My stress test results

[Guest Emily Ray]

Last Monday I had a stress test done with echocardiogram. I was barely able to complete the test. Thursday my doctor called and said that something showed up in the atrial chamber, not sure which one, but it was inconclusive. Now, I'm worried that I have some kind of a tumor in my heart! I hope I can do another test next week and figure this out. With my ED I don't need to be looking at open heart surgery also.

[MaryEllen]

Don't jump to any conclusions, Emily. You'll only get stressed out more. It could be serious or it could be nothing. Wait until the tests are conclusive and go from there.

MaryEllen

[Guest Emily Ray]

I wish I could and I'm trying not to let my imagination run too crazy. But, I had the test to figure out why I was having chest pain and so I know something isn't quite right. I'm definitely staying away from the C word because that is usually deadly. I'm pretty sure it isn't that and so I wait.

I have found a top 1% cardiac surgeon in Rochester at the Mayo Clinic a few hours away.

[MaryEllen]

If it turns out to be something serious, then you should go and see him. Wait until your tests are in and go from there.

MaryEllen

[Charlize]

Emily don't worry its a little soon. They will certainly do other tests first before they will want to do open heart surgery. I have had open heart surgery, Its not the end of the world if you have to go through it. PM me if you want to talk to anyone. You may just need a stent or lesser procedure. Take it easy if you can and things will work out.

Hugs,

Charlie

[KathrynJulia]

Hello Emily:

The odds are extremely low for it being C. Little abnormalities often show up in the initial tests. Many of the tests in the stress test are screening tools and show a need for additional tests just to check things out. Many of the initial tests produce false positives.

Abnormalities are commonly found that must be interpreted by a skilled cardiologist. Because I have had diabetes for a couple dozen years, any blip triggers other tests to confirm or rule out problems. Mostly they are ruled out, so don't scare yourself needlessly.

Their is a reason why nurses and techs who perform these tests are cautioned repeatedly not to speculate about results to their patients. I've performed thousands of frozen sections on surgical tissues in order to give a surgeon a heads up as to whether the tissue is suspicious or cancerous. The tissue needs to go through overnight processing and then is sectioned by a skilled histologists. The slides are stained and turned over to a Pathologist and that is when a diagnosis is made. I've sat at a microscope many times with a pathologist and what looked suspicious initially turns out to be nothing or desease is confirmed.

We all fear bad medical news whether it is us or a loved one. It often isn't the end of the world news. Modern medicine has turned many bad diseases that used to injure or kill people, are now nothing more than chronic illnesses or are cured. I'm sending you a tight hug and squeeze Emily. It's going to be alright. Kathryn