Had TEE !

[deano89]

just got back from TEE what a truly awful experience that was. i chose not to have the sedation just the throat spray not sure if thats why it was so bad
but every time they pushed it further down it was causing a gagging reflex and i now have the sore throat from hell! but its another box ticked off the list ! think its just the angiagram to go and of course the big one!!
The doctor doing it said there is severe leaking and the posterier leaflet is the problem hopefully it can be repaired but it was going to be a bit more of a challenge than normal as it looked a bit fragmented on the screen wouldnt truly know till the surgeon was in there! so she has now referred me to a surgeon at Papworth Hospital
i have posted this in the worng forum could the admin move it for me sorry!

 

[skeptic49]

Sorry to read about the unpleasant TEE. I used to opt out of sedation for procedures, but not anymore. If I need a TEE I will definately want to be out. Good luck with the surgeon referral.

Best wishes,

Jim

 

[mrsnuffles]

Hi Deano,

I agree with you regarding the TEE, its not nice at all.

With regards your surgeon, do you know which one you are seeing? The reason I ask is that I was originally refered to a surgeon that was not very experianced with mitral repair so asked to be refered to one that is. I see that Papworth has a surgeon called Mr Francis Wells and his stats show him doing many mitral related procedures. It might be worth checking if it is him you will be seeing, and if not, asking to see him.

His stats are here: Stats

and an article about his work from the BBC website is here: BBC link

Andrew

 

[deano89]

thanks. the surgeon i have been told i am being refered to is indeed frank wells i am praying he will be doing my OHS as he is world class in this field especially mitral valve repair, i have only read about his profile on the papworth site but very impressive, i am still scared stiff at the thought of OH surgery but being told he was the surgeon i am being refered to has helped relax me and my family a lot
thanks for stats and links much appreciated .can you not be refered to papworth under the newish NHS rules about patient choice there are two Heart hospitals in the south that are world class one is papworth and the other is harefield . i think i will have sedation if i ever need another TEE!! just hope i never have to!!

http://www.papworthhospital.nhs.uk/content.php?/about/our_staff/clinical_staff/Profile_-_Frank_Wells

 

[ponytaila1a]

I chose seditation for the TEE. Certainly glad I did. I remember nothing after the throat spray until the recovery room. Glad it's passed. No seditation choice for the angio, but not bad. Best wishes for the surgery....I too have the posterior leakage.

 

[deano89]

think i have got things wrong way round thought the TEE would be oK and was worried more about the angiogram and was thinking sedation for the angiogram after this experience
must say i dont like not be able to be in some sort of control i like to know whats going on so find opting for any sort of sedation hard to do

 

[Duff Man]

yeah i literally puked that gel stuff up a little bit... at least it's out of the way, ay?

 

[Freddie]

Never had a TEE done before my replacement only a angiogram which was done in the wrist.
Ask your Doc if he can do the angiogram in wrist......its a piece of cake procedure - it was for me.

 

[Bina]

Dean, the angiogram (heart cath) is the procedure that you may only want to have a mild tranquilizer for. It is imperative that you do not move at all when they are exploring your arteries.
I took the tranq and was "happy and relaxed" for the procedure.

 

[ponygirlmom]

just got back from TEE what a truly awful experience that was. i chose not to have the sedation just the throat spray not sure if thats why it was so bad

Um... YEAH!

Okay, I gotta know: Why didn't you want to be sedated for the TEE?

 

[Adrienne]

yeah i literally puked that gel stuff up a little bit... at least it's out of the way, ay?

Me too! They sedated me but not enough to make me not care about that disgustiing gel and spray! After that, the tube down the throat was not that bad.

 

[Dawn-Marie]

Dean ~ Next time, if you ever need a TEE again, definitely opt for the sedation. They gave me some and i don't remember a thing afterwards and i woke up soon after and wasn't even groggy. It wasn't a bad experience at all with the sedation.

I hope they referred you to an excellent surgeon.

Best wishes,

Dawn

 

[hall]

They sedated me for the TEE too. I don't remember anything, including the spray. I asked the doc if they were using a poloroid and he looked at me as if he would like to deck me. No sense of humor at all! I do not think I would do the TEE without sedation.

 

[sue943]

I cannot think why you opted not to have sedation for your TOE (TEE is the US, ours is TOE due to the spelling - oesophagus/esophagus) All I remember of the experience is having my throat sprayed and being told to swallow - and that was it.

As for the angiogram, I wasn't offered, nor asked for sedation - it simply didn't hurt, just a local anaesthetic was sufficient.

 

[deano89]

cant answer the question why i didnt opt for sedation, only to say they gave me the option of with or without which i wasnt expecting and at that moment in time i thought why not ,also i like to know whats happening and feel in some sort of control ,one of my biggest fears is the not waking up!think thats why i am so scared of the OHS .
i would say to anyone else haveing this procedure do take the sedation learn by my mistakes ! still feels like someone is rubbing a cheese grater on the back of my throat everytime i swallow
i have been told i am being refered to papworth and the surgeon is very very good .link below
http://www.papworthhospital.nhs.uk/c..._-_Frank_Wells
thanks for all the replies without this forum i would be climbing the walls!
Talking of sense of humour after it was over i made a comment about my bush tucker trial being over not even a murmur from the doctor think they have a sense of humour bypass !
Dean

 

[sue943]

I do remember saying to the cardiologist just before the TOE that he looked as if he was wearing an M&S bag as his apron was bright green.

 

[Tom F.]

If you are having a TEE you should ALWAYS ask for sedation. In my opinion the TEE is worse that heart surgery itself!

 

[zipper2]

My very first tee 16 years ago was bad,but it was all about my additude

i fought the darn thing,my husband said he would never go with me

to see me get another tee,i was soooooooo terribly frightened,hubby at

that time was allowed in the room,it was just as bad for him as me.

We were the worst,yet best couple for all this stuff back then and

no VR to post to the last 2 times had the tee,i've just given up

the scrap,(they win) and it gets easier with each tee,think in total

from 92 had 1 tee and 2003 another and 2006 a tee and just in sept

here past ,for upcoming surgery.I'm tee'd out i think

But yeah my first was awful,so i can relate to your experience.

zipper2 (DEB)