What strategies do you use when Dr not listening or taking serious?

Sing26, see a cardiac electrophysiologist, or two. It isn't always easy to find a physician who knows what we need them to know, because even within a specialty the fields of knowledge are too vast for an individual doctor to comprehend. If a doctor is dismissive, that's your cue to ask for a referral. There are doctors who know, you have to keep shifting till you find one.

@gently Good advice here.....when one door slams shut, reach for another door knob.

Sometimes what reveals the heart's true state is a 'stress test'. These can be done with chemicals or by putting an apparently non-risky heart patient on a treadmill and using a CT scan with contrasting dye. The entire procedure takes about 100 minutes or less. When on the treadmill, they begin to tilt the moving belt base so that you feel like you're walking up a hill. They also might increase the speed, all with the idea of making your heart get to the point where it begins to squawk somehow, maybe with an arrhythmia. I had this twice.

This is not something they'll do in an ER. That is why they say to seek help from a specialist. A cardiologist might be a good start if it's quick, and he/she'll order a stress test, maybe an angiogram....whatever it is to be, maybe both (I have had multiples of several tests). Then, if something turns up on their charts, you'll get referred to an EP, as gently suggests (although there would be NOTHING WRONG with seeking the services of an EP at the outset.

@gently I appreciate your response. I'm just fed up with being ignored and lied to. Like I said it took me 50yr and many dr to find right one. This dr completely ignored me. He could see a problem and didn't even suggest a referral. Not that guarantees any help. When they tell you it's normal. One a cardiologist even lied and said I OD on caffeine.

sing26, I didn't mention how frustrating the delays are because with a 50 year struggle no one knows that frustration better than you. We are sifting though piles of sand while the quality of our lives disintegrates. Ignorance is the best description of your experience.
Even so, I suspect that the physicians think they are acting in your best interest, sometimes calming "childish" fears.
Because cardiac EPs specialize in arrythmias, you may have better luck finding a doctor who just knows.

@gently @sing26 unfortunately in Canada we cannot switch primary care doctors as easily because of a shortage. As for specialists, even if your primary care doctor has referred you to one (you have to get a referral from your primary - and primary decides whether you need one according to the government health plan rule), the specialist can dismiss the referral if not interested in a case. Been through all that.

I'm in USA, but we have a lot of the same issues. Depending on insurance, you may be limited to certain primary. A lot of that is the Dr themselves. If a insurance company is hard to work with or sold to pay, dr won't accept that company's patient. And a lot of dr won't accept government insurance. It's all about the $$$ not the people. Very few dr actually care. The ER Dr stood there and told me aspirin didn't help...after the only treatment he did was aspirin. So fed up with the system...at least we can console with our neighbors to the North .

@gently I agree ignorance was some of it. Back then without the information and technology it was difficult. But now it's more they don't care or about $$$.

I would try to find an EP and replace the current doc that is not listening. We know our bodies and when something is off. I would keep good records of your blood pressures and symptoms so the doc can get a good picture of what you are going thru. I had years of docs not hearing me and they scoffed it off as anxiety. It wasn’t until I had 3rd. Degree heart block that they realized it was not in my head. Do you have any big hospitals in your area or a hospital advocate you can get a doc thru? I got my cardiologist’s name from one of the cardiac nurses in the hospital after a bad experience with my first cardiologist. Don’t give up…

@rbl I believe women get the brush off far more often than men. I have experienced it first hand too.

What’s EP?

The solution is to go to a different doctor and tell the new doctor what you experienced with the former doctor. Jot down all your health issues that you’ve been experiencing, before going and go over each one. Sometimes if you are totally up front with the doctor, it resets their attention to really listen to what you are saying to them. I’ve had to do this several times over the years, as a doctor you’ve been seeing for awhile, tends to only partially listen - many are too focused on how much time your visit is taking, as they are essential on the clock with each patient with their practice and the insurance companies. No matter what, even if it takes several different doctors, stand up for yourself and demand that they listen to what you need to tell them. We have to be our own advocate.