Outcome of my hospital appointment this Morning

Basically after a 2hr appointment I now have to go for an Angiogram, for which I will recieve an appointment in the next couple of weeks for.
Has anyone ever had an angiogram here please? as I would like to know from a patients point of view what its like. Was it painful? Please be honest as I would rather be prepared.
I have also been persciibed some medication Slozem. I am waiting for the pharmacy to call me back though as reading the leaflet it says it shouldn't be used with a GTN spray, which I am perscibed and use. Nobody at the hospital said don't use it with the tablets. Also it says a common side effect is dizziness. I can't deal with that as how would I drive and work etc. Has anyone else used these tablets? How did you find them.
They have also said I really need to get myself referred for an endoscope for my gastric problems, which at the moment I am refusing as the thought of something going down my throat while I am awake terrifies the life out of me and so many medical people and other people have said its awful and they don't blame me.
So basically no answers yet, got to wait for the angiogram and for now decide whether I am going to take these tablets or not.

I`m sorry you`ve not had a great time at the hospital - it obviously wasn`t explained properly.
Can you ask to speak to someone about these issues? Discuss the medication more fully and look at other options?
I would write down your queries and / or take someone with you. Do you have a friend who could go with you?

Oh heck. Still not an awful lot wiser then

Can't help on what the angiogram entails, but, no matter what, you really do have to go for that - not only to put your mind at rest, but ours too because I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been concerned for you x

I believe you can opt for a general anaesthetic for an endoscope, it just requires someone to pick you up as you won't be able to drive home after the anaesthetic.
Try not to worry about the side effects too much - if you read the side effects on Paracetamol, I'm sure one of them is "headaches"..ironic when you often take them for a headache! It may be that one person trialling them felt dizzy as a coincidence or just a personal reaction and it means they have to list it as a potential side effect, but it's certainly not guaranteed to happen.

Not had an angiogram myself, but my Dad has. He said it wasn't painful at all and he was able to watch as it was carried out on a screen. I do recall though that they said he couldn't drive for a few hours after having it done, so I picked him up from the clinic. I think they may have given him a mild tranquiliser, but I can't remember if that was for the angiogram, or something else (sorry, it's been a good few years).

I haven't had one myself but my dad had an angiogram a few weeks ago. He was absolutely dreading it as it sounds horrendous, he considered cancelling it and got himself really worked up about it. He had it done though and said there's absolutely nothing to it. It's not painful and nowhere near as bad as it sounds. He has to go for another one next week and isn't bothered about it.

My dad had to lie down for a few hours after it and that was the worst part for him as he has a bad back and it causes him problems if he stays in one position too long.

I haven't any experince with any of your questions sorry Bev.

Sending (((hugs))). Xx

I had an angiogram two weeks ago, and was really dreading it. It was not painful at all, the only slight pain was when they injected the groin to numb the area after that I couldn't feel a thing and was absolutely amazed watching it all on the screen. I had it done and had to stay in bed for a few hours, lay flat for two hours then allowed to sit up. for two hours. I think this is mainly to make sure that the vein clots. I can honestly say if I had to have it done again I would not worry at all. I also had the option of having a tranquilizer before having it done but chose not to have it as I hate the woozy feeling, and I was fine.

i have been on the imaging side of the angiogram procedure a few times now, and it really depends how blocked your vessels are and what technique the radiologist uses to open them.

the radiologist i usually work with uses a type of balloon to push the plaques apart to allow better blood flow. iv seen some patients in pain with it, and others who didn't feel a thing, so its difficult to predict how you would react.

as far as surgical procedures go, it is a minimally invasive thing, and the only cut that would be made will be in the groin (local anaesthetic etc used). you will need to lie flat though for a while after it just to give your artery chance to re-seal.

(((hugs))) Bev - I have no experience of an angiogram but have had more than a few endoscopies - none with anything more than IV valium. The only bad part as far as I am concerned is having to lay on a very hard table on my side.

xx