Hello everyone,
I went for a walk with a close friend of mine yesterday, we usually take our dogs together for a walk through the park and play with them. Anyway, he told me yesterday that he has to do this Thallium stress test. He seems so cool and calm about it that I can't really understand how is he managing to stay calm, I would freak out. I mean, I know it is a cardiac test and that it has something to do with the heart, therefore it is probably dangerous. Since I don't know any details, can someone describe this procedure to me?
Hey Lanaya,
Thallium stress test is a nuclear imaging test that shows how well blood flows into the heart while you’re exercising or at rest. This test is also called a cardiac or nuclear stress test.
During the procedure, a radioisotope (nuclear liquid) is administered through an IV. The radioisotope will flow through your blood stream and end up in your heart. Once the radiation is in your heart, a special camera called a gamma camera can detect the radiation and reveal any issues your heart muscle is having. His doctor is probably checking if he has angina or if he had a heart attack.
Hey guys,
The thallium stress test can show the size of the heart chambers, how effectively the heart pumps (ventricular function), how well the coronary arteries supply the heart with blood (myocardial perfusion), and if the heart muscle is damaged or scarred from previous heart attacks.
It is a pretty much safe procedure, however, it does carry some risks with it, although these rarely happen. They include arrhythmias (irregular heart beat), increased angina (pain from poor blood flow in the heart), difficulty breathing, asthma-like symptoms, large swings in blood pressure, skin rashes. shortness of breath, chest discomfort, dizziness, and heart palpitations (an irregular heart beat).
I wouldn't worry about this too much, Lanaya, he is probably going to be okay, maybe he is doing this test just in case and he actually has no heart problems. Thallium stress tests are pretty much common nowadays and a lot of people are doing them in order to see how is their heart functioning. The older you get, the wiser it would be for you to take this test and to see how is your heart working. It's like the same thing as breast cancer in women, the older you get, you should get checked out for it once a year.
A thallium stress test is actually a nuclear imaging test that shows how well blood flows into the heart while you’re exercising or at rest. It actually doesn’t matter what you are doing. This test is also called a cardiac or nuclear stress test. Now, during the procedure, a radioisotope (nuclear liquid) is administered through an IV. The radioisotope will flow through your blood stream and end up in your heart. Once the radiation is in your heart, a special camera called a gamma camera can detect the radiation and reveal any issues your heart muscle is having. Your doctor could order to do it for several reasons.
Good day everyone. I remember that my good friend did this thallium stress test. Actually, this is a nuclear test and I need to tell you that I am a little bit scared of it. Doctors will determine thanks to this test is your heart working properly, how is it beat, what is wrong with it, etc. This test is done at a medical center or health care . I know that it is done is certain stages and I wrote them down that day when my friend needed to do this test. Here they are:
- A radioactive substance, such as thallium or sestamibi, will be injected into one of your veins.
- You will lie down and wait for between 15 and 45 minutes.
A special camera will scan your heart and create pictures to show how the substance has traveled through your blood and into your heart
Hey there. My mom had this test a couple of years ago. The procedure is nothing different than any other stress test procedures. Actually, this test is almost the same as the exercise stress test (if you know what this test is), except doctors will give you a small amount of a radioactive substance just before the end of the exercise part of the test. That is a little bit problem if you ask me. This radioactive substance (such as thallium or sestamibi) is not harmful to your body or your organs, but I am still scared of it. Good luck.
She's my new replacement for my 30 year family doctor who gave up his practice when Obamacare took over so she's not familiar with me or my history. She couldn't understand why I didn't have a cardiologist. I told her what happened after the bypass surgery when I was in to get the staples removed from my arm. I asked him "what I can do or not do?" He replied that I had no damage to my heart and as far as he was concerned I was as good as new and I could do anything I wanted to.
She originally got me a date with the cardiologist and I was not supposed to take my meds that morning and no coffee. That sounded like a 50 mile uphill hike on one of those infernal contraptions to me. She had me in for an EKG a few days ago that the cardiologist wanted which was fine. Next morning they called to tell me I didn't have to refrain from the meds or anything before seeing the cardiologist. A few hours later they called to tell me of a new appointment at the cardiology section of the hospital the day before seeing the cardiologist. I am to take all my meds but no caffeine and nothing to drink before going.
That makes me think they might be going to do the test being discussed here before seeing the cardiologist. What do the rest of you think?
Anyway, if I survive the test I'll be back to tell you about it.
Actually, I think that everyone needs to consult their cardiologist before thinking about some tests and medications. You can't never but NEVER avoid your cardiologist, even if we are talking about something that is not serious.
I wish you all luck at this world.
I was in for my annual checkup when she decided to have me see a cardiologist. The cardiologist wanted her to do the EKG which was all OK then he/she wanted me to have this test before my appointment with him/her.
I don't know why I never had a cardiologist regularly after the surgery. The only time I went to one was for the stress test before starting rehab so they would know what to do with me. Based on what the surgeon said "you're as good as new" and the results of the stress test I assume they didn't figure I needed to see one regularly. I noticed in rehab they were starting everyone else at about 25 to 30 pounds on all those machines that had weights while they had me doing 90 to 100 pounds so I think they thought I was in pretty good shape.
I don't know what was good or bad on the stress test results back then but I heard her read the report and it said I never achieved the target heart rate which I believe was 120. I did 10+ minutes on that infernal mountain climbing simulator. At first I thought they meant that was a bad thing but now I think the fact that my heart rate didn't get that high during that exercise was probably a good thing.
Went in yesterday for the stress test. Met an old friend from rehab from 20 years ago --- the nurse. We had plenty to talk about while she was prepping me and getting the injection site ready. She was also the one who slipped me the juice and watched the panic on my face when it got hard to breathe. All the while reassuring me that "it will pass" as I felt like I was drowning. Then she made me eat some peanut butter crackers before they strapped me onto that machine for pictures.
Since they didn't kill me they made me come back today to try again.
I survived, in case you're wondering. I didn't hear any uh-ohs or other unfriendly sounds so I'm optimistic. She was looking at the screen at times and said said it looks good.
I'd like to see the videos they took with that machine I slept under for 20 minutes both days. It was a lousy nap though, as soon as I was almost asleep the dam machine would make a couple really loud clunks and wake me up.
Next I go see the cardiologist the day after tomorrow to find out if I'm going to live a while longer.
I saw the cardiologist today and he says I should be dead by now. He told me that people who have 6x bypass usually go back for more repairs by 10 years and then it's all downhill from there. He seemed to think I should have been dead by now. On the bright side they found nothing wrong with me in all those tests. My heart still has no damage, the arteries are all working fine for my age and the heart is pumping fine. So he wants me to go in Monday for another cardiogram. I think he's determined to find something wrong. I also think I need a different cardiologist. Twenty years? Dead my arse!!! My mother died at 102, I got another 26 years to go if I'm going to beat her.
I went a few days ago to see my cardiologist and that is the main reason why I was not here and reading those posts. And guess what? He told me that I need to prepare myself because he will do this stress test to me. Now, when we are talking about this in here, but now I am scared and I don't know how to prepare. No idea.
And one question that I really want to know is - why you were eating peanut butter crackers? Maybe it is silly question, but since I need to be prepared I really need to know what can I eat before the surgery, what I can drink...do you even know some main plan?
And how do you feel now, did you went to see your cardiologist and what he or she told you?
The first stress test was the one where she did an EKG first then moved me to the table where she put in a line and set up the injection. Then the operator of the test came in to run the test. She stayed next to me after she pushed in the juice I guess to monitor my reaction as the stuff took effect and I got short of breath which is somewhat upsetting as you don't know how bad it's going to be or how long it will last. Actually it wasn't too bad and didn't last long at all. I'd have to guess at about a minute when the breathing began to return to normal.
That's the test I had to not eat for twelve hours or drink for three hours before except for water. They told me only a sip of water to take my pills in the morning but she said I could have had all the water I wanted. After the test I had to wait for an hour before going to the rotating camera part. They gave me PB crackers and some water because they wanted me to eat something before the camera part. I could have gone to the cafeteria but I chose not to.
The whole thing took just over 2 hours.
The following morning I had to go back and they injected something that I guess was a dye of some sort. He had a syringe that had a strange looking divided chamber in it with a thumb screw on the side. He got it in then pulled back a little on the plunger. I think that was to confirm he got into blood, then shoved stuff in then pulled back on the plunger again then took it out. If getting needles stuck into you bothers you, you probably don't want to watch that part. Then I had to wait for an hour with more PB crackers. Then another camera session and I was out of there.
They never told me what they called that test but it seems to match the description of the thallium test.
Echo test tomorrow, I'll let you know what happens.