Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group

Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.

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/ Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group

Got My Echo-Stress Test

jillsanimalfarm
jillsanimalfarm
Howdy you all,
Almost didn't write this, was busy trying to catch up with so many posts. Looks like it's been busy over here.
So, you all know I was "stressing" over the stress test. And guess what? It was awful and horrible. Bet you thought I was going to say it wasn't bad, right?
I have no idea why they say to wear comfortable clothing, since really why don't they just say wear comfy clothes on the bottom half, the top won't matter. So, then she lays me down on my back and hooks me up and proceeeds to do whatever she's doing. Then I have to roll on m left side and dang, it hurt a lot the way she kept shoving that thing into chest. Out of pain I said, ouch, and she chastised me saying she had to find a "window." Well, hell, I wanted to tell her what to do. I was already scared you know what less, and then she puts me into pain? And gets mad?
Well, finally, the Pa comes in and puts me on the treadmill. Well, that was a pain, no idea how long it would last, they wouldn't tell me. and they talked to me constantly which made it that much harder, and then I had to try to hold on to the darn bar since they needed my left arm to get my BP. She kept asking me after a while, (while almost running uphill) if I could go 30 more seconds. Well, fool that I am, I said yeah. I thought I was okay. But then, finally I said no, and well, had no idea it would take her so long to stop that thing. I really wanted it to stop like five minutes ago.
Well, they didn't explain that I had to jump onto the table in like, one second, and I was just like trying to rest, get my breath, and she's yelling at me to get on the table, and I'm asking for oxygen. Then she got really pissed off and told me to hurry on the table. And I'm trying to tell her that I'm going to pass out. I say trying. Well, she grabs me, pushes me onto the table, and I'm thinking I'm going to die right there. So, anyway, she pokes that darn thing back into my ribs as hard as she can, (wanted to hit her) and I just lay there, and finally got my breath back.
So, the good news, no afib detected. Same with my holter monitor they detected no afib. Although how accurate is that? I mean, what if I got afib for two hours, but not while they were doing their tests.
Anyway, just wanted to tell you all I made it through and I hope I don't have to do that for a long time.
heart2222
heart2222
Wow, sorry to hear about your terrible experience. I dont' know what that is that they kept jabbing in your chest. What I had was totally different than what you had. I'm glad you had no a fib, which is great!! Hope you don't have to do that anytime soon!! They didn't seem very nice the way they did it!!
jillsanimalfarm
jillsanimalfarm
It was the, think it's a doppler. No, not sure. You know when a pregnant woman gets an ultra sound? It's the same thing that they use. So, she slicks it up with jelly and was trying to roll it around. She pressed it really hard into me chest, like right below my breast, in two different areas.
I didn't know I'd go so long I was crying for oxygen. LOL! I guess they don't have a moment to let you recover, they have to get you back on the table fast. In the meantime I started to panic when I couldn't catch my breath.
jillsanimalfarm
jillsanimalfarm
By the way, thank you bergarum for the hug, I couldn't figure out how to reply to it.
So here's sending a hug back, and I'm alright. I am just tired since I didn't get much sleep the night before.
I think they should have been a bit more reasuring. Especially since as I was walking in and a lady who'd been back there for hers was being taken to the hospital and she looked bad, felt so sorry for her. To further add to my panic huh?
marikay234
marikay234
Yes...that is a stress echo. The jabbing in the chest is the echocardiogram part. And they want to do it while your heart rate is at maximum so you have to get off the treadmill pretty quick. I had the same thing, but my experience was a bit better because they took the time to explain the process better.
It sounds like it was normal so that is good news. They are looking for heart abnormalities, not just a fib...things like the heart valves, how quickly your heart recovers from the exercise, etc.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. As a nurse, I want to say that we do have to cause discomfort sometimes and we do what we do in order to help. It doesn't sound like they explained things very well. Next time you have any procedure or test ask them to tell you exactly what is involved so you can be prepared.
jillsanimalfarm
jillsanimalfarm
Yes, I understand that sometimes things will hurt, but I actually did ask her. She seemed annoyed that I asked. They want to get people in and out I suppose. I asked her a lot of questions trying to find out exactly what was going to happen. She told me that someone else should have explained that to me. I told her the only thing they told me was what to wear, meds, food before coming etc. They never did explain the actual test, I had assumed they would do it today.
heart2222
heart2222
Oh, I see, the doppler. I didn't have all of this. It's ashame they kinda threw you thru the test without explaining anything. That's enough to raise my BP and HR!! Glad you have it over and done with!!
terryhf
terryhf
Seems like some nursing staff have too much to do and they take it out on the patients. So sorry for your horrible experience but so happy to hear they didn't find evidence of a fib or any abnormalities.
tomorrowsdream
tomorrowsdream
I had one of the newer stress tests in the hospital, and it was a piece of cake...just felt a little winded like I was walking my dog. Are you talking about a stress test or an echo? I never had to roll over for a stress test...they just inject some meds, but they do push a little bit with the ultrasound equipment in an echo...but I can't say it hurt at all.
tomorrowsdream
tomorrowsdream
Oops, I didn't have a treadmill test. That one isn't up my alley having had 5-way-bypass. I just had the meds injected and just laid there.
marikay234
marikay234
Its a combination stress test and echocardiogram. I'm not sure why they use this instead of a regular stress test sometimes. I have had an echocardiogram, a treadmill stress test, and a stress echo in the last 4 years since my diagnosis.

They absolutely should have answered your questions and explained what the test involved. I hope you just got a tech having a bad day and that is not the norm where you are.
heart2222
heart2222
I agree with Marikay. Before the next procedure (hopefully you won't need any more) see if you can get an explanation before it happens.
jillsanimalfarm
jillsanimalfarm
well, she was going on and on about how she has to work to make a living, she was the sole caretaker of her boys, wished she didn't work there, she liked her old job better, etc. etc. So, yeah, I felt a bit weird about her problems. She reminded me of, unprofessional, just doing her job never bothering to ask me how I was, and also forgeting to tell me to breath a few times after telling me to hold my breath. I finally held it as long as I could, then had to breath, and I asked her, can I breath now? She said, oh yeah, I forgot. Then she said she couldn't understand how my BP would just disappear like that, she's never had that problem with anyone else, and she's the best at doing that, and on and on for a while. So then I was all worried about that, that something was wrong with me if they couldn't find a BP. But then when the other girl came in she got my BP just fine. You'd think they'd use an electronic one so they didn't have to keep doing it over and over like that, so then I couldn't hold on to the tread mill thing since they needed me to keep my arm down.
To tell you the truth, she made me feel kind of stupid. Sure, I was stupid on what was going on, I had no idea what was supposed to happen. LOL!
Oh well, I'm okay for now, and glad it's over with. At least next time I'll have a better idea.
heart2222
heart2222
Sounds like you caught her on a very bad day. She was unprofessional in the way she treated you. But it's over and you got good results, that is what counts!
deleted_user
deleted_user
It's good to hear that there is no sign of Afib. I'll never understand why the employees at these places have such attitudes. They knew what the job consisted of and if it's not the field they choose then they should find another. I go for mine tomorrow and It will be a whole different scenario if mine goes anywhere near that.....
heart2222
heart2222
Good luck Lance! Make them explain the procedure if they try to brush you off!