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Afraid of stress test.
I am a 62 year old woman with a past history of one MI and 2 stents. I have also had a dual chamber pacemaker implanted. Several years ago I had a stress chemical induced test and ran into problems on the treadmill. Went directly to cath lab for stents but did not have a heart attack. I must say that the heart attack frightened me quite a bit and then the treadmill episode added to my fears. My cardiologist wants to do another stress test next month and I am terrified. I already have been down two bad roads and do not want to go again. The last angiogram I had was 2011 and I am assuming all was well as I was not told to return and had nothing done during angiogram. The report was not able to be found so I have sent for my medical records on results of last angiogram. I really do not want another stress test. I failed a echo stress last year but I feel I stopped it out of fear. The cardiologist I am seeing is the cardiologist I was with at time of heart attack and treadmill problem. He assured me it was not the chemical that caused my trip to cath lab. I am thinking before I go in for stress test I would like to see results of angiogram rather than risk a stress test. I have heard the nuclear stress tests do cause heart attacks. Any feed back would be appreciated. I know I will have a panic attack :( during stress test. Ugh.
Thank you for your response. Yes I told him I was terrified he told me it would be OK. I like my cardiologist we have had a history together but I was told it would be OK the last time and it was not :( I went in laughing and relaxed then BAM no more laughing. I am not a fearful woman at all, really..but I just don't have a good feeling about this.
Thank you for your response. Yes a nuclear stress test using the chemical adenosene? he said they have something they can give you to counter act any negative effects but I cannot locate the information on this. Yes, he said had I gone to parking lot could have had big problems. That is what my real fear is. I was lucky twice and afraid if something goes sideways I may not be so lucky this time. Sounds silly I know :( I am a active woman and always doing something around my ranch. Never sit during the day but I do not get out and do walks etc. at the end of the day here I don't have time or the energy. get up at 6:00AM and end my day at 7:00 PM. I do fine on the flat but inclines no. I have had issues with inclines since my pacemaker was implanted for some reason.
Yes nuclear stress test using adenosene? I am just afraid if something goes sideways I may not be so lucky this time :(
Of course you're scared after your previous experiences! How could you not be?
Even though the chances are that your ticker would now handle these tests just fine, I think it is important for you to have a serious talk with your doctor first to tell him *exactly* how terrified you are. Physicians cannot read minds (although we wish they could), and they sometimes have difficulty understanding how patients really feel.
This would give him a chance to explain things better and even reassure you about what you are really going to experience this time.
Even though the chances are that your ticker would now handle these tests just fine, I think it is important for you to have a serious talk with your doctor first to tell him *exactly* how terrified you are. Physicians cannot read minds (although we wish they could), and they sometimes have difficulty understanding how patients really feel.
This would give him a chance to explain things better and even reassure you about what you are really going to experience this time.
I can imagine that you are a bit afraid of the test, with what happened to you last time in the back of your mind.
I think your doctor is right when he said that it was not the chemical that caused the problem years ago, but that you really had a problem with your coronary arteries and that you were "lucky" that it showed up during the stress test. The blockages that gave you problems during the test, could also have gotten you in big trouble at a time or place where help was not so close by.
At 62 you should be able to stress your heart without problems and the safest way to check if that is the case with you is under controlled conditions during a stress test.
I look at stess tests as a sort of exam. If you pass the test, you are "assured" that your heart is fine.
Are you going for the chemical test or the treadmill test?
I think your doctor is right when he said that it was not the chemical that caused the problem years ago, but that you really had a problem with your coronary arteries and that you were "lucky" that it showed up during the stress test. The blockages that gave you problems during the test, could also have gotten you in big trouble at a time or place where help was not so close by.
At 62 you should be able to stress your heart without problems and the safest way to check if that is the case with you is under controlled conditions during a stress test.
I look at stess tests as a sort of exam. If you pass the test, you are "assured" that your heart is fine.
Are you going for the chemical test or the treadmill test?
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