Nuclear Stress Test-Terrified

thank you very much. a hug just what I needed. and it felt good to tell my story and not be silent. the girl who ran the test, I found out, is now working for Kaiser Permanente. That's my insurance co.! warmest regards, Krista

I recently had the test and there's not much to it. It takes 4-5 hours because of the wait time while waiting for the drug to circulate through your system.
The techs will set up an IV through which they inject the trace medicine.. bring your own snacks, the hospital didn't supply any but they make that clear at the start..
In a nut shell they follow the blood trail to the heart then through the heart at the end to determine if there are blockages the they apply an antidote to offset any side effects of the medicine. You feel a warming effect slightly from the medicine. Whatever side effects if any you may have disappears immediately with the antidote.
I'm sure you have nothing to fear form the test..
Hope this eases your mind.. best if luck..

It doesn't hurt but it is sure a strange feeling. Fortunately, this doesn't last long.

I had one recently with no issues, The technician took his time to explain exactly what he was going to do and what to expect. The physical part on the treadmill was geared towards reaching 85% of my heart's output, but I could have stopped it at any point. What was not clear to me was the follow up with my cardio afterwards who told me my main artery was less than 70% clogged. That seems high to me, but apparently not high enough to warrant further treatment, other than maintaining my daily intake o 40mgs of crestor.

@jingqui2025
One thing I forgot..they may put you on the treadmill to get heart rate up..But they may just go with unclear medicine which is what I had..if that's offered go that route.

I had nuclear stress test a few years back. I had been using a treadmill for several months in rehab, so I was used to it. Your attendants should ask if you have ever been on one before and offer advice and assistance if needed.

The injections I was given were to give whoever read the results a good picture of my heart functioning within its limits. It did what it was supposed to do, and I received a reasonable estimate of my ejection fraction, which was around 35. Normal, I believe, is 50-60. so my left ventricle is does not have enough force to get oxygen and nutrients to the parts of my body that need them. I was told that while using the treadmill would do next to nothing to repair the damage to my left ventricle, it would strengthen my other heart chambers. It also gives my organs, especially my kidneys, which often become less functional over time with congestive heart failure, a little boost. I've had no kidney problems yet. After my heart attack, I asked my doctor for an estimate of how long I might live. He hemmed and hawed but I told him I needed some kind of idea even if was just an educated guess. Two to five years was his guess. He did, however, suggest I continue using a treadmill and add a bit of weight lifting.

I took his advice, and it's been nine years now. I despise the mill de Sade, but I'm on it every other day for 45 minutes. Watching movies helps with the boredom and discomfort. I've worked up to 6.5 km/hour at a 15 degree grade for about half the ride, around twenty minutes.

I'm still here. I did not expect to be. I fully believe the treadmill time made that possible. I would rather jog but it's hot year round where I live, so at least I can get my exercise done in a/c.

I'm trying my best to outlive my dogs, as they would probably have to be euthanized if I predecease them. One is 12 and the other seven. One was a soi dog whose person died and the other from a completely wild litter. They found me. I don't know that either could survive outside now, and it would be very difficult to find someone to adopt inside dogs. It's not a thing here. People have dogs, but most of them run loose. If they do their job, bark at strangers and kill snakes, they get a bit of food every day. Some get a little affection too. But they also hit the street early morning and late afternoon to pick up what people throw out their windows for them. And some very kind people have dogs that they take food to every day in various locations where they congregate. The 3rd world is not devoid of kindness in spite of its many hardships.

Approach your upcoming treadmill ride with caution. Use the handles for balance if needed. Hopefully you will get a good picture of your heart health and can make a plan to try to improve its tenure.

I recently started taking jardiance and eliquis. Any advice on those would be appreciated. Amiodarone was the pits.