Be sure to get Heart Stress Test Before WLS

I am saying this because i went through a near death experience from just having a Breast Biopsy back a few years ago before wls. After having my very first mamogram, nurse found some abnormal tissue in my left breast so she ordered a breast biopsy. while on the operating table (yes, this is a surgery) well they did not do a heart stress test on me before having this surgery, as they were just finishing the biopsy i went flat line on the heart monitor.. no one knew my arteries were clogged at that time..I could tell you about a near death experience... A Heart stress test would have prevented my near death experience.. I did have a heart stress test just before WLS. of course by then i had 7 stents and open heart surgery 2 years before so i was safe to have WLS in 2007..

 

I often wonder if i never had that Breast Biopsy in 2002 things would have turned out so much different, as I am sure it would have..I am strong,I have survived may things..here to tell about it..

 

                                                                             Peace V  Wendy

 

 

 

I think many people have heart disease and don't know it.

A year and a half ago I was at the hospital to have a nerve conduction study for neuropathy.  I mentioned to the nurse I was having trouble catching my breathe, which I attributed to the weather (very high humidity for several days).  The sent me down to my pcp's office in the same building - checked my oxygen level; it was low so I was sent over to ER - was admitted for six days.  Discovered I have congestive heart failure.

So part of my pre-op was a visit to my cardiologist, and a stress test.

But cardio screening is not routinely done before surgery.  Heart disease is a "silent killer"  Scary stuff.  

I didn't have a stress test but I did have an ECHO last week and he said everything looked good. 

Yes it is the silent killer. Heart Disease is 1 of many high risks for me as it runs heavily in my family. I've had stress test & echo already. I'm scheduled for chest x-rays. I'm grateful to have had the tests bcuz I feel much more at ease to know everything is ok

I got the stress test and also the echo! In my case it was part of the pre-op process.  The cardiologist was impressed with my overall health in spite of being obese and cleared me for my surgery on Tuesday! 

Oof! You went through a lot! Glad you're OK now, actually, are you?

I've had 3 biopsies for breast ca, and they're no walk in the park, especially my first one because the doc was incompetent.

I had a stress test pre-op with one of the most egotistical men I've ever met with no bedside manner whatsoever. He made sure to rudely tell me I was very out of shape about 10 times- really, you think so at my weight with no exercise??? I was so surprised- not! But I very nicely thanked him for sharing.

I was only scheduled for an EKG and cardiac clearance. When I mentioned that I sometimes feel short of breath, the doctor's ears *****ed up. I told him I felt it was because i was 100 pounds overweight and out of shape. Still, he was concerned. My EKG had some "funny changes" so he ordered the stress test.  I wasn't too happy about it, but in the end I am glad I did it.  Honestly, it was one of the hardest tests i've ever done and I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest!  But it all checked out fine and I was pass with a clean bill of health.

Here's what I learned from the stress test:

• I can sweat and it won't kill me.
• I can get my heart rate up and it won't kill me.
• I can stop worrying about what "might" happen when I exercise because nothing I can do at the YMCA is going to be ANYTHING like what I did in the stress test!
• I will not die from exercising, so I need to get my butt in gear and DO IT!

I'm sorry that you found out about your clogged arteries "the hard way" (a VERY hard way, to be sure!), and although it is a good idea for many people who are MO or SMO to have stress tests, the fact is that NOT everyone needs them, and if someone sees a surgeon who doesn't think they need one, they are unlikely to order one just because someone asks for it.  Not every fat person has circulatory or heart issues, and any surgeon worth a damn will do a full medical history before operating to determine what that individual's risk is and what pre-op testing is required.  

i had one a couple of years before my RNY because of an incident of chest pain (which I tried to tell the doctor was a panic attack), but did not have one before my RNY because, based on my medical history, I did not need one.

I'm not criticizing your advice, I just don't want pre-op folks who are already jittery about surgery to panic because their surgeon didn't order a stress test for them.

Lora

this is a very important test to be done before wls or any kind of surgery for that matter.