6 weeks and still no test results

[ChocolateButton]

This is pretty much just a rant, sorry but I need to vent somewhere.

It's now over 6 weeks since I had my day surgery procedure done, and I'm still none the wiser as to the results! (This is after being told in the hospital that it would take 2-3 weeks).

I'm getting really frustrated, and my anxiety is through the roof. My GP upped my anxiety medication dose a couple of weeks ago because I still wasn't coping. No flaming wonder with all this waiting and worrying.

I'm absolutely sick of waiting, and coming home from work every day hoping to find a letter and then being disappointed and frustrated when there is nothing.

I have tried phoning numerous times, but the people I speak to at the hospital are so rude and unhelpful, I just give up. (Caring NHS? Yeah right.)

The woman I spoke to last Monday told me that "The consultant has written a letter." I asked her if she knew what my results were - her reply? "I don't know. I haven't seen the letter." So I asked her if she knew when he sent it out (so I'd at least know when to expect it. "It is on the secretary's pile, and when she gets around to typing it up it will be sent out." Well gee, thanks for that, nice to know you care.

If I do have a serious illness, by the time I finally get the test results it will probably be too late to do anything about it. I'm terrified, I can't sleep, and I don't want to die and leave my husband alone.


Has anyone else had to wait this long for test results?

[pulisa]

No matter how hard pressed and under-funded the NHS is I really don't think you would have been "put on the pile" if there was anything really urgent to attend to. I can very much appreciate that you want to know the "verdict" following your surgery but the fact that you haven't had the letter yet could very well mean that your case is routine and non-urgent. This is what I would assume in your position anyway-no news is good news.

[BikerMatt]

I've had a terrible time with the NHS over the last 18months, it's crap. I could write so much here but that won't help you. My Mum was in a similar situation to you not long ago, she had waited a lot longer than you, in the end she phoned the consultants secretary and said she was going to talk to PALS and the consultant personally phoned her the following day.

Get in touch with PALS.

And please nobody come back with how the NHS is free and blah, blah, blah.

[ChocolateButton]

Hi Pulisa, thanks for replying. I really want to tell myself that (and sometimes I do), but the problem is there's been so many mistakes and misunderstandings throughout the whole process since I was referred back in November, that I've pretty much lost all trust in the NHS, so I'm not entirely convinced that if they say there's nothing wrong, there really is nothing wrong.

BikerMatt - thanks too, and sorry you and your mum have had to suffer similar problems too. It's not just the delays that annoy me - it's the complete and utter indifference and often downright rudeness from people who should treat a worried patient like you or me, a little bit kinder. I will see if I can contact PALS, thanks for the info.

If I was in the care of a team of professionals I could actually trust, I wouldn't be worrying so much. But the reason I can't trust them, is this:

1. The consultant who referred me at the beginning of November told me it would be done urgently.

2. I rang the hospital in mid-December having heard nothing, only to be told that it hadn't been referred as urgent and it could be any time up until end of January.

3. End of January came and went and I rang again and was told it should be soon and I didn't need a pre-op assessment because it would be done under local anaesthetic.

4. A couple of days later I got a letter for an appointment... for a pre-op assessment! The hospital told me I needed it because it will be a general anaesthetic.

5. I was told I would be able to go home the evening of the surgery day (something very important to me as I'm terrified of hospitals and of sleeping in a room full of strangers).

6. On the day of the assessment when I got to Day Surgery the consultant told me I would need to stay in overnight after all, because of my chronic illness. Even though they'd previously told me that despite that illness, I'd still be able to go home the same day. That got me into such a panic I was crying and freaking out when they came to take me to theatre.

7. Finally after the assessment, when I was recovering, a doctor came round and told me the results would be 2-3 weeks.

8. After 3 weeks I rang as I hadn't heard anything, only to be told that the results actually take 4 weeks.


To be honest it wouldn't surprise me if I was finally told that they'd lost my test results. That's how little faith I have in them right now.

So I really am fed up of all the confusion and misinformation, this whole thing has been a nightmare and a shambles and I'm not even near the end of it yet (because regardless of test results I know I will need a fairly major operation).

I think I have a right to be annoyed, you know?

(smiley face added to make it clear I'm not ranting at any of you dear readers)

[BikerMatt]

Hi Pulisa, thanks for replying. I really want to tell myself that (and sometimes I do), but the problem is there's been so many mistakes and misunderstandings throughout the whole process since I was referred back in November, that I've pretty much lost all trust in the NHS, so I'm not entirely convinced that if they say there's nothing wrong, there really is nothing wrong.

BikerMatt - thanks too, and sorry you and your mum have had to suffer similar problems too. It's not just the delays that annoy me - it's the complete and utter indifference and often downright rudeness from people who should treat a worried patient like you or me, a little bit kinder. I will see if I can contact PALS, thanks for the info.

If I was in the care of a team of professionals I could actually trust, I wouldn't be worrying so much. But the reason I can't trust them, is this:

1. The consultant who referred me at the beginning of November told me it would be done urgently.

2. I rang the hospital in mid-December having heard nothing, only to be told that it hadn't been referred as urgent and it could be any time up until end of January.

3. End of January came and went and I rang again and was told it should be soon and I didn't need a pre-op assessment because it would be done under local anaesthetic.

4. A couple of days later I got a letter for an appointment... for a pre-op assessment! The hospital told me I needed it because it will be a general anaesthetic.

5. I was told I would be able to go home the evening of the surgery day (something very important to me as I'm terrified of hospitals and of sleeping in a room full of strangers).

6. On the day of the assessment when I got to Day Surgery the consultant told me I would need to stay in overnight after all, because of my chronic illness. Even though they'd previously told me that despite that illness, I'd still be able to go home the same day. That got me into such a panic I was crying and freaking out when they came to take me to theatre.

7. Finally after the assessment, when I was recovering, a doctor came round and told me the results would be 2-3 weeks.

8. After 3 weeks I rang as I hadn't heard anything, only to be told that the results actually take 4 weeks.


To be honest it wouldn't surprise me if I was finally told that they'd lost my test results. That's how little I have faith in them right now.

So I really am fed up of all the confusion and misinformation, this whole thing has been a nightmare and a shambles and I'm not even near the end of it yet (because regardless of test results I know I will need a fairly major operation).

I think I have a right to be annoyed, you know?

(smiley face added to make it clear I'm not ranting at any of you dear readers)

I understand your frustration and please don't say sorry for the rant. I've been bashing the service i've had from the NHS and i hate doing it but it's failing, the frontline staff must be having a nightmare.

[pulisa]

That does sound a huge catalogue of errors and I'm so sorry you have been messed around. I understand why you have little faith in the NHS.

I'm sure PALS could look into at least getting your letter sent out straight away? All it takes is a bit of politeness when talking to concerned patients but sometimes that is too much for entitled admin staff. You shouldn't have to chase your results up. The Consultant could well have been away? They must have some system of urgency though.

It all just adds to the stress and worry though, doesn't it? The Easter break will have held things up even more, I suppose. I really hope you get some news soon because 6 weeks is a long time to be kept in the dark.