EP testing help

I'm 23 years old and have had repeated incidences of passing out and was taken to the ER. ER doc called in a team of electrophysiologists who said I probably had WPW based on EKG and used adenosine as a diagnostic to try to confirm it. I followed up with my primary care who sent me to a local cardiologist who then sent me back to the same electrophysiologists I started with after a stress echo. All of my non ER EKGs have come back normal. It's been a few months and I've had another episode. I feel like I've been passed around without anything being done about it. Now I'm supposed to go and get EP testing because they are not sure what it is. I work with some of the people where I'm having it done and they said they'd go in through my groin which is embarassing since I have to work with them again after I go back to work. I'm also afraid of needles. Anyone have any ideas on what to expect or how to deal with this?

[Jerry_NJ]

Wishing you best luck/results, you're too young to have heart trouble.  Good news is being young gives you strength and faster recovery.

That said, the catheter insert via the groin has never given may any trouble, and as the doctor said, I did feel a "pinch", that is I was awake with local anesthetic, I think. I had one also where I was "out" and didn't feel a "pinch".  I had no problems with recovery, as I recall I could hardly see where they went in, and had little or no busing.

This test is the "gold standard" for checking out the heart and related blood flow...especially for finding any blockage.  I'm not saying it replaced the echocardiogram, but it is an effective diagnostic tool.

As for embarrassment, maybe you can schedule for a time that you're most comfortable with the people on duty treating just like another patient.  I'm not saying any of us has any choice in who is in the room other than the doctor, but as work there you may have.  I think all would understand your modesty and try to schedule you when the attending staff is the older or younger or whatever you'd feel the most comfortable with.  They try to keep your crotch covered, best I can tell.  I was not a witness, so I'm not sure what was showing, and as the doctor was the only one I had to see again, I didn't care much  : > )