www.heart2hearts.co.uk

[suey]

Well, Tues will soon be here! I was fine about the angiogram for a while, even stopped smoking for a week. Now I started smoking again yesterday because suddenly I am so stressed out about it. Then tonight I read on the internet that I am supposed to stop smoking 24 hrs before and for 24 hrs after? No one told me this.
I have this rediculous urge to keep considering I could be dead next week if it all goes wrong. ( I know ..anything can happen to us next week!). I see trouble whenever I think of it. Not only that but my imagination then tells me that it might not even be on that day but the days after! ie stroke etc
I am so scared the thought of lying still on my back without any kind of sedation while they probe around my heart turns my stomach. I feel the anxiety I will face on that morning will be huge and probably for two or three days after ( if I survive).
Why am I so scared? How does everyone cope with all this? I have tried so hard to just stick out my chin and take it but I still find it hard to belive they feel a need to do the angiogram.
Help!!!!!

[Mister Roy]

Suey, all I can see is, I'm sure I hated the idea as much as you, but I got through it. You can't feel anything, you don't have to look at what's happening on the screens and it doesn't take long. In my place the nurses were great. Let them do their thing and soon you'll be on the other side of this particular hurdle.
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This couldn't have happened to a nicer guy

[suey]

Thank you so much for those words. It does help. Another day ahead...I shall get as busy as I can. I wish it were over with. I find it difficult to breathe flat on my back so for hours?
Thanks again
Suey

[Mister Roy]

I think the lying flat business depends on how things go - with a bit of luck you'll be like me, sitting up very soon with a nice cup of tea
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This couldn't have happened to a nicer guy

[steve]

hello i can asure you they dont ask for you to have the procedure done if you didnt need it the time comes and goes and after you will wonder what all the fuss is about, i had mine done after being stolen from my front room with wind pains or so i thought well thats another story, like i said i had mine last year feb time cant even remember how it actually felt to be honist. im sure you will be fine i hope all goes well and you can come back to forum and tell us how a pulled tooth hurt more.

best wishes

steve.

[wendywinblos]

I am sure I have had sedation for all of mine. I am sure you will be fine. This is a fairly routine procedure these days to the staff involved.

It really will be all over before you know it.

Good luck

Steve
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Steve
Live long & prosper

[suey]

Thank you so much for the support all of you. I have to ring them up on Monday becasue I am confused about things. The cardiac nurse told me I could eat until 9.30am and drink until 11.30 (have to be there for 12.) The letter that came yesterday said nil to eat after 6.30am and nothing to drink after 9.30 apart from sips of water. I will come back and let you know how it went. thanks again
Suey

[pip12]

Suey
Good luck for Tuesday.

I have a tracheal echo Monday so I am on myn no food. Im allowed Tea without milk! yuk!

Dont worry about the angio, I know you have worried bout your own mortality but I guess we all have to look at the bigger picture without the investigations and the procedures I would argue our chances are a lot less!. I keep thing back to my Grandparents generation, how on earth did they cope with valve probelms and stuff?

[suey]

Thanks...good luck with the echo. I guess you are right. My cardiac doc said that I was one of the lucky people because so many people are walking about with problems and they dont even know. he said...take this chance to have a heart M.O.T and then thereafter you will be observed regularly in case things change. He said those on heart drugs and having had heart ops are under medical scrutiny and therefore have a good chance of survival!!
Suey

[suey]

Well well well! I was gobsmacked! My heart is perfectly healthy no problems at all. Must have been a false positive thallium test.
I was terrible during the procedure. Lost the plot at one point and asked them to stop! Had 5mg valium and it didnt do anything to help. The nurses were absolutely brilliant though and understood. They told me half the patients are terrfied and show it to some degree. The doc did put the catheter in and I hadnt had enough LA and it hurt like mad so they had to take it out (ouch) and give me more. Apart from that I cant fault the way the staff handled it all. It was over in 20 minutes.

Thanks so much for all your support guys, it was a great help having this forum. Hope all goes well for you all.

Suey

[Mister Roy]

That's brilliant news
Well done you for going through with it
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This couldn't have happened to a nicer guy