Stress Test results...

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TellicoTurning

TellicoTurning

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Joined
Sep 24, 2006
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8,208
Location
Tellico Plains, Tennessee, USA.
I saw my doctor last week and mentioned that I sometimes have trouble with my breathing... I get short of breath pretty easy and sometimes have to conscientiously suck air in to fill my lungs... I think I tend not to breath deep enough... anyway she decides I need a stress test to make sure of no heart issues, especially since in my family almost all of the men died of heart failure and at one time with 4 living uncles, all had had open heart surgery.

Friday was my test date and 'course they sent a list of do's and don'ts .. one of which was don't take any of your medicine for 24 hours in advance of the test... I take a metropolol twice a day and by the time the test was over I was off the medication for over 36 hours....I did the treadmill okay and didn't have any real problem other than I was very winded when finished. The RN sat me in a chair to take some reading and I went into a rapid heart beat... must have unnerved her a bit, she grabbed a phone called a doctor to the lab and started throwing stuff out of a cabinet up on top for when the doctor got there... I saw a vial, syringe, a bag of saline and a couple of other things... I wasn't feeling much until she started than, then think it really kicked into gear... I've had a slight rapid hear beat before and usually a good hard cough or deep breath and hold it for a few seconds will slow it back and my Metropolol keeps it regulated.

Long story short, by the time the doctor arrived, I had already dropped out of the rapid heart beat and felt okay... a little light headed and still out of breath, but otherwise pretty much normal... we finished up and left the clinic and went to lunch. I did a light lunch and then we headed over to Lowe's to look at a new grill... I got a little light headed again and decided the grill could wait and wanted to head home... we got on the highway and I had a spell of light headedness and a little dizziness and decided I had better let the wife drive. She's been having trouble with her eyes from her diabetes and doesn't drive much at all. I don't know which was worst, the stress from the test or letting her drive :rolleyes::biggrin:... but we got home okay and
I felt like I had just run a marathon... spent the next 4 or 5 hours sitting in my chair and napping, then went to bed early. This morning I'm back to normal...or as near normal as I get. I still find myself breathing hard occasionally, but otherwise feel fine.

I'll probably hear from the doctor early next week to come back in for another check up.
 
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Well, hopefully it's not anything serious, but in the meantime just take it easy till you hear back from the Doc.
Get someone to drive you around till you get the all clear. It won't do anyone any good if you end up having a prang on the highway!!:wink:
Get well soon
 
"Danger Will Robinson" or in your case Chuck. Mine started with headaches, light headedness, then just do anything small and have rapid heartrate, breathing fast and hard to catch more air, then chest pains. All of that over about 4 months. Then coming back from going somewhere I got out of the car,felt little dizzy, went maybe 10 steps and sharp pain sent me down on one knee. Tried to stand up and it hit me again. Long story short: Massive heart attack, Double Bypass with 70% blockage one artery NS 85% in another. Now I can't do a lot of stuff like I did, had to stop some, taking Metaprolol with a fews others and blood thinners. 17 meds a day, some 3 times a day (not all for the heart). I also have Diabetes and take insulin 3 times a day and that causes enough other problems also.

So please Chuck, don't wait when you feel different like that. Go see your Dr as much as you need to. Keep alert about your heart.

Ray (sorry for so long of a post)
 
CHUCK........Just rest until you get to see the Doctor again. Be sure to tell her how you felt when you got home. How long you napped till you felt better. This information will help her to take care of you. Get you on the correct amount/type of meds. We need you here in the IAP and your wife needs you also.
Take care, sending prayers.
 
Chuck, if you only had a stress test, I would talk to your doctor about a heart scan. There's things that don't always show up on the stress test and considering your experience I would be up for several test if I were in your shoes. Which I may be one day since diabetes and heart disease runs in through the males in my family as well. Grandpa made it to 64 and dad only made it to 58. I'm at 56 and can still run/walk 5-7 miles at a time, but I pay attention to what I eat and try to do cardio workouts that give the ticker a workout in order to break the family traits (also lost 80 lbs a few years back to help out). All this to say "Be careful, listen to the doc, and take care of yourself!

God Bless
 
Take care of yourself Chuck! Do whatever tests the Doctor wants. I was 42 when my heart attack hit. I thought a nap on the couch was all I needed. Luckily for me, my wife told me we was going to the hospital. I now take plenty of pills everyday. Stress test twice a year. 13 years later still going strong. Just follow your Doctor's advice & take of yourself.
 
Thanks all for the encouragement... I plan to take it easy and see what the doc has to say... my father had a massive heart attack at 74 ... I'm almost 72 now ... fortunate other thing is most of the other men in the family on both sides have lived into 80's and 90's... have an aunt on Dad's side of the family that is mid 90's and has had a stroke, but has kicked it and pretty much back to normal. Mom was in her late 80's when she passed, so I do have longevity working for me.
 
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