Jump to content

Angiogram


Recommended Posts

My follow up Angio was the only Angio that I can remember, and boy was I scared. I was more worried about it than even the shunt insertion! The whole day went without a hitch tho, and really I don't know why I worried so much. You have to lie on your back for a while afterwards, for those of you with memories of SAH that shouldn't be a worry tho!

The whole thing passed by really quickly, and I wouldn't worry so much if and when I have to have another.

Scott

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi there

I've had a fair few angio's the first one that I can remember I was worried stick & found out there was no reason to be at all - silly me.

There's nothing to it.

It's the way they have of checking that the shunts coils are ok.

Take care

Louise.x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi John,

Glad that you've finally got your appointment through......my answer is the same as Scott's.......I was also pretty worried and I was given a light sedative before the angio......it might have even been a placebo! My angio went without a hitch and the worrying before the event was far worse than the angio itself.

I think that I received the results a few weeks later. I certainly wouldn't be quite so worried if and when I have another angio.

Good luck for Tuesday John and try not to worry to much.....

Sami - I was under the impression that an angio was given as a routine follow up to coiling........perhaps somebody else can enlighten us, as to whether this is the case? My coils have compacted and this showed up during the angio.......I'm due for a MRA at Southampton in the New Year and I presume that they will decide as to whether I need further treatment or not.

Love K x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Angio is the standard follow up to see how the coils have settled in, depending on your consultant the time periods can vary. I had mine about 14mnths but that was due to the equipment being upgraded in Southampton. Being a natural born worrier I'm more concerned about the next MRI as I seem to of developed a touch of claustrophobia!

Scott

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Scott,

I've never considered myself to be claustophobic until I had my first MRI about 5 years ago...............but the last MRI I had in August (Poole Hospital), was in one of the new machines.......boy, it was so much better and not like being squeezed into a toilet roll tube. I can't remember about the scanner in Southampton.....but hopefully it's the newer type!!

Love K xx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not as I remember Karen! They still had the old style "closed" one when I had my last MRI. The thing is they offered me headphones!!! Just what I really needed was more stuff about my head! They also explained about the mirror so you can see outside, brilliant for any short sighted people like me..... What was superb was the staff in Southampton tho, talked me through it and even provided me with a copy of the scan! (not everyone gets one, but as I was so nervous they promised me a copy) You can of course get your own copy, but they give it on CD ROM these days and you have to cover the costs. I on the otherhand have photographic evidence that I have a brain..... Also all these checks and scans have another benefit, you know for sure that there is no other little suprise coming up in the future! We, once we have had the all clear, know that if nothing else. On the sedative side of it, they do promise in the leaflet that they give out, that you will be given a light sedative but when I asked where mine was they laughed and said "You want to go home this afternoon don't you?". Now I would be nervous about it of course but an Angio is no longer an unknown to me.

So don't worry about it, I know that you still will though but hopefully it will be with a little less intensity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi John

I've written a fairly detailed description of my first follow-up angiogram on the SAH Discussion forum:

http://www.behindthegray.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=71

If you have problems with the link, just look for a topic called "Follow-up Angiogram" in the SAH Discussion forum.

It's really nothing to worry about.

Regards

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi there

Yes they do the follow up Angio after all coilings shunts ect, I had mine around the year mark, they usually like to see how things have settled in & down, consultant told me this, in my case I had to have quite a few of them to keep an eye on it....

Take care

Louise.x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey there

My follow up angio will prob be what the Neuro was talking about when he said they'd scan me in Feb then. Phew!! Thought there was something that should have been done and hadn't been.

Thanks guys for putting my mind at rest.

Sami xxx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had no coils but 2 angios because they were still looking for an aneurysm, which wasn't there. My only problem with the angio was that I am allergic to the IV dye, so I had to have med for that. But the angio itself I actually found interesting. I'm weird that way. All the equipment and procedures fascinate me. For the MRI, (full body 1 1/2 hour with 2 short breaks) I just concentrated on what I COULD move instead of what I couldn't. I could move my eyes, eyelids, breath, lips, and thumb on the panic button, haha. I also had the headphones and could talk any time I wanted to to the staff. I never felt panic at all, but preferred not to open my eyes since there was nothing to see anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone I feel better now its just that the appointment came as a surprise. I've read your account Keith and its helped, I thought that the catheter just went a little way up from the groin and then they pushed the dye through and somehow it reached the brain, didn't realise catheter went all way up then I'm not very technically minded. I'll let you all know how I get on. I normally go to Cardiff at this time of year to do Christmas shopping not to lay on my back :?

Cheers

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi John,

Wishing you the very best of luck for tomorrow....I'll be thinking of you.....hope that you will let us know how it all goes.

Scott, well if So'ton still have the "toilet roll tube" scanner, then I won't be a happy bunny!! I wouldn't mind a copy of the CD though, so that might be a bonus to divert my mind! Quite fancy having a look at my brain ..... just hope that I remember to ask them! :lol:

Take care,

Love K x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everybody

Angiogram over now and was completely painless, nothing to worry about didn't even have any pain from anaesthetic injection. My only problems were lying flat on my back for six hours and trying to "wee" absolutely impossible but fear not nurses found a way also suffered from bad indigestion whichI think was caused by the dye, thank goodness for 'Gaviscon'. I returned home by 12pm the following day and up town by 1.30pm, perhaps I shouldn't have done that exhausted now. Just waiting for result now. Thanks for all your help and advice.

Cheers

John :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey there

Yeah glad everything went well.

I can imagine the lying flat on the back for so long is a pain though. Don't know how I'm gonna manage that when its my turn - I fidget too much as it is - was always getting moaned at as a kid for not sitting still :roll:

Anyway, have a good Christmas John and relax.

Take care

Sami xx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

Its me again as I said everything went OK but since coming home I have felt more tired than usual and had more headaches than normal. I have made appointment with my GP but just wondered if anyone else who has had angiogram have experienced same?

Cheers

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi John,

Re: Tiredness/Headaches

I'm nearly 18 months post SAH and still have periods of time where I feel extremely tired. I don't think that there's always an explanation for it, but now I've sort of got to the point where I just see it as a "blip" and go with the flow. I'm lucky that I don't have to work now, so I haven't got any pressures as such. My spells of tiredness/fatigue have got less and less, but I don't tend to worry so much now and I think that this has helped me.

This time last year, I was hoping that I would have returned to work, but unfortunately, I wasn't well enough. For me personally, it's been a long hard year and a huge shock to the system, but it has got better, thank goodness, albeit very, slow but sure progress.

I think that this time of year does tend to make you feel pretty tired anyway......long dark nights etc........even my Husband keeps "dropping off" and I can often outlast him!

My own headaches I tend to associate more with stress and the tiredness certainly plays a part. Again, it's taken me to this point in time to lose the bad heads and now, I occassionally get the odd headache. It is wise however, to see the GP if you're experiencing more than normal.

Love K x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...