

Edit: 'Cause sometimes an anxious feeling means the brain needs it to be spelled out - "the consultant needs to give out the results" does not necessarily mean it is something bad. It means consultants understand the results, whether they matter and what the impact may be. Think of how many people we get on MN asking others what results mean or googling things. It's pointless to be given information unless someone who has clinical judgement can explain what it means. That's why admin aren't telling you anything, not because it is bad news.

If it was very bad life threatening news you wouldn't have left the hospital after the CT. If it was bad news you'd have had a phone call to book an apt within days. It's either a thing that can wait months to be delt with, will resolve by itself or is absolutely fine.

You don't want to be told half a medical story inaccurately by a person who has no medical knowledge.

I would really try not to worry. If it was truly urgent, they would get you in. The secretary who answers the phone is not allowed to give medical advice. Even if you spoke to a consultant over the phone, it would be irresponsible of them to tell you the results without even having done a physical exam.

If there is something to worry about, they will see you. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I was in sitting in a room with the nurses within 24 hours of the results coming back. Otherwise, I get scan results usually within 2 weeks. I have had them ring me and tell me over the phone once but only because we already had a phone appointment for something else.

Do not hesitate to make sure they don’t forget about you. Keep checking in weekly by ringing to ask about a consultant appointment. I also email with any new symptoms. Check your NHS app because sometimes they just write it in a letter and refer you back to the GP.

My son had an abnormal mri and we got a phone call 2 days later. They said if it was life threatening, they would have phoned same day/next day.

Medic here.
If the results needed immediate action you would not be left waiting.
Its awful to have to wait, keep phoning

Thank you. Ds had the routine x ray that showed a shadow and started all this off in March. It's good to hear the stories of people who have had things like cancer picked up on scans being seen straight away. I always thought if you have to wait ages then there's not much wrong with you but I've had a few people tell me lately that they have been diagnosed with cancer and then had to wait over a month to start treatment.

Sometimes there’s a delay in starting treatment as there is team involvement. It’s not as simple as just giving paracetamol out. Different types of cancer react differently to different medications. Pt age, other medical conditions all need to be taken into account. There are so many regimes now, and they need to be carefully considered.

Thank you, it's just so frustrating knowing the results are there but I can't see them. Also when I ring the gp for test results I can speak to the receptionist and she will either say results are normal or she will say the results aren't normal and the gp will see you the same day. So I was expecting it to be like that, either I would be told everything is fine or it's not fine but the consultant would see us in a couple of weeks.

Just an update as I managed to contact the dentist who did the original referral. She said they still don't know what it is but there are no signs of it being cancer. So ds has been added to the consultant's non urgent waiting list. She thinks the consultant will remove it and get it tested but it wont be for ages yet because the waiting lists are so long.