The cause... cardiologist but me on a medication(amiodarone) that, as a RN, was concerned about because of other health conditions I have. Checked with my primary and pulmonologist who asked that I contact the cardiologist to see if I try only digoxin to see if it resolved the problem. I called the office on Friday and left message for a call back. Also, Monday no call back so recontacted the office on Tuesday. They confirmed they had forwarded the original message and would resubmit. Both times, I told them I had not started the med due to what I knew about it and my other docs recommendation. They assured me I would be contacted. Waited Wednesday and Thursday until 4pm and called and spoke to the office manager who told me I would get a call back soon. The doc's nurse finally contacted me (who knew me as we were both employees at the hospital) and told me she had been "too busy" to return my call. I told her that that was not an acceptable reason and maybe I needed to find another cardiologist who cares about their patients. Her response "you gotta do what you gotta do." Being off heart meds for a week, I found those responses totally unacceptable as an RN, BSN. I recontacted the office manager the next day (you cannot speak to the doc) and told her about my experience with the nurse. Obviously, she didn't take my complaint well as I received a letter a few days later indicating I needed to find another cardiologist. I did and am in much better hands. The new doc reviewed my records, found I had an EF of less than 35% and ask what had been done by the original cardiologist. When I said nothing, I immediately had a cardiac cath ordered. As a nurse, I had a tremendous amount of faith in the original group of docs and had recommended to others...not any more...
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