After being dentisted by Mr Fang yesterday I was half expecting that my cardio consultation would be with Dr Hart but no, it was Dr Lee. Dr Lee is also Chinese like Mr Fang. Both are very competent.
Dy Lee examined my ECG readings and history and suggested that continuation of the drug therapy is a good idea and that, to reset the continual arrhythmic heart beat (AF) an electric shock might work.
I asked him for a change in medication from beta blocker to calcium channel blocker which he agreed to. He said 'Good idea" and showed some surprise. I told him that my sister is a doctor and it was her suggestion.
I asked him about ablation which is a cardiac operation (by catheter) that corrects heart arrhythmia. He nodded and said that the waiting list is at least two years and that it was best to stick to the drug regimen. I then uttered the magic words: "What if I went Private?"
Dr Lee's eyes lit up and he said that he could recommend a surgeon right now. I told him that we have southern Cross insurance and so he wrote down the name and number of the Auckland surgeon. He said that he would write a reference letter straight away and send it to him. The likelihood is an operation early next year.
He explained that the cardio ablation procedure costs over $50,000 and that the health service hasn't the funds to do many of them hence the long wait. Having waited seven months just to get this consultation I thought that his "at least two years" wait was probably an underestimation.
