Tough day yesterday

[Kuya]

I was ok when I attended a morning Kundalini Yoga class but noticed that after an hour of focused attention and inner work I was very tired. Then in the afternoon I visited the amazing garden of a new friend and ate dates swabbed in almond butter and drank a cup of peppermint tea. Towards the end of the visit I was very tired and feeling fuzzy. Then when I got home, I collapsed into despair. "This is not a cold that will go away; this is only going to get worse over time." Etc. Miserable and very tearful.

I'm travelling to Cranbrook today (2 hr drive) to stay overnight in a hotel because I have a 3 - 5 hour stress test early Wednesday morning. I'm very nervous (scared?) about the test and what results it will bring. Every test I've done so far has revealed that the situation is worse than I had believed it to be before the test. Some days I just don't have the energy to arouse and sustain an upbeat attitude. It's worse when I'm tired.

I'd appreciate any stories and or information about stress tests.

[Hidden]

Hello

I have no stories or tips I can give you but I am sorry you are not feeling so great

I think whenever we have to have tests done we get worried and let's hope that these results despite what has happened in the past do come back better than what you think they will

Let us know how you get on x

[Hidden]

Dear You,

I am so sorry that you are feeling low today and maybe over worrying about your upcoming appointment for your stress test.

You haven't told us what sort of test it is, chemical induced or a physical induced stress test.

I can only comment on the chemical stress test as my heart was deemed to damaged to get any benefit from a physical { bike } one.

The test is fine, slightly uncomfortable but the knowledge they gain from it is really worth it, the results certainly will guide them { along with other tests } to what form of treatment would benefit you .

Make sure you take no form of caffeine beforehand.

Take care and please keep us informed

[Tos92]

Hi Kuya

I’m sorry to hear you’re not feeling so good at the moment.

I have had two stress tests in the past. They’re never really pleasant however, very important tests that can show the presence of ischaemia. During a stress test, a stress agent is administered. The stress agent varies depending on the type of stress test you have.

I have had a myocardial perfusion scan where dobutamine was administered to mimic the effects of exercise on the heart. I did not react well to the dobutamine and the test was rescheduled with a different stress agent and I reacted much better the second time around. The reason for this is to elevate your heart level so that they can see if there are any issues with blood flow in your heart/arteries.

The second stress test which I had was a combination of a heart MRI and a stress test. This is known as a CMR with perfusion. This time a different stress agent was administered in the form of Adenosine.

During both stress tests I had chest pain, breathlessness, pain in the upper back and abdominal pain. This is normal and is expected. You are monitored strictly throughout the test and there are doctors present should you react adversely and the test can be stopped immediately.

Again, depending on which one you’re having, some doctors may not order for a stress agent to be used and instead, ask you to induce the effects of stress on your heart naturally by running on a treadmill.

If you can arrange to take someone with you, that would be good. You may not be up to driving after the test and the side effects of the stress agents can linger for a longer time.

I hope this gives you some reassurance and please keep us updated on how you get on tomorrow.

All the best.

Tos

[Czech_Mate]

Hi Kuya

We wish you all the best for your tests tomorrow. I haven't had stress tests but I'm going to see the cardiologist here tomorrow morning and not sure how it will go and what he'll have to say.

Let us know how you get on.