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Posted: 2/26/2006 12:17:58 PM EDT
Link Posted: 2/27/2006 3:39:25 PM EDT
[#1]
Link Posted: 2/27/2006 3:57:03 PM EDT
[#2]
For the stress part of the examination, you will exercise by either walking on a treadmill or pedaling a stationary bicycle for a few minutes. While you exercise, the electrical activity of your heart will be monitored by electrocardiography (ECG), and your blood pressure will be measured frequently. Before you stop exercising, you will be given the radiopharmaceutical through an IV leading into a vein in your arm. The compound is given when the blood flow to the heart is at its peak because of your exercising. This provides the best opportunity to identify regions of the heart that are not receiving adequate blood flow.

One minute later, you will stop exercising. Approximately one half-hour later, as you lay on an examining table, the compound will have collected in your heart. The gamma camera will then be used to obtain images. The gamma camera likely will move slowly and automatically in an arc over the front of your chest after it is positioned initially by the technologist.

The images obtained after exercise must usually be compared with images of your heart obtained after injection of the same radiopharmaceutical while you are resting. This may be performed before or after the exercise part of the examination, depending on the protocol used. Comparison of the exercise and resting images is done to determine whether coronary blood flow has changed once you have rested and to check for coronary artery disease.

If you are unable to use a treadmill or bicycle, you will not exercise, but you will be given a drug that will cause your heart to work as hard as if you had exercised. You will then be given the radiopharmaceutical.

Immediately after the procedure, a diagnostic radiologist with specialized training in nuclear medicine will check the quality of the images to ensure that an optimal diagnostic study has been performed.

good luck
Link Posted: 2/27/2006 3:59:50 PM EDT
[#3]

Quoted:
6 minutes of agonizing pain!  



Pain from what?
Link Posted: 2/27/2006 4:31:44 PM EDT
[#4]
I had one last week with the treadmill deal. Not a huge problem. I get the results tomorrow.
I know from past experience (of stress tests) that there are some things you do NOT want to have happen.
When the person running the test turns with eyes real wide and tells you to stop and sit down. NOT a good thing! When they tell you to slowly walk down the hall and you are talking to a cardiologist 5 minutes later (without an appointment)- NOT a good thing! When they tell you you will be haveing a Agiogram 4 days later- NOT a good thing! After the angiogram you ask "doc,what can you do for me?" and the DR gives you a big sigh and "I can't do anything for you,the SURGEON will be in to talk with you in 5 minutes"- NOT a good thing!
Friday morning I had the first stress test (that I failed),one week later I was walking into the hospital to be gutted like a deer.  NOT something you want to have to do!!!

Bottom line is that you have to play the cards you are delt. Crying in your beer doesn't help you one bit. Chances are everything will turn out ok. After you get the (hopefully) good word  you get to make the choice to help yourself out and increase your odds of staying healthy. You know,quit smokeing,get off the couch and exercise more,eat better.
If you get bad results you still have to keep calm and deal with it all!
Best of luck!!
Link Posted: 2/27/2006 4:41:47 PM EDT
[#5]
Link Posted: 2/27/2006 4:46:34 PM EDT
[#6]
Andy,

I did 4 months ago, and it was the sitting stress test.  They injected this stuff in me and all of a sudden it felt VERY warm inside and I started to itch like crazy-everywhere!  Had a headache from hell afterwards...

That was not fun.

HH
Link Posted: 2/27/2006 4:48:46 PM EDT
[#7]
Link Posted: 2/27/2006 4:55:03 PM EDT
[#8]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Had a headache from hell afterwards...





Yep, I've got the headache from hell alright! And my chest feels like Chuck Norris drop kicked me.

I should get the results next week.

ANdy



Good luck, pardner...!

HH
Link Posted: 2/27/2006 4:56:02 PM EDT
[#9]
I am guessng if I need to get checked I should ask for the treadmil? The other day I just pushed a little old ladies car a quarter mile as fast as I could. I though I was gonna die but the pain was bearable.

I think having my heart flip out while just siting there would be too much to handle. I get palpitations once in a while  and if that medicine is anything like that, I would rather do the treadmill.

Link Posted: 2/27/2006 4:59:45 PM EDT
[#10]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Had a headache from hell afterwards...





Yep, I've got the headache from hell alright! And my chest feels like Chuck Norris drop kicked me.

I should get the results next week.

ANdy

"Hi Andy, this is your doctor... We have some good news and bad news... Good news is that your heart was fine before you came in. Bad news... we fucked you up with our meds"

Sometimes you just gotta wonder about science.
Link Posted: 2/27/2006 5:07:25 PM EDT
[#11]
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