Angiogram

hi
i am off to bristol on wednesday for an angiogram absolutely petrified ,never had one before ,why can’t they give you a general anesthetic ?

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Carol,

They won’t put you under general without having planned to do that. They might offer you something to help keep calm, I dont know, but it isn’t like going into an MRI machine. Not closed in.

I went through an angio under local in May and it was a lot less bother than I thought it was going to be. The contrast material gives you proper hot flushes but the fiddling around to get a catheter in was all a non-event for me. Really. I would say that for me, the part that was uncomfortable was having pressure put on the wound for a while, when healing post op. I reckon the doc couldn’t have put more pressure on if he’d stood on my leg, so that was quite uncomfortable, but maybe he was getting me back for asking too many questions!

Honestly, it was far more OK than I ever imagined and I am pretty useless with cuts and injections and stuff.

My wound was a tiny cut – like a paper cut, literally – 4mm-6mm long max.

Talk to the nurses and the doc when you get to see them about your concerns and I’m sure they’ll look after you well.

It’s good it’s happening, though. You’ll be fine.

Lots of love,

Richard

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hi richard

don’t know what i’m scared of really needles and things don’t bother me ,just feel sooooooooooo terrified but at the same time glad to be finally be getting somewhere ,i think the not being able to move is scaring me more than anything and also been having wicked headaches this week ,dizzy and stumbling a lot so i don’t think that has help ,thanks for the info it really helps a lot ,will let you know how it went ,hope you are feeling ok and looking forward to christmas at least we got the snow this year lol

take care
lots of love carol

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Don’t worry yourself to fear, you will be fine, a little discomfort but no buggy, I have done multiple over the years and you’ll walk away with one step forward and some answers, all your avmer’s will be with you and pulling for you, best of luck, take it easy and be positive!! Keep us posted

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Hi Carol,

Had an angiogram under local earlier last month so have a recent memory of it. Honestly you’ll be fine. Honestly once I was out of my angiogram, I didnt feel a want to go for walk abouts. I was happy to be lying down, youll be too busy scoffing food down you to think of walking.

It wasnt the most fun experience - what hospital procedure is? you will be fine honestly, as Richard says the cut is teeny. Once they get these angiogram scans in they can finally decide what to do next! :slight_smile:

Let us know how it goes,

Best wishes,

Corrine

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Hi all gone wrong just got home 36 hours in the hospital will update later need to sleep xx

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OMG! Let us know after you’ve caught up with yourself!!

Thinking of you!

Richard

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hi richard
feeling better today ,after a not very nice couple of days ,i new there was a reason i was scared to get the angiogram ,my appointment was at 8 am they had some emergencies overnight so i never got in until 3 pm so my fear had all day to grow lol
then i went in and they cut into my groin put the thing in and i said oh you’v e put the dye in already its really hot in my legs ,well they all started running around it seems the the sheath thing had bent and steered of down the wrong part ,next thing blood everywhere they were telling me not to panic it was going to be ok ,4 of the pressing into my groin area and it bloody hurt so they stopped the bleeding and abandoned the angio said that i had to stay in as it was dangerous and that they would get me in early in the morning
two of them came to do it they went in on the left side that time first one couldn’t get the cut through so the next one did it ,when he cut through i nearly hit the ceiling the local hadn’t worked lol changing my name to lucky
well its done now and i’m glad its over ,only downside i overheard a ward doctor saying my avm is a grade 5 ,as far as i have ever heard i think they don’t operate on them ,so not the news i was hoping for but i will just wait and see the doctor i’m sure the appointment won’t be to long
can’t fault the nurses there they was fantastic even the guys doing the angios were so nice like a breath of fresh air to see them all smiling and jolly
hope your ok and well

love carol

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Wow, Carol! As bad days go, that’s a corker!

I think you’ve done brilliantly well to get through all that. What a disaster!

What can I say? I hope you misheard the grade 5 bit. I really want you to be luckier than that. I really do. I do know some unlucky people and you’re definitely in the wrong crowd there!

I hope you can get past it. It was one awful event and things can be better than that, definitely. I know it will be so much more difficult to go back again, though you did really well to go through two attempts! Well done!

I agree, it does hurt when they press down on the cut!

Hoping all the best for you still, if not more so, and you get an appointment to talk about the results soon. Next time you need an angio, ask for the consultant, I think!

Very, very best wishes :frowning:

Richard

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Oh my goodness Carol! That sounds traumatic to say the least - well done on braving through a second attempt after all that.

I am glad they finally managed to get the scans done and like Richard said, I am hoping you misheard too. Whether you heard right or wrong though, you will get through this and we will be backing you all the way.

Hope you get a follow up appointment soon so you can discuss results in detail. If you feel impatient though you can do what I did and call the hospital to find out the results before your follow up appointment :smile:

Definently if your consultant isnt already aware of the disaster of an angio you had - inform him so he makes sure he does it or someone hes sure wont make accidents next time you need an angio!

I am going in tomorrow for my follow up appointment to discuss the scans and my embolisation set for 26th January.

Thinking of you! Best wishes,

Corrine x

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hi corrine
thanks for the lovely message
glad its all over ,just waiting for the next appointment now
hope you appointment goes well tomorrow ,let me know how you get on
will be thinking of you today

carol xxx

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Hi there Carol,

Turned out to be an accidental-booking :laughing: was good though to hear how confident everyone at the meeting was that embolisation is the best course of action for me. He also assured me that once I’ve had my first embolisation, they will be able to internally book my following embolisations according to how quickly I recover - so no being put on a waiting list.

Managed not to waste the appointment by notifying my consultants registrar (who I saw) about my visual disturbances. He said he will try to organise for me to be seen by a neurologist at NHNN since the soonest I can be seen at the hospital nearer to me is feb.

I wanted to get scans from my angiogram or MRI to show on here but apparently its standard to be charged £10 - what a liberty! Think ill ask my GP.

Best wishes and hugs,

Corrine

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hi corrine
happy to hear your appointment gave you some answers and no more waiting lists for you
i hope you can get your vision sorted out as it is sooooo annoying ,i get double vision and blurring but nobody seems to listen ,have been seen at moorfields eye hospital but they can’t explain why ,drives me potty
well we are almost in january so at least you are nearer to getting things on the move ,make sure you keep us updated
hope you had a lovely christmas and an even better new year

wishing you all the best for 2018

love carol

Hi Carol,

Sorry for such a late reply!

I am sorry to hear you are also having visual disturances too. Perhaps seeing a neuro-ophthalmologist would help since they will understand the connections from the brain better? Or a neurologist? I saw a opthalmologist and he didnt really understand the visual disturbances either since my eyes are perfectly healthy.

Troubles with sight can be incredibly frustrating and scary at times - hopefully 2018 will be the year for us to hopefully get some answers :raised_hands:

Thankyou for your wonderful wishes and kind words :blush: I had a nice day in with roast and family for xmas and went for a house part for NYE so a good time overall. Totally burnt out now but very worth while!

I will be having my preassessment on 8th Jan. I will keep you updated on how things go :slight_smile: keep us posted too!

Hope you have had a lovely xmas and NYE too,

Best wishes and lots of love,

Corrine

WOW!!! I hope everything gets better for you from here as that is one story of an Angio I will never forget. I can understand why you were scared to begin with as I dont think many ppl here like them at all and I have had 2 done and wasnt a big fan at all.

Please keep us posted on your journey though… God bless!

You are not alone!!! Is a lot of friends with you!! Welcome to my prayers!!!