So, I was scheduled by my Dr office for all my appts, one of which was a stress test this morning at 10. I didn't know what to expect but the letter from my Dr office said I should wear loose, comfy clothing. So I figured the treadmill was in my future. Wrong.

The hospital staff even had to call my Dr office to clarify, because there was not a chance that I was going there to do the wrong test. No way. Turns out, all I had to do what an ultra sound of my heart...so for those that have a "stress test" coming up, it may be a good idea to find out just what that entails! As a matter of fact, I do not believe what I had today could even be classified as a stress test, I have no idea...

Did anyone here actually do the treadmill?

No treadmill here! I never had to do a stress test. All I had to do was meet with a cardiologist and he did and EKG. It was quick and easy, and he cleared me for surgery.

So, I was scheduled by my Dr office for all my appts, one of which was a stress test this morning at 10. I didn't know what to expect but the letter from my Dr office said I should wear loose, comfy clothing. So I figured the treadmill was in my future. Wrong.

The hospital staff even had to call my Dr office to clarify, because there was not a chance that I was going there to do the wrong test. No way. Turns out, all I had to do what an ultra sound of my heart...so for those that have a "stress test" coming up, it may be a good idea to find out just what that entails! As a matter of fact, I do not believe what I had today could even be classified as a stress test, I have no idea...

Did anyone here actually do the treadmill?

Cool! Do you have more testing ahead? I have sleep study, ultrasound, upper gi with Barium swallow left before my final consult on Dec 20

This is what I had done when I had a stress echo:

You will have several electrodes (small, sticky patches) placed on your chest and a baseline electrocardiogram (ECG) will be done. The Echocardiography Technologist will first perform an echocardiogram at rest.

To do this, a small device called a transducer is held against your chest with ultrasound gel while you lie on your left side with your left arm up.

Next, you will be asked to walk on a treadmill. The average walking time is 6 to 10 minutes. Your blood pressure and ECG will be recorded several times throughout this test. The treadmill will start slowly and then gradually increase speed and incline. You will continue walking until you are either too tired to continue, you have reached your target heart rate or the Cardiologist or his/her designee has obtained adequate information. You will be asked to report any symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath. The test may be stopped if you experience these symptoms.

Immediately after you have finished walking on the treadmill, the final echocardiogram will be done. Again, you will lie on your left side while the transducer is placed on your chest to record pictures.

I had labwork, sleep study, esophagram (done twice because he wanted to look again because I apparently have a delayed swallowing thing going on), cardiac clearance (EKG only), Psych eval, and six months of nutrition counseling. I finished my nutrition counseling last friday, and he submitted my info to the insurance. I'm just waiting to hear the word from the insurance company. I've got my fingers and toes crossed!!

Cool! Do you have more testing ahead? I have sleep study, ultrasound, upper gi with Barium swallow left before my final consult on Dec 20

I had both an echocardiogram and stress EKG (on treadmill). They were done on separate days

I did a stress test on a treadmill with something injected in my iv line to show up on the scan I had before and after. It was called a nuclear stress test on the paperwork. I had my ekg before the stress test began.

Looks like theres a huge variety of tests that different doctors do, they clearly have very different preferences from doctor to doctor

I think it depends on your Cardiologist - I already had an EKG and had to wear a monitor for something unrelated so all my cardio needed was the treadmill....all doctors are different - they require different things for a preop clearance

The only test that my doctor required was blood work be done one week before surgery.

The nuclear stress test is the most accurate, but most insurance co. Will not pay for it unless you have a Hx.

They inject a radioactive isotope into your bloodstream and then have you lay on your back while the machine takes photo's of your heart from different angles. The isotope shows up as a bright red/orange in your cardiac arteries showing the blood flow to the heart.

Then you get on the treadmill and the goal is to get you 85% of your max heart rate for 5 minutes.

They immediately give you a 2nd dose of the isotope and take a 2nd set of pictures.

Before and after, the after is with your heart under stress. They compare the 2 sets and can determine any cardiac arterial blockages, and what %.

I have had cardiac surgery (angioplasty) to insert a stent in one of my arteries based upon my stress test results. A severe blockage would have meant cardiac bypass surgery. (open heart)

A cardiac arterial blockage will most likely result in a infarct if gone unattended.

I now have a stress test every year.

This was before being banded, and all a result of being obese.

The Anesthesiologist is the one who is most paranoid about cardiac clearance before putting someone under.