AIBU to cancel appointment

[Mostlyheretobrowse]

Hi

A few days ago I spoke to a cardiologist who recommended I have an implantable loop recorder because I've had issues with palpitations, high/low heart rates and fainting for the last 18 months. At the time I said yes but now I'm having second thoughts. The waiting list is at least 10 weeks long so I have time to make a decision without leaving them with an empty slot.

I'm just concerned over the cost and time. I know the NHS pays but they could really use that £1000+ for something more important right now, and the staff could be spending their time with someone who actually has a problem that needs fixing. The consultant said I may not even have a cardiac issue, and even if I do it's likely to be something that won't ever do any harm so treatment is just for symptom relief.

With all that's happening and so many urgent things being cancelled I just don't think it's fair or right that I have this right now. He's prescribed a drug which may settle some of the symptoms. My partner says I shouldn't be thinking about the cost or time and should go on what the consultant recommended but I just feel so guilty. He keeps reminding me of how many GPs I had to see before I got a referral and how long I waited for the appt, saying do I really want to have to go through all of that again in the future.

Part of me wants to just cancel and say that I've got the drug to use when it's bad and I'm happy to live with it so they can discharge me and use the time to see people who need them. Part of me knows that the drug will not stop everything and I might be resigning myself to a lifetime of tablets and symptoms.

AIBU to cancel the appointment?

Get it done, cardiologist has recommended it. Please don’t cancel, this is to do with your heart and is very serious!

Not with cardiology related issues!

NHS worker here. Please get it done! You only have one ticker!

If they think it's not important, they don't have capacity or they need the money somewhere else, they'll cancel. They wouldn't have arranged it if they didn't think you needed it. You'll be much more burden if you have a cardiac event that could have been prevented through monitoring.

It's more cost effective to have it done. Please stay on the list, it may be delayed but your cardiologist wants you to have it as it the best option all around.

Completely agree, get it done. Prevention far, far better, and cheaper than any issues as well as all the other reasons!

Speaking as someone who's DH had his third trip into A&E yesterday with Cardiac issues, the second with blue lights. (He should be ok now)

How much do your drugs cost? It's cheaper for the nhs to keep you healthy, rather than letting you suffer complications that will make you sicker and potentially die early.
If the doctor said you need it done then you need it done.

I’m a GP. Please don’t cancel it through worry about burdening the NHS. Is that really the real reason? Pretty much nobody else worries about that these days apart from a few very elderly people (COVID aside, obviously I know people are motivated to follow the rules etc to protect the NHS which is appreciated), so it’s not like one person is going to have any effect on the system anyway (plus the government should just fund the NHS properly in the first place so people aren’t ridiculously worrying about getting their health issues sorted - you wouldn’t catch a Frenchwomen worrying about this). If you don’t want to have it right now because you are scared about getting COVID at the hospital etc then call and tell them that and it can be postponed until you’re ready to have it.

Trust me the NHS will soon let you know if it can’t accommodate this at the moment and cancel your appt themselves. If you don’t take the appt someone else will (quite possibly someone more undeserving of it) so it’s not like the cardiologist will suddenly be free to help out on the wards. And I can almost guarantee from what you’ve posted about seeing lots of GPs to get referred in the first place that you’ll eventually come back to the GP asking for a rereferral so doubling their workload - GPs are overworked NHS employees too you know! - and who knows how long it will even take then, or if the rules on who can be referred for what have changed so maybe we can’t even refer you any more and then you’ll youll be annoyed etc.

If you’re happy to get it done now and it’s being offered then just get it done.

Have you been tested for POTS OP? ( no need to disclose, just worth checking). I wouldn't factor in the cost to the NHS here tbh, it's only really about whether you've looked into the procedure and are happy to consent to go ahead, and whether you want the loop (what are the benefits, risks, side effects if any and so on). You can see a cardiologist again in the future by being re-referred (which you are fully and completely entitled to do and this is not 'messing' anyone around or deliberately creating workload) and restart the process again if now doesn't feel the right time but make that decision based on what you want and not about a misguided sense it helps the NHS if you don't, or feel you should have a medical procedure when you are not sure for the convenience of your GP.

In fact I am surprised to see an alleged G on here telling a patient to 'get it done' without knowing any personal medical circumstances or history, suggesting the slot might go to someone 'less deserving' if OP doesn't take it, and fear mongering to pushOP to 'get it done' because a GP might not refer her in the future .

I would always veer towards conservative management before a procedure but IMO most medicines have side effects. I'd weigh those up against the negatives to the loop, whether now is the time for me and go from there. The decision needs to be your own OP. That is how medical consent works.

You sound like a lovely and considerate person 💐 I would go with what the consultant recommends. I would imagine you can’t mess around or delay when it comes to your heart. Hope you get sorted.

You’re being silly, get it done. A relative died last night of a cardio related issue and he was quite young. The £1000 is just a theoretical figure, it doesn’t mean it will be put to better use elsewhere.

@dontgobaconmyheart

Have you been tested for POTS OP? ( no need to disclose, just worth checking). I wouldn't factor in the cost to the NHS here tbh, it's only really about whether you've looked into the procedure and are happy to consent to go ahead, and whether you want the loop (what are the benefits, risks, side effects if any and so on). You can see a cardiologist again in the future by being re-referred (which you are fully and completely entitled to do and this is not 'messing' anyone around or deliberately creating workload) and restart the process again if now doesn't feel the right time but make that decision based on what you want and not about a misguided sense it helps the NHS if you don't, or feel you should have a medical procedure when you are not sure for the convenience of your GP.

In fact I am surprised to see an alleged G on here telling a patient to 'get it done' without knowing any personal medical circumstances or history, suggesting the slot might go to someone 'less deserving' if OP doesn't take it, and fear mongering to pushOP to 'get it done' because a GP might not refer her in the future .

I would always veer towards conservative management before a procedure but IMO most medicines have side effects. I'd weigh those up against the negatives to the loop, whether now is the time for me and go from there. The decision needs to be your own OP. That is how medical consent works.

Thank you. This thread has been quite reassuring!

I haven't had any investigations other than ECG, echo and bloods.

I am already on a medication which helps a bit but the side effects mean I just can't function for the day after I take it, hence the change to another. The new one will only be used as a last resort as I'm having issues with fainting from low heart rates too. I'd much rather stick to just medication- I didn't even originally want referral but the GPs refused to prescribe anything. They told me the fast side of things is probably anxiety (I don't have any problems with mental health or health anxiety, in fact I hadn't seen a GP for over 10 years before this!) and the slow side was just something I'd have to live with. I can understand their reluctance to prescribe when they don't know what something is, but just saying 'tough, live with it' seemed to be a bit harsh.

I've never had any kind of procedure before so obviously the whole idea of it scares me, but I know it's only 5 mins, painless and very low risk so from that point of view I'm happy to go ahead with it (preferably with a friendly nurse around to talk to me about nonsense and distract me!). It is just the timing that concerns me- for me personally this is probably the easiest time to be able to just accept an appointment whenever and not have to think about sorting a day off. I've not worried about the Covid side (I'm a student on placement in a hospital anyway!).