Going nuclear

Went to the cardiologist a couple of days ago for surgery clearance, as required by my surgeon.  I thought my EKG done at my PCP was what I needed but found out different at my last visit with the surgeon.  He wants a clearance from the cardiologist.  I was nervous because I thought they would put my on a treadmill for a stress test, and I WOULD DIE!  I mean, gez, walking to the room where the treadmill is would be my stress test!  The cardiologist didn't like the looks of my EKG, so he has scheduled me for a nuclear stress test on the 19th.  He couldn't tell if something is wrong or just the weight I have kind of distorted the EKG.  The test will take 2 visits, with the 1st day being a "resting" test and pics, and the 2nd day being injected with some kind of nuclear radioactive glowing green stuff that will make my heart speed up and then take another pic.  So, it looks like the next surgeon visit on the 9th, which I hoped would be the one where my surgery would be scheduled, won't happen.  Am kind of scared and so disappointed.  I was really hoping the cardiologist would just kind of look through my file and write a approval letter.  (I know, my weird mind!!)  Also, because of the way I am, I am having to really fight tojust giving up.  I am not really as hillbilly as this is about to sound, but LONG time ago, I bought a banjo because, along with every other kind of music, I love bluegrass.  I practiced for a while, trying to learn the notes and chords, slowly plucking out some very simple tunes.  I then went to a bluegrass festival and was in awe of the other banjo players there.  Well, I came home, practiced a couple more days, then put it away because I couldn't play like the ones at the festival right away.  I do that all the time.  Like I said, I am fighting that now, because I want to be like some of the others on the forum that have gone from 400 plus or so to running in marathons, or biking for miles and miles a day.  I know of all the extreme hard work and dedication they went through, but I want that NOW!  I am determined not to quit, but old feelings and actions are hard to break.  Thanks for letting me ramble and vent.  Michael

Hang in there, amigo. All of this can be reason for you being even more determined to make the WLS tool work once you are cleared. Also, it will let the docs take the proper precautions for you during the surgery.

Michael, Guess what? You're pretty normal! We all want/wanted an instant suregery and fix and many of us had setbacks, delays, detours. If it helps, try to keep your eyes on the prize and imagine how much better success will be because of all the sh*t you walked through to get there. Do not give up.

arkman - you have to jump through the hoops. Trust me.  Read my story in my profile.  I fought for TWO FREAKIN' YEARS for my surgeries.  I was 677 lbs, I had all kinds of co-morbitiies, up to and including serious mobility impairments, a pulminologist that told me I was going to be dead before I was 40, and all kinds of bluster and BS like that. Being sent to a doctor at UCLA who wouldn't even look at me - told me he would never consider what the surgeons wanted to do for me.  Taking all my pre-op tests TWICE. It sucks ass.  It sucks that there's not some Star Trek style pill that we could take that would make us grow the genes to not be overweight. You have to just go through it, fight, and if this set of doctors doesn't want to do things for you, find a new set.  You'll get there.  You just have to keep trying and keep fighting. This surgery is by no means a quick fix, it's not the cure for obesity.  What it is is a tool to gain control over a part of your life that is chaotic and out of control.  You still have to do the work. But - on this side of it - as miserable as that fight was - as bad as things were for my wife and I to fight through all the bluster and bull**** for two years - it was worth it.  I'm down over 400 lbs, and I'm one of those people you mentioned that could hardly walk when this all started, and I just did a 5k yesterday. You can do it.  Keep the faith and keep fighting.

Michael set backs happen.  You may have to get the heart taken care of first before the WLS.  I had a heart attack and a double heart bypass years before my RNY.  Had to get all the stress tests too pre WLS.  If they don't fix the heart first and get it more normal, you could have problems during surgery and post surgery.  They are not just covering their backside, but also looking out for your best interest.  Just jump through the hoops and in due time it should happen.  Brian

Dont loose focus... Stay on track its a long road.. But, the reward is a healthy happy probably longer life.. Keep in mind anything that they can do so that you come out of that surgery safely is GREAT...  (The NUCLEAR thing makes me a bit currious though. For some reason Uncle Fester and the light bulb just comes to mind..) Oh the hoops they make us jump through to get to this one commun goal.. Just add it up to yet another in the list take it in stride and keep the BIG picture somewhere in you mind.. If your at the point of seek approval then you to far to give up now.  Hang in there.   

My cardiologist hinted at what must be the nuclear thing.  It's a way that the docs can do a stress test on someone who can't take a walking/running stress test nor do one on a bike.  They can stress the heart without exercise and see how it reacts.  They must have some way of quickly relieving that stress or you know they wouldn't even be doing it.  This is a good thing.

That sounds like a much better thing then I was imagining...... Im sorry you have to go through all that. Still keep in mind that its for your safety.. Keep us posted on the out come. Everything will be okay.. You just need to stay focused on the end result.................. Next year we'll both be happy healthy SKINNY People..

Michael, I had a nuke test about a month ago. Mine was done in one four hour visit. It's a pretty painless process. It sounds like they are not going to put you on the treadmill. They have a drug that causes your heart rate to spike without getting on a treadmill. You'll likely have your results in five days or less. Trust me, you want to have this test done if there is any question. The nuke stress test is the gold standard of heart tests so one way or another, you'll know exactly where you stand regarding your heart's health. Something that's good to know up front. Hang in there. I'm still pre--op as well and every time I hear any news that pushes me out even a day I get frustrated... Take care and best wishes! Mark

Michael,

It is a good thing that you have a cardiologist that is going to make sure your heart is in the best possible shape prior to have anesthesia.  General anesthesia puts a lot a stress on a person's heart, so you want to have whatever medications that will help reduce these stresses in your system prior to surgery (if necessary).

The Stress test can be done in several ways.  A plain old exercise stress test is they hook you up like they did for the electrocardiogram and get you on a treadmill and keep making you walk faster and at a higher incline until your heart rate reaches 80% of you maximum predicted value (I can't remember the calculation but it is something like 200 - your age * .8 or in the 140's for a 45 year old guy).  The Nuclear part comes in when they inject a nuclear tracer into your blood near the end of the test.  The idea is that the tracer gets taken to all the parts of the heart that blood is reaching, so when they take pictures with a special camera to "photographs" where the tracer is reaching, they will see where blood is reaching in the heart (hopefully everywhere indicated no blockages in the arteries that supply blood to the heart).  If there are areas that are showing reduced blood flow, the pictures the next day will indicate that blood was getting through when the heart is at a normal rate, often referred to as reperfusion.  For people who can not walk on the treadmill, they can inject a medication that will speed up the heart to the required rate to get the EKG and pictures.

Good luck, let us know how things work out.

Jim