Thank ya'll so much for the answers, they have given me confidence and a calm mind.
I also have had many of these with no ill effects from the test, Test took 3-4 hours.
I've had three over the last 6 years, and one a few years before that when the test was called a thallium stress test...it is nuclear too, but it seems thallium is no longer used.
I have no known side-effects and I have gotten two false positives. The latest one that gave this was about 2 years ago, and so I underwent a catheter study and there were no blocks.
I think the bottom line is, if the nuclear stress test says you do not have blockage, you most likely don't. That is, the test is too "sensitive", better than missing something, however, I think.
I have no reservations about taking a nuclear stress test.
Dee - I had one two years ago and it was no big deal. It takes some time, but is not uncomfortable at all. It took forever for my heart rate to get into the "zone" they were looking for and it was pretty funny because one person was hanging on one arm with a BP monitor and the other arm had someone shooting the meds into my IV all the while I'm running with the wires going everywhere.
I will warn you though that I got a false positive from this test that showed two blocked arteries. I was back in the doctor's office the next morning picking out a stent for my heart cath the next day and having a panic attack. I'm extremely healthy, in great shape, eat right, and I was too young (48) for heart blockage. My husband and I were terrified.
Long story short, the heart cath came back clean and no blockages. So don't worry and take the test. Just be aware that there are false positive results for some people and don't worry until you get the real results.