Tomorrow I get to do one of these – an electrocardiogram (EKG):
image from here
Has anyone ever had an EKG before?
At my annual appointment, my doctor noticed that my heart was skipping every few beats, so she ordered an EKG to make sure I don’t have an irregular heartbeat. I wouldn’t be surprised if I do – my mom has heart flutters from time to time (I think?) and her dad apparently had some heart issues.
I do notice that my heart seems to be pumping really fast and hard lately, but I think that might just be from stress. And I have noticed this before – my heart racing – in 2009 and again last year.
I’m sure there is nothing wrong with me, but I will be interested to see the results. Of course, they will have to get sent back to my doctor before I hear anything about it. Ah, the doctor waiting game. Maybe I can ask the nurse to give me some insight tomorrow during the test.
I’ve had a few. It’s sort of stressful that you’re hooked up to these machines, but it’s actually kind of cool. I always worry that the stress of having the test will cause my heart to do funny things!
Good luck, though!
That is what I was thinking too – that my heart will just be pumping really hard when I am there and mess things up!
Yuck! You’ve had so much going on lately. How are you feeling? Are you really overwhelmed or have you been dealing with it ok?
I have not been dealing with it okay. I have kind of shut down. I am trying to get back in to things now.
I’ve had a few EKG’s. They only tell what your heart is like during the test and if you have had a heart attack. I wore a portable monitor for 30 days when I had a lot of heart flutters. Apparently, for some people, it is not a cause of concern. An Echocardiogram is a more reliable test. Mary in Missouri
When I was in grad school I had a couple of EKGs. Everything was fine but I was under an insane amount of stress at the time and I felt like I couldn’t breathe/my heart was coming out of my chest.
After the first visit, I had to wear a Holter monitor(essentially mobile EKG and not a big deal) for a 5 day period but at the time I was so mortified/freaked out. I was supposed to give a presentation in class that evening and I showed up with all of these wires coming out of my shirt (it was summer and hard to hide) and started crying! Luckily my professor took mercy and let me do it another time. The next day I headed to the beach (still attached to wires) and it really gave me a different perspective about how people are viewed. I (proudly?) wore the monitor on the beach with my family but ADULTS stared at me like I had 2 heads and kids would point and say things like “why is she weird?” I maybe expected that from children but from ADULTS???
Sending positive thoughts for your appointment tomorrow!
My mom had to wear one of those portable monitors before too. Three times actually! I don’t think she wore it to the beach though! I am totally not surprised that people stare. I mean, I would be curious! I wouldn’t say something weird though. Some people have no filter.
I’ve never had one, but I hope everything is fine!!
Hope it’s nothing much! Yes, it would be nice if you could get instant results from medical tests.
Good luck! I’m sure you’re right- it’s just stress that you’ve been through as of late. No worries!
I can’t remember ever having one done but I do them for other people at work! It’s quick and easy!
I had one as part of my annual physical starting two years ago and last year they noticed a change in my heart rhythm, which resulted in a heart scan and stress test. The EKG itself is really nothing. Wishing you all the best with it!
The doctor did say it was super simple and easy. Yay! 🙂
Hope everything comes back ok.
I had an EKG when I was in high school. My doctor sent me because of my ED. It really wasnt a big deal. I little awkward maybe, but it wasnt anywhere near as bad as I expected.
You will do great, Kim! Thinking of you. 🙂
“The doctor did say it was super simple and easy. Yay!”
Yeah right, you have any idea how bad it itched where they shaved my chest hair afterward? Oh wait, nevermind. (you’ll do fine)
Ha ha. When did you have to get one?
When everyone insisted I get a stress test in 06. I assume that’s what I was hooked to.
If you DO get an EKG, please select a place where the nurse administering the test isn’t asleep like in that picture you posted. She needs to have her eyes open to read the monitor.
Hope your heart is ok. I have never had an EKG but from a science point of view it would be neat to hear your heart!
Hahahah, your dad’s and Dave2’s comments cracked me up!
Does your doctor regularly test your thyroid? I know I’ve asked you this before, but a lot of the things you’ve been experiencing lately can be attributed to that. Heart issues, exhaustion, feeling anxious or stressed are all symptoms of a whacked out thyroid. I’m not saying that you can’t feel those things just based on what has been going on in your life but if your thyroid was acting funky then maybe it’s exacerbating the situation.
Hmm, they have not. How do you get that checked?
I feel stressed today. I tried to call to see if this whole thing is covered on my network and got transferred a zillion times and talked to over 10 different people at different offices! And still didn’t figure it out. They just told me it’s luck of the draw. Awesome 😛
Good Luck Kim. I hope everything turns out okay. So sorry you have to go through this with everything else on your plate. Our bodis react so much to stress and Im sure it is nothing for you to worry about. Ive been thinking about you a lot lately. I hope you are doing whatever you need to make you feel better right now.
An EKG itself is no big thing (unless you’re of the “lots of chest hair” variety, hehe). I hope your results show that you are PERFECT 🙂
The print out of the EKG usually has the rhythm written on it…of course, that’s if it’s a good EKG, and it should be read by a doctor because machines aren’t always perfect, but they’re usually good if the machine gets a good view.
Hope your heart is perfect!
Hope everything goes okay. I have never had an EKG however I am being tested about them next week..haha. Have a good weekend!
I hope things went well! We’ll be anxious to hear the results.
I had an EKG a number of years ago, and then I had to wear this (ridiculously bulky) heart monitor and get an echo done. Fun times! But, as it turns out, my heart is in pretty good shape — or at least it was back then. I hope it still is! And yours, too!
That nurse sure loves her job… just kidding. Hope everything turns out ok.