Thallium Stress Test

Hello- I recently went a Thallium stress test and blood checks. Everything was normal. I still have a twitch near the left nipple area. THe doctor thinks it is a sprain. I have this for the last 8 months. When I am stressed up the pain seems to be prominent.

Am a bit confused since test results comes out normal. Is there anything the doctor might have overlooked. Thanks a lot for the help.

Glad it went OK. From what you describe I think I've had the type of test you describe and also the exercise type. If you had the exercise type, I'm not sure you would prefer that. The treadmill goes faster and faster and gets steeper and steeper until your heatrate gets to the desired point. For me, it usually ends with me saying I don't think I can hang on much longer and a nurse pushing on my butt from behind to keep me on.

You're very welcome.

They should have given you a better explaination. It sounds like they gave you
Persantine (Diprydamole). Do you take Coreg or another beta-blocker? If so, that is probably why they did not do the treadmill. The idea of the treadmill is to get your heartrate up pretty high and beta-blockers tend to lower it - so you can't achieve the target. You can go off the drugs for a couple of days so you can do the test on the treadmill, but some Drs. don't like to do that.
Another, obvious, reason to avoid the treadmill is joint problems, etc.

From what I understand, I think your reaction was fairly common. Mine was a little different. It was sort of a great anxiety - almost panic.

Thanks much for the answer.

Oh, yes, Bill - I've had two treadmill tests. The before-angioplasty test was a lot worse than the after (as you might expect) but both of them were preferable to the chemically-induced stress I had yesterday. At least on a treadmill you can stop - and at least you have an identifiable reason for feeling bad. Sitting doing nothing but suddenly finding you can't get your breath and feeling like someone's sitting on your chest whilst at the same time fighting hard not to pass out and having a real problem speaking coherently was a bit of a surprise to me - although I was warned beforehand.

Still, it's all over - for now. Have to wait and see what my cardio says about the results but I suspect further procedures might be necessary.

They couldn't do the treadmill, which I normally have, because my heart rhythm was much too erratic. It was so bad that it was difficult for them to get a proper count of my heart rate.

There's absolutely no excuse for that - except, maybe, if they'd told you how it really is you'd have probably said no way

It gets worse when under stress. Thanks-

OK fellas - went for the test today.

Surprise No.1 - Appointment met on time

Surprise No. 2 - No exercise required.

Surprise No.3 - A seriously shite IV something-or-other that made me feel like I was signing off (sudden breathlessness/chest pains/dizziness/syncope)
which lasted for exactly 6 minutes, at the end of which the thallium was injected and the pictures taken. If they'd given me a choice between this and 20 mins on a treadmill the treadmill would have won hands down.

PS the reason for no caffeine is something to do with caffeine supressing the receptors that make the shite IV feel like you're checking out.

Apart from that a GREAT DAY!!!!!!

I am having that type of pain for the last 8 months.