Guest guest Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 , I just went through what was called a Eccocardiograph and carotid Doppler last week. It was basically and Ultra sound of my heart and neck to check my veins, arteries and heart. It took about 1 hour. I laid on my side and the technitian sat against my back with his arm resting on my side and looked at my heart under my right breast, and over the top, from over my clavical and right next to my sternum. It was not painfull. Then I laid on my back and he looked at my neck. I got to see my own arteries which looked very clear. Next Thursday, since they found a PFO Patent foramen ovales (opening in my heart between chambers), I have to have a TEE transesophageal echocardiogram to see the heart a little more clearly. I don't know about this instrument affecting a baby. They never asked if I was pregnant. Do you think you are? Do you want to be? I am sorry your legs are swollen. I hope they are okay. I had swollen feet with my first pregnancy and walked around in adjustable sandles and thick wool socks for months. Let us know what they say! Dawn > > Ok, my doctor last friday suggested I get a heart ultrasound " just as a 100% > check " to make sure there is nothing else wrong with me because my feet and > ankles keep swelling up enough that it is uncomfortable for me. I haven't > tried putting my shoes on after they swell and my right foot was a little > swollen when the doctor saw me. I got an appointment for today and a > prescription for some kind of hose to put on my feet and legs, ( as yet I > still need to get ) since insurance does not pay for it. > > So I have an appt 2.45pm CST to go to the hospital. I really feel too young > for this but...best to be safe than sorry. > > Anyone been thru this before. I am only assuming that this ultrasound maybe > almost the same as a baby ultrasound except if they have to put eletrodes on > me or something?? Also that means if I could be pregnant. They can do this > and it won't affect a baby??? I have to wait until Saturday, they want me to > wait 2 weeks but that is too long to try to not take some of my medications > because I " could " not be pregnant, at least I think, what do you all think. > I read somewhere as long as our cycle is 28 to 35 days it is considered > normal so Saturday will be my 35th day. > > any ideas or advice, experiences?? > G > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 so is there a difference between a heart ultrasound and a eccocardiograph?? Thank you and I will let you know what happens. I leave in 15 min. G ps. I wanted some sort of test done so I knew how my vessels are in my body, mostly my head(the migraines) but doubt if they can do that without invasion?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Hello An echocardiogram (ultrasound) is about the only way to positively confirm Congestive Heart Failure. What they are looking for is to be able to estimate what your ejection fraction. The ejection fraction is how much of the blood in the chamber actually gets pushed out in the right direction. Ejection Fractions less than 30% usually means that they would put you on the list for a heart transplant but at 40%, you should be able to have a reasonable quality of life. When I had my first echocardiogram, my EF was 15% but my cardiologist lied to me and said it was something like 24% in order not to distress me, when he finally confessed this to me, I pointed out that there would've been no immediate distress as I would not have had researched it at that point in time. He was about to put me on the transplant list but as I was stubbornly maintaining that if he could just help me sleep, that I would be able to heal we tried the four drug combination instead. By the end of the month, I was up to 45% EF and by the end of the year I was up to 55%. I probably hover around 50% these days.The last echocardiogram that they did on me was a "Doppler Echocardiogram" where they could identify the movement of the blood rather than estimate the EF based upon the volumes of the chambers. Looked pretty cool but I wish I had a mpeg of the first echocardiogram that they did back in 2001, the heart wasn't really beating but was just kinda quivering.My Cardiologist has the echocardiogram machine in his office so it's just part of an extended office visit, of course his office is actually in the hospital.They have a probe that has a head that spins around and they lube it up with jelly. They press this probe against your chest while you lie on your side and they move it around till they can see the part of the heart that they want to see. No electrodes just a cold probe pressed against you. Being a guy, I never considered whether or not their would be complications from pregnancy but I can't imagine any, it's in your chest not your abdomen and it's just sound waves.Regards,On Dec 14, 2006, at 8:55 AM, G wrote:Ok, my doctor last friday suggested I get a heart ultrasound "just as a 100% check" to make sure there is nothing else wrong with me because my feet and ankles keep swelling up enough that it is uncomfortable for me. I haven't tried putting my shoes on after they swell and my right foot was a little swollen when the doctor saw me. I got an appointment for today and a prescription for some kind of hose to put on my feet and legs, ( as yet I still need to get ) since insurance does not pay for it.So I have an appt 2.45pm CST to go to the hospital. I really feel too young for this but...best to be safe than sorry.Anyone been thru this before. I am only assuming that this ultrasound maybe almost the same as a baby ultrasound except if they have to put eletrodes on me or something?? Also that means if I could be pregnant. They can do this and it won't affect a baby??? I have to wait until Saturday, they want me to wait 2 weeks but that is too long to try to not take some of my medications because I "could" not be pregnant, at least I think, what do you all think. I read somewhere as long as our cycle is 28 to 35 days it is considered normal so Saturday will be my 35th day.any ideas or advice, experiences?? G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Hello An echocardiogram is an ultrasound imaging of the heart.Regards,On Dec 14, 2006, at 1:47 PM, G wrote:so is there a difference between a heart ultrasound and aeccocardiograph??Thank you and I will let you know what happens. I leave in 15 min. Gps. I wanted some sort of test done so I knew how my vessels are in my body, mostly my head(the migraines) but doubt if they can do that without invasion?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 I don't get migrines, knock on wood, my sister does and they are horrible for her. She can be out for days with a big one. I don't know what to say there, but I hope they find out what is going on. I hope your heart ultrasound goes well. I am thinking about you. Dawn > > so is there a difference between a heart ultrasound and a > eccocardiograph?? > Thank you and I will let you know what happens. I leave in 15 min. > G > ps. I wanted some sort of test done so I knew how my vessels are in my body, mostly my head(the migraines) but doubt if they can do that without invasion?? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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