Non-Nuclear Stress Test

[Jack54]

I had my first non-nuclear stress test this past Wednesday, and I could not reach my target heart rate. I have had 6 or 7 nuke stress test and finished all of them. This Tuesday I am to go back and will have the drug adenosine, or dobutamine to reach my target heart rate. I wasn't told which drug I would have.

I have 2 questions; what was going to happen after I had reached my target heart rate for the stress test, and most importantly, have any of you had bad reactions to any of these medicines for increasing your heart rate?

I once was taking a stress test and a Lady next to me had a med to speed up her heart. She immediately started swelling up at her ankles. The nurse started screaming, the doc came and said give her xx cc's of whatever. I think she was fine.

I am having an evaluation for minimally invasive bypass surgery  (MID-CAB) this September the 18th and a cardiac cath for sure on the 19th. This will be done at the Cleveland Clinic. (I know y'all are tired of hearing this) My local cardiologist is giving me this dang stressing stress test. I think he is trying to plant me before I can get to Cleveland...I do not see the reason for this test, and may cancel. My local doc knows of the bypass evaluation. Any comments here?

I am also having a cuff test to check for peripheral artery disease (PAD). I had one of these 3.5 years ago and never heard from the results. I personally believe these test are only good if you are ready for amputation due to gangrene (no blood flow at all).

Anyone have PAD or the symptom of claudication (extreme pain in the calves when exercising, especially on an incline)?

Thanks for reading and any info/advice will be much appreciated.

Jack

[Jack54]

So, so glad to hear that your father is improving, but your parents fighting really freaks me out. This is your real Mom and stepfather, is that correct? My goodness, she may have made him too mad to need hospice care :) He can't quit the fight, lol. I would have a stern talk with my Mom, were I in your shoes, but I think I have heard where that leads.....I can't imagine someone fussing at me while I was peacefully trying for the next part of this deal we are in (whatever that is).

My daughter asked me on the phone today if I could carry Sebastian, my grandson, to get his teeth cleaned on October the someteenth. Before I could think I said I may not be alive then, but if I am, that date will be fine, lol. I really do not fear death at all. I know that I have to get my lad fixed or I will give up the fight. I will be alone in Cleveland for the surgery. My youngest daughter is expecting and not working. She asked me if I wanted her to come along. I said no, I will be fine. She really has a temper and I do not want her mad at me while I am in a hospital bed. It would be worse than your parents, lol. My wife has also asked to go, but I told her I needed her at work and making me some money :)

You take care of your ticker too please Mam, and thanks for the note.

Best,

Jack

[ireneo]

Oh my, thank you for asking. My Dad is hanging in there, is actually feeling a lot better. He's been on hospice care since last Nov.; then had his ICD replaced with a plain pacemaker - not because he doesn't need the ICD, it was just cheaper to put in a dying person but gave him more battery time. This week they're taking him off hospice care. He's nervous about it all but understands why since they only allow 6 months and he's fairly stable. My parents are still fighting like cats and dogs. That's the most depressing part of it all - the anger, bitterness, paranoia and disrespect. But I have no control over that. We go over every week, run errands, help around the house and try to offer some comic relief and a listening ear. That's all we can do. They seem to enjoy it and look forward to our visits so I guess we're good for something. Just wish they could get along better. So my Dad's still alive but it's not much fun.

Now you take care of your heart too. Sleep well.

[Jack54]

Thank you so much young Lady :)
I think our posties crossed (over what I do not know :)

I would ask you about your Dad, but I am afraid that I may have missed a post or 2, and come across as more than stupid :( What I mean is I am afraid he may have passed on. The last I heard he was in really bad shape.

Pa Kettle

[Jack54]

Sue you bet I will :) Gonna call the doc's nurse soon....ST?

Tarheelguy1967 thanks for the information. I somehow see a similar experience as yours, happening to me.

Also I wanted to tell you to check out MID-CAB or minimally invasive bypass surgery. It can only be done on the arteries on the front side of the heart, namely the Lad. I am a good candidate after having 4 stents at the beginning of my Lad.

The Cleveland Clinic did over 400 of these last year. They make a small incision on your right side (don't understand that) between a couple of ribs, then disconnect the mammary artery from the chest wall and attach it downstream of the blockage. In some cases, a robotic deal is used. I watched a web cast by the surgeon I will have, and he said that the mammary artery does not become blocked or diseased, and that scientist did not understand why. He may have meant "hardly ever" becomes blocked or diseased.

I asked my local doc last Wednesday about what would happen to the "metal jacket" and how would blood flow be any different ANYWHERE in my coronary arteries. He said that they always wanted some "retrograde" flow (reverse flow up through the stents) and no other flow would be effected. I asked him why and he mumbled a bit and walked off, lol. I really started off by asking him if the graft would be attached as to allow flow both ways in the Lad, and he said yes.

I have had rotational arthectomy at the beginning of my Lad and a bit in my left main, upstream of 3 existing stents. After this procedure, another stent was placed and stayed open for around 14 - 15 months. I have a "very short left main" and had read that this causes larger, and more frequent blockages downstream in the Lad. It appears to be true.

I think there is lots of research in the area of opening blocked stents. Surely insurance companies are for this versus bypass surgery. I have been researching this, but most is "pay for info". Most research is very proprietary, secretive and competitive. Meanwhile people wait.....

I wanted to thank you for your service for our country. I am most proud of you and am sad for all you have to go through. I was an old doggy myself. Army that is.

[ireneo]

I've got the date written down. I'll be thinking of you and will check up on you. Take care.

[suekgpc2]

let us know what you decide.

[Tarheelguy1967]

I had the drug enduced test to raise my heart rate once, and I don't know if I'll do it again.  I guess it is beneficial depending on age if the docs think the exercise could be detrimental, but I was in pretty good physical shape (military guy) and do pretty well on the normal nuke stress tests.  The drugs that made my heart rate go up made me feel like I was having a heart attack - knew I wasn't, but man just can't describe the feeling.  If you do it, I recommend having someone explain what happens thoroughly in advance, as well as standing by during the test to let you know that what is going on is normal and nothing to worry about.  Didn't happen for me, and as a result it was a pretty bad experience.  Best of luck!

[Jack54]

Thanks so much for the information and advice. If the doctor gives me a logical reason for the test and I have it, I won't worry about the adenosine Tony.

Chuck, thanks for the information about the cuff test and advice.

Degrassi I think you are most correct. The idea occurred to me that this is all for money. This is a huge cardiac facility. Dem mochines make money for the corporation. At this time, I don't think I need to rev up to ~150 bpm. I don't want to blow anything out. I'm gonna call the CC Monday...

Still, what happens after you reach your target heart rate during a non-nuclear stress test? I guess you are finished, because you are hooked up to an EKG device and the ST nurse is constantly taking your BP.

Thanks again you all :)

Jack

[Toneman]

I had a Thallium stress test in Feb 05 which they used some medication to increase my heart rate, adenosine I believe. It really was not big deal, as a matter of fact I rather preferred it over the exercise. The instant they start the drip you will feel like you are running a marathon, your heart rate will jump up, you'll be breathing heavy and you'll get flushed. I had to do it this way as I had a torn MCL in my knee at the time. It only took 2 minutes to get my heart rate to my target, then they injected the dye, waited one minute and stopped the drip. The very moment they stopped the drip I went back to feelin absolutely normal, just like they said I would, it was immediate.

If you decide to take the stress test, this really is not a bad way to have one. Good luck!

Tony

[degrassi]

I don't see the point either of the stress test either.  Soft Ts    :)

[Itschuck2c]

I dont understand having a stress test..especially when your having a heart cath done on the 19th..usually a stess test leads to having a heart cath which leads to a stent or bypass..
As fat as the cuff test goes..if there is like a 25 point difference between left and right side then that would indicate a problem and further tests would be done.