catherization scheduled!!

[Enudely]

Well, I went and saw my cardio today and the catherization has been scheduled for Tuesday, Dec 2nd!!! I'm one step closer to the surgery. He said after the catherization we will set up a conference with the surgeon, and set the date for the surgery. He said this surgeon is very busy, so the day might not be until January or February. Of course, that seems like years away at this point!!!! The positive side is this, if the surgery is not until February, maybe I can still go to Guatemala!!?? (for those of you who remember the previous debate) I was worried about getting sick over there, but I will be getting back on Jan 4th.. so I would have a whole month to heal..... anyway, we'll see. Of course, if he says we can do it in January, I'll take it. The sooner the better, that's for sure!!
I guess I'll know my surgery date in another two weeks or so!!!
I'm a little nervous about the catherization. The doc said that it should be a simple in and out procedure. Then the nurse who scheduled it said "probably" when I asked her if I would be leaving the hospital that day. Somehow, "probably" doesn't reassure me. I'm a worried about complications. Hopefully, all will go well!!!!! Does anyone know the chanced of having a routine, easy catherization!??

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Elena,
Good Luck with your catherization on Tuesday. It should be fine. When I had mine in April I was only there for about 6 hrs, I was expecting to be there overnight like the last one I had in 1975. It is amazing how they have changed them. Let us know when you have a date set for your surgery. If you do get to go Guatemala I hope you have a safe and wonderful time. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Take Care

Dave
______________________________
Surgery: 4/21/03
Aortic Aneurysm Repair
AVR, with a St. Jude Mechanical

 

[Ross]

Elena unless they decide they need to put stents into a blocked artery, you should have a normal out patient cath. It's when they find trouble that may make an overnight stay a possibility. I haven't found them to be any big deal. Actually, I thought it was kind of cool since I got to watch the monitor during the procedure. I especially liked the dye injection and the warm fuzzy feeling rapidly flowing through all the body quadrants. Yes, I'm nuts, but you knew that already.

 

[warnerd]

Good luck Elena!
I think I got lucky and in my cath, they went thru the arm. I think there might be less risk in that procedure. Ther's no worries once the drugs start to flow. I swear they could have done the open heart right then and I wouldn't have objected. Good stuff I tell you. daw

 

[Enudely]

so you think it's going to take SIX HOURS??? For some reason, I figured I could drive up north and teach three guitar lessons after the Catherization. I guess I should cancel them, then...?
Should I bring someone with me. I don't really want to make my boyfriend wait for six hours, but of course, I also don't want to go alone. My Cardiologist told me that they will be going in through the groin area.
Why does it take so long? Is it mostly waiting?
yes, Ross, I'm wierd too and am looking forward to that warm, fuzzy feeling. It sounds fun! I just hope nothing goes wrong.

 

[Karlynn]

The procedure itself shouldn't take all that long. It's giving your leg/groin area where they put in the catheter time to close up and they'll release you when they are sure it won't open up again. I wouldn't plan on teaching guitar lessons and I'd have someone drive you home. Be good to your body, pamper it and let it rest and relax.

I wouldn't risk that trip to Guatemala even if your surgery ends up in February or beyond. You could pick up something that would take you a long time to get over. My sister-in-law has a student who contracted something when she was in Mexico and it took her months to get healthy again. She was functioning and able to continue her studies, but she was treated for months for whatever it was she had. I have a feeling that a surgeon would look like this if you told him you were going to Guatemala in January before a February surgery.

As far as that warm fuzzy feeling - it's just too bad it also envolves the catheter in your veins. But that's probably what keeps people from walking in off the street and requesting cardiac caths.

Good luck with your Cath! Keep your exhuberant attitude too.

Karlynn

 

[MarciaB]

Hey Elena,

Isn't it nice to have a date to focus on? Even if it's a date to get another date. Cath's are pretty easy. Really not something to fear. I did the last one with local only, and really, it was better than a colonoscopy! One bit of advice, make sure they let you go to the bathroom before. They will NOT let you up during the period afterwards (only 2 hours for my last). The cath before the last one, they had me an hour or so before the cath, an hour for the cath, and 4 hours after. All that time on some kind of IV drip. I thought I was either going to die from holding it, or die of embarassment with a bed pan and a male nurse. Your SO can leave of course while you're in there, my husband found a good deli and a reuben sandwich while they were poking me.

 

[Kathy]

I had an hour's wait, an hour in the cath lab, and 4 hours of being still. I was very tired afterward.

I had a BIG pressure bandage when I left and was told to keep it on until the next morning. I couldn't get my jeans back on. You might want to wear athletic pants.

It was much easier than the cath I had in the 60's. They used to do a cutdown and you had stitches in your groin for a week. I was on the table for four hours and they strapped down my head and arms. Half way through the docs took a coffee break! Caths in this era are much more tolerable.

 

[Nancy]

Hi Elena-

Nice that things are moving along for you.

As far as the cath. You better block out the whole day and even the next for good measure. The procedure itself is short, but the prep, and the aftercare are lengthy. And when they finally release you, you will asked to stay fairly quiet for the rest of the day and possibly the next. You'll be sore in the groin area and will have bandaging of some sort.

I'll never forget shopping at an exclusive store, and there was a family who came in with a young teenager in tow. They were Christmas shopping, and were dragging him all over. After a while it became apparent that he wasn't feeling well, and was very woozy. His family had walked way ahead of him. I asked him if he was alright, and he said no, that he was dizzy, and that he had just had a catheterization. I got him a chair from the manager and made him sit down. His family was so totally clueless. I wanted to read them the riot act. Real jerks the whole lot of them.
They sent him out to the car while they continued to shop!

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi elena!
wishing you all the best with your upcoming cath. please let us know how it goes.
be well, sylvia

 

[MelissaM]

Hi Elena,

You should definitely have someone go with you - one of the most uncomfortable activities after the procedure for a couple of days is driving. They went into the right side groin on mine, which made pushing the gas pedal hard. Just sitting in a position that put pressure on the torso/leg crease was uncomfortable for a couple of days.

Also, they used a procedure on me called the PERCLOSE procedure. This way of closing the vein only has you sitting down for fifteen minutes after the procedure is done. Other methods (like using pressure) take up to six hours. So you might want to ask about it. I am too impatient to sit still for four to six hours.

As for Guatemala, I think it would be hard to truly enjoy a vacation with this hanging over your head and the worry that something might happen. Why not save it for a time when you can celebrate your good health?

Good luck!

 

[Enudely]

Hi again
Thanks so much for all your good advice (though of course, it is to be expected here!!!!) So you all think that I should take Wednesday off too? This will be kind of a pain for me, but I am a music teacher which requires lots of energy and singing and dancing...... I guess I will try to take it off. So far I've got, 1)wear sweatpants 2) go to the bathroom before hand 3)have somone else drive me home! All very good things to know!! Any more words of wisdom? Thanks again
re: Guatemala. Yes, I am not going to go. Now, I'm thinking I might go home (to massachusetts) and be with my family for Christmas. Seems safe enough and It would be great to see the fam.
-elena

 

[MarciaB]

Elena

I was a little sore moving around the next day, dancing may not be the best. I'm sure you don't want to miss any more work than you have to with surgery coming up also. Will your kids settle for a quieter day than usual? The anesthesia they give doesn't usually affect folks clear to the next day, but everyone seems to react differently to anesthesia. Good luck! You'll be fine.

Marcia

 

[elphie]

Hi Elena,
I just had a cath last week. The worst part for me was the nurses trying to get the iv in, but that's just me and my needle phobia. Once the drugs were in, all was fine. It seemed like the procedure went really quick. I remember the doctor and four nurses had the radio on and were laughing and talking the whole time. They kept asking me questions and I could hear myself slurring my words. Afterward I had to lie flat on my back for 6 hours- the only discomfort I had was in my lower back for lying in this position for so long (and my bladder from having to go to the bathroom as somebody else mentioned.) I was released from the hospital after 8 hours and felt fine that evening and the next day. I never had any soreness at all, and the incision area was incredibily small. I can only hope my surgery will go so well.

 

[Herb M]

I have had 6 catherizations. No problem with any of them. No pain at all. The worst part is having to remain imobile in bed for a few hours to prvent the incision from opening.

Most people will be released from the hospital on the same day, unless there is an infection or you have a serious unrelated medical problem and the doctor will want an extra day to assure that everything is OK.

 

[carbomedic]

Hello,
I was in by 7:00, going through the Taco Bell drive thru by 1:00, (my wife driving!). I do not think you will be doing anything but resting the rest of the day, let the groin area start healing.
Pretty uneventful, on hindsight.
Good luck, should be no problem.
carbo

 

[Enudely]

Hey carbomedic, I'm a musician too!!!

I guess what I'll do is tell the parents to have heads up about next Wednesday (it's a private, after-school music school) That way, if they need to keep me for some reason, I can just make a bunch of phone calls and reschedule to Friday or something.
I think I'm going to hold off drinking any water on Monday afternoon (and of course, Tuesday morning) so that I don't have to pee so bad!!! I'd rather be a little dehydrated!!!
-elena

 

[medtronic of borg]

cath

cath

I have had 7 of them all but one, I think, was good.

Med

Ps by the way the use of the word cath is a general word. Are you having a angiogram or looksey in side.

 

[bvdr]

Hi Elena,

I don't think I would restrict any fluids other than the hours beforehand when you arn't allowed to have anything to eat or drink. The reason I say this is that the substance they will put in your IV to allow them to view your vessels and heart acts can act like a powerful diuretic. Plan on using the bedpan and you may just have a less stressful day.

 

[Herb M]

They are going to want you to drink water after the procedure to make sure you clean out the material they inject into the artery during the proceduredye.