"Lack of seeing Cardiologist or getting results from tests"

During the last week of Feb 2011 I kept feeling out of breath and when I took my pulse it was 100/110/120/130 at various times. In late Feb I had an appointment at the Glaucoma clinic and mentioned during my appointment I'd been experiencing a rapid heart rate ( I have a pacemaker and know my usual pulse is around 80/min)

In the afternoon I had a call from the secretary of my Glaucoma Specialist asking me to go and see my GP about the palpitations. I saw the GP the same evening and she said if my pulse went over 120 again to go to A&E so they could take an EGC and see what was wrong.

The following morning I took my pulse and it was 136/min so my husband took me to A&E where an ECG showed I was in a Sinus Tachycardia rhythm. They took bloods and requested a cardiologist come onto A&E to see me. While waiting I was told there had been several trauma patients brought in and would I be ok to wait back in the reception area. After more than 1 1/2 hours I was called back in to be told the blood tests were fine and I could go home!

I was still experiencing a rapid heart rate and when the staff put me back on the monitor this was confirmed. I was told the cardiologist had come up to A&E but said I was fine ( even though I was NOT seen by them)

I came home being toldto return if things didn't improve.

The palpitations continued and in early March I still had palpitations and also felt as if I had a brick wall on my chest so my husband took me back to A&E. I was lucky to see the same doctor from the previous week who admitted he was surprised to see me back but the monitors confirmed again a rapid heart rate so he organised for me to have a chest x-ray to check the leads of my pacemaker hadn't moved and also for me to have a 48hr Holter Monitor test done 'in the next few days'

I eventually got an appointment for the Holter Monitor but unfortunately it wasn't within a couple of days but for early April. I wore the monitor as instructed and returned it on a couple of days later and phoned Cardiology Investigation Dept on the following day to confirm it had been received--it had.

Today (mid April) I went to my GP (as arranged by her 2 weeks previously) so she could access the results and decide what action to take. No Cardiology information could be accessed via the GP/Hospital system so she had the receptionist call UHA&E who informed her my results are still outstanding and it may take 2-3 weeks to download this information.

A month after my 2nd time in A&E I am no nearer to finding out what is causing this ongoing rapid heart rate and it sounds like it will be at least another week before the results become available.