Heart Monitor - Day One

I got my heart monitor via UPS yesterday morning. It looked very intimidating when I opened the box and saw all of the parts, batteries, wires and packages. I took out the instruction booklet and it said I had to follow the steps in pages 1 - 3 prior to the instructional call later in the day.

First I had to set up the monitor's charging station in my bedroom, attaching the wires through my phone and into the electrical outlet. First try I hooked it up wrong, by trying to do it too quickly. My hubby helped me slow it down, and get it wired up correctly, placing the monitor in the stand to charge before the call later in the day.

Fifteen minutes before call time, the instructions told me to open one package of adhesive leads, and to attach one on my left side, three fingers below my collar bone, one on the right side, three fingers below my collar bone, and one on the lower left side, near the bottom of my rib cage. Prior to attaching them, I was to snap the wires from the sensor onto the adhesive leads. Black was to go on upper left, white on upper right and red on lower left.

When the call came, he asked if I had attached the leads and wires, which I had. He instructed me to put the battery in the sensor and then to turn on the monitor. We went through the process of activating the monitor and then sending a base line reading in. He explained when I need to turn the monitor off, when to change the battery in the sensor, and when to change the leads. I need to wear it at all times, except when showering or swimming as it cannot get wet. He said the adhesive leads are waterproof and can be left on during a shower. At the conclusion of the call, he told me if thee was any problem when they got the baseline readings, they would call me back within 30 minutes.

Sure enough, I got a call in 30 minutes that the baseline reading came back rejected. He had me check that the color of the wires were in the correct positions. It turns out I had the black and white wires reversed. I corrected that. Then he had me lie in bed and gave my hubby the directions over the phone how to perform the baseline readings again. It worked this time.

The sensor which I wear around my neck is not a problem at all. I do not even know it is there. Remembering to take the monitor with me wherever I go is more difficult. At night the monitor charges in its cradle while I sleep, so that is easy enough.

At the gym today, I carried the monitor in a case my son gave me at Christmas to carry my cell phone to the gym. I can hang it around my neck so I won't forget to take it from machine to machine.

I am also able to wear my heart rate monitor to count calories and keep track of my heart rate during exercise, along with this monitor. I am happy about that.

When I got home from the gym and got ready to shower, I had to turn off the monitor, remove the battery from the sensor and unsnap the lead wires. Although I was told the adhesive leads were water proof, the two top ones fell off during the shower. Even though I dried them off, and they seemed like they were going to re-stick, they fell off when I snapped the leads wires back in, so I had to change them.

SO my first 24 hours with the monitor has gone well. The adhesive is not at all itchy or irritating so far. One day down, thirteen more to go.

I Can't Make This Stuff Up!

Just an update to my last blog about my heart. About 5:45 pm on Monday my arrhythmia doctor himself called me to tell me he got the results of my cardiac MRI. It showed no heart problems or disease. PTL!!! He reminded me to wear the monitor for two weeks and I would see him in 4 - 6 weeks.

I am celebrating no heart problems and being off the Beta Blocker!

Tuesday afternoon I got a call from his office saying they had been contacted by the company that provides the two week heart monitor. They told my doctor's office they cannot give me the monitor because my phone number has been disconnected. Mind you, this is the very number SHE was calling me on!!! It is unbelievable to me how many problems and issues I have to constantly deal with. Anyway, she said she would call them and try to straighten it out.

I guess they figured it out, because they did call and leave a message on Wednesday afternoon and I will be calling them back today.

On a side note, I am loving my new Shape Ups. They are so cushioned when I walk. I am sure hoping that, after losing no weight for the past month, that between being off the Beta Blocker and wearing my new shoes, I will finally lose some weight this week!

ANy Heart News?

On February 3rd I had a cardiac MRI. Almost 2 hours in the cramped MRI machine with the loud banging. They told me when it was completed that the images came out clear and that my doctors would have the results in three business days. I had requested they send the results to three of my doctors, including the one who ordered it.

This morning I had my appointment with the arrhythmia doctor who sent me for the cardiac MRI to discuss the results. He had told me at my last visit that if the results came back showing no problems, he would take me off the Beta Blocker. I want to get off the Beta Blocker as it is keeping me from being able to lose weight, as well as inhibiting my heart rate.

When I arrived at the office for my appointment, I could hear the receptionist on the phone asking someone about my MRI. When she hung up, she asked me where did I have the MRI done, because U Penn hospital had no record of me there. Probably because I had it done at Robert Wood Johnson. So she called RWJ. Neither did they had any record of me. Probably since I had it done in New Brunswick and she called Hamilton. Finally she called RWJ in New Brunswick. Yes, they had the results, but would not send them along unless they had a signed authorization from me.

This was craziness and out of control. This is the office of the doctor who ordered the test to be done. How can they refuse to give that doctor the results? If doctors cannot have access to results of tests they ask for, how can patients get treatment? But I signed the form and she faxed it on over.

My question in my own mind was , Why did they wait until I was at the office for my appointment to check on the MRI results? This should have been done last week when they called to remind me of the appointment. Hearing the results was the entire reason for my appointment today. And they had no results.

No wonder when the nurse took my BP it was 140/76. When the doctor came in, of course he did not want to take me off the Beta Blocker as we had no MRI results, although he is confident there will not be a problem in the results. He also wanted me to wear a heart monitor for two weeks. He mentioned this to me on my last visit, but I told him I really did not want to do that, as my skin is sensitive and reacts to the adhesive on the leads. When I wore monitor for just 24 hours back in November, I still have the scars from where the leads got all gooey and itchy.

He replied that they have some different leads that maybe I would not be allergic to, that I have to remove it when I shower and to call his office if I cannot tolerate the leads. He asked me to at least give it a try, as the incident of my heart racing was a serious one and they need to try and discover the cause. Then he told me I could stop taking the Beta blocker for now. IF the cardiac MRI show some kind of problem we may have to discuss this issue again. He told me they would call me when the finally get the results.

I like this doctor in that he listens to what my concerns are, he treats me with respect by explaining why he thinks I need to do what he is requesting. I asked if he could be my heart doctor instead of the first one I saw in November. He said he would be happy to see me anytime and as my heart doctor, he would begin to monitor my BP since I was going off the Beta Blocker.

Bottom line, I was hoping my visit today was going to put an end to the heart problem situation. But it didn't. There is always another test to be done. No results from the last one were available. In that respect I am feeling frustrated. But I am happy to stop taking the Beta Blocker. I believe that God has already taken care of the heart problem. I just wonder how many more hoops I have to jump through in order to get confirmation of that.

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.

Heart and Lungs

Christmas is almost here. This year the goose is not getting fat - I have lost 114 pounds so far.

I saw the cardiologist last week to find out results of all of my heart tests. I am not happy with that office. They refuse to call me Ruth, and insist on calling me Mary. Yes, Mary IS my first name. But I have NEVER been called Mary. When people refer to me as Mary, I do not know who they are talking about or to. When phone calls ask for Mary, I tell them she does not live here, because obviously the caller is someone who does not know me.

When the woman tried to call me in for my appointment with the doctor, she was calling "Mary", I did not answer. Finally I said do you mean Ruth? She said No, Mary. I replied I think you mean Ruth. She finally asked what is the last name, when I said Sullivan, she said right. I told her I do not go by Mary, but by Ruth. Her response was "Well, in this office you will go by Mary!" Not a good start.

When the doctor came in, he told me all of my tests came back normal. There were no incidents of rapid heart beats. The echo cardiogram showed a healthy heart, with no blockages. The nuclear stress test was normal. There is no reason for any treatment on his part, come back in a year. I asked, since all tests were normal, no incidents of rapid heart beat, since I have never experienced any symptoms, could I stop taking the Beta blocker. He was offended and became condescending. The bottom line is I must continue to take it, it is a small dose and it is preventative. I argued for several minutes, but he was insistent. He did say if when I see the arrhythmia doctor next week, if HE says I can discontinue it, he would be all right with that.

I left there with mixed feelings. I was happy the tests were all okay and that my heart seems to be in good shape. But I also felt some uncertainty, since he wants me to continue to take this medication.

When I discussed the particular Beta Blocker I am taking with my dietitian, she informed me because it slows down the heart rate and metabolism, it makes losing weight very difficult. Neither of us are happy about that.

Today I saw my primary care doctor. We discussed the results of the CT scan I had done of my chest back in November. The nodule in my lung is GONE!!!! Thank you Lord! And thank all of you for your prayers!

When I talked with him about the Beta Blocker, I asked since it is an additional blood pressure medication, if I could cut back the dosage on one of my other BP meds. He said yes! My BP has been good - today it was 120/60. I will see him in 8 weeks to check it again at the lower dosage.

SO that is the latest health update. I see the arrhythmia doctor next Monday. I am hoping he does not want to put me through another battery of tests.

I am in the process of trying to get all of my Christmas "stuff" finished. I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Friendly Packages

It is almost Christmas. When I was a child, it seemed like forever between Christmases. Now I feel like I blink and it is December again. It is the time of year we all do a lot of shopping.

Over the years I have evolved from catalog to online shopping. This means I have received a lot of packages. These packages have come via UPS, FedEx and USPS. As a result of the large number of packages, I have become familiar with the delivery guys.

One day the FedEX man, who had no package for me, stopped by the house. He had a killer headache and wondered if I could give him a glass of water and some tylenol. Since over the years he had made me very happy by the packages he had so promptly delivered, I was glad to oblige him. I did wonder why he chose me to ask. Then I figured maybe I am one of the few people actually home when he brings his packages.

But more recently, I became aware in an almost amusing way, how well those delivery guys know me.

I was on my way to the gym. I had turned the corner from my street on to the neighboring street. Halfway down this street, the FedEx truck was coming towards me. The driver beeped and waved. SO I waved. Then he stopped, and motioned to me. I pulled over. He had a package for me, which he delivered to my car, on a street that I do not live on. Not only does he recognize me, know what house I live in, he also knows my car (which is usually in the garage). Go figure.

In the past year, I have joined Facebook, a social networking site. Imagine my surprise when one of my UPS delivery men made a request to be my friend on Facebook! That is when I began to wonder, do I order too many packages?

Now to be fair, I must add that I found out the UPS guy goes to my church. That is actually the context in which he asked to be my Facebook friend. But when he told me how much he loves my house, and I knew he had never been there as a guest, it all came out that he delivers UPS packages to me on a regular basis.

So that is my story of friendly packages. Can you say that your packages are as friendly as mine?

Matters of the Heart

For those of you who are not followers of my blog, Recently I had another sleep test. During that test, I had one incident when my heart was beating fast for 33 beats. I was awake during the incident, but was not aware it was happening. My sleep doctor informed my primary doctor, who sent me to a cardiologist. When I met with the cardiologist, he set me up with a number of tests to see what is going on.

The first was bloodwork to check my ACE and magnesium levels. The scale for normal for ACE is 12 - 68, mine is 11. Magnesium range is 1.6-2.6, mine is 2.0.

He put me on a new medication which is a Beta blocker/ACE inhibitor. When I exercise, this keeps me from being able to get to my target heart rate anymore. I also do not understand since my ACE level is low, why I need a medication to inhibit it more.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I had to go to the cardiologist's office to get hooked up to a heart monitor for 24 hours. I told the nurse that I have sensitive skin and adhesives do not stick well. She prepped the areas for the leads to be attached by rubbing the skin with sand paper to help them adhere better. By the time I got home. two of the leads had come off. After several phone calls, I was told to return to have them re-attached. She taped them on this time.

When I removed them the following morning, my skin was all red and itchy, and the areas were "gooey". A week later, the areas are still red.

Wednesday morning I was back for an echo cardiogram. I waited over 30 minutes past my appointment time to be called back. I had to remove my shirt and bra, and wear an open-fronted gown top. I was told to lay on my left side, facing away from the person doing the sonogram. Although he had to prod me all around the left breast area, it did not hurt. What was upsetting was after he had begun to do the echo cardiogram, another woman came into the room and asked was he almost finished. He said no, he had just started. She asked him to come with her and help her with her patient. He did not want to , but she kept pressing him until he left.

Now I was already nervous about having all of these tests on my heart. To have him leave in the middle of it, for several minutes, and hearing him in the next room performing the test on another patient was not helping my nerves. I was becoming a bit angry, thinking why is that patient more important than me? Then I decided to be thankful I had the more competent technician doing my test.

He returned and finished my test, apologizing for having to leave me.

Bright and early on Monday, I had the nuclear stress test. I had been given no instructions about my medications. Knowing the new prescription inhibited my heart rate, I opted not to take it before the test, but brought it with me, in case they wanted me to take it. I could not eat before the test, nor have any caffeine, decaf, or chocolate for 24 hours prior to the test. I had to drink plenty of water.

First a nurse looked over my forms and medication list. She told me it was okay for me to take the beta blocker after I went on the treadmill. She hooked me up so I could get the injection via IV during the testing. Then another nurse came in and gave me my first injection of nuclear stuff. They told me it is like having a CT scan. But I can honestly say, I felt nothing throughout the testing, from either injection.

Next I had to go to the waiting area, drink 4 small glasses of water and eat a package of graham crackers. IN about 30 minutes I was taken back to a dark room, had to lie on a narrow machine, and had pictures of my heart taken. I had to lie still with my hands over my head for ten minutes.

Then back to the waiting room for another half an hour.

The treadmill was next. A nurse practitioner cardiologist began the hookup and looked over my chart. IN passing she commented that I had a sonogram of my heart and "it looked good". I know she was not giving me results, but I was happy to hear that. I asked her what was the target heart rate she was aiming for me. She said for my age 136 is 85% and that would be the minimum needed to conduct the test. Maximum is 160.

After the nurse finished hooking me up, and taking my blood pressure, I stepped onto the treadmill. There was a beautiful autumn scene on the wall in front of it. It looked like the canal path behind my house.

As I started walking, they asked what levels I usually walk on the treadmill. I told them the fastest I have gone is 3.6 and the highest incline is 6. They told me they start me out at incline of 10. Every three minutes the treadmill increases speed and incline a little more. As I was walking, they told me it was a good thing I had not taken the beta blocker or they do not know how high they would have had to make me go to get to the target heart rate. Every two or three minutes, they checked my blood pressure, which was steadily increasing. They told me not to get upset by how high it was, as exercise always does that.

The nurse practitioner kept her eyes on the electrocardiogram and the nurse kept checking the BP. They were constantly asking how I felt. When the target heart rate was reached (145), the second nurse came in and gave me another injection. I had to walk one more minute with the nuclear stuff in me.

When I came off the treadmill, they kept checking my BP until it was back to normal - which was quickly. They said it is a sign that I am fit because my heart recovered quickly. She also told me I had no incidents of racing heart during the test.

I was sent back to the waiting room and told to drink a small can of apple juice and eat a nutrigrain bar. After about 45 minutes, I returned to the dark room for one last set of pictures of my heart. The entire process took about two and a half hours.

At no time did I experience any discomfort. The treadmill workout was more strenuous than I usually do at the gym, in that because of my back, I do not set the incline that high. But I had no trouble completing the test. I was sweating and winded, but that happens every time I go to the gym.

Now the waiting begins. I do not see the cardiologist again until Dec 15th to find out results. Then I see the arrhythmia specialist at the end of the month.

Thank you to all who have been praying. I have been upset and nervous about having these tests. I have wanted so bad to turn to food for that comfort as I was not finding it elsewhere. I continued to seek God and He has sustained me and kept me from overeating.

Please continue to pray for me as I await results.

A