Nuclear Stress Test

I have to take a nuclear stress test tomorrow. I forget the name but they are doing the chemical induced one instead of the treadmill because of my back problems.

Has anyone had one? Forcing my heart to race sounds scary. What can I expect?

I had the treadmill one in 2001 and 2007 followed by a catheterization.

I'd say I'll get a stent this time.

 

Thanks! My doctor told me you get hot, your stomach might cramp and hurt, you might get a migraine headache, you might feel a need to take a big breathe and your chest might hurt.

I was like . This doesn't sound like fun. I'll find out in a little bit.

 

Time to go. If I ain't back, you'll know what happened to me.

I wasn't allowed to have any coffee. I could kill for a cup right now.

 

Well I made it. It wasn't at bad as I thought but still. It felt like they were injecting a solvent into me. I could taste it and then it made me breathe rapidly. My stomach started cramping real bad and I got light headed and my throat and chest hurt some. There was three in the room and the whole time they were like, "are you alright"? "Yeah, I can deal with it", but I couldn't wait for it to end. Then they were cracking jokes about a tsunami wave hitting me?? I was like, intelligent doctors joking about the Japan disaster???
It was a 4 minute ordeal and as soon as they cut the medicine off, it took about a minute for it to dissipate. They shot me up with the nuclear isotopes at the same time. Then they made me go eat and wait an hour. Something about getting the stuff out of my liver.

Then they put me in a machine that looked like a cross betwen an MRI and a XRAY machine. The lady says it measures the radiation coming out of you. It rotated around me and took pictures over 14 minutes. This was nothing like the first two stress test I took in the past. I guess it's new technology??

It was easier than the last treadmill I had in 2007. That about killed me, the last minute.

I have to go back in the morning and they do the same nuclear isotope thing in a rested state and back in that machine for another set of pictures and they compare them. She says it shows your blood flow and where it's not as good, hence blockage. I should get the results tomorrow afternoon. :smt049

 

The suspense is killing me. The nurse called me after lunch on Friday and said the doctor needs to see me right away. She wanted me to come in then but I couldn't.
I asked about the test results and all she would tell me is they found a couple problems. That pretty much tells me I have blockage. I can feel it and pretty much knew. That's why I had the test done. At least I caught it before it's too late.

Now I have to wait until Monday to find out for sure. They could tell you on the phone but of course come pay another $100 for the answer.