Stress test?

[aboutime]

Has anyone here had a drug-induced (not exercise-induced) stress test? I'm hoping to hear what it was like.
@aboutime ?

Yes. I did. It took almost all day if I remember it correctly. It's uncomfortable, laying on tables, all hooked up with those sticky things to monitor heart rate, breathing. After I finished....I had to FAST before the tests. They gave me a squeeze Apple juice, and a donut while I waited.
Other than being uncomfortable...it's boring, and BE SURE TO ASK FOR A BLANKET...each room was COLD from the air conditioning needed for the BIG devices that get hot.

It took place a few weeks after my quadruple bypass. Never did hear from them again.

[aboutime]

Oh, sorry. It is when they inject some drug(s) to super- stress your heart, to see if there are any problems. They do it this way if the patient cannot handle running on a treadmill.
I should do it this way due to my hip, but I'm skeered of those drugs.

Abbey. The drugs won't hurt you. I promise. Except for the fact that after I took them. I could see through walls, jump over buildings, and catch bullets in my teeth!!!!!!!

[Abbey Marie]

Yes. I did. It took almost all day if I remember it correctly. It's uncomfortable, laying on tables, all hooked up with those sticky things to monitor heart rate, breathing. After I finished....I had to FAST before the tests. They gave me a squeeze Apple juice, and a donut while I waited.
Other than being uncomfortable...it's boring, and BE SURE TO ASK FOR A BLANKET...each room was COLD from the air conditioning needed for the BIG devices that get hot.

It took place a few weeks after my quadruple bypass. Never did hear from them again.

I knew you would know! So you didn't do the treadmill, and the drugs didn't make you feel like your heart would explode?

[aboutime]

I knew you would know! So you didn't do the treadmill, and the drugs didn't make you feel like your heart would explode?

Not at all Abbey. But then. Maybe my situation, and condition was different from your Doctor's instructions? As for the drugs. I honestly don't remember anything but what they told me was a tiny ISOTOPE thing, injected into my blood stream they could follow. It's been almost ten years since then. I could have forgotten something.

Isotope Stress Test - HeartSite.com
www.heartsite.com/html/isotope_stress.html
An isotope stress test is also known as a nuclear, thallium, Cardiololite, Myoview or dual isotope stress test, depending upon the method used. ... When a "perfusion tracer" (a nuclear isotope that travels to heart muscle with blood flow) is injected intravenously, it is extracted by the heart muscle in proportion to the flow of ...http://www.heartsite.com/html/isotope_stress.html

Hope this helps.

[mundame]

They supposedly can counteract a bad reaction. But yeah, that's how I feel about it.

Agreed. I don't allow invasive "preventive" check-ups any longer --- I haven't for years. I'm sure it subtracts YEARS from our lives, all the injurious tests they do.

It's only to pay their expensive mortgages and kids' private schools and for their fast cars. They can do that on their own, not with my life.

So I'm not on any prescription drugs at all. If I let them do "preventive" check-ups, I bet they'd try to get me on four or five daily prescriptions! Just so they can keep the money stream coming in. It's poisoning, really. IMO.

[Bilgerat]

I had a drug stress twice from the VA.

The first time was several years ago and it was bad, really bad. Heart was pounding, felt bad, the works. They had to inject the "antidote" to bring me down.

Two years later, a "treadmill" test. Failed that because of my knees.

Then last year I went in for another stress test, the drug kind. I was braced for the worst and was actually impressed when they said, all done. No muss, no fuss, the ONLY side effect was a bad taste in my mouth when they injected the drug. (If you have ever used a saw to cut plastic, that smell was it). The taste went away quickly and did not make me nauseous so I considered that a wash.

The test showed I needed a bypass (quad).

[Abbey Marie]

I had a drug stress twice from the VA.

The first time was several years ago and it was bad, really bad. Heart was pounding, felt bad, the works. They had to inject the "antidote" to bring me down.

Two years later, a "treadmill" test. Failed that because of my knees.

Then last year I went in for another stress test, the drug kind. I was braced for the worst and was actually impressed when they said, all done. No muss, no fuss, the ONLY side effect was a bad taste in my mouth when they injected the drug. (If you have ever used a saw to cut plastic, that smell was it). The taste went away quickly and did not make me nauseous so I considered that a wash.

The test showed I needed a bypass (quad).

Thanks, El, for taking time to write. I just had my IV placed, and waiting for the radioactive drug to kick in. It had a strange taste for a moment. Looks like they are going to give the treadmill a try. If my hip won’t handle it, I think the drug version will then be administered...

[SassyLady]

Now that you mention it, they should hook up a heart monitor while I drive. The minute someone pulls out from a side street, makes me brake, and then drives slowly in my lane, will give them some good data.

They can do that. Did it for my daughter.

[mundame]

I can't STAND bumper to bumper traffic... and the jerks that if there's room in front of you to SQUEEZE their little SUV in between you and the car in front of you because you were FOLLOWING AT A SAFE DISTANCE, they pull right in front you. It's also why I drive a huge 3/4 ton truck. Stare at that huge grill in your rear view mirror ass wipe... and don't make any sudden moves or I'll make a SUIT CASE out of your little import...

That's what my aunt used to say, I never forgot it ---------- "If you drive at safe distance from the next car in Boston, somebody will get in it!"

[Abbey Marie]

They can do that. Did it for my daughter.

That was probably a Holter monitor. It monitors your heart’s rhythm. I wore one once for 24 hours, and discovered a had a “leaky” aortic valve. But very different from a stress test.

[darin]

Has anyone here had a drug-induced (not exercise-induced) stress test? I'm hoping to hear what it was like.
@aboutime ?

I did in 2000. Was freaky. Not terrible. Felt bursts of 'awakeness' - was weird to have my heart feeling like I was running, but I was seated.