Stress echo vs regular echo

[Iggy]

Hi VR crowd,
My doc ordered an stress echo ( echo at rest, then getting heart rate up on treadmill, and another echo right after the treadmill) for me next month based on my concerns. I really want to improve my ability to exercise, but also have felt some discomfort around my heart, below it, and in my left arm. I was wondering if the stress echo is going to show same things like an usual echo, like size of the heart and leakage (if any), EF, gradient?
Thank you!

 

[pellicle]

hey Iggy, while I can't speak to that sort of thing I can say that the decision to "go" (whenever it happens) is a good one and will set you on the path to recovery. Right now you're still on a path to getting worse bit by bit.

Your bio only says student but that's all good ... I was a student when I had my second. I think its a good place to be in recovery because you have less pressure to earn and perform a job (or lose it).

Don't forget to take some KimChi with you when you go in, this thread clarifies why
https://www.valvereplacement.org/threads/stool-softeners-and-valve-replacement.887527/post-897310
A old friend of mine (like since primary school) recently asked me about what and where and I also mentioned Kim Chi ... he didn't get it ... until he was back in the ward from ICU trying to pass a coconut ;-)

You'll be fine and soon this will be in the rear view mirror

 

[Iggy]

Hey Pellicle,
I happen to love Korean food, and their staple Kimchi, is one of my favorite probiotics!

 

[Chuck C]

Don't forget to take some KimChi with you when you go in

There are a number of studies supporting the positive effect of Kimchi on the gut microbiome. I ate kimchi for about a year regularly prior to surgery. It is great to eat as a snack when you get some hunger in evening- super good alternative to processed snacks.

As others have shared, for me, after surgery my taste buds changed some and it no longer seemed appealing- rather unappealing. But, my last trip to the grocery store I picked some up and decided to do my best to re-introduce it to my diet. Happy to say that I am back on the kimchi train again. Never had an issue with regularity, but kimchi is so effective you can pretty much set your clock to when it assists nature in this regard.

 

[pellicle]

Hey Pellicle,
I happen to love Korean food, and their staple Kimchi, is one of my favorite probiotics!

bewdy ... me too (I even lived in Korea for a little bit)

 

[carolinemc]

Hi VR crowd,
My doc ordered an stress echo ( echo at rest, then getting heart rate up on treadmill, and another echo right after the treadmill) for me next month based on my concerns. I really want to improve my ability to exercise, but also have felt some discomfort around my heart, below it, and in my left arm. I was wondering if the stress echo is going to show same things like an usual echo, like size of the heart and leakage (if any), EF, gradient?
Thank you!

The tread mill stress test will show on EKG the heart activity during exercise. The echo part will show the heart and valves and checking for any changes in the heart activity in a resting position. Good luck and relax. You will be fine.

 

[Iggy]

Thank you carolinemc!

 

[Chuck C]

Hi Iggy.

I was wondering if the stress echo is going to show same things like an usual echo, like size of the heart and leakage (if any), EF, gradient?

It should- mine did, but you should confirm with your cardiologist to make sure they do include those metrics.

Upon the initial diagnosis of my BAV, via echo, I was also given a stress echo, which also looked at the important metrics, such as EF and gradient.

I would be a little pro-active and ask your cardiologist ahead of time to include those measurements. Since they are doing an echo, you definitely want them to measure heart size, EF and gradient, along with all the other measurements typical of echo. Although I would expect he is having the tech measure all of these things, you might as well cover all bases and ask to make sure.

I recommend this, because sometimes when you think they are measuring everything, they don't unless specifically told to do so.

I had an MRI done a couple months after my echo to confirm BAV. The echo was inconclusive and I felt it was important to know, so my cardiologist ordered the MRI at my request. I was disappointed that they did not collect more info from the MRI- my cardiologist(now my former cardiologist) only had them evaluate me for BAV in the MRI. Since they are doing one anyway, why not take all the other measurements for confirmation of the echo and to see if there has been any change since the echo? There are some things, such as chamber volumes, for which MRI is far more accurate than echo. As far as the cost- no difference in price of the MRI whether they include those other measurements, so in my view it was kind of foolish to only look at BAV- if we are all going through the cost and trouble, give me the full MRI. It was just kind of an oversight- on the request form he put down: "Determination of BAV" and that was all they did.

So, if your not sure they will do a full echo, might as well ask to be sure they do one.