topic Re: stress test - what can I expect in Community Chat

stress test - what can I expect

dennylilly — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 21:39:34 GMT

*****UPDATE*****

I got a call from my Dr telling me that my stress test was normal. I was also asked if I had any of the chest/gastric symptoms during the test. I told her I did, but I had them all day and many days previouse to the test. I then received a call about a half hour later telling me to go see a cardiologist as soon as possible.

I guess the fact that I have something else to report I can now get furhur testing. Basically this is a rollercoaster of emotions for me. My endoscopy is tomorrow and my cardiologist is Wednesday.

I guess checking everything is necessary but I don't know when I can be sure my heart is OK

I have my stress test tomorrow, After these test results I hope my doctor will be able to help me with this chest pressure that I am still experiencing. I hope nothing is wrong with my heart, but we shall see.

I was instructed to have NO caffiene 12 hours before the test and to not eat 2 hours before. Also to wear comfortable clothes and expect it to take two hours.

I am dreading this because the way I feel it will be difficult to do strenuous exercise. What can I expect? I know it will require walking on the treadmill. What else? I can't wait to get this overwith. Hope its not my heart but if it is I hope it can be something not too serious. Is that even possible?

Thanks again for being there...

Re: stress test - what can I expect

godi — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:21:33 GMT

@dennylilly First I hope all your tests come out well. I had a stress test a few years ago and since your able to do treadmill you will not be given the medicine to speed your heart up. On the treadmill you will be hooked up to an EKG machine and a blood pressure cuff so they can monitor your heart and blood pressure. Thier should be a doctor present. They will speed you up and take the treadmill up like your on a hill. If you feel any pressure or you feel light headed or anything unusual tell them immediately. Good luck to you. 🙏🙏🙏❤️

Re: stress test - what can I expect

CANDLEQUEEN — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:32:00 GMT

@dennylilly @godi . Hi. Digo explained this perfectly, and I just wanted to wish you luck. I know you will be relieved to have it over with. Years ago, I had extremely high Blood Pressure, and had to take a Stress Test. It was over before I knew it......I think it is just the anxiety of knowing you have to do it........Don't stress too much about it, it isn't as bad as it seems! Good Luck!

Re: stress test - what can I expect

dennylilly — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:36:18 GMT

@godi wrote:
@dennylilly First I hope all your tests come out well. I had a stress test a few years ago and since your able to do treadmill you will not be given the medicine to speed your heart up. On the treadmill you will be hooked up to an EKG machine and a blood pressure cuff so they can monitor your heart and blood pressure. Thier should be a doctor present. They will speed you up and take the treadmill up like your on a hill. If you feel any pressure or you feel light headed or anything unusual tell them immediately. Good luck to you. 🙏🙏🙏❤️

I assume i will be walking on the treadmill. Is it only people who can't walk the ones who need the medicine? I wonder why this takes two hours?

E

Mom2Dogs — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:41:23 GMT

@dennylilly DH recently had a stress test.....he was also concerned about how much exertion there would be on his part.....to him it was a piece of cake. I hope your experience is the same.

Edited to add: the test takes several hours because ( in simple terms)...he had an iv and they first took pictures of his heart at rest and then took pictures once he was walking or done walking.... on the treadmill. I did not go with him so I am not sure exactly about the procedure but again, it was very easy for him.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

mousiegirl — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:40:21 GMT

@dennylilly I had one years ago, but have refused any others as I found a test, heart ultrasound, that shows how the heart, etc, is working, no stress, no pain.

I don't need a stress test, I have enough stress in my life and the fact that I am still breathing, proves I can handle stress. I do not understand why an older person has to undergo a stress test, no point in my opinion, one is pushed to the point of extreme stress for no reason, in my opinion.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

Mom2Dogs — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:43:53 GMT

@mousiegirl There must be more than 1 type of stress test because DH was under no excess stress when he walked on the treadmill. He found the test to be easy and even told the nurse he could go longer if necessary.

He had the test because he has AFib and his doctor is having trouble keeping it under control, even with meds.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

mousiegirl — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:48:33 GMT

@Mom2Dogs wrote:
@mousiegirl There must be more than 1 type of stress test because DH was under no excess stress when he walked on the treadmill. He found the test to be easy and even told the nurse he could go longer if necessary.

He had the test because he has AFib and his doctor is having trouble keeping it under control, even with meds.

@Mom2Dogs Has your DH tried Flecainide? It has kept my once racing heart steady for years now.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

BirkiLady — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:51:09 GMT

@dennylilly Don't worry about the Stress Test! Go and enjoy the walk on the treadmill. I've found all those tests turn out much better when I'm relaxed and not hyper and anxious. In the past, my nerves could be my worst enemy! Relax and breathe . . . it helps keep all of your organs functioning properly.

Best wishes on a good outcome when you return to your Physician for the results.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

wagirl — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:51:06 GMT

@dennylilly---I had a nuclear stress test which is where I was infused with a drug to make my heart speed up and I walked maybe 2 minutes before the drug wore off. I have neuropathy in my feet so not able to run but can walk Had a scan first that took several minutes then had the drug, then another scan. It all took about 2 hours. Was a piece of cake. I got all worked up for nothing.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

Mom2Dogs — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:52:46 GMT

@mousiegirl His doctor put him on this just a few weeks ago...it is a lot more expensive than what he was on before the Flecainide...but obviously it's ok if it works, but the new script threw him into the donut hole!!

Re: stress test - what can I expect

mousiegirl — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 20:56:17 GMT

@Mom2Dogs wrote:
@mousiegirl His doctor put him on this just a few weeks ago...it is a lot more expensive than what he was on before the Flecainide...but obviously it's ok if it works, but the new script threw him into the donut hole!!

@Mom2Dogs Flecainide is cheap for me, probably due to my insurance. I hope it works for your DH.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

ItsME — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 21:01:06 GMT

@Mom2Dogs .... Look into the generic. Costco usually has good prices on these. If that fails, look into getting it from a Canadian pharmacy that works with companies around the world. You can get this relatively inexpensively from Great Britain. Possibly other countries as well.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

Veridoc — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 21:32:14 GMT

Due to a previous leg injury I couldn't do the treadmill so I was given an injection after being hooked up with all kinds of wires to a computer.

Piece of cake.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

Ms tyrion2 — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 21:35:05 GMT

@mousiegirl wrote:
@dennylilly I had one years ago, but have refused any others as I found a test, heart ultrasound, that shows how the heart, etc, is working, no stress, no pain.

I don't need a stress test, I have enough stress in my life and the fact that I am still breathing, proves I can handle stress. I do not understand why an older person has to undergo a stress test, no point in my opinion, one is pushed to the point of extreme stress for no reason, in my opinion.

@mousiegirl ,

A stress test doesn't stress you out. It is named that because it puts mild stress on the heart with either a treadmill or drugs to see how it reacts.

For a nuclear stress test, they inject an isotope into you so they can track your heart function better. They also take scans before the treadmill. The treadmill part is only minutes. The who.e process does take a couple of hours.

If I remember right, I had to drink some water before it all began.

The process wasn't painful or scary at all. There is NO extreme stress. That is just silly. They aren't torturing older people! 🙂

Re: stress test - what can I expect

teachergal — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 21:36:32 GMT

You can expect what Dingo said. It's not hard, it's pain-free. My routine physical in April 2019 included a stress test, due to my family history. I failed the stress test. I had an angiogram the next day. The angiogram showed a "widow maker"- 99.9% artery blockage. I had a stent put in. The stress test I did in April SAVED MY LIFE. I had no symptoms. I snow shoe in the winter and swimming daily in the summer. It'll be fine....

Re: stress test - what can I expect

mousiegirl — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 21:37:51 GMT

@Ms tyrion2 wrote:
@mousiegirl wrote:
@dennylilly I had one years ago, but have refused any others as I found a test, heart ultrasound, that shows how the heart, etc, is working, no stress, no pain.

I don't need a stress test, I have enough stress in my life and the fact that I am still breathing, proves I can handle stress. I do not understand why an older person has to undergo a stress test, no point in my opinion, one is pushed to the point of extreme stress for no reason, in my opinion.

@mousiegirl ,
A stress test doesn't stress you out. It is named that because it puts mild stress on the heart with either a treadmill or drugs to see how it reacts.

For a nuclear stress test, they inject an isotope into you so they can track your heart function better. They also take scans before the treadmill. The treadmill part is only minutes. The who.e process does take a couple of hours.

If I remember right, I had to drink some water before it all began.

The process wasn't painful or scary at all. There is NO extreme stress. That is just silly. They aren't torturing older people! 🙂

@Ms tyrion2 Yes, I know, but the test I had was stressful, mainly for my legs, but my heart was thumping like crazy. The ultrasound is done lying down, over in one half hour, much prefer this over the stress test. I think it is stressful having to walk faster than ever before,

Re: stress test - what can I expect

dennylilly — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 21:53:25 GMT

@Ms tyrion2 wrote:
@mousiegirl wrote:
@dennylilly I had one years ago, but have refused any others as I found a test, heart ultrasound, that shows how the heart, etc, is working, no stress, no pain.

I don't need a stress test, I have enough stress in my life and the fact that I am still breathing, proves I can handle stress. I do not understand why an older person has to undergo a stress test, no point in my opinion, one is pushed to the point of extreme stress for no reason, in my opinion.

@mousiegirl ,
A stress test doesn't stress you out. It is named that because it puts mild stress on the heart with either a treadmill or drugs to see how it reacts.

For a nuclear stress test, they inject an isotope into you so they can track your heart function better. They also take scans before the treadmill. The treadmill part is only minutes. The who.e process does take a couple of hours.

If I remember right, I had to drink some water before it all began.

The process wasn't painful or scary at all. There is NO extreme stress. That is just silly. They aren't torturing older people! 🙂

I don't think they torture you I am just very out of shape so the least little bit I cannot take. Especially when I feel so bad most of the time. I also plan on having a caffeine withdrawal headache since I cannot have caffeine for 24 hours before. I did wonder why it took so long.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

Ms tyrion2 — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 21:58:52 GMT

@dennylilly wrote:
@Ms tyrion2 wrote:
@mousiegirl wrote:
@dennylilly I had one years ago, but have refused any others as I found a test, heart ultrasound, that shows how the heart, etc, is working, no stress, no pain.

I don't need a stress test, I have enough stress in my life and the fact that I am still breathing, proves I can handle stress. I do not understand why an older person has to undergo a stress test, no point in my opinion, one is pushed to the point of extreme stress for no reason, in my opinion.

@mousiegirl ,
A stress test doesn't stress you out. It is named that because it puts mild stress on the heart with either a treadmill or drugs to see how it reacts.

For a nuclear stress test, they inject an isotope into you so they can track your heart function better. They also take scans before the treadmill. The treadmill part is only minutes. The who.e process does take a couple of hours.

If I remember right, I had to drink some water before it all began.

The process wasn't painful or scary at all. There is NO extreme stress. That is just silly. They aren't torturing older people! 🙂

I don't think they torture you I am just very out of shape so the least little bit I cannot take. Especially when I feel so bad most of the time. I also plan on having a caffeine withdrawal headache since I cannot have caffeine for 24 hours before. I did wonder why it took so long.

@dennylilly ,

If you are physically unable to do the treadmill, they can do the test with drugs.

Re: stress test - what can I expect

Trinity11 — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 22:01:07 GMT

Did you read all of the resplies on your thread in Wellness @dennylilly ? Quite a few responses.

A stress test will not necessarily be difficult because if you have trouble walking on the treadmill or feel any pain, it is usually stopped.