"Follow-up after operation abysmal"

Two years ago I had s mitral valve repair operation at this hospital. The operation appered to have gone well and I was discharged after a week, believing the assurance that there was a 24 hour helpline if I had any problems.

After a couple of weeks I experienced severe palpitation, going on for at least 2 hours.

There was nobody manning the helpline and the ward was closed.

I did not see the surgeon either before or after they - just members of his team.

I had no follow-up appointment for 13 weeks, and by then I was more breathless than I had been before the operation.

It was suggested I needed cardiac rehab, which turned out to be unavailable where I live for valve repair patients.

My local cardiologist had various tests performed but could not work out what had happened, and was unable to get any response from the surgeon.

I am now having investigations done at Papworth, where they are actually interested in trying to establish what has happened to me and to find a solution.

So having had an operation that should have made me "much fitter" (the words of the surgeon when recommending the operation), I am still far less fit than I was before.