Have you ever had an ECG?

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  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
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    Hey! An ECG is super noninvasive and easy. Don't be stressing. All they do is hook some sticky pads (containing the electrodes) to your chest, ankles and side. You sit still for less than 5 minutes and its done. So all it requires is you remove your shirt, but they can cover you up with something after the electrodes are on if your uncomfortable.

    So fast, so painless, and totally nothing to work yourself up over. A lot of doctors just do it as a routine test to go along with your yearly physical.

    Good Luck!

    I'm having to take the test because I've been getting chest pains which is why I'm a little bit worried about it all....eek! :frown:

    It's always better to know whats up and have it fixed than just leaving the issue alone. I hope every thing goes well for you!!

    And an electrocardiogram (shortened as EKG OR ECG) is different from an echocardiogram (shortened as ECHO).

    I've been putting it off for a while now but things kind of came to a head last week and I really scared myself so decided to get it checked out. I'm hoping it's nothing more than Costochondritis, fingers crossed!

    Thanks for clearing up the EKG/ECGECHO confusion, I thought I must have got it completely wrong, lol! :)
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
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    Yes, I had one a few years back, and was really nervous about it too!! (I have a thing about being more exposed in front of other people) TBH it wasn't as I thought it would be, and it didn't take long. You just lie there for a couple of minutes, with the electrodes on you and that's it.

    I had to take my top + bra off for it. If you only have it on your chest/arms/ankles, I can't see the need really to be stripping off properly.

    I'm the same, I don't want to get my la-la's out to strangers unless totally necessary, lol!

    The lady doing it for me was very good at keeping my breast covered. I too don't like exposing them to just anyone:tongue:
    Chances are they will ask you to remove your bra. In most cases they put some electrodes under the breast and chest area. The underwire can interfere with the current/signal.

    http://www.emedicinehealth.com/electrocardiogram_ecg/page3_em.htm

    Let's hope they provide me with a sling if they need bra off and want to get underneath, after losing 56lb I'm not exactly at my 'pertest' now, lol! :D

    Thanks for that link, I've had a read and it's all very interesting and informative. I've been trying to put it to the back of my mind but now that it's so near the nerves are kicking in as to what may be discovered. :(
  • Ninikins2
    Ninikins2 Posts: 73
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    An EKG is the same as an ECG. An echo is called an echocardiogram or ultrasound of the heart. Two very different things.

    An ECG takes less than 5 minutes. You just have to lift your shirt up, you will get 10 sticky pads put on your chest and 10 wires. It does not hurt. The EKG/ECG only records 10 seconds of your heart's rhythm. It does not take any longer than that. If it does, it's a different test entirely.

    Really we do these all the time in the clinic and it is not a big deal.
    Hope all goes well for the OP and your ECG doesn't show any abnormalities!
  • OnionMomma
    OnionMomma Posts: 938 Member
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    An EKG/ECG and an ECHO are 2 different tests.

    My son was born with a congenitial heart defect and even though he was repaired at 6 months old, he still has yearly EKGs and ECHOs.

    An EKG is the sticky pads they will stick to your chest and various other parts of your torso and hook you up to a machine to record the data.

    And ECHO is an ultrasound of the heart as it is beating just like what they do for pregnant ladies.

    I've seen his first EKG be recodred for a good 15 mins as a 45 day old infant. His 1st ECHO too about 90 mins. done at the same time around 45 days old.

    For his first ECHO and every one until he was repaired they took pictures from way up on his collar bone all the way done to pushing up on his belly to get pictures of the bottom of his heart.

    Both tests are painless. But for a 45 day old, it was not fun. They already don't feel well because their body is not functioning properly and then they are being poked and proded, even though it is a little bit.

    The ECHO was the hardest that first time. They need to get a good baseline as that is what tells them the extent of the defect.

    Oh bless him, that must have been so traumatic for you all and a constant concern. Hugs all round from me. :flowerforyou:

    thanks, we had a very rough first 2 years of life....about 2.5. He's pretty much your normal kids now, just with some extra DRs appointments.

    At one time I was working full time teaching and juggling: 1 Pediatrician, 6 Ped. Specialist, home health nursing, Early Intervention for 2 services, and 3 children's hospitals in 2 states.

    Yay, I had to stop working.

    His official list of DXs are: CHD (specific a VSD), a grade 1 Hypospadias, GERD, Motility GI tract issues, full blown oral aversion to any food or anything put into his mouth (he could gag and vomit at the sight of food).

    He's had 8 Operating Room trips and we are hoping none left. ;-) He's had his heart repair, an EDG, G tube placement, ear tubes, 3 tries to complete the Hypospadias repair, and another set of tube and his adenoids out.

    In my spare time, I volunteer for a Ped GERD tube feeding site online and help moderate their Feeding Issues and Aversion Forum for them.

    So, yes, life got busy but you know what I always say, if you are going to "sign up" for your child to have a heart defect, a VSD is the one to have. It has a very low mortality rate. His was a little more complicated but nothing compared to some of the heart defects out that that claim 100's of infant's lives a year.

    A little known fact.

    More children will die before their 1st birthday of a heart defect than all other childhood illness combined, including cancer.

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