I have my 6 month angiogram schedul3d for June 11th. I am nervous about the procedure. Can anyone give me some insights on the procedure? Will there be pain? The scheduler said i will need a driver, no food or drink 6hrs prior and that id need 4 hours of bed rest after. I seen a lot of stories mention going through the groin. During my hospitalization they went in through my wrist. Has anyone had that procedure? Ive had the contrast put in for my kidneys. Will it be similar?
Thanks in advance!
@Johnnak
I will share some information about the diagnostic angiogram, guess it the diagnostic one you are asking about? I have done one after my second surgery, in total I have undergone a total of four, the third one was when the stent was inserted.
First, make sure that you drink some extra fluids the day before the angiogram, it makes it easier for the nurse and the doctor to put in your iv and to access the artery. I advise you to wear soft, comfortable pants if they use the artery in your groin. I also recommend wearing sunglasses when you are in the car, many of us experienced being sensitive to bright light after the angiogram. Yes, you need to have a driver, and if that person can stay with you overnight it would be best for you. Make sure you have some meals ready in your fridge and enough food in your pantry. It will take a couple of days before you are ready to go out and buy groceries.
You will be awake during the angiogram but mildly sedated, you will be asked to hold your breath when the pictures are taken. I felt comfortable during the angiogram, I didn’t really care about what was going on, so the medication made wonders. They would like you to feel comfortable and to be totally still, tell them if you are feeling uncomfortable.
The doctor will numb the skin where the catheter is inserted, you will most likely feel something poking around in that area. Many people say that they didn’t feel anything when the dye was in, but for me it hurt a short time in my head when the last pictures were taken. The doctor said that it was the area where I had my aneurysm repaired and he wasn’t worried about it. It just lasted a few seconds.
Be prepared to see some sparkles and flashes in your eyes during and perhaps after the angiogram. It happened to me and I have read that many of us say the same thing.
You have to stay in the hospital for some hours, it is necessary to check the incision of your artery so it doesn’t bleed. When you get home you have to follow the instructions from the doctor , if the wrist is used I suppose that your recovery time will be reduced compared to when the groin is used. If I remember correctly you have to drink extra fluids to flush out the dye.
This was my experience and I hope everything goes well for you.
Great description. I’ve had 8 and I would say that’s spot on. I’ll have my 9th this summer. The anxiety of having one is far worse than the actual procedure, so try not to worry about it. The groin vs wrist will be determined by whoever is doing the procedure. A quick measurement of your radial artery will be taken and if large enough for access, they may use it. Otherwise they’ll use the femoral in the groin. I’ve had it both ways and both have pros and cons. I’ve had so many they now only use the groin because my radial artery has become hard to access. My attitude is whatever is most convenient for the person performing the procedure is what’s best. I want them doing their best work for me. You’re going to do great! It will be over and you’ll be home before you know it.
@Judi
Thank you 
That’s a lot of angiograms! I totally agree with you that the anxiety before the procedure is far worse than the angiogram itself. @Johnnak they would like you to be relaxed and follow the instructions on how to hold your breath and to lie still. Try not to worry too much about it.
If you are going to have a stent in the future, it will be a little bit different, you will be knocked out and you will not remember anything about the procedure and you will be kept in the ICU overnight before you can go back home. If this is the plan for the future you can always ask your fellow survivors about it on this portal.
First off is to remember to breathe. For every one of us that ruptured or had an incidental find and had their aneurysm repaired endovascularly, I believe we all get the 6 month follow up angiogram to ensure the repair has worked. As @oct20 mentions, make sure you stay hydrated before and after the procedure, it’s not only extremely important for the medical team to put in the IVs, it’s important for your brain. After the procedure, hydration and protein is the key to a faster recovery. The hydration helps flush out the dye, hydration and protein helps your brain recover.
I learned about surgeons going through the radial (wrist) artery from members here. I remember when my Neurosurgeon was talking about the change from femoral (groin) artery to radial. My last angiogram to check the stent placement was the radial artery. I prefer it, leaps and bounds!
I have to pre-medicate due to my allergic reaction to the dye. The last pills are taken about two or three hours prior, I’m only allowed a small sip of water to take them. When I get to the hospital and have checked in, a RN takes me back to pre-op and preps me. Like @oct20 mentions, wear comfortable loose clothes, I wear sweat pants and if it’s warmer, a t-shirt with something funny or positive on it. You’ll have to remove your clothing and put on a hospital gown. I also take my tablet or a book. The person who comes with you will be given your bag of clothes, so be kind to them.
The pre-op RN takes your vitals and will ask you questions. They want to make sure you haven’t had anything to eat or drink. An Anesthesiologist will come in and talk to you briefly about the risks of anesthesia. The Nurse Anesthetist (RNA) will come in and put an IV in, sometimes it’s the pre-op RN. Either the surgeon or a Resident will come in and talk to you about the possible risks of the angiogram. There’ll be papers to sign saying you understand them. You’ll get a urinary catheter but you’ll already have medication in you so it’s not even uncomfortable when the RN puts it in. Once pre-op is completed, they’ll take you to the room where the procedure will take place.
There’s a bunch of folks in the procedure room, all busy doing what they do. You’ll be moved from the gurney to the table and the RNA will do some more things. For all of mine, the RNA stayed to my left side to watch the machine and me of course. Most times the team played music and they let me pick what I wanted to listen to which was nice. My Neurosurgeon stays to my left with her Resident. In the procedure room, there’s also another room with a big glass window for observation that holds various folks, Residents, Med Students and my Neurosurgeon’s NP that get to watch the procedure on the big tv. They don’t let me watch it which is sad to me. The Resident or someone always checks the pulse in my feet and marks them. When they were doing the radial access, they used a small handheld machine that finds the artery and ensures that it can be used, which also gets marked.
The surgeon comes in and either the surgeon or the Resident inserts the catheter. For me, my Neurosurgeon checks both sides of my brain once she’s in there, it’s to not only check my aneurysm but to make sure there are no others that decided to develop. If they use your radial artery, a cuff is placed after the closure device has been put in. The cuff is controlled by air, it’s a pretty cool little device. It slowly releases the pressure over the closure device and beats laying flat with a weight on your groin.
You’ll be moved from the table back to a gurney. They wheel you to the post surgery arena, where you’ll hang out for a while with yet another RN. Then they’ll move you to another room and another RN will monitor you and your cuff or the weighted bag if it’s the femoral artery. The RNs pass information to the next and they are really a vital part of the whole process.
Once the cuff is off and you’ve urinated and ate, you get discharged. The discharge will give you your rules on what to do when you get home. The rules aren’t as many for the radial vs the femoral in my opinion and recovery was much faster. I had to stay a couple of hours longer because Dr, Q-W was pushing out the dye with saline solution I think it was due to my allergic reaction. It’s very important that you follow the rules.
You have to have a driver because they give you anesthesia and your brain can be a bit wonky. I recall one person that was sent back home because they didn’t have a driver. Hopefully one of your daughters can take you. Your surgeon will tell the adult you take how the procedure went and that you’ve been moved so they can be with you. You also have to have an adult stay with you for 24 hours I think it is. I think your aunt will cover that need. BH says that was the rule except when Dr. Q-W went in through my wrist and it was just the rest of the day. You’ll have a rule on weight limit, BH thinks it was a week before I was allowed to pick up a half gallon of milk with my right wrist so don’t pick up your grandbaby.
I have photophobia due to my rupture and always wear sunglasses. I also wear a ball cap in the car as a passenger and we have one of those window shades for the passenger window I can put up if needed to help block the sun. I love when it’s overcast on my angiogram days.
The contrast will be similar I imagine to when they checked your kidneys, it was similar to when a Cardiologist checked my heart, the type of dye was just different as they used iodine back then I think it was. My Neurosurgeon uses gadolinium for my brain.
You’ll do fine, you’ve got this!
Thank you all so much! I appreciate all the details. Yes, my aunt will be driving me and carung for me the rest of the day. I will keep you guys posted on how it goes. Fingers crossed for the wrist procedure 
Lots of love 
@Moltroub This is important for you @Johnnak
Regarding the sedation we get, they will definitely need us to be relaxed and in a “happy place” my mood was so happy so I chatted nonstop with the RN sitting by my side when the procedure was performed and when my neurosurgeon came to my bed and informed me of the results, I asked him if I could be his show and tell and go with him to fancy conference centers 
I’m sure they are used to hear a lot of nonsense being said from their patients
“For every one of us that ruptured or had an incidental find and had their aneurysm repaired endovascularly, I believe we all get the 6 month follow up angiogram to ensure the repair has worked.”
My Interventional NeuroRadiologist prefers that I particpate in a MRA for my six month post op visit first, before entertaining the need for an investigational angiogram. And when my Neurologist found out that I was scheduled for an MRA in a couple of months, he asked that I include an MRI during the same visit to acquire a big picture view of my cranal terrain.
Look at the two of you! He looks like a lot of non stop fun!
Thanks Peter, much appreciated!
For me, I do get an MRI/A prior to the follow up angiogram. When I had my stent placed, she didn’t need the angiogram before it, the imaging told her all she needed to know. For the rest, except my rupture, I had the imaging, the angiogram and then a week or two later another angiogram to try to repair it and then another set of images and the follow up angiogram. I knew two of the ladies quite well at the front desk of imaging it seemed.
He is a handful 
. I had a catscan at my 3 month. He said everything looked good. That was on 3/15.
I appreciate all of you very much!
Lots of love
I’ve had about 8 angiograms and non have hurt. They give doctors an invaluable tool to assess your condition. You got this no worries.
I just had my follow up angiogram through the groin. They tried the wrist for the coils and stents and it was a disaster. The groin access works for me. For the follow up at six months it was as easy as could be. I had twilight anesthesia and don’t remember a thing. I had a Perclose clip on the artery in the groin and very little discomfort from it. I could barely see where they went in. I was in recovery for less than two hours and then my partner drove me five and a half hours back home with a few stops along the way. No problems.
I wish you the best and hope you get the best news!!
I was completely asleep for my follow up with the twilight anesthesia. I keep hearing that people are awake but comfortable during there follow up and know what is going on. I thought they needed you to respond and hold you breath at times. I’m not sure how they could do that if I don’t remember anything. Was anyone else not awake for their angiogram?
Thank you! I will keep you posted on the news.
Hi Johnnak, I had my six month checkup angiogram. It is not painful for the actual procedure. The worst part for me was laying in bed for the 4 hours afterwards. The reason that you have to lay in bed for 4 hours is because they have to reseal the vein in the groin area. They were supposed to go through my wrist originally and at the last minute they changed to the groin. It pinches a little when they start the line. You will be awake while they do the procedure. I thought it just felt a little strange when they they put the actual camera up through to your brain. I could feel a heat sensation in my right ear area and in my forehead. It is not a terrible procedure to go through.
I thought I was sleeping through a couple follow ups, but Dr. Quintero-Wolfe assured me I wasn’t as I did have to hold my breath, release and not move when told. But the follow up after I had my stent and one other, I remember quite well, the whole way through it.
