"I feel I have been fobbed off"

Three years ago I started getting chronic shortness of breath symptoms under exertion. My BP was at the lower end of the high scale. I was referred to a respiratory clinic who basically found nothing and prescribed inhalers (which did nothing).

3 years later the shortness of breath under exertion is worse together with rapid heart rate and palpitations usually at night and has now developed to most nights. My BP is now at the higher end of the high scale, I am now on blood pressure tablets. There is a history of heart disease on my mothers side. After much to-ing and fro-ing to my GP ( which is another story of incompetence) I got a referral to the Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic, you can imagine my surprise when a received an appointment for a telephone appointment, I wondered, what was that going to diagnose? I managed to get a face to face appointment. They did the usual BP readings, 30 second ECG, took my height. All this has already been done at my GP several times.

I was expecting to see a consultant. I saw a Registrar (that's what it said on their lanyard round their neck). Apart from difficulty in understanding them, they looked at the ECG and asked me if I drunk coffee. Basically the whole consultation was a waste of my time and the hospital nothing different to what the GP has done. The person appeared totally disinterested in my real symptoms, saying coffee causes palpitations, and dismissing the shortness of breath as many things can cause this, despite having my respiratory system checked out two years ago. They had the records in front of them. I was offered a 24hr ECG and Cardiogram.

I was really disappointed with the lack of interest in my symptoms. I called the British Heart Foundation who told me blaming palpitations on coffee or incidentally anxiety is nonsense and I should have a 3 day ECG as the 30 second ones tell you very little, and I should have heart tests done under exertion. The BHF told me I was not the 1st to tell this story and I probably won't be the last. Basically I feel I have been fobbed off.