@Kit_Cat - You have a good plan. You’ve waited your turn so good idea to go ahead & have the appt. plus you’ll get Dr. Hepworth’s take on the scan results. Even if you’re getting other opinions, it’ll be good to hear what he has to say.
The testing Alison had you do is all that will likely be required. She orders according to Dr. Hepworth’s protocol. I assume you’ve had the results of the CTA, jugular US, & MRI sent to his office.
Has the Brillinta helped reduce your vascular symptoms at all?
It’s a good idea to make a list of questions you have to take with you so you don’t end up trying to come up w/ them during your appt. The following link is information about ES surgery. Toward the bottom is a list of questions to ask any surgeon you interview. You can modify it to fit your appointment if you already have some of the information the questions ask.
Dr. Hepworth is very calm, is a good listener, & good at explaining what he sees on scans & helping his patients to understand what may be contributing to their symptoms. Assuming surgery is discussed, you could ask some pointed questions about his surgical strategies so you have a better understanding of how he would approach your specific situation during surgery.
If you decide to continue seeing him, be sure to make your next appt., whether for surgery or another follow-up, BEFORE you leave the office. If you wait till you get home to do it, you’ll be back to the communications frustration & may get booked further in the future than you hope.