Cardiac MRI and 120

It is a blizzardy, snowy, cold day here. What better kind of day to update my blog. Christmas has come and gone. A new year has begun. The big news of the year so far is I have reached the 120 pounds lost milestone. It has been a long journey since August to get the next twenty pounds off. I am sure being on the Beta blocker has made it that much more difficult. I am working out harder and longer. I am eating less. But very little results.

When I saw the arrhythmia doctor at the end of December, I asked him why I need to take the Beta blocker. He agreed that looking at all of my test results to date there is no reason for me to be on it. But the fact that I had the one serious incident of rapid heart beat, and no cause having been found is still worrying. He ordered a cardiac MRI for me. He assured me that if this test does not find any hidden disease or problem with my heart, he will take me off the Beta blocker. But cautioned me that I may have to return to the original dosage of my other blood pressure medication.

OF course scheduling the cardiac MRI was difficult. His office could not schedule it. They could only contact my insurance, who issued an authorization number.

The doctor wanted me to have it done at U Penn hospital, but the insurance wanted me to have it done in NJ. While on the phone with me they contacted several radiology groups, but none of them do cardiac MRIs. they all informed us it is only done at certain hospitals.

We tried St Mary's but it is not done there. Next we contacted Princeton. They perform the test there, but the scheduling person was so rude to me, I cancelled the appointment there.

The other hospital the doctor recommended was Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick. My doctor faxed them the order for the test and I was told when they received it, someone would call me to schedule the procedure. 6 days went by and no call. I had no phone number, only a fax number. SO I faxed them my information and asked them to contact me. Someone called and left a message. I called back and left a message. 2 days and no return call. I finally talked to a person, who was very courteous and helpful and got the test scheduled. I will note that when I faxed them and when I made the appointment I gave them the insurance authorization number.

The day before the test, I got a frantic call from the doctor's office saying RWJ was going to cancel my test because they never got my authorization number. So I gave it again.

I arrived for the test and had to fill out paperwork at admissions first. Then I went to a cardiology waiting room for an hour.

When they took me to have the MRI done, they could not get the IV for the contrast into my veins. After trying two different places, they decided to inject me when the time came.

I was told to lie completely still for the duration of the test. They inserted ear plugs to help dull the banging noise. At intervals throughout the test, I was given instructions of how and when to breathe and hold my breath. This went for two hours. Lying still in a cramped small space, with loud banging.

The only break was for about two minutes when they took me out to inject the contrast.

I needed a Tshirt saying I survived a cardiac MRI. It was exhausting.

The only thing I was told was that the images came out clear and the doctor would have results in three business days.

My appointment is near the end of the month. But I am thinking that if a problem is detected, hopefully they would call before then. I am believing that God has already taken care of the problem.