Hi,

I’m scheduled to have my left side by pass in Stanford on 7/29/09. I’m anxiously expecting the “package” from Bob. But I do have couple of questions to ask and they might be only answered from a person who has MM and experienced those tests in real.

1)      I’m planning to go Stanford alone one week before the scheduled D-day.  Is it possible to handle all the tests by myself?  I know it sounds strange of doing so, but we do have some difficulties to make a perfect arrangement for my 1.5 year old son. It will be too much trouble to bring him alone with me, so I believe it’s better to let him staying at home (and daycare) during my absence without introducing too much drama to his little world.  Therefore I’d want my husband to stay home with my son one more week and only come to Stanford before the surgery day.  My friends in bay area can pick me up after the angiogram.  Is this doable? What’s the rest requirement in Stanford after Angiogram? Is it OK for me to rest in hotel alone?

2)      I had my right side done last year in Japan. So I’m familiar with MRI/MRA, Angiogram and other regular lab tests. But I had Xenon CT instead of SPECT.  Can anybody tell me what kind of feeling I’m expecting during SPECT? Painful? Or just little discomfort? 

3)      I have trouble sleeping recently, maybe due to too much concerns/thinking going on in my head. I also heard swooshing noise the other night. I work full time with a long distance commute, I really need good quality sleep now. I was only able to sleep less than 1 hour last night and I’m having headache now.  So my question is: is it OK for me to take a small dosage of over the counter sleeping pill? 

Thanks! I might have more questions tomorrow when I can think clear better.

Hi NOT SO LuckyMe,
I'd ask Teresa or Joli if they think that it is OK for you to be alone after the angiogram and other tests.

You can ask that they use an angio plug after the angiogram, in which case you can leave very shortly after the procedure. If you choose to not have the angio plug then pressure is held against the artery where the catheter was inserted for at least thirty minutes and you have to lie flat on your back without moving the leg for 4-6 hours. If the angiogram is very late in the day then that might require that you stay in the hospital overnight.

Some people have trouble after the SPECT and some after the XENON gas. I can't speak for the XENON as I don't have it due to a sulfa allergy. I have no problem with the SPECT, maybe because I am pre-medicated with Prednisone and Benadryl. My friend though has a terrible reaction and feels awful for the remainder of the day.

If you are able to stay at the Stanford Guest House, they have a bus that can take you to and from your appointments at no additional charge,

Jill MacInnes can tell you if other patients will be there at the same time you are and make arrangements for you to get together.

Best of luck with everything.
Kim

I stayed there last weekend. It's a beautiful hotel. I'm sure you'll be very comfortable there. It's about a mile or maybe a bit less from the Stanford Medical Center. I think Stanford's free Marguerite shuttle bus may stop right there. Here's the web address Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or
Kim

Kim, it's good to hear that the shuttle bus might able to take me between hotel and the medical center.  I look at the detail schedule Bob emailed me last night, man, it's a lot to do every day!  Seems like I would not have time to screw around or even shopping. Hm...I guess I might not even need a rental car at this point. Or only need to rent for couple of days when my husband comes.

I'll call the hotel to check the availibility of shuttle.

Cherry,

After your angiogram they probably will not allow you to stay alone. At least they did not allow me to stay alone for 24 hours. I had to rest for 24 hours and then take it easy from there with no lifting greater than 15 lbs for 5 to 7 days. I just had mine done at Stanford last Tuesday.

After the SPECT scan I felt absolutely horrible for the remainder of the day. I do everyday but every day is different. All other tests are okay. During the SPECT with the Diamox, I felt whoozy and had to go to the bathroom a lot. I also felt dizzy and tingling and that went away quickly.

As far as over the counter sleeping agent. I have taken benadryl. However, it does tend to make you dryer and you need to drink more fluids after taking it, but double check with your doctor first.

Let me know if that helps.

Reagan

Reagan and Darci,

Thanks for your replaies.

I saw two Angiograms on my list:
1)CT Angiogram of Head and Neck with CT perfusion. (am I allow to walk on my own after this test?)
2)Brain Cerebral Angiogram.

Which one was the one made you tingling afterward?  I only did one Angiogram for my last surgery in Japan and I didn't have any problem with that. I only stay still in bed for about 6 hours.  Hopefully I will be able to handle it by myself like I did last time.

I can find some local friend to send me back to hotel after angiogram. But I hate to ask anybody to stay with me for 24 hours.  As for SPECT, I believe I can handle the dizziness and horrible feeling as long as they are not life threatening.

Can anybody tell me a little detail about how the SPECT is performed?

For my Xenon CT, I had to lay down, with a gas mask on my face. Then something was injected through my arm, and I was pushed into a machine like a huge black tube.  The whole test lasted about 20~30 minutes divided into 3 "waves". There are 2 minutes rest between each wave.  The first wave is the shortest, then 2nd longer, 3rd the longest.  During each wave, once the test started, I can feel my heart being pumped faster and faster, I felt that my heart might jump out from my mouth, my head felt spinning, nauseous, feeling like riding a roller coaster downward at sound speed. At the same time, I heard huge water wave kind of whooshing noise in my head, I felt totally lost control.  I was told try not to move before it started, but I really debut whether I CAN move at that moment. 

I was told by the doctor that not many people can finish all three waves.  I couldn't help vomiting a little toward the end of the 3rd wave.  I only throw up water since I didn't eat. They have to end the test once I vomitted.  But the doctor said that the pictures they captured were good enough for surgery since I behaved well since the begining. I didn't move at all even when vomitting.

The scary part of Xenon CT for me is not dizzy or unbearable heart rate, it's the feeling of lost control scared me the most. I'm not use to it. I like to be able to control myself and my body........

After cleaned up my vomitting, I felt OK for the rest of the day. I can walk around freely, I just drunk lots of water according to the doctor to wash out the medicine in my blood.

When I went back Japan last November for check up, I took Xenon CT again.  This time since I've already known what to expect, instead of letting the medicine drove my body nuts for a wild ride, I used a little bit of Zen technic (or meditation or whatever you call it) to focus my mind on something else during the whole test, and I MADE IT!  I made through all 3 waves without moving or vomitting, and I didn't feel much discomfort.  I walked myself back to my room right after the test without any problem.

So if anyone can elibrate me a little about SPECT, I can be prepared and make the journey a little easier.

Thanks in advance.

LuckyMe

"Welcome to the Ambulatory Treatment and Procedure Unit (ATP)
Stanford Hospital & Clinic"...................

This document talks a lot of in-patient or out-patient stay, but it was clearly enough to me what procedure are they talking about.  Is this surgery room?

By the way, I forgot to tell you. The post treatment area after your angiogram has portable DVD players now to help pass the time. The movie selection isn't real exstensive, but it is better than staring at the tiles above your head.

Reagan