Stress Test

[eg1]

Anybody ever done one?

I am going in to see the Doc this week to get one arranged, and not sure what to expect.

 

[Thomas]

Well, I had a stress echo (same? not sure) that consisted of 15 minutes on a treadmill with increasing pace and grade. By the end I was at max HR, then had to hop off and lay quietly as they did up this ultrasound on my chest and back. It was not bad at all.

My dad had one as well, but he had a broken foot so they ended up giving him a shot of adrenaline (?), and he thought it was the worst feeling ever, like falling down a well for ages.

Good luck and study hard!

 

[Rambo]

Its no big deal. The set you up with a bunch of monitors, take a nuclear ct/xray/some ****, then have you run on a treadmill for about 5 minutes, about 30 sec/1 min minute at top speed, and monitor you the whole time. Then, they scan you again. They also inject you with some nuclear dye that the scan pics up. Its not painful or problematic at all. Don't even worry about it.

 

[JayJay]



Well, I had a stress echo (same? not sure) that consisted of 15 minutes on a treadmill with increasing pace and grade. By the end I was at max HR, then had to hop off and lay quietly as they did up this ultrasound on my chest and back. It was not bad at all.

Good luck and study hard!

I had one two weeks ago, and it was as described by Thomas. It's a quick and uneventful experience.

 

[eg1]

Oh good -- was worried my advanced sedentariness might make this a painful experience.

 

[JayJay]



Oh good -- was worried my advanced sedentariness might make this a painful experience.

Well, it will be exhausting, which of course is the point of it all.

 

[Thomas]



Well, it will be exhausting, which of course is the point of it all.

Yep - they spin you up to max heart rate - which is the 'stress' behind the test.

FWIW, I was already in quite good shape when I had mine, and was still huffing and puffing at the end. But I found my max HR which was a nice benefit.

 

[JayJay]



Yep - they spin you up to max heart rate - which is the 'stress' behind the test.
FWIW, I was already in quite good shape when I had mine, and was still huffing and puffing at the end. But I found my max HR which was a nice benefit.

Same with me, I'm in excellent shape. I run or workout daily so the test was a breeze, albeit totally exhausting, and I reached my max heart rate. The only issue I had was getting from the treadmill to the bed before my heart rate dropped too precipitously.

 

[eg1]

See, this is exactly the sort of **** I was worried about, though maybe being more out of shape it will take me less time to get completely woofed?

 

[Thomas]



See, this is exactly the sort of **** I was worried about, though maybe being more out of shape it will take me less time to get completely woofed?

Possibly, though it depends on how quickly they ramp you up. It may be that they pick 15 minutes to get you to max HR as a safety measure.

Alternatively, I'd once read that heart rate spins up easier for better-trained people, although HR at a given workload/effort level tends to be lower. But it's been years since I read this, might be wrong.

 

[JayJay]



Alternatively, I'd once read that heart rate spins up easier for better-trained people, although HR at a given workload/effort level tends to be lower. But it's been years since I read this, might be wrong.

Yep, for the fit, HR ramps up easily and falls rapidly.

 

[rms340]

I used to be a Nuclear Technologist that did Stress tests. It's actually harder for people who are in shape to get their HR up. It depends on the Cardiologist, but usually they want your HR at at least 85% of max HR before injecting you with the Radioactive isotope, or, if you're doing an echo, before they take another picture of your heart. If you can't get your heart rate up, a lot of times they'll give you a medicine that will take the place of running on the treadmill.

No need to worry about the test, they monitor you the whole time, so if they see anything adverse, they know to cut it short, but the chances of that are very unlikely. Hope the test goes well and that you pass the test!

 

[fwiffo]

It's possible to fail?

 

[eg1]

OK, had it this morning and it was not as bad as I had feared. No breathing tubes or anything, just electrodes on chest/abdomen (will have some oddly shaven bits here and there for a while), blood pressure collar, and a finger clamp for pulse. I think I was on the treadmill for about 15 minutes -- started out with a slow walk, and then at intervals the incline and pace would increase. Never actually had to run (as I had feared), just walk really, really fast (faster than I ever would off a treadmill). Broke a sweat, but wasn't gasping or anything.

Now just wait for the doc to give me to report, I guess.

 

[JayJay]



OK, had it this morning and it was not as bad as I had feared. No breathing tubes or anything, just electrodes on chest/abdomen (will have some oddly shaven bits here and there for a while), blood pressure collar, and a finger clamp for pulse. I think I was on the treadmill for about 15 minutes -- started out with a slow walk, and then at intervals the incline and pace would increase. Never actually had to run (as I had feared), just walk really, really fast (faster than I ever would off a treadmill). Broke a sweat, but wasn't gasping or anything.
Now just wait for the doc to give me to report, I guess.

Sounds good, glad it went ok. Be grateful for the "oddly shaven bits", the nurse didn't shave mine and I have a hairy chest. The attachments weren't too painful coming off, but was bad enough, particularly knowing that the pain was needless.