May 16, 2026 to February 24, 2027. That’s not a typo.
On May 16, my heart woke me up at 2 AM racing, and I ended up in the ER.
Since then I’ve worn a Holter monitor, had an echo, changed medications, and asked a lot of questions. Some of the answers are still sitting in a queue.
This week, survivors in the groups I follow are saying the same thing:
“I can’t speak to my cardiologist until February.”
“Three weeks of calling the office. Never got a call back.”
So here’s where my waits stand, and what I’ve learned about waiting well.
Waiting room #1: a cardiologist in my network
On October 23, the in-network cardiology office finally called to schedule me. They have my ER visit. They have my Holter results, including the six-beat run of NSVT while I was asleep.
My appointment is February 24, 2027. Four months out, and 284 days after my ER visit.
Nobody moved me up the list, even though I asked multiple times.
Waiting room #2: my lab results
On October 7, I had blood drawn, including two tests I asked for specifically. Only part of the results have been released.
When I asked the lab for the rest, they said they couldn’t give them to me. I’d have to go back to the cardiologist who ordered them, who is out of my insurance network.
So I called that office. They had no idea why anything was being held. As far as they could see, the order was still open.
So now I’m the messenger between two offices that are both hard to reach, carrying a question neither one can answer.
Waiting room #3: the sleep study
This is the one that matters most. My primary doctor and I both think my racing heart that night may have started with a sleep problem. That makes the sleep study the test most likely to explain what happened.
You may remember my first referral bounced because the clinic wasn’t in my insurance network. Eight weeks, back to square one.
Today there’s still no date at all. Not even an estimate. I’m still looking for an at-home test I can get sooner.
It’s the system, not the people
I want to be fair. Every person I’ve talked to on the phone has been polite. Clinics are short-staffed. Referral queues are long. Insurance networks decide who you can see and when.
But “it’s nobody’s fault” doesn’t make the wait shorter. My heart is waiting. My symptoms might not.
What I’ve learned about waiting well
Ask to be put on the cancellation list. Openings come up all the time, and someone has to get them.
Ask whether your referral can be marked urgent. If you’ve had an ER visit or abnormal test results, ask your primary care doctor to call or message the specialist’s office directly. A doctor’s request carries more weight than yours or mine.
Ask “Is this clinic in my network?” before any referral goes out. That one question would have saved me two months.
Your test results belong to you. If you get stuck like I did, ask the lab how to request your completed results in writing.
Send short, specific messages. One question per MyChart message. Short messages get answered faster than long ones.
Track your own data while you wait. Blood pressure, heart rate, sleep, symptoms. When the appointment finally comes, you walk in with facts instead of memories.
Don’t wait on symptoms. Waiting for an appointment is one thing. Chest pain, fainting or a racing heart that won’t settle is another. That’s what the ER is for. I’ve gone, and I’d go again.
The biggest lesson
The system is overwhelmed, and it isn’t getting better soon. The best way to deal with it is to need it less. For me, that means food, movement, sleep, and taking charge of my own health. I ask questions, and I make decisions with my doctors instead of just accepting what I’m told. Not to replace them, but so I’m not waiting 284 days for someone else to fix something I could have caught earlier.
Now I want to hear from you
What’s the longest you’ve waited for an appointment, a test result or an answer? And did anything help speed it up?
Hit reply. I read every one, and I’ll share the best tips (with your permission) in an upcoming Mailbag.
Dennis
Cardiac Survivor · Your Friend in Recovery
Spokane, Washington
I’m a heart attack survivor, not a doctor. This is my personal experience and is for educational purposes only. Talk with your own care team before changing anything about your treatment.
P.S. If you have an appointment coming up, even one four months away, here’s my free list of the questions I wish I’d asked my cardiologist: Questions I Wish I’d Asked My Cardiologist