PET/CT Scan...

Mentioned in and earlier blog, it's been years since I visited a cardiologist. All my hypertension prescriptions were written by my primary care physician. I'm not feeling any anxiety, symptoms of pain or that I have heart trouble, but sometimes heart attacks come without warning. The smart thing is to be proactive and see a cardiologist.

My cardiologist started off with a heart scan using ultrasound and that test was a few weeks ago. A second test was for stress. We're all thinking it's the test where I'll be on a treadmill with oxygen tubes and electrodes running 'for my life' while some technicians are monitoring my condition.

Last week they called and told me what to expect... it's not the treadmill test, it's a PET/CT. That means I slide into a tube scanner, similar to an MRI machine/device and they scan the heart with an injection of dye for imaging contrast first. After that scan, they they inject a drug that dilates the blood vessels and re-scan. They warned me the effect would make me feel weird. That wasn't the correct word. Within a minute I began to feel like I wasn't getting enough air and my breathing increased to the point of heart pounding, extreme headache as though I was climbing stairs but my body was at rest.

I was told caffeine would help get over the symptoms so I stopped for coffee and a sandwich. The test required fasting for 12 hours before and it was a good idea to eat some food before I pass out!

Four hours later and walking around has me feeling like I did 2 months ago when I just started doing morning walks... as though I exercised on the first day.
I did some research and it appears to be a side effect that will soon pass.

Tomorrow is the followup with the cardiologist and I'm hoping the results are normal.