Groan..... It Really Doesn't Get Easier.

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J

Jkm7

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2005
Messages
4,384
Location
Massachusetts
After two OHS, each time the appointment card tells me it's time for another Echo, the same anxiety grips me. You'd think it would get easier and I'd learn to roll with it more but No, hasn't happened. Echo this week and I'm already gnashing my teeth.

I start to think in terms of: Do I have symptoms I've been ignoring? Was that really short of breath last week when we walked the hills from ship to top of Quebec City or was that normal tired from steep hills? Am I getting chest pains? I feel like I automatically start to turn into a patient when it's time for an echo. Most of the time, I feel like a person living my life.

I hardly think like that except for when it's time for an Echo. Anyone else like this?
 
ME! ME! You would think after appts at least every 6 months for 22 years, I wouldn't feel like vomitting when it is time for Justin's check up or test, but I do. I was doing well for a while when things were goiing great for a couple years, but we've been blindsided too many times now, where a routine check up turns into a MRI (and before them caths) just to get a better look that ended up needing some kind of intervention (balloon cath or stents) or surgery, even ER surgery the day after a "routine" cath.
I know for all that Justin has been thru, since he never knew life without heart surgery, he is good at putting his heart out of his mind, until it is time for the check up too. Then we start wonderring if he is taking more naps than usual or if his color really is good...

Hopefully all you will hear is Looks great, see you in a year.
 
Jkm7 said:
After two OHS, each time the appointment card tells me it's time for another Echo, the same anxiety grips me. You'd think it would get easier and I'd learn to roll with it more but No, hasn't happened. Echo this week and I'm already gnashing my teeth.

I start to think in terms of: Do I have symptoms I've been ignoring? Was that really short of breath last week when we walked the hills from ship to top of Quebec City or was that normal tired from steep hills? Am I getting chest pains? I feel like I automatically start to turn into a patient when it's time for an echo. Most of the time, I feel like a person living my life.

I hardly think like that except for when it's time for an Echo. Anyone else like this?
Click to expand...

I think it worse for me. When I hear my heart clicking louder and faster I say oh crap is there a problem. Do i need another OHS. When i get a headache I think i have a brain aneurysm. I remember several weeks ago i had abdominal pain when to the doctor and done a cat scan. Sitting in the waiting freaking out thinking I
have colon cancer. This never was like this before. Think i will be heading to the nut house soon.
 
Yes! I am only a year out of surgery and had one of my 6 monthly echo's and stress ECG's last week. Everything normal and valve working well. But the week before I started to worry and feeling out of breath.... All obviously psychological....
 
It never gets easier, going in for the checkups since I was born. I still get nervous and anxiety, been doing it for 45 years. Just try to take a deep breathe. You will survive, I have, somehow.
 
Thanks, everyone. It makes me feel better to know it isn't just me. I wasn't so bad the four years between my surgeries as I have been since. I suspect this is just how it's going to be for me from here forward....... one never seems to forget hearing their cardio saying, it's time for surgery.

Fingers crossed my echo looks good.
 
Just remember it all depends on the expertise of the one who is doing your echo. Pre-surgery one of my echos said I had 1+to 2, another, 2 weeks later with a different technician said my mitral regurg. was 3+ to 4+. I'm sure it didn't worsen like that in that amount of time.
 
Jkm7 said:
....I feel like I automatically start to turn into a patient when it's time for an echo. Most of the time, I feel like a person living my life.
I hardly think like that except for when it's time for an Echo. Anyone else like this?
Click to expand...

These feelings probably won't go away. I saw my cardio yesterday for my annual checkup. He listened, asked a few questions, ran a short EKG and said everything seemed and sounded fine.....however, I still have to go back in for the Echo in a couple weeks.....so I'll play a few more "what if" games until I get this behind me, hopefully, for another year.

For a number of years after the surgery, the anxiety is "I wonder IF everything is working OK?".......many years after the surgery, the anxiety becomes "I wonder WHY everything is still working OK?":eek2::smile2:......like an earlier post said, its all psychological..... and I can't resist "looking a gift horse in the mouth:rolleyes2:.
 
Same here folks! I am a WRECK before an echo. I also noticed I am relating any other problems I MAY have to my heart valve. I seem to be getting better in that regard though.
 
I hate going back in for echoes. It's like The Waiting all over again. It makes me miserable, and that probably screws up my numbers, too.

I try not to think about it, but the child in me is not stupid. He's like a dog, when you're taking him to the vet. He always knows and does his best to misbehave...

Best wishes,
 
I suspect I'll get there, but I just had my 2 year echo and, like the last one, I looked forward to seeing if there was any additional remodelling (there was!) of my heart. Because I have a tissue valve, I know there will be a time when things will go downhill. Perhaps it's that knowledge and my acceptance of that fact that makes it easier to deal with it. I'm definitely a person who worries and who has mild anxiety from time to time. I have no idea when my valve will start to deteriorate so until I feel, during workouts or via an echo report that it is, I keep hoping things will continue to improve. Even though I have other things I that can (and do) stress about, for some reason, I'm not overly worrried about my heart. BTW, today is my 2nd valversary!! Woo hooo!!
 
Congratulations, Jeff, on #2!
True confession time:
I use to feel the anxiety. Now I deny the need for the echo. I'm suppose to have one every six months, but somehow in the cardio's move to a new facility, I didn't get an appt., and it's now been more than a year . . . I think. Could be longer.
Am I going to call them? No
I subscribe to the theory, what you don't know can't hurt you!
 
Duffey said:
Congratulations, Jeff, on #2!
True confession time:
I use to feel the anxiety. Now I deny the need for the echo. I'm suppose to have one every six months, but somehow in the cardio's move to a new facility, I didn't get an appt., and it's now been more than a year . . . I think. Could be longer.
Am I going to call them? No
I subscribe to the theory, what you don't know can't hurt you!
Click to expand...

You sound like me when it comes to MY body.
 
Duffey said:
Congratulations, Jeff, on #2!
True confession time:
I use to feel the anxiety. Now I deny the need for the echo. I'm suppose to have one every six months, but somehow in the cardio's move to a new facility, I didn't get an appt., and it's now been more than a year . . . I think. Could be longer.
Am I going to call them? No
I subscribe to the theory, what you don't know can't hurt you!
Click to expand...

Duffey,

That was my practice the last few years before my surgery. The no news is good news mentality turned out not to be a very good idea. I won't make that mistake again. Call. Make that appointment. Get the good news and get it over with! If it turns out to be bad news, no one needs to tell you that it's better to know than to let the damage continue unchecked.
 
Duffey,

Not to lecture but we care about each other here.
There is a point of no return when valves go bad. Don't let it get too late, please.
 
I feel the same as you Duffey. Get all nerve-wrack seeing a doctor. It's better to get it over with and deal with it if there's a
problem. You only live once. Don't let it be too late. Take better care of yourself.
 
I can relate to the stress you feel when you're scheduled for an Echo. And in my case, I never really expect good news but rather, whether things are stable or if I'll be forced to make that ever fateful decision of 'walking the green mile' & facing a 4th OHS!

And Duffey, I've been dragging my feet on making an appointment for:

1.) Colonoscopy
2.) Sleep Apnea Test

....the old 'what you don't know, won't hurt you' mentality certainly applies here!
 
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Okay, well, I'm the oddball of the bunch here. I guess because I've been going to the Cardiologist for all of my 47 years (and way before echo's were in use), it just doesn't bother me at all. I look forward to going to see my cardio's, we have developed a good repoire and spend much of the visit talking about things other than my heart. Both my local cardio and the one at the Mayo do the echo right before I see them in the same appt., so they are able to pull it up right in front of me for us to discuss. However, I may change my tune about all this as this valve ages and I know another surgery is on the horizon!
 
Well,it was good for me to read this thread. I have felt so much better that I haven't given it much thought. I know I had an echo the first year after surgery, but have since put it out of my mind for the last four years. I will have to get on google and see if I see something that triggers some memory of the cardiologist's name.
 
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