Dr Nicholas Gall 2021-02-25 Person 5 5 0

Having the fortune to be seen by Dr Gall was utterly life-changing. I spent approximately 10 years under St Thomas cardiology where I never received a diagnosis, was given medication that made me much worse, and it honestly felt pointless going in every 6 months - to the point where unless I was going to have a heart attack it didn't feel like any of my symptoms or struggling quality of life mattered, or were even believed at times. I was fortunate enough to receive private health care through my previous work and had, through my own research, suspected POTs. I was able to make an appointment with Dr. Gall, and for the first time it felt like somebody didn't want to just dismiss my symptoms and try to tell me it was anxiety or related. Dr. Gall was extremely thorough with testing (but only where necessary), was so clear and thorough on explaining possible diagnosis and once POTs was confirmed was extremely clear, thorough and helpful on what could be done to manage this. He was also extremely helpful in guiding me on which other specialists I should see given the variety of symptoms that can be caused, which led to a diagnosis of hEDS and MCAS. He was excellent at communicating and getting the information needed from my other doctors to ensure my care was viewed as a whole and nothing was missed. Although living with POTs and these other chronic illnesses can be extremely challenging and debilitating at times, I cannot state enough just how important a diagnosis was for me. I am forever grateful to the time and care Dr Gall took to talk through the illness with me and listen to my medical history and experiences. Even just the validation of having a medical professional who knows how many individuals suffer really debilitating quality of life at times from this illness, and someone who knows and has seen how many patients have been dismissed and left to suffer alone. It was so important to speak to a medical professional who clearly had knowledge of the condition, the symptoms, the possible links, the effects of this and what can be done to help - this made me feel far more empowered to take ownership of my health whereas in the past I'd been made to feel like I needed to convince myself my heart wasn't 180 bpm and every other symptom would just disappear if I thought positively enough! Sadly I no longer have the medical insurance and am waiting to be referred to see Dr Gall through the NHS to continue to manage my condition. However, there is a 2 year waiting list. This speaks volumes to both how important his work is, and also how sad the state of NHS/private healthcare is in widening the inequality between those who can and cannot afford treatment. In the end, I am so grateful that I even got to see Dr Gall, where so many must be struggling undiagnosed, at least now I have the knowledge to be able to find information and medication to keep things much better under control - it is truly life-changing. Thank you Dr Gall for the work that you do, I really hope more people have the opportunity to be seen and helped by you.