Nuclear Stress Test- Anyone Had One Before?

why are you waiting two weeks to quit smoking? If you are serious about it, quit today. 

Smoking makes the tissues inside  very fragile. You are setting yourself up for potential post op problems by waiting to quit.

There's a few reasons I'm waiting. My husband is quitting with me and we agreed on April 2nd. Neither of us want to be at work the first few days of being cigarette free.....we both have very stressful jobs and I think I would be more likely to give in on the first day if I was there. I also have generalized panic disorder and anxiety disorder. My triggers are somatic, so I've been working with my therapist on ways I can use my anxiety to help me quit smoking. The idea is to get a few "cigarette free" days in- all the while using my fears of having a heart attack or my heart beating crazily as a deterrent to smoke again b/ c it will make my heart race and make me feel "funny"  Similar to how dumping syndrome prevents many bariatric patients from eating things they shouldn't. I know it sounds crazy, but I have a plan and I'm committed to sticking to it.  Thank you for helping me stay focused! I do truly want to quit!

I agree with Holly Kim.  I smoked for 23 years and it took me years to get the strength to do it.  You NEED to do it now, your doctor won't likely do surgery if you are a smoker.  I've been nicotine free for 4 years now, and I know how hard it was to kick it.  I also know it's completely doable.  I actually compare the quitting smoking to the surgery.  It takes an assload of willpower to stick with it.  Quit today.  Use the patch for now if you have to, but quit.  

I also want to say that my mother is a long time smoker and has COPD, high blood pressure, kindey disease and is only 62 years old.  Last I checked she was still smoking.  She's made her choices and it's going to really suck when she's dead and doesn't get to see her grandkids grow up.

I had one done a few years ago and no treadmill.

I had one done. They didn't want to put me on the treadmill due to chest pain.  Horrible experience. I'd do a treadmill any day over that test!!! Took about a week for me to feel normal again. On the other hand, my father has had several with no problems at all. 

I have had many of them - it is a strange feeling to get quickly out of breath and have your heart beat hard while sitting absolutely still but its over pretty quickly. 

Me too. I had to have one every year while I was on the transplant list. A somewhat annoying test but not the worse thing.

I've had several also.  Some with a treadmill and an injection (last year), some with just a treadmill and some with just injections.  The only real problem I had was a few years ago when they only used injections.  It triggered the most severe migraine and they actually had to shoot me up with  morphine to get it to go away when they were done. 

Now, the hardest part for me is that I am prone to panic attacks and having my heart beat so rapidly mimicked  those feelings.  I was most afraid of the last one because even though I am now close enough to a normal weight to be ok on a treadmill I have a bad knee and knew the injections were coming.  All of my worry was wasted - everything was fine.  They used injections and a treadmill.

Try not to worry too much.  They can give or email you the protocol they are planning to use in your case so you will know exactly what will be happening.  And really, it's just a few minutes of possible discomfort so keeping things in perspective sometimes helps as well.

You'll be fine and it will be over before you know it.  =)

When they called to schedule it I asked them specifically if it would be with the treadmill or chemically induced and they said treadmill. I was relieved, as I do have panic disorder, and just like you, I don't know that I could handle being on a table holding still while my heart is beating out of my chest (for what would seem like no reason to my brain, even though I would know logically, why it was happening) 

Thanks for the support! Much appreciated!!

I had a nuclear stress test to get cleared for surgery.  No treadmill involved.  I had to avoid caffeine for 24 hours prior to the test.  The idiots in my cardiologist's office neglected to mention that to me, so I had to return the following day to finish the test.

I would suggest that you quit smoking now rather than later.   Good luck