cardiac cath questions

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Dianne

I go in for my cardiac cath. June 14th for aortic regurgitation and have an understanding of the general procedures but still have questions.

My orders for it designated left and right ventricle cath. Isn't that normally what everyone gets with a cath? I know my left ventricle is enlarged to the point of not being able to wait more than a few weeks for surgery, but the doctor never discussed the right ventricle. Or do I not understand this as well as I thought? I wasn't expecting surgery for another 5-10 years or longer so wasn't asking good questions that day!

I know a few of you have told me the procedure isn't that bad. But how active were people the next day or two after this exam? I realize everyone is different but am curious. I tried to look back through the old forum for info but kept getting distracted by other good info from everyone!

Dianne
 
Caths

Caths

I was restricted from driving for 24 hours and had to keep the pressure bandages on for that same time. Other than that you just have to take it a little slow for a couple days and watch the entry site('s) for bleeding. There will be a little sepage normally but no real bleeding.
my blood vessels where a little wierd and they had to do two entries,:( one on each side of groin, and I had more discomfort than ussual.
For most though it is not uncomfortable, and ussually only takes an hour or so (mine took almost 4 hours). The biggest hassle for most is the laying still for a few hours afterwards.
 
Hi Dianne,
Had the same experience as mike. It's a snap don't worry. Good luck. :)
 
Cardiac cath--MikeM in Hous/FredH

Cardiac cath--MikeM in Hous/FredH

MikeM and FredH Thanks for the info. It's also sure helpful to hear about other people's experiences--not alone out there kind of thing, right? Good to know about the driving restriction, too. I tend NOT to hear those kind of instructions from the doctor. So I missed that one.
Dianne
 
Cardiac Cath.

Cardiac Cath.

CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION.


What is cardiac catheterization?

In this procedure a doctor guides a thin plastic tube or catheter through an artery or vein in the arm or leg and into the heart and the coronary arteries in the heart. This test can measure blood pressure and how much oxygen is in the blood, and provide other information about the pumping ability of the heart muscle or for treatment. When a catheter is used to inject dye into the coronary arteries, this is termed coronary angiography or coronary arteriography . If a catheter has a balloon on the tip, the procedure known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (P.T.C.A.) can be done. Catheterization can also be performed on infants and children to examine or treat congenital cardiac defects.

Dianne, it really is nothing to worry about. It will be fast and painless! I also was very worried, and cried like a baby beforehand, because I was afraid of the unknown.
I actually had it done again 10 days later and the second time was like the first. Easy!
Write me after it is all over and see if you'll say the same.
Good Luck!


;)
 
wanna hear a funny aspect

wanna hear a funny aspect

I remember mine only because I got really embarassed.

To finish the exam they introduce a fluid to make the pictures of the heart and arteries show up better right ?!.

well no-one had told me,

I start to feel this pleasant rush of warm in certain areas of my body,
I thought .........
well you can guess, ......... I thought the table was wet, and immediately apologised to the theatre staff.
Who probably thought I was losing it altogether.

Still even I laughed when they explained.

That was the most memorable part of the whole experience, got to lie at peace and watch TV for a while and had an excuse to loaf about for a few days after, cant be bad eh?!?

David
 
Hi Diane,
The reason for the cath is two fold; first to confirm echo results and secondly to look at your coronary arteries to avoid any surprises once they get in and find blockages there on top of your initial problem.

I am curioous, I was told 15 years ago I would need AVR (AR), in 10 years, so far so good. What are the measurements of your LV' diastolic/systolic? I also have mitral stenosis with a little MR and pumonary hypertension. Maybe that has something to do with it as the blood does not flow into the LV as it should.

Best of luck, I hear it's great on the other side!!!


fdeg
 
cath

cath

Don't worry. The next day, you'll likely feel fine.
They do them through the wrist and in the big pipe in the groin.
I've had two, both in the groin. They say the wrist ones are a cakewalk, but I didn't find the ones in the femoral artery too bad.

At times, it can be a little uncomfortable during the procedure, but nothing serious.

The day after, the site will feel a deep soreness, but it's no worse than a mild toothache. Two days after, you're a bit tender, but you hardly notice it.

I was going to compare it to being easier than a vasectomy, but I guess that won't really help you!

Kev
 
Cardiac cath

Cardiac cath

Dianne-
I have my cardiac cath the day before my surgery. My last was easy. I remember being mad that I fell asleep and missed the whole thing, but I was only 5. I expect this one to be just a easy.

Hey just figure that for 2 days you can loll around the house and make people get things for you. It will be good practice for the surgery!
Best of luck.
Mara:)
 
I had brief anxiety at the beginning of my cardiac cath after they injected a Demerol/Benadryl mix in the IV, which burned all the way up my vein, and then he started to cut on the groin. I was getting faint, which is a problem I have because I'm on heart meds that lower my already naturally low normal blood pressure. They then gave me Versed, an amnesiac, and I don't remember a thing after that for hours, even though they tell me that I was conscious and quite cooperatively interactive for the procedure. My wife says that, even several hours later, I would ask if the procedure was over and be told yes, and then several minutes later would ask the exact same thing over again, having totally forgotten the previous conversation!

Other than the moment of near fainting, it was not too bad and my experience was like the others report above.

I also had both left and right sides done, which seems to be the usual course but not always. The main reason they did it for me was to double check if I needed coronary bypass at the same time as valve surgery, which I fortunatley did not require, and to measure more precisely my aortic regurgitation.

Hope this helps. Don't worry about the cath procedure, you'll do just fine and even if you have a little bump on the road like I did, they know how to immediately deal with it. God bless.
 
Thanks for cardiac cath responses

Thanks for cardiac cath responses

My server was down due to thunderstorms, and I couldn't get connected to reply to everyone prior to my cardiac cath. I'm trying to do it this way. By the way, did most people go through the clamp/sand bag experience, or did they get what I received-- a collagen plug to seal the entry sites?

I've posted yet another question on another presurgery thread due to the results of the cath. so please check that one, too. You've all given such great input! And now I need some more.

CHRISTINA You were right! It was fast and painless-well almost. I did have to ask for more deadener right at the start. Otherwise, not a big deal. I worried more about it than the time it took to do it, I bet.

DAVID Y in NI Thanks for the "funny aspect" to this procedure. It was a much needed laugh prior to the exam! Knowing your experience helped me to understand what was going on during the dye injection, too. I had another warm sensation I hadn't expected when I bled when they plugged the incisions. Although, at the time I thought it was just more dye. Thanks!

FDEG I will have to get back to you about my LV diastolic systolic measurements. I've got a report coming that should have updates on this info. I should know this, but can't find where I wrote it down. Also, I may not have to get surgery yet. Maybe I can stretch it as long as you have!

KEVIN M Thanks for the info and support. You are also right. There is a deep soreness the day after (today for me). I have taken some Tylenol both yesterday and today.

MARA I'm taking your advice and enjoying lying around the house these two days. I was awake though the whole exam and even watched most of the procedure on the screens. I've forgotten. Were you awake for one of them?

STEVE in FLORIDA Thanks so much for your support and sharing your experience. The Versed did not do to me what it did to you.I remember almost everything including the music they played--easy listening rock type-- and their discussions--basketball and football. When I did talk to the doctor he would pause and look at me for a moment, as if assessing whether or not I was with it or not. I was asked if I wanted more; but I declined. But then again, maybe I just think I remember all of this!!! Actually what he told me in the exam coincided with what he told my husband .I believe I just react paradoxically to medications.

Thanks to all
Dianne





:D :D
 
Got the collagen plug. Worked real well. Keep us posted about the possibility to put the surgery off some more. That would be great. Good luck.
 
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