Results From stress ECG

[Juliev25]

Results from resting ECG 101bpm
PR interval 142ms
BP 128/61

Results from stress ECG treadmill
Stopped at end of third stage at 97% of target heart rate 178.00 due to muscular fatigue ( don't know if that's because I asked them to stop)
No significant ST-T changes during exercise but
0.5mm ST depression and T inversion were seen in the recovery period
Adequate BP and HR response

Prescribed straight after test 2.5mg Bisoprolol and 75 mg aspirin
24 hour holtar ECG in 2 weeks
Diagnostic coronary angiogram in 6 weeks

My questions are could this be stress as just before stress ECG I received a call saying my mother had been rushed in to hospital and it's very serious. I'm wondering if that could have affected the test

Also cardi doc told me the risks of that particular angiogram huhh

Has anyone else had results similar to this on a treadmill ECG
Experiences of this type of angiogram
Should I be concerned

[Juliev25]

Slept for 2 hrs and honestly don't know how I made it to the back seat of the car never mind the hospital 
Got there and with my support friend Lisa and my best friend that had travelled 300 miles to be with me, immediately a prob! Lisa had said I needed to be there for 7am instead of 8am!
After 10 mins of being stood in the catheter suite in darkness I made my first attempt to escape and ran, only to be caught by my friends. By the time I was dragged back the lights were on and we were shown into the admission suite! I kept asking for the medication to calm me, was told none but they would give me meds to make me relax ALITTLE in theatre! This sent me off the scale and a cardi doc came to see what the fuss was about. I asked him to look at my stress ECG to decide if I needed the cath angiogram but he refused to! He dis however reluctantly show me the cath theatre! It was like a space ship huhhh 
To cut a long story very short and after me completely losing it and telling both the nurses I couldn't believe there ignorance to anxiety my cardi doc who was going to do the test came to see me. He told the nurses to give me 15mls of a milky supposed relaxtiant. He said if I could tolerate and stop jumping off my bed and keep my hand still for the test then he'd refuse to perform the test. I held my hand steady immediately and looked forward to the calm sleepiness! He comes back 5 mins later and said ok your turn, I freaked out and said Noway was I going first. He disappeared after now looking at my stress test results and came back with the head cardi professor. He looked at my stress test results and said ok good news Julie, I don't think you need this test on looking at your stress test results and instead im booking you in for a echo stress test but I expect it to be clear and never see you again because I expect to discharge you! He told me to promise   I'd give up smoking and to expect my new appointment in a few weeks for another hospital. 
I immediately promised I'd give up the cigs and hugged him.... The relief was indescribable 
But my support friend lisa felt I'd let her down and everyone else inc myself down and was really verble and nasty about it
At this point I begged them to take me in but he came back to repeat the words again! 
My other friend was brilliant and told me and kept repeating that if a professor of cardio tells me he doesn't know why I was even n that position as I didn't ned it then to believe it 
Lisa my support friend continued her rant and this was the point I stripped off my gown and through my clothes on and ran for my life. Everything had just got to much. The lack of any understanding from nurses and docs and the fact I'd let everyone own was just to much. A team of doctors and nurses ran after me and managed to catch me to take out my IV which. Was trying to rip out. 
After a complete break down and escaping into the air and getting as far away from the hospital I could my two friends found me. Clair who'd travelled the 300 miles went to explain to my mum what the cardi doc had advised and Lisa my support friend thawed
I think it shocked her the extent of my panic
So I'm still taking my meds and waiting for my appointment in which I'm going to be prepared and de stressed for this time.
What I did do is drive my car straight away and then drive my boys and Clair to a beer garden tonight ( I drank soda water) first time I've been out other than the hospital and first time I've driven for ages and last panic attack 9 wks ago
Tom I'm taking us all to the hospital to visit mum, tescos to shop for my sons birthday party and to my docs to pick my prescription up and also out for lunch too.... I'm driving
Moral of this story is that the cardi doc performing my test was inexperienced, one she hadn't a clue about anxiety and panic attacks and 2 she lied! She lied by telling me two days ago when I took holtar monitor back that she'd given me the echo stress test as an alternative to cath angio! 
She lied! 
So know I didn't go ahead and I've missed many things out regarding my panic but I feel much better knowing a more experienced opinion but angry that cardi doc performing the test messed up!
My mums satisfied and totally understands and I'm driving again, going to practice my program, give up smoking and change my life style to healthy eating and exercise 
Only thing is the so called relating meds they gave me helped me to sprint. Up 4 flights of stairs nd out of the hospital by over a mile, only 2 people that were out of breath was my 2 friends
Julie 

[ed34]

so how did it go?

[Juliev25]

Thank you Ed
Ive got myself worked up into a right state over this
They've told me if I turn up in a state Tom morning here not doing it huhh
They've told me I can't take my diazepam either so how I'm going to achieve this is beyond me
I can't begin to tell you how much your helping me by spending the time explaining everything
I'm a pathetic mess and even wrote letters to my boys and mum just in case
Huhh
What I did ask as you advised is if there is a problem would they stent and the answer was no huhh
I really hope I man up and stop this pathetic behaviour and get through this test
Julie

[ed34]

It will soon be over and you will have all the answers that you need. I will be thinking of you, and I know everything will work out fine. If you have stents, then in a way this should be a relief because they will have figured the problem and resolved it. Don't worry about dropping down dead, the chances of that are very neglegable. They will give you a dosage of clopidogrel tomorrow before the procedure, usually around 600mg. That's 6 pills but they are pretty and pink :) This will make your blood nice and thin, to really reduce the chance of forming any clots. Don't forget to ask for those nice relaxing meds. I've had them three times now. I needed them the first time for nerves, but the other times I wanted them to pass the time quicker. I would also consider taking a book or magazine to read after the procedure. Laying flat on your back for an hour is boring. Trying to drink a cup of tea in that position is also quite a challenge. Thank goodness they weren't my sheets. And definitely don't forget to empty your bladder 5 mins before they take you in. Once they start injecting that dye, your bladder gets a bit hyper. When you are taken in, you will be walked to a narrow table which you lay on. The team will prepare you for the procedure. They will put some cold solution on your inner thigh, and its a browny orange colour (disinfectant). They then cover you with a blue sheet which has a small square cut out of it for the cardiologist to have access to your femoral artery. Ask for some blankets if you are cold. I normally have around 3 cause I'm a cold morsel. They then say "small scratch" as they inject the local anaesthetic. It sometimes stings a little bit, but nothing to make you scream. Then the cardiologist comes over and starts. If you are nervous, shut your eyes. I swear you don't feel him doing anything except a bit of pushing against your leg. He's just resting his hands there and guiding the catheter. There is no pain whatsoever. You will have sticky pads and wires so they can monitor your heart on the screen while doing the procedure, so don't worry, they can see everything is fine. They may decide to do what they term as a flush on each side of the body. This is so they can see all your Aorta etc. When they do this, you may feel pretty hot inside, but it only lasts around 5 seconds. You may feel your breathing is more difficult too, but please don't panic, you are not suffocating. Breathing returns to normal after just a few seconds. I would seriously consider peeking up at the monitor, which they will show you at the end anyway if they had to stent anything. It really is amazing to see your own arteries from the inside. Something considered impossible decades ago. Once they finish, they will put an angioseal against your leg artery, so they push for a little while. Again, no pain, you just feel the pushing. This dissolves over 90 days, giving the artery plenty of time to heal. If they do stent you, then they will want to monitor you for 24 hours, so you will be kept in. When you go into the cath lab/suite you will feel like you are walking into the medical centre on the star ship enterprise. It really looks something special.
I've had 3 cardiologist do my stents over the years. One with 30 years experience and 2 with 25 years. None of them have ever come across an event which has resulted in emergency treatment or surgery. Problems are very rare indeed. You will be in safe hands.

[Juliev25]

Hi Ed
Hope your ok
My cath is Tom huhhhh
Julie

[Juliev25]

On a 0.5 st depression and T inversion over 2 mind in rest after stress test what do you think the chances are of my having stents

[Juliev25]

Thank you Ed I've been waiting for ur response
I've been so worried about my mum as she's so ill and kept telling myself I'm not having any tests as its just panic attacks and anxiety but now it's got to he point I just can't function normally, it's on my mind 24  7 and I need to drive to be able to visit her instead of relaying on my good friend
I'm terrified that it's something serious
But them I'm terrified of dropping down dead
I'm terrified of letting this opportunity go
As I keep thinking after its done I can live normally again as the worry is really killing me x

[ed34]

Being nervous is natural, I was scared as hell before my first angiogram. I had no idea what to expect either, I wasn't a member of this forum. I had no friends who had been through it. It's important to remember how lucky we are. Without this technology there is no doubt I would be dead by now. If we went back in time just a few decades, you would be sent for bypass, or just stuck on meds to hopefully keep you alive longer. Now they can use this technology and see inside your arteries and get a very detailed picture of what's going on. Two hours after the procedure we walk out of the hospital. If they install any stents, they will probably keep you in for 24 hours to monitor you. I know fear is also a part of wondering if something will go wrong. I've never witnessed this myself and there has always been lots of people having procedures on the same day as mine. When I signed my last consent form the Cardiologist said "I have to put a risk factor by law, I want to put zero but I'm now allowed, so I've put 1% risk". The knowledge and experience of this technology in the UK and Europe is astounding now and we lead the way. We have devices which are not yet being used in other countries. With regards to it being something significant, well not necessarily. With their experience they may see the signs that you have the start of something which could become significant, and these things are best attacked early rather than late. I still strongly believe you will be shocked how easy the procedure is, and you will be relieved when it's over but at the same time wondering why you got so worked up. If it helps, keep posting on here. It doesn't matter how many times, we won't get fed up with you, we are here to help support you.

[Juliev25]

Hi Ed
Turns out I didn't and have not had any tests
I have the 24 hr tape monitor on Monday
And cath angiogram on Thursday booked for 8am
I'm well and truley terrified
I know there looking for blockages huhh
I keep re reading your discrripion on the cath angio to calm me, thank you
But my mind keeps panicking
I just hope I have he guts to go through the procedure on Thursday
I'm taking 2 mg diazepam twice daily which isn't really touching me
Went for my pre assessment last we'd at mayday and took diazepam an hr before but still jumped on and off the couch while they performed an ECG
It was normal
I spoke to a different doc who just went through the risks again with me but said no one could make me do it
Even though I was convinced I wasn't having it in my mind I found myself signing the consent forms
I asked her if it could still be anxiety and stress and begged for a ct angio
She said anxiety and stress doesn't give ECG changes and nope she was there to book me in for a cath angiogram
I asked what they expected to find and she said something significant huhhh
But said she couldnt get my notes as no computer screen
I honestly hope I can go through with this ed

[ed34]

Just to add. A CT Angio gives the same sensations in your body as an Angiogram. The only different is the approach. Angiograms have the catheter through your artery, while the CT angio uses a canular in your arm to inject dye. You will be alone in the room, and hear the operator through a loudspeaker in the scanner. They will ask you to hold your breath a few times, and keep still. They will also warn you to expect a burning sensation in your chest, or down one side of the body at times. So to pre-warn you of some things to expect during the procedure...
You feel a warm sensation in your chest, arms, legs at times. Sometimes this feels like it's getting pretty hot, depending on how much dye they inject into you for the images. There are also times when your chest can feel heavy, making it a bit harder to breathe. It doesn't feel like you are going to suffocate or anything, more like you have run 100 metres. The whole thing takes around 15-20 mins. So, when you are lying there, and feel these things, DON'T PANIC ;) , just relax and remember IT'S NORMAL :) .
Just think "ed went through this twice and if he can do it, anyone can" :)
When it's over, drink plenty of fluids for a few days to get that dye out of your bloodstream. I didn't feel any different after the procedure but you don't want that dye in there for longer than necessary. Drinking plenty of fluids will help your body flush it out.
If there are times when you wonder if you should be feeling that warm inside, the answer is yes. I had a lot of dye injected a couple of times and this was to try and find 2 veins they couldn't see on the angiogram. So don't doubt that any of the feelings you get are abnormal. They will wire you up to a monitor also and watch your heart VERY closely. If they see anything going wrong, even in the slightest, the scan will be aborted immediately.
I hope it helps knowing what to expect, and I hope it will help you relax during the scan knowing those sensations are normal.

[ed34]

I have had a couple of CT angiograms, and one took 3 days for the appointment, the other 5 days. For the one that took 3 days, they persuaded the team to turn up early one morning to fit me in.

[Juliev25]

I have got a private appointment at Shirley oaks hospital on sat morning to see a cardiologist and I'm wondering how fast after he will be able to get me in for a ct angiogram ?

[ed34]

If it's really affecting you that bad, I would tell your Doctor that you want a CT angio instead. It isn't worth all that level of stress for several weeks, which will damage your health further.

[Juliev25]

I'm just so terrified Ed and I can't leave my house as I'm in that much fear
My mums critically ill in hospital and I am a real state
Ii suffer with panic attacks and extreme anxiety and I'm terrified that my last two panic attacks were heart attacks
I'm lying in my bed most of the time googling and asking for reassurance from anyone that isn't sick of giving it
I'm taking diazepam to calm me down and just don't know how I'm going to get through this torture or even if I live through it

[ed34]

I think if this was me, I would want to know the condition of my arteries due to the results of the stress test. The way I look at it is, the sooner you catch the disease, the easier it is to get it under control and deal with any blockages. Once a blockages reaches 90-99% or even 100%, they calcify and get very hard, this is when they normally recommend bypass instead.

[ed34]

I think the concerns were more from your stress test results. Wearing a holter monitor will only look at your heart for your day to day activities and not likely show your heart when working as hard as it was during the stress test. A stress test really gets the heart pumping and is much more likely to pick up any issues.

[Juliev25]

Just say my 24 hr tape test ECG when I have it is normal would I still need angiogram
The cardiologist just said 24 holtar in 2 weeks and angiogram in 6 weeks
When I called my gp for results he said they would do a 24 holtar test first to see

[ed34]

IF I was a betting man, which I'm not, it would be like asking me to bet on either of a set of identical twins to win a 100 metre dash. I think either you have a blockage around 70-75% or it was anxiety/fitness which gave the results. Trying to second guess is something we all try to do, but it only causes more worry in the long run. We tend to start imagining the worse case scenarios. If they find a 70-75% blockage, then great, they can probably stent it and you will be able to fly through any stress test. If muscle fatigue caused you to stop the stress test, I think you would be wise to take up some regular exercise. All you need do for the first few months is walk 30 minutes a day. You don't need to walk fast, just normal pace. It will make a huge difference to your cardiovascular system.
I noticed it states in your post "DIAGNOSTIC angiogram in 6 weeks". I would go see your Doctor, or call the Hospital to ask to speak to the Cardiologist who is doing the procedure. What you don't really want is to have them find a blockage, then make a later appointment to stent it. It's far better to have it all done in one procedure.

[Juliev25]

Just say u were a betting man
What would you be putting everything you own on with my stress results?

[ed34]

Up to a point. For example, imagine all your coronary arteries were full of stents, and then you had stents inside stents, and you had numerous bypass surgeries, then obviously you would be looking at alternatives such as transplant. But, until that time you have MANY possible procedures to keep your arteries clear. It also gives you the opportunity to take this moment and make a new path ahead with healthy food etc. Proper medication is also a huge bonus. So you are a very very long way off having no options.
There is also a lot of research with stem cells continuing, where they will be able to get skin stem cells turned into heart muscle or arteries and grow you new parts. They are so very close now with much of this.
I know you are worried, I was the same 5 years ago, but they've done some amazing plumbing work on my arteries. Mine were a real mess, 2 were basically fully clogged up. 10 Stents later, they are in great shape, better than they had been for many years.

[Juliev25]

Ed is  ischaemic disease always treatable

[ed34]

Well ischemic heart disease just means blockage/s in the vessels which feed oxygen to the heart muscle. However, as I said above, during an angiogram there is a high possibility they can stent those, IF they are severe enough blockages. If you are found to have some disease, you will have to consider some lifestyle changes. I'm not speaking of anything bad, just healthier food intake, and less alcohol (if you drink) and obviously no smoking (if you smoke). Sometimes it seems as though there's a link down through the family (genetic) but often it's simply because we follow the same bad habits. My Mother died of heart disease, I got heart disease, but we both had high cholesterol and high blood pressure and both of us smoked. In most cases if you break those bad traits, you break the family history link.
The Croydon Mayday Hospital is a good one, its had a lot of investment over the past few years as other surrounding hospitals were closed. It has state of the art equipment and does over 1000 angiograms a year. You are in safe hands.

[Juliev25]

Mayday hospital in Croydon :-(
Ed you are making me feel a little easier about it
I suppose the 24 holtar ECG I am hoping comes back clear
I posted on the health boards forum and somes said its Islamic heart disease huhhh

[ed34]

I see you are in the UK also, can I ask which hospital is treating you?