"Heart attack"

One evening in September 2019 I felt a pain in my chest, pressure and tightening. I also felt pain in my back, down my left arm and in my jawline. My forehead was clammy and cold to the touch. I had no idea what was happening but I knew it was not right to feel this way. I telephoned NHS 24 and the call handler relayed the information to a nurse who decided to send an ambulance for me.

The ambulance arrived some time later and the paramedics sprayed the GTN spray under my tongue and gave me an aspirin to chew. They carried out an ECG in my bedroom before taking me to Wishaw General Hospital. When I arrived in A&E I underwent various tests and procedures; one of which was a TROP(Troponin?) Test to assess the level in my blood. This test was repeated after 5/6 hours and the doctor reported t me that because there had been a 40% difference in the two readings I had had a heart attack!

I was transferred to the Emergency Care Ward to be monitored and was again informed that I had had a heart attack. I was then moved to the Respiratory Ward on Monday under a consultant. I underwent other tests/scans etc and each doctor I saw told me I had had a heart attack. I did not see the consultant until Wednesday afternoon when I was told that I had not had a heart attack. I was delighted at the news but queried why several other doctors had told me that I had had a heart attack. The doctor appeared perplexed and bewildered as to why I would be told such a thing! The doctor then said that on paper I had had a heart attack; but that they weren't convinced"!!! The doctor then arranged for me to have a test for a Pulmonary Embolism. As this doctor was then off duty it was one of the other doctors who told me on Thursday morning that the test for a clot had come back negative so they were going to be treating me for the heart - no mention of a heart attack this time! I was to have a treadmill test but it was broken and it would not be repaired until at least the following Thursday. The doctor asked if I would stay in hospital for a week until the treadmill was fixed; believing that the test would have been done quicker with me as an in patient. However I requested to be allowed to go home and after taking some advice the doctor agreed. The was at the end of September 2019.

I received a letter from the hospital inviting me to attend for a treadmill test on in early October. On the morning of the appointment I received a telephone call to tell me that due to sickness absence within the department my appointment was postponed and I would receive another in the near future.

Two days later in the evening of Wednesday I experienced the same symptoms that I had when I was first admitted. I telephoned NHS 24 and they sent an emergency ambulance for me. When I arrived in A&E the doctor enquired why I had not used my GTN spray and I said I didn't have one. The doctor said that I should never have been dismissed in September without a spray. I explained what was happening and what had happened previously and that I had been told there was no changes in any ECG's and nothing unusual. The doctor came back to tell me I was being admitted to ECU and said that my previous ECG did show something in my upper ??? and lower ??? were ??? - and that they just thought I might want to know that! Another consultant arranged for me to have a treadmill test which I could not do and therefore there was not a definitive reading. I was then moved to the Coronary Ward.

Once in the Coronary Ward I realised that I was across the corridor from someone I knew - this was not acceptable under the circumstances. The consultant who would be assessing my case but be was otherwise engaged asked another consultant to see me and assess if I needed to stay in hospital. The consultant provided me with a very comprehensive and detailed description of indigestion and heartburn and suggested that my medication was now - after years - affecting my stomach and that he would change my prescription and add an indigestion tablet to help my indigestion and sent me home the day after I was admitted.

I received a letter to go for a CT Angiogram in December at the Golden Jubilee Hospital. I attended the appointment and the result is that I have Coronary Artery Disease; the doctor at the Jubilee, Scotland's National Hospital, said that if I was their patient they would be arranging for a balloon and a stent to be inserted. The report was forwarded to University Hospital Wishaw General and it has been decided that I do not require any angioplasty at this time and I have been invited to a clinic in March 2020.

I believe that time is of the essence and it is unacceptable that different health professionals have different opinions and because of this I feel am at the mercy of whatever comes into their mind that day. It strikes me as an abuse of power and is morally unacceptable.

Please investigate. I look forward to your response.