not always bad!
not always bad!
Obviously, there are lots of different experiences to share concerning the heart cath. But my personal experience that it was very uneventful. I had hoped to be awake and alert enough to see the monitor and to even converse with my cardio during the procedure. But one of my nurses told me that I wouldn't remember anything about it, and he was mostly right. The lidocaine shot was a little sting-y. But that was the only discomfort I experienced. I felt the warm rush of the dye 3 times -- once in my right leg, which I didn't expect. And I remember seeing the monitor and being aware of the table being moved a little once. I remember being lifted back to my bed, and that was ALL I remember until the cardio came into my room a couple hours later to show me the tape and talk about the findings. He used the plug (seal) so as soon as I was awake, I was allowed to get up and think about going home. I experienced some nausea -- probably from the morphine -- even after an anti-nausea shot. I was only slightly bruised and tender for a couple of days. Nothing that was a problem at all. Although I canceled early morning piano lessons the next day, I went to work in the afternoon. I should have taken one more day, but only because I felt weak from the nausea... My daughter works at another hospital, often with heart cath patients. In her hospital, they routinely use fentanyl instead of morphine. Bob has suggested this as an option for surgery. I would certainly do that even for a heart cath...
Good luck! It's quite possible that it's going to be very smooth-sailing for you. I hope so!
Karen
