Appointment

[ninja]

Hi All

A couple of months ago I had an MRI scan which showed I had a spur off the original aneurysm. I then had an angiogram a couple of weeks ago as they wanted to know if it was a matter of just monitoring the spur or coiling it, I stayed in hospital overnight and was then told I would have the result at a later outpatients appointment. I had a letter this morning giving me an appoinment in September!!!

Is this normal or can I read from this that it is not urgent and probably I won't need more coils or is it just pressure of work due to number of patients. Obviously no one can give me a definite answer but I was just wondering if anybody has had s similar experience it just seems a long time to wait to be told.

Cheers

John

[Janet]

Hi John

like you John I would also assume that they don't consider it poses any immediate concern. If they thought it needed prompt treatment you would definitely be seen a lot quicker. It always seems to take a couple of months between having the scans and getting seen by the Neuro's.

Janet x

[Shanti]

Hi John

I think like Janet that they don't think anything too untoward showed up on the scan. But when I just got a very unspecific letter after my MRI scan recently, I emailed the secretary (her email address was on the top of the letter) and expressed my concerns.

I got a letter back about a week later which explained in greater details what their findings had been.

So either email or write a letter (I think you get more than a phone call, they don't seem to discuss much over the phone in my experience anyway).

Hope you are feeling okay.

Big hug

Lesley xxx

[the quine]

Hi John,

Like you I have concerns over the length of time it takes to recieive information regarding your condition!

I left hospital on the 17th May, a week after my SAH coiling, and I have just got a letter for an apptment on 27th August - no details within the letter of scans, tests or who I will see. I understand that the medical profession are extremely busy (saving ours and others lives!) but we still need to know what is happening particularly if we are not to worry - as this is surely detrimental to recovery??

My GP has not any more info than I have - we both had the same discharge papers - so unless there is a problem he cannot help. I contacted the consultant surgeon's secretary by telephone after 6 weeks (that is what my letter told me the outpatient apptment would be) as I had heard nothing, she said that these letters were simply guides and templates it was more likely to be at least 12 weeks!!! She did say she would locate my records and contact me, which she duly did.

We have to assume that all is well until someone sees us and tells us otherwise? It does restrict how much I am prepared to do as I do not want to take anything for granted anymore and am not prepared to risk everything simply to be more independent and try to live pre-SAH. I am not angry so much as scared, I am aware there can be no guarantees in life but surely reassurance is healthier for all concerned?

I would definitely advise that you write (or e-mail), we have, in order to find out exactly what to expect (in my case - when is my scan, angiogram or eyer tests to be done?)

All the best and let us know how you get on

Cheers Jane xxx

[Guest yasmin]

Hi John

I had an MRI scan which showed I had a spur off the original aneurysm also, My Consultant said if I needed further surgery he would call me and let me know, I waited and did'nt get a phone call so my husband kept calling the hospital to find out the results, it took several weeks until we finally heard and I was told they would monitor mine, I was sent a follow up appointment several months later!! anyway what I'm trying to get at is if it were urgent they would call you and get you back in I think that when they do the scans they have a good idea what's going on and if they thought yours was a problem they'd flag it as urgent. I know what you are going through John it drove me insane not knowing.

Good luck and try not to worry

yasmin