Cardiac cath

I am 25 and have to go for a diagnostic cardiac cath on Friday 10/23. I have low oxygen (they can;t figure out why) and am terrified. Has anyone gone through this with low o2? I already have low blood pressure and am scared that it will drop more during the procedure. I am so scared!!!! I don't want to die during the cath. Anyone have any advice?

[ed34]

you wont die through low O2. They will give you meds to calm you down for the procedure and you will feel nice and relaxed. I promise you, there is no discomfort during the procedure unless they have to inflate the balloon to open an artery. Then you feel a slight tightening of the chest for about 3 seconds. If I can go through this, you certainly can because I'm not brave at all. The procedure will not have any bearing on your O2 levels and so you needn't be worried. There is not a general anaesthetic involved which would be a cause for concern. Just look on the bright side. What if they find the cause and fix it.

[kenkeith]

I had a cath and stent implant with a low oxygen level.  The cath procedure is as Ed has stated and should be of little concern, everyone who has had a cath agrees.  You are medicated but awake and no anxiety whatsoever.

I was in ICU for several days because my O2 level was not normal.  My situation was mild lung edema due to the heart failed to pump efficiently and blood backed up in the lungs and fluids leaked into the lung tissues...You would have other symptoms if that condition were applicable for you.

Low oxygen content in the blood is serious regardless of the cause and will cause pulmonary hypertension if not corrected. Many causes probably have been ruled out by blood test for enemia, etc. and the focus is on the cardiovascular system.  Cath procedure will look for any process in the right side of the heart (right atrium, right ventricle, and pulmonary arteries) that prevents or impedes the passage of blood from getting to the lungs for oxygentation before being dumped in to the left heart for delivery to the body. Circulatory failure which prevents the heart from getting blood to the lungs for oxygenation.

Shunting (passing) of unoxygenated blood from the right to the left chamber thereby bypassing the lungs and the normal oxygenation pathway.  This condition often shows up at a younger age, and is the result of a hole between chambers not closing after birth.  Worst case scenarios, but all conditions can be successfully treated.  

[mnm1207]

How do they fix circulatory failure? I think if they were going in knowing what they are fixing, I would feel a lot better. I have had so many tests and they are unable to figure it out, which scares me. I am only 25 and don't understand what is going on. Since they don't know what is going on....I am scared of what they will find.

[kenkeith]

The cath is an exploratory instrument and has many facets of the test to evaluate the fucntionality of the heart.  It will assess the intra- chamber pressures, etc..  For instance, one example, if there is a hole in the septum (wall separating chambers), and the pressure is higher in the right chamber (it should be lower) than the left side, unoxygenated blood will be shunted to the left side causing a decrease in oxygenated blood to go into the system and that will lower the O2 level.  Obviously, they don't know what's going on until tests are completed and sometimes not known then.  

Circulatory failure: Ischemic (lack of blood flow due to blockage), or stagnant hypoxia (low oxygen level) in which there is a local restriction in the flow of otherwise well-oxygenated blood. The oxygen supplied to the region of the body is then insufficient for its needs.

[Opie1937]

Please do not be afraid of the cath lab and the procedure.  They will give you an IV line and then a valium and benedril or some equivilent.  You will only feel a small pinch in your upper right leg (groin) and then some tugging sensations.  You may even fall asleep and wake after it is over.  I have had 10 of them and they are the lest painfull things that doctors can do to you.  

Good luck with the results.

[kenkeith]

That's not quite true.  The patient is sedated, but awake to respond to any commands such as change a position, etc.  There usually isn't any memory of the procedure though.

[ed34]

"That's not quite true.  The patient is sedated, but awake to respond to any commands such as change a position, etc.  There usually isn't any memory of the procedure though. "

Nope. For two anioplasty procedures out of 5 they gave me enough meds to ensure I was out of it. I think if they sense you are nervous, they give you a lot more meds.
Ive never, in 5 procedures, had to change position. In fact, they tell you not to move at all.
The only communication I've ever had with the Cardiologist is to hear the words "you may feel some warmth". Never have they asked me questions.

[mnm1207]

I am scared because I have never had these meds or anything like them...and don't want a reaction to them. Especially since I have not been able to breath that well. Plus they don't know what they are going in there for and that scares me even more. I get crazy beats and don't want to get a bad beat. Since "death" is a possible effect of a cath......it has terrified me in a way I can't explain. I have always had a phobia of surgery or meds like this....I don't know how to get past it. I just keep crying and am way to scared to explain. I am also scared of the results. THIS *****.

[kath58]

helloo..hey i am the biggest sook on earth & i would hav an angio cath done tomorrow, what ed says is true, i drifted in and out for the entire thing...my doc knew i was scared sh### and he just kep the happy juice (his words) going into my IV, even when I was getting my IV done I sooked out and the nurse put the numbing gel on the spot first so i really felt nothing..oh you do feel a sort of numb tug when they make the incision but honestly i hadnt remembered that until i read ed's note...i didnt hav to move - just sort of floated in and out of it....the best thing for you is sometimes they can fix the problems while in there and how cool is that - you dont even feel a thing!!   cheers kath58

[kath58]

just checked your notes and really want to reassure you..i too was so terrified of surgery as i had a  feeling that i would die in surgery..i kept crying all the time too and was absolutly terrified  ...the nursing staff and docs were absolutely wonderful, it may surprise you just how used to us sooks they are....i told the doc if i wasnt sedated enough i would just leave....i was determined to be in denial that i had to have this done..seemed to be just too scary for me to handle.. anyway i know the fear is hard to get over but you just hav to do it, the alternative is not too good hey , lol kath58

[ed34]

I said the same thing when I had my first angio after my heart attack "If you dont knock me out, I'm likely to get up and walk out even with the wire inside me". I was knocked out before they made the incision and woke up in the ward. Just tell the truth and they look after you.