Thallium/nuclear heart stress test

Hello all,

I am hoping to have surgery in December with Dr Gagner. I am at the stage of getting all of the required pre op blood work and tests.

Dr Gagner has requested that I get a thallium/nuclear heart stress test. This is slightly different from a stadard stress test. I wondered if anyone else has had to do this?

I am a revision from Lapband to DS and I am currently at my highest weight of 398.

Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

Sara

The major difference between the two is rather than walking a treadmill or riding a bike they use medications to stress your heart.  It stimulates your heart the same way exercise would with you just lying there. They monitor you throughout and take images before and afterwards to see how your heart reacts.

 The thallium/nuclear part isn't the use of a medication to stress your heart.  You can still run on the treadmill with a thallium/nuclear test.  I have had one every year for several years and they've always made me/walk run.  The difference is the pictures that they take while you lie on a table before and after.  It takes about 3 hours for the entire test with a large chunk of time just waiting.  

You are certainly right, thats what I get for trying to multitask while posting.

No worries, I just wanted to clear it up in case that part would give her anxiety.  The treadmill gives me anxiety but I think the drugs that do the same thing might make it worse!  But I just worry about everything.  :)

I know my mom has had both and hated the chemical one, she said it made her feel like she was dying. At least with the exercise test when you have over done it you can stop or slow down.

I've had several similar tests. They use medication instead of activity to stress your heart. This type of test is commonly used on people for whom exercise/activity type stress tests are not practical or when a heart or lung issue is present (or suspected) that might make a fast intervention necessary.

Easy peasy in my experience. Get imaged, get an IV injection, get imaged, get another bit of IV medication, done. You might have to come back on two separate days depending on the parameters of your particular testing.

I am having my revision surgery (RNY to DS) with Dr. Gagner, hopefully the week of December 18th.
Dr. Gagner required me to do this test also.  I will be having my pre-op blood work and ECG on the 22nd of November and then wait for my surgery date to be confirmed.
I will be having my surgery at Sacre Coeur Hospital.  Where is your surgery being done?

Good luck with all of your tests.

Penny

Hi Penny,

I am not sure which hospital yet. Best of luck to you to.

Sara

Sara, 
It's a pretty simple test.  Even though they administer thallium, you can still do the test on a treadmill since that's the way that I've always done it.  If you feel that you cannot run on the treadmill, they can administer drugs to stimulate your heart the way that walking/running on a treadmill would until you reach your target heart rate.  My mother always gets hers done that way since the treadmill makes her dizzy. 

The test takes longer than a standard stress test except they put a thing into your arm so that while you are on the treadmill they can give you the thallium.  They take two sets of pictures while you lie flat and still on a table.  There is a chunk of time where you just wait around so bring a book or something to pass the time. 

If you are plan on going through any border crossings, be sure to get a note from the office.  I forgot and drove through the US - Canadian border and set off alarms.  It was a hassle proving what I had done.  

Don't worry about the test though.  It's simple.  I'd be relieved that they're doing a more thorough test.  Best to be prepared.