Stress test question.......

I have my pre-op testing coming up in a couple of weeks. I am over 50 so I will need to do a stress test, I did have one and followed it with a heart cath about 15 months ago but they tell me that if you haven't had a stress test within the last year that i will need to take one.........

So in the middle of June I had knee surgery and because of all of the arthritis my knee is still bothering me, I am sure that I will not make it on the treadmill as long as they will want me to go. What happens if i can't go thedistance because of my knee?? I can walk OK and get around in the stores etc but fast paced and up hill on a treadmill is out for me right now.

I am just  a little over a month away from my surgery and don't' want it posponed.


Butch

They have a meds they can give you, that can speed your heart rate like you are actually on a treadmill

They'll do it by giving you drugs. It's called a persantine stress test. You get a baseline measure, then you get injected with the stuff to stress your heart and measured again. Then you get the antidote to that drug.

Although I know this is rather safe because this is the same type of stress test they give my father who is a survivor of a major heart attack the whole thing just sounds scary as ******g hell! 

I've had several of them and never even felt a thing. Well, MAYBE a little bit of heart pounding but scarcely any of that.

Because of my knee, that is the way I had to go a few years back.  Not the greatest feeling in the world, but I got to hold the cute (male) tech's hand 'cause I thought I was going to pass out.  Yea.

Butch:

When I had my stress test I didn't have to get on a treadmill.  No way could I have done that.  I was way too big and heavy.  There is a stress test where they can give you an injection that mimics you being on the machine.  It feels awful for a few minutes and they watch you but once it's over...it's over.  I have no idea what it's called but the cardiologist can tell you.  I had a knee replacement for a bum knee several years ago and I can sympathize with you and having a lousy knee.

There's hope...be sure to ask and they can do this alternate testing for you.

B

You can try and  request they skip stress test, or there is a medication  one,

if you fail for not completing test or non function, they will make you do the cath anyway to clear your heart.

if it was me, and your last one was clear of heart problems, and you  cannot walk well with speed, I would talk to cardiologist and see if you could just do the angio ,,,

Good luck !!

I did call my cardioliogist and ask for a slip so that I wouldn't have to do the treadmill. They said since it has been more than a year since my last one that he wold not give me one. I plan on taking the results of my heart cath with me but expect that I will need the stress test. Since they can inject me it's no big deal, I just did not want to get put off because I failed the test.........

Thanks for the information!

I had the Persantine stress test a few years ago. I'm diabetic, and was having chest pain, so they injected that stuff into my IV, and almost immediately I felt like I was running up a steep hill! I started gasping for breath, my heart felt like it was trying to jump out of my chest....I never want to feel that sensation again. I felt like I had NO control! Anywho, long story short, I was fine, never found out why my chest hurt like that.

Now earlier this year, I had a heart cath just because my doctor wanted to make sure beyond a doubt that my heart was up for this DS surgery. He said that it was also because women's breasts can obstruct veiws of heart echo's. So I had a cath, and I never felt a thing. I was actually shocked, because I thought for sure I would feel a wire snaking up through my body, but nope...nada.

Once again, I'm fine, no evidence of heart disease. So hopefully soon I'll join the Dark Side!

Good Luck Butch!