How do I change my Respiratory Consultant?

Hi Susan,

What a quick helpful response from you .... thank you.  I felt so let down with the consultant I saw so am keen to transfer to someone who has a  special interest in bronchiectasis in the hope he will be able to help me with this diagnosis.

I will start the ball rolling and see what happens, its good to be proactive!

Thank you again    xx

You're very welcome, we're all in it together my freind. My husbands resp Consultant of 5 years gave us a death sentence a month ago. As " luck " would have it he was rushed into hospital again a few days after her diagnosis. It was so bad even the anticipatory drugs were delivered to the house and hospice nurses were involved ! Whilst he was in the hospital a different consultant saw him and was keen to try different meds and antibiotics for him, he obviously hadn't given up up on him. As we speak, although life's not great, never will be but at least we have a life albeit not the one we would like. A huge difference has taken place with him.the original consultant knew he was in the hospital, never even went to ask how he was, I saw her a few times when I visited him and she never made eye contact with me. I spoke with GP and he arranged the change of consultants for me. As I say only took a week. No way could we consider seeing her again as I have no faith in her whatsoever ever. Good luck and hope it goes well for you. Xxxx

Susan - well done for standing firm to change your consultant. I feel that the consultants are sometimes too keen to remove the 'difficult ' patients from their list. I also was told that I had a max of four months, but a year and a it later, here I am. OK - I am not in the perfect of health, and recently have had to resort to Cipro 750mg each of the last three months. We have now arranged to see a consultant to see what he offers.

the GPs, likewise, was ever so keen to dismiss the signs of an infection as simply breathing difficulty, and asked me to increase the Combivent to three per day, and the dreaded Prednisolone to 40mg. We had to insist that the phlegm sample be sent off, and guess what, it came back with Pseudomonas!

Now back to Cipro and Pred!

Nobody should give up and let the consultants have their own way.

best wishes

Hello Spark right, I truly beleive you need to have hope and faith in your Consultant. I'm so sorry you were written off, it's just such an awful experience. Husband wasn't good yesterday, we have a wonderfull GP, he came to see him and suggested we use Azythromycin daily for ten days instead of every other day that we have used it and back to Prednisilone, 8 tablets of 5mg daily for ten days. Also we are presently on Levethromycin 500mg daily. He too has the dreaded Pseudonomas bacteria, which is notoriously difficult to get rid of in fact I don't think you can get rid of it, only dampen it down. Sputum samples are the only way of detecting infection/bacteria, therefore being able to match with appropriate antibiotic. I would be interested to hear of your pseudonoma experiences. Xxx

Hi Susan,

So pleased that you and your husband has found a consultant that actually wants to help, treating your husband as a person not just an inconvenience!  How dare these people give up on your husband, I wonder how they would feel if it was them that was suffering with this horrible disease!!

As I said, the consultant I saw did not seem at all interested, I was just another patient he had to see and get rid of as quickly as possible! I felt I was being a nuisance.  My respiratory physiotherapist is great and helpful and when I mentioned to her about my experience with him, she said he is extremely busy!

I will get on to requesting a change of consultant and let you know how it goes. 

All the very best to you and your husband xx

Thankyou Trish, yes how dare she give up ! Hopefully in the long run she will have done us a favour. Even my GP agreed with me, which is unusual as proffesionals are known to stick together. He said she was very rude and arrogant. Good luck, please let us know how your change of consultants goes, wishing you well. Xxxxx

Hello Susan

thanks.  The Pseudomonas is  unfortunately here to stay, it can only be managed but never eliminated. The current treatment for me is Azithro three times a week, Promoxin twice daily, and lots of clearing twice daily. A real pain, but that's life.

Best wishes 

Yes daly can't be eliminated.same here with Azizthromycin, was 3 times a week, now doing every day for 10 days then revert to 3times a week. Not heard of promoxin. Sputum has been a nightmare some days. Stay well and I wish you well. Xxx

Hi Susan,

My doctor has sent a request to the new consultant to take me on his books, with an explanation to my current consultant explaining my reasons for wanting the change! I have to wait for confirmation that both consultants are in agreement!!  I don't have a "plan b" so hope it all goes ok.

I started the gym today, and have been offered 12 weeks at a reduced rate as I have bronchiectasis. I will have a trainer with me at all times to make sure my breathing is ok.  This trainer has also put me on a waiting list for a pulmonary course. This is a course that I was initially told I did not need as I wasn't bad enough?! The trainer today was quite horrified I had been told this.  

Its quite odd, when I was first diagnosed, there appeared to be very little for me in the way of help.  But, it seems that there are things that can be done, you just need to be intouch with the right people! All very time consuming ... but hopefully it will be worth it. 

All the best to you and your husband xx 

Well I hope your change of Consultant all works out well for you. Good news about the gym. Sounds very promising. Xxx

Hi Susan,

Well, that hasn't worked! 

Apparently I have to attend an appointment in November 2015 with my current consultant and speak to him about transferring to my preferred consultant who specialises in bronchiectasis.

The request to transfer to another consultant sent by my GP a month ago,  has been lost??? ...... or the hospital has assumed I am a new referral and I have been put on a long waiting list to see a respiratory consultant but not necessarily with the consultant I wanted! 

Life is like walking thro treacle sometimes!

Will wait and see what happens in November.

All the best to you x

 

So sorry to hear it didn't go smooth for you, what a load of nonsense and paperwork, so infuriating for you. Thank God we changed as last night my husband was rushed in again by the paramedics, I've just got home now. After we left resus ang got to his ward the consultant came immediately to see him and prescribed new meds, such a difference . Good luck and let me know how your next instalment goes ! Xxx

Hi Susan,

Sorry to hear hubby is back in hospital again, but thank goodness he has his "new and improved" consultant looking after him! It must make such a difference having a consultant that cares and acts quickly to give your hubby new meds.  My thoughts are with you both xxx

As for my saga, the GP's secretary has just contacted me and they will try again to get me the consultant I requested.  I am sure it shouldn't be this hard to get things done!  I think perhaps they like patients that don't have an opinion and get a bit confused with one that is proactive.

All the best to you, try and rest up if you can and look after yourself xxx