Why Do Doctors Do This

I recently went to the doctor to get my test results. I had an echocardiogram, a carotid ultrasound, stress test, and had to wear a heart monitor done. So getting the results were easy. The heart clinic I go to uses My Chart which means I saw most of the results prior to my appointment.

Last year I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure with an ejection fraction of 40-50%. This time around my ejection fraction is up to 60% which is great. It doesn’t mean no more chf because once diagnosed you will always have it. It means I’m improving and the maybe five years if I’m lucky they gave me to live last year is longer. So I thought great!

The doctor said everything was looking good. He added magnesium to my medications and changed my heart medicine to a stronger dose. That was something I was expecting because it almost always happens. Then came the rest of the news.

what in the World

The doctor said the only problem he saw was with the heart monitor. He said there were things goin in there that he needed to actually look at to figure out. I had a heart rate of 195 while I was sleeping once and I had some missed heartbeats. There were even some extra ones. When we combined that with my symptoms of an odd chest pain occasionally, daily fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath he was concerned.

That means I need a catheterization so he can actually look at my heart with it is in action. For those who don’t know it means the doctor puts a very small, flexible, hollow tube into a blood vessel in either my groin, arm, or neck. Then he threads it through the blood vessel into the aorta and into the heart. Once the catheter is in place, several tests may be done.

Sounds simple enough. This is a six to ten hour procedure because you have to lie still for like four or five hours after it is done to allow your blood to clot and the incision site to close properly. If not you can bleed to death. My dad had his arm strapped down during one and sandbags on his leg during another.

My doctor did say if he noticed a clog and I needed a stent he would do it right then and not as a separate procedure. Thank goodness for that.While the procedure is simple waiting for the test date is driving me crazy.

We will Call

When I left the office the other day, they were busy. So the nurse said they would call with the appointment. so now I am waiting to find out when I will have the procedure done. That is the worst part of everything. The waiting for the test results, waiting for the procedure. The waiting is driving me nuts. It hasn’t been long enough to call the office and ask yet as I don’t want to irritate them but dang. What is with doctors’ offices and hospitals doing this? I know they are busy and my stuff isn’t that important to them but because I don’t know when the test is going to happen my anxiety is through the roof. I keep wondering about everything that could be wrong.

Does this drive you crazy as well? How do you deal with it? Let me know in the comments below.