stress test

[NancyMVP]

I'm having a stress test tomorrow.

About 2 weeks ago I had what turned out to be a stress headache. I thought I was about to have a stroke or something. I spent the night in the ER.

I saw my cardiogist the next day. He had me wear the holiter monitor and said I should have the stress test. Although he felt it would be normal. He felt my heart sounded the same since my last vist about 2 months earlier.

I have to abstain form caffeine for the test. I get a massive headache if I stop caffeine cold turkey so I weaned myself from it all week.

 

[epstns]

There's a thought. . .

There's a thought. . .

Hi Nancy,

I can't help much about the stress test -- never had one. But I can tell you that the terrible headaches you describe when you stop drinking coffee are, in fact, withdrawal from the caffeine. Some years ago I was one of those "Type A" personalities (was?) who drank coffee all day long at the office. Found that I had huge headaches over weekends, then a friend found the article (think it was written by some docs at Harvard) that described it perfectly. Seems that lots of other professionals had the same weekend malady.

The moral of the story is that if we get the headaches, we have been drinking too much java!

P.S. I did cut down, but still love my coffee.

 

[hensylee]

After moving here, Joe and I would go back 'home' to see our children, none of whom used coffee. But Joe and I had coffee for breakfast and any other time we chose to drink it - through the day and after dinner. First time we went to visit, I got a headache at the first child's home - next day same at second child's home. Finally told Joe we needed to go to local restaurant to get a cuppa. We did - headache went. A hard lesson but well-learned. Your body needs that caffeine once it's used to it. Addiction, you know........

 

[alicia]

Good luck Nancy with the stress test. Hope you get good results.
Let us know the outcome. Im sure it will be fine. Its easier than you think.

 

[pegne]

Stress test

Stress test

In all my years of heart surgeries and heart problems I have never had a stress test. I don't know why but I guess they felt they had enough info from all the other tests. As far as the caffeine goes, I drink diet Pepsi during the day but have to switch to caffiene free about 3:00pm or I'm up all night. By morning if I don't get my caffeine I get a headache. My husband is the same way. Good luck with your test. I will keep you in thought and prayer. Peggy

 

[Guest]

I've had a stress test....

I've had a stress test....

Hey Nancy!

I had a stress test about 4 wks. ago after I had a panic attack with chest pains. I had the teadmill type where they hook you up and gradually increase the speed and elvation of the treadmill. They watch you very carefully....your cardio. is present in the room in case anything should go wrong. It is actually a painless test.... you're tired after all the walking, but that's it!
Will you be having the same type as this?
There are different kinds where they inject dye into your body and watch what it does as it pumps through your heart and also the kind where they give you medication to speed up your heart and watch what happens. (i've heard that isn't too pleasant...)
I'm sure you will be just fine. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers!

Julia

 

[ccrawford]

Not a worry

Not a worry

Nancy - Don't worry about a stress test - its really not stressful, and it is really a safe procedure. As Mommy3 says, there are different types. For an annual physical, they normally make you do a pretty good workout on the treadmill. For someone with a known condition, they don't make you work so hard, just hard enough to see how the heart performs under load and at a faster heart rate. There may or may not be an injection of dye, depending on what they want to measure, but here again, this is not a big deal at all. Relax and enjoy it, this is one of the least problematic poking and prodding you'll have. Chris

 

[NancyMVP]

hi friends, thanks for all your responses.
Well the exercise part is over. It is a 2 day test. They did inject a dye. I did fine the doctor looked at the printout and said boring the nurse said that means its good. Still have to go back on Tuesday and take pictures with the dye at rest no excercise.
They didn't tell me not to take my atenonol and my pressure was low normal and they wanted my heartrate to get to 150. It only got to 142. Every 3 minutes the machine upped the speed. Thought I was gonna slide off lol. Other than that it was fine. I was told by my cardiogist that he thought I'd do fine. He said women tend to be overlooked so I should get the stress test just play it safe. Being I didn't feel well. Better safe then sorry
I go back in July for my annual echo cardiogram.

 

[ccrawford]

Did well

Did well

Hi Nancy - sounds like you did well. They pushed your heart rate higher than they did mine-guess they felt sorry for this old grey haired guy. You must be in pretty good shape - glad it all worked out ok - the non excercise portion is also not a big deal. Chris