I have to admit that I was, coincidentally, stressed about the stress test. Not for reasons that you might think however. IE. that my heart is going to explode at any moment without warning. Rather, I was stressed going into the test because I had no idea how much physical exertion was going to be happening, and whether my sugar levels were going to cooperate. In the end as I was leaving the stress test after completion my sugars were up at 150. 10 minutes later when I arrived home I was down to 80. I felt fine, but that’s a huge drop in a short period of time.
Perhaps it’s hormonal, perhaps I’m becoming brittle, who knows. Something to watch I suppose, because it doesn’t seem to be happening only when I’m forced to run on a treadmill for two minutes.
As for the echo stress test, I’m happy to report that I am merely “under conditioned”!
Having a stress test done was an interesting experience. A very nice lady named Paula hooked me up to all kinds of sticky things all over my torso, then I laid on my side and then my back in order for her to cover me with jelly, do an ultrasound and take pictures of the various valves in my heart from different angles.
Then the doctor came in and I started on the treadmill. They checked my blood pressure periodically, and watched my heart rate while speeding up the treadmill and increasing the hill angle every two minutes. On the third increase I was jogging and also feeling like I was GOING TO DIE.
The doctor informed me that they had my heart rate at a reasonable level in order to take post-exercise photos of my heart, and if I was ready to stop I could. “Oh if you have what you need, I’m ready to stop” (FOR THE LIVE OF GOD BECAUSE I’M DYING HERE).
Lungs burning, muscles aching, I lay back down on the table where additional photos were taken and the doctor compared the before and after.
“Everything looks normal” she said. Oxygenation, bloodflow, etc.
Woot! Now back to the gym.
BEAN'S BABBLETORIUM 