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Scared and Nervous for stress test....please help me?
Hi....just wanted to know if anyone out there could possibly help me out on knowing the procedure of a stress test. I am so scared to undergo the procedure, knowing that I will feel crappy. It's bad enough that I can't even walk up the stairs, walk around average distances, or even do my daily house chores like how I use to without having to feel palpitations,chest pain, lightheaded,dizzy, nausea, and feeling of faint. I just don't want to have to feel this way anymore. I know the test is suppose to help doctors determine what is wrong, but I am really scared. Please let me know everything will be alright. Is there docs and nurses on standby, will they ease your pain and weakness if all the symptoms occur. Please anyone, I feel devastated and traumatized as it is. My episodes of tachycardia and it's symptoms put me on bad phobia and anxiety moods. I won't leave my house now, because I fear having to have an episode of SVT. Please anyone help me.
Hello , on march 19 I will be having a heart stress test and I am nervous and anxious about it, I am afraid of passing out or of having a heart attack on the threadmill. I have been feeling chest pains on and off and usually I wake up with a little bit of pain in the middle of the night and with chest discomfort. Last week I had heartburn really bad for three days , I dont know if it was caused by the baby aspirin that I was taking everyday, or by the heart. But since I stopped taking the aspirin the heartburn went away. Sometimes when I exert myself a little bit doing housework I get chest tightness, and that is why I am so scared of the heart stress test. Can someone help me!!! thank you.
Hello , on march 19 I will be having a heart stress test and I am nervous and anxious about it, I am afraid of passing out or of having a heart attack on the threadmill. I have been feeling chest pains on and off and usually I wake up with a little bit of pain in the middle of the night and with chest discomfort. Last week I had heartburn really bad for three days , I dont know if it was caused by the baby aspirin that I was taking everyday, or by the heart. But since I stopped taking the aspirin the heartburn went away. Sometimes when I exert myself a little bit doing housework I get chest tightness, and that is why I am so scared of the heart stress test. Can someone help me!!! thank you.
I don't have much to add either but just to tell you that I am 62 and have had several over the last 10 yrs and it will be ok!! The technicians will be right with you and you just go at your own pace and if you feel at all uncomfortable, then you just tell them.Plus, just think that we are all going to be right there with you in spirit so try not to stress over this!!! If I can do it at my age, then so can you!!!!! I have had arrhythmias my whole life of one kind or another. Even had an ablation and so I know what you are going through. I think that anxiety is the most debilitating symptom of all so try not to let it get to you!!
Barbara
Barbara
I don't have much to add, however DO NOT CANCEL this test because you are afraid. That is what I do and believe me it is not worth it. The test is much easier than you think. I have been doing them yearly for over 10 years and I still get nervous. My heart also starts out in the 100's and goes down as I start the test. It is over before you know it and it will help your anxiety level more than you know once you find out everything is okay. This in turn will help your fear to leave the house. I went through that in my 20's and wasted and I mean wasted my college years because I was afraid to go out of the house. Now I am in my mid 40's and I'm still here. You will be fine and the doctor and nurse never leave the room. It is over before you know it and the hardest part takes the shortest amount of time. My doctor watches the ekg machine the entire time. Sometimes I'll say, something feels funny and he will tell me everything is fine. That also helps because when I have that same funny feeling away from his office I know it is just anxiety. I know I already said this but it will help you mentally once you are done with the test. Let us know how it turns out.
Jodie
Jodie
Hi, I had the nuclear stress test. I too was so scared that I was going to have palps and SVT's and PVC's and PAC's while on it. It came my time to get on the treadmill after having an IV inserted and medicine put through it and I was so scared that my heart rate was already 120. I stood on the side of the treadmill refusing to do it. There were 2 nurses and my own personal doc in the room with me trying to convince me to step down. After 20 minutes they managed to get me to get on only after they promised to go slow. My target heart rate was suppose to be 150 before they would let me off. As I walked the nurses talked to me about my family and my heart rate went down. LOL. Then she told me that she was going to have to incline so that I could bring my rate up and she did and she kept talking and it still wouldn't rise up so she sped me up and finally after 15 minutes my heart rate got to the goal and then they injected me again while I was on the treadmill with some more dye. I tolf them my back was hurting and the doc rushed in and asked where and I said down here(meaning the lower part) they thought I meant behind my chest. Once it was over I thought all that being scared for nothing. They take very good care of you.
I too also didn't leave the house in fear of an attack for almost 2 years. I missed out on a lot. You should go and do the things that you want to do because it doesn't matter if you are home or out if your heart is going to act silly it will do it no matter where you are.
I can so relate to you and your fears. I think that you wrote my story. Good luck and I know that you will say it was not bad at all. My thoughts are with you and just a thought, usually during exercise your heart doesn't act crazy. My son has a problem with his and his never acts up while doing strenious things but it skips every third beat while sitting, He doesn't feel not one of them.
Good luck and keep us posted on your test.
Karen
I too also didn't leave the house in fear of an attack for almost 2 years. I missed out on a lot. You should go and do the things that you want to do because it doesn't matter if you are home or out if your heart is going to act silly it will do it no matter where you are.
I can so relate to you and your fears. I think that you wrote my story. Good luck and I know that you will say it was not bad at all. My thoughts are with you and just a thought, usually during exercise your heart doesn't act crazy. My son has a problem with his and his never acts up while doing strenious things but it skips every third beat while sitting, He doesn't feel not one of them.
Good luck and keep us posted on your test.
Karen
Hi islandgirl,
Try not to work yourself up over the stress test. I have had many stress tests, and I remember being worried the first time also. There are people right in the room (practically on the treadmill) with you. You will absolutely be able to stop if you need/want to. The test generally begins very, very slowly and every 2-3 minutes, they increase the speed and incline a little. Where I go for my tests, there is a chart in front of the treadmill with variations of smiley faces. The faces range from happy-happy to not so happy and they help you to designate how hard you think you are working.
Like the others said, your BP and heartrate will be monitored constantly. When you begin the test, you will probably be conversational with the techs. They will keep the conversation going to see how you do while you're walking and talking. As the speed increases and the incline goes up (a tiny bit), you will notice it gets more difficult to carry on a conversation. Don't worry about talking if it's uncomfortable. At that point, you're probably almost done with the test. It's like walking up a hilly sidewalk and trying to talk to someone at the same time....It does not hurt AT ALL and I'll bet you're gonna be surprised how easy it is.
My mom had her first stress test last year (she is in her 70's) and she said it was a lot easier than she thought. My daughter just had one and although she was getting fatigued, she was absolutely fine. Try not to worry -- you're gonna be the treadmill master! Once you've had your test (and you're gonna do GREAT), let us know what you thought. I'll be you'll be back helping the next anxious patient with their upcoming test : )
About not leaving the house -- start small if you have to (get the mail and walk a few houses), but build back up to normal amounts of time away from the house. Don't let this "quirk" get in the way of enjoying each day!!
Try not to work yourself up over the stress test. I have had many stress tests, and I remember being worried the first time also. There are people right in the room (practically on the treadmill) with you. You will absolutely be able to stop if you need/want to. The test generally begins very, very slowly and every 2-3 minutes, they increase the speed and incline a little. Where I go for my tests, there is a chart in front of the treadmill with variations of smiley faces. The faces range from happy-happy to not so happy and they help you to designate how hard you think you are working.
Like the others said, your BP and heartrate will be monitored constantly. When you begin the test, you will probably be conversational with the techs. They will keep the conversation going to see how you do while you're walking and talking. As the speed increases and the incline goes up (a tiny bit), you will notice it gets more difficult to carry on a conversation. Don't worry about talking if it's uncomfortable. At that point, you're probably almost done with the test. It's like walking up a hilly sidewalk and trying to talk to someone at the same time....It does not hurt AT ALL and I'll bet you're gonna be surprised how easy it is.
My mom had her first stress test last year (she is in her 70's) and she said it was a lot easier than she thought. My daughter just had one and although she was getting fatigued, she was absolutely fine. Try not to worry -- you're gonna be the treadmill master! Once you've had your test (and you're gonna do GREAT), let us know what you thought. I'll be you'll be back helping the next anxious patient with their upcoming test : )
About not leaving the house -- start small if you have to (get the mail and walk a few houses), but build back up to normal amounts of time away from the house. Don't let this "quirk" get in the way of enjoying each day!!
i had the stress test and it was nothing , i ran on treadmill myself, did i fell it yea then i had a heart scan test which was nothing , i was scared to but belive me we make the test out to be hard/scarey when they are all over we go oh my that was so easy and i got all worked up for that you will see. i hate the dye they put in but you will be ok. by the way my heart was good did not have a blockage ,even though i fell the test , they say thats very commom. good luck try and relax it will be over before you kow it and yes you will have plenty with you .
You shouldn’t worry about the stress test. Firstly you will not be left alone. You will be with someone who is experienced with this. If you start feeling funny, tell the person with you and she/he will turn the machine off if necessary as you will be hooked up to an EKG machine at the time, it will pick up what’s going on, which is a good thing and the reason for the stress test in the first place. Also the person who is with you will probably hear the change on the EKG machine before you even start to feel funny, and if they are very experienced they will note the change and be aware that something has changed. Don’t be afraid to tell that you are feeling bad, rather tell them before you keel over!
You are getting yourself into a vicious cycle by remaining in the house because of SVT. You are going to become housebound – its called agoraphobia, and is a well known but truly horrible phobia. I suggest that the moment you start getting a tachy, you get out of the house, even if it is just to walk a few meters down the road and back again a few times, otherwise you are going to get into the comfort zone of not leaving the house. Your anxiety is also going to make your heart symptoms worse. Panic attacks will certainly increase your pulse rate and other heart symptoms. Indeed you will end up with a phobia, as I said before, its called agoraphobia and you need to do something about this before it gets out of hand. Trust me I know. I work really hard at not becoming agoraphobic, and sometimes I force myself to go out of the front gate and walk down the street because I know that if I don’t I may never leave the house again. Force yourself – but just make sure you get out when the feeling of not wanting to leave the house is at its strongest.
These days, thanks to the Internet, where you can buy online and have anything delivered, its much easier to become agoraphobic than when you had to leave the house to buy groceries and personal items. Do not allow yourself to go down the phobic road, its nasty. Get help now before this phobia goes any further, because it will destroy your life, even more that SVT will.
What you are going through is very tough. Ask for help if you need it. Once your stress test is over, please find a psychiatrist or therapist to help you deal with the panic issue.
You are getting yourself into a vicious cycle by remaining in the house because of SVT. You are going to become housebound – its called agoraphobia, and is a well known but truly horrible phobia. I suggest that the moment you start getting a tachy, you get out of the house, even if it is just to walk a few meters down the road and back again a few times, otherwise you are going to get into the comfort zone of not leaving the house. Your anxiety is also going to make your heart symptoms worse. Panic attacks will certainly increase your pulse rate and other heart symptoms. Indeed you will end up with a phobia, as I said before, its called agoraphobia and you need to do something about this before it gets out of hand. Trust me I know. I work really hard at not becoming agoraphobic, and sometimes I force myself to go out of the front gate and walk down the street because I know that if I don’t I may never leave the house again. Force yourself – but just make sure you get out when the feeling of not wanting to leave the house is at its strongest.
These days, thanks to the Internet, where you can buy online and have anything delivered, its much easier to become agoraphobic than when you had to leave the house to buy groceries and personal items. Do not allow yourself to go down the phobic road, its nasty. Get help now before this phobia goes any further, because it will destroy your life, even more that SVT will.
What you are going through is very tough. Ask for help if you need it. Once your stress test is over, please find a psychiatrist or therapist to help you deal with the panic issue.
I had a pharmacological stress test, meaning they used drugs, because I too couldn't do any exercise without symptoms. Whether you do the exercise or pharmacological version, there is a full team of nurses and technicians in the room with you at the same time. They monitor all your vitals, hook you up to EKG, pulse oxygen, etc. and ask how you feel throughout the test. There were a team of 5 staff with me throughout the testing.
I didn't feel anything for a while and then shortness of breath and faintness, which they told me is quite normal.
I felt well cared for during the entire test. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable and answered any questions I asked.
I hope this helps.
I didn't feel anything for a while and then shortness of breath and faintness, which they told me is quite normal.
I felt well cared for during the entire test. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable and answered any questions I asked.
I hope this helps.
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