Has Anyone Had A CATA Scan??

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 12:50 pm

Its pronounced CATTA anyway. Its a CT scan of the arteries. The imaging place just called to remind me of the appointment and, fortunately, I guess, asked if I had my Lopressor.

Say what? I don't take Lopressor! My BP tends to be on the low side. It turns out I am supposed to take 50 mg 12 hours before the scan, another 50 mgs 1 hour before the scan and a 3rd 50mg when I get to the imaging place.

Am I going to need someone to drive me to the imaging center and back home?? Gads! That much Lopressor I suspect I may be flat on my back unable to motivate!

This is not good. Hubby goes out deer hunting every morning. *sigh* Is he going to have to drive me? Poor guy. All he ever asks for is this 15 days a year to deer hunt.

Bamalady · Post by **Bamalady** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:44 pm

Slinky....I have had a couple of them done. I have problems with my vascular system . But I don't know nothing about no Lopressor??? Did they say why you would need it? I didn't have to take anything extra.

Bamalady · Post by **Bamalady** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:40 pm

Slinky....I've got to get off here for awhile, but will check back later. Here is how the procedure was for me:

No eating 4-6 hours before appointment
Get BP checked and line inserted for contrast
Have CTA done
Go home

If I had this done at a local hospital, I could have done easily this on my own. Since it is done at a hospital almost 2 hours away, hubby goes with me.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:37 pm

Some google searches brought up my mistake. Tho they call it CATTA scan, it is spelled CTA scan for computed tomography angiogram. I should have thought of that since the call a CT scan and CAT scan. And I knew it was some type of CT scan since I asked my doctor about that 'cause I wondered if it was some type of glorified heart cath. I think it is the same thing my sleep pulmo mentioned to me that he does and probably would eventually end up doing for me. (He's also a critical care specialist and I didn't have a pulmo at the time for my COPD).

The Lopressor is to slow down my heartbeat. I read at the Cleveland Clinic site that they give some type of med via the IV at the start of the test to slow your heart rate so I guess the Lopressor is just this imaging center's method of lowering the heart rate rather than giving something IV. (Ha! lowers their cost, raises mine?? Like it cost me a whole $1.43 for the 3 tablets).

I was just some concerned about the driving there as I tend to low blood pressure altho w/in "normal" range and not worrisome anymore. My family doctor's office didn't seem to be concerned when I called today to ask and said it should not be a problem. So, plan on driving myself and if I feel that I can't tomorrow morning I'll just have to reschedule it 'cause hubby will be out in the woods. I'm not gonna ask him to stay home based on what I've been told.

One thing I get a kick out of at each CTA site I went to was that they all say an IV will be placed in your wrist or arm. Like I am not aware that this is to check the ARTERIES which means placing the IV in an artery rather than a vein or haven't had an ABG before. Sheesh! Why pussy foot around? ABGs aren't that bad! And they sure beat a heart cath in my book!!!! Tho I've never had a heart cath. (knock, Knock, KNOCK).

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:53 pm

Now that I think of it, the last CT scan I had was an abdominal CT scan for my Crohn's disease. At that time, as was mentioned at the CC site, they drew blood first and ran some quick test because of my age and weight. I've never had a problem w/the dyes used for CT scans before so I asked what that was all about when they changed the IV bag and the tech told me that "older" people under a certain BMI had more of a tendency to react to these CT dyes than the average person so they ran a test which indicated that I should be given a more expensive but less risky dye. I wonder if they will do that this time too or if they will just go by my previous CT scan there and use the more expensive stuff.

Oh h*ll! That reminds me. I'm due for my standing 3 mos blood draw for my gastro for the Crohn's med that I am on. Duh. And I don't remember if I called her to renew the standing order when the lab told me last time to do so 'cause the standing orders are only good for a year and that was my last draw on that order. Double duh! Oh well, I can take care of that tomorrow after the CTA scan. Her office is just a couple of blocks away from the imaging center and then my lab is on my way home from there. And my gas saving "chore circle" around town will work out great! I LOVE it when I can get everything done in one trip to town!

Bamalady · Post by **Bamalady** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:03 pm

Slinky...are you having your heart vessels checked? So far mine have been clear. Hope the same for you. The problems I have are elsewhere. The Docs used to comment on how unusual it was to have blockages where mine have shown up. Now they just say, "Oh you have Apnea!'.

So they are spreading the cost around a bit! Maybe that is why I never had to take anything extra...or maybe you need the BB because of where they will be looking.

Sorry to hear about the Crohn's. Two people, both females, in my extended family have Crohn's. One had to have surgery.

Let us know how your testing goes.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:14 pm

Will do, BamaLlady. Just popped my first Lopressor a few minutes ago. I didn't keel over so guess I'm gonna do just fine.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:58 pm

Well, it was an interesting experience! Had the same tech as I had for an abdominal CT scan at this facility. She is absolutely great. Explains each and every thing and great about answering questions. They really have outstanding staff at this facility - except for one radiologist. I've asked that he not read any more of my procedures.

Anyway, after wondering if the Lopressor would drop my BP too low for me to drive .... ha! I took 50 mg at 9PM, 50 mg again at 8AM and when I walked in the door the RECEPTIONIST handed me a glass of water to take the 50 mg at 9AM.

They did the blood draw to check for creatine level for my age and weight again - and I got the expensive dye again.

It got interesting tho when they put the heart monitor on me. They would like to get your HR down to 55 for this test but will do it at any rate 60 BPM or less. My HR was all over the place. From 64 to 90+ and not steady at all. So, 3 doses of IV Lopressor in an attempt to get it down to an acceptable level I suggested we try 2L of 02 due to my COPD. She put 2L of 02 on me and darned if my BP didn't jump to 120+!!! But it was steadier than prior to the administration of 02. Then the tech consulted w/someone and they determined that the heart monitor was reading the T-waves and that they could go ahead w/the test w/o administering the 4th dose of IV Lopressor which was the maximum they would attempt to use.

And w/all that Lopressor in me I actually walked out of the facility, climbed in my car, drove over to have lunch w/my daughter, went shopping, etc. No dizziness, no SOB, nuttin'.

Bamalady · Post by **Bamalady** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:27 pm

Glad things went well for you, Slinky. But all that Lopressor!! It's a wonder that you didn't fall on your face somewhere along the line!

It sounds as if you did well and had a good time afterward! It really isn't a bad procedure, just a bit time consuming. I had forgotten about the blood draw. They always check mine as well. Hubby never has a problem going with me for this test. We always make a day of it since we have a bit of a drive anyway, and he gets to do some shopping in some stores we don't have available near where we actually live.

I hope you get good news when the results come in. Take care.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:55 pm

Thanks, BamaLady. I expect I will get good results. I've had every conceivable type of stress test and nothing ever shows up. Haven't had a Holter monitor. Heaven forbid they should order a cheap and easy test, you know. Most likely I will receive the disk of films and the dictated report Monday. This imaging center is great about that.

dllfo · Post by **dllfo** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:23 pm

Slinky, glad you did ok.

I am not sure it is legal, or smart, but Nitrolingual will drop your blood pressure.
After the other stuff, it may not be possible or even legal, but a couple of squirts will usually do it.

On one ambulance ride they screwed up and gave me 6 squirts, dropping my
BP into the 30s for a few hours. I didn't like it but it gave the nurse something to do as she had to sit at the end of my bed until my BP started coming back.

Best wishes on it....

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 8:14 am

Thanks, dllfo. It wasn't me that wanted my HR dropped so I figured it was up to the imaging center crew to handle the situation, not me. I've never been one to have BP problems so I wasn't about to worry about it as long as I FELT fine.

It was interesting watching the numbers on that heart monitor jump all over the place. I was wishing I had my Nonin oximeter w/me tho to check the HR on the Nonin as compared to the HR their monitor was reporting. Just to see if their monitor was screwed up somehow or if my HR really was bouncing all over like that 'cause I sure had no chest sensations that indicated my HR was fluttering. I have on a few very rare occasions felt my heart flutter for a few beats so it would have been interesting to have the Nonin or SOMETHING to compare to their monitor 'cause I really think it was their monitor screwing up.

Ah well, we shall see.