I am flabbergasted as I was told there was an 8 week wait but the post came this afternoon and I've got an appointment at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Telford for my angiogram at 8.30am Thursday 30th March and I have already rung to confirm my attendance.
Of course I am apprehensive about the procedure and does anyone have any tips or helpful information?
I'm aware that as I have unstable angina the angiogram may well not show up anything but at least I am armed with the information about the type of angina I suspect I have thanks to members of this forum (my angina only occurs when I'm resting and has woken me up in the night and early morning! At least I will have a chance to chat with the consultant.
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Dunandjam
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I was petrified of having an angiogram and when I look bad I feel silly as it was nothing as bad as I had imagined
If you are anxious let them know they will be really supportive
I also had a slight sedation it just took the edge of my anxiety so something else if you felt you needed it you could ask them but I think if you don't ask I am not sure they will offer it you so bear that in mind about asking if you think you need it
Just one thing the room is really cold and they do usually tell you to expect that but it was handy to know before I had it done as when it was I was not shocked and wondering what was going of
The Nurses will be lovely they talked to me the whole way through and before I knew it I was back having a cup of tea
Hi, I had my second angiogram on the 2nd March even though I had already had one six years earlier I was still a bit nervous but it was fine only takes a short time and better than having a filling at the dentist. Don’t worry . I am now waiting for appointment for a stress echo. Everything takes so long at the moment. Good luck going forward x
Yes sort of. Cardiologist came to see me before I was released and said my blockage seemed to be the same size as six years ago but was sending my results through to cardiologist at Basildon hospital who requested angiogram. Referred for stress echocardiogram to see how blood is flowing and how much oxygen heart gets when under pressure. Still waiting to hear from them. Did you get your results straight away. Hope you are ok. Best wishes
There was a similar post on this the other week. Here's what I said......
I had my second angiogram as an outpatient last October. A few days before your procedure you should have a pre-procedure assessment with one of the angiography team who will go through a number of straightforward questions about you, your health and medication. You will receive instructions about stopping medication like aspirin prior to the procedure. You will be given the opportunity to ask questions. My assessment was over the phone, and the paperwork mailed to me with instructions on what I should be doing before my visit. On the day you will speak with the cardiologist and then be asked to sign the consent form and then when its your turn off to the procedure room, where you will will be sedated, and the procedure takes place. My entry point was on the wrist. I was conscious throughout and the whole thing took about 30 mins, perhaps because I wasn't stented. Then off to recover. I saw the cardiologist about an hour after I came out the procedure room, and was discharged about an hour later. If you are stented that may be different. It was very much like a conveyor belt of comings and goings for angio patients whilst I was there. Finally you will need to arrange for a pick up at discharge even for an angiogram. If you are not stented don't drive for 24 hours to allow for the sedation drug to dissipate. but this extends to 7 days if you were stented but only if it was successful and you don’t need any more surgery. Next you may have a lump at the insertion site which slowly goes after a week ot two, and you will need to take it easy for a few days even for a simple angiogram. Others may be able to help more for post procedure if you are stented.
Hi, I have had 3 coronary angiograms and have never had a pre - procedure assessment? maybe it depends what hospital you go to? i was extremely nervous and anxious about the first angiogram and the staff were wonderful. The procdure itself was uncomfortable ( for me anyway) but manageable. The second angiogram was done by a different team and the whole procedure was very different!? the procedure was really quite uncomfortable this time, and it turned out that i am one of the small percentage of patients who is immune to the sedative they give you!! The third procedure was extremely painful as they used my other arm and my veins collapsed!! I think i was just unlucky!
I had my first on Friday as an emergency (heart attack, blood clot passed through the hole in my heart) and it was OK. The emergency nature probably added stress but the team looking after me were incredible - I did have some sedation apparently. The images you get are so detailed and valuable, showed the ghost of where they clot was and confirmed mild stenosis in my LAD. Stay calm, trust the doctors. You'll be absolutely fine. Thinking of you!
I had this done in 2016. They got me ready in the ward and dressed me in the hospital gown then put a canula into a vein on the back of my left hand and injected a small amount of anaesthetic to make me relaxed. They took me into to the theatre and I was laid on a operating table and my right arm was strapped to a board so I could not move it. They put a canula into the artery on my right wrist and fed the probe up the artery and into the heart where the injected the dyes. The theatre is air conditioned due to the large amounts of electronic equipment being used so I get my shoulders were cold. The nurse had blankets that she warmed in an oven which she put over my shoulders. I was conscious throughout the procedure and was able to speak to the doctors. They put an inflatable cuff over your artery wound after the procedure is finished they you are wheeled back into the ward where you are given a sandwich and a cup of tea (which proves to the nurses that your airway is open and you can swollow. They slowly deflate the cuff and check to see if the artery has closed after about an hour you might have the insertion done through the artery in the leg but thus would mean you will have to lie still and horizontal for a couple of hours. I have heard the put sandbags over the artery to apply the pressure to close the artery. Feel free to speak to the doctor whilst in theatre and he can give you the results. They may put a stent in if they find a blocked artery in the heart at the same time. The doctors are carrying out these procedures every day and are very experienced so you should not have any worries about it.
Well it sounds as though you had a good experience and I’m feeling less apprehensive now so many members have kindly shared their experiences! Thank you.
It's normal to be apprehensive. When you get there tell the nurses; they are used to it . You will be given a sedative. I've had 2 done through the wrist. The first after a heart attack. I wasn't at all worried, just relieved. For the second a month later I was terribly anxious; no idea why. After the first I had massive bruising from wrist to elbow- someone released the pressure bandage too early. After the second I couldn't even see a pin prick. YOu lie on a very hard narrow table and if you want, most doctors will let you watch the screens. MIne wouldn't. I was annoyed. It's surprisingly cold in the cath lab. I wasn't aware of them doing anything at all. I was then taken to the recovery ward with a pressure bandage on my wrist which was released once any bleeding had stopped; well as I said it was supposed to have stopped. Then it was very welcome tea and toast and home. I went in for 9am and was home an hour away by 1.30pm. You have to have someone drive you because of the sedative. I had two stents fitted the first time, nothing the second time. I just had to take it easy for a couple of weeks . It was all very easy and painless (except that hard table).If they go in through the groin, recovery is a bit more difficult and you have to be more careful about possible bleeding afterwards,
I guess you didn’t have time to think about your first one if it was an emergency! My husband is going to drop me off and pick me up afterwards when they say I can go. In a way I’m looking forward to having it done and hope to get some answers. Thanks
The first wasn't emergency do it immediately. I had the HA around 10pm lets say Wednesday left on a corridor for 5 hours, h ad blood test around 4 or 5am, waited hours for results and a bed then wasn't admitted until 2pm next day, Thursday (The triage nurse didn't believe indigestion could possibly be a heart attack even though the paramedics could see it on the ECG. I wasn't in bad pain or clutching my chest)and angiogram was first thing the next morning
That’s great both wrist and groin are really easy. The waist will leave you with an ache for a week where as the groin is a lump and more bruised.
1. Make sure YOU shave your wrist and groin the hospital razors are blunt and the nurses are not beauticians 😳.
2. Take it easy for week after remember these are arteries you really don’t want one to open back up.
3. Watch the screen or ask to watch it. I’m medical and have seen loads done but to watch the contrast die bring your own heard to life is fantastic. Just look for the upside down tree where as mine was just a twig.
Oh my god the shaving 😂 as mine was an emergency a bloke pulled my trousers off and took a pair of clippers to half of my ladygarden - I now have one bald side and it makes me laugh every time I look! Worst bikini trim ever, zero stars.
They didn't need to enter via groin in the end as they got access through the radial artery but they prepped both sites just in case. If you're having groin then yes, have a good trim down there on your terms.
Hopefully I’m having wrist entry as I asked consultant whether that would be possible as I’ve got titanium plates in both from when I broke my forearm falling over, and he said yes. However I will sort out the alternative entry point just in case. 😀
Ha Ha, being male and very hairy I did my wrist as well. I’m now 9 months post quad CABG and still have problems and under investigation so I still keep my hairy chest shaved in fact I’ve grown to like it now. The only problem is with all the meds making me feel much colder all the time I could do with my chest rug to keep warm😀😀
I've had two now. One on the 9th which resulted in 3 stents. And one on the 16th to check all was well. Worse bit... anesthetic injections in wrist.. after that no worries. Tip... definitely ask for calming meds. I had diazipam through my cannula.
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