On January 24th I'll be having an outpatient angiogram as follow up to two brain coilings I had in late July. I'm wondering if anyone has gone through this day procedure and how you felt during and afterward. Although I know it is probably different for everyone, I'm trying to get a sense of what to expect. Hopefully, all will go well and there will be no need for further intervention. I've been feeling quite well in the past few months with no deficits, only some minor pressure sinus-type headaches a few times a week. If I do need further intervention, I believe it could be risky as one of my aneurysms is by the basilar artery.
Any feedback or experiences you can offer regarding the angiogram is most appreciated! I'm focused on a positive attitude.
Hi Judi - Angiograms are pretty much a piece of cake - how's that for positive :) The waiting and wondering are the worst part - that and the no breakfast part - I hate missing breakfast. After being admitted to the hospital you will gown up, get an IV, chat with anesthesia people, chat with your Neurosurgeon...I let them know I was a bit nervous so they gave me something IV to help. I remember bits and pieces of being in the OR and feeling a warm sensation in my head when they injected the dye and that's it - no pain whatsoever. Had to lay flat for a few hours afterwards - I was brought a sandwich and the TV remote and I laid there. Please take it easy for as long as they tell you afterwards...I overdid it and had issues with my groin injection site, but nothing major. When you get the results, you will have piece of mind that all is well...Good Luck
Hi and yes you are so right...everyone .. most do so well... the anticipation is worse then the actual procedure... if you need something to take the edge off, ask your Doctor to prescribe for the day of test and/or night before ... it really isn't painful or uncomfortable...for me...it is afterwards...my groin will swell (due to they put something in to make sure I don't have a bleed)...and groin will hurt until the body absorbs the item placed...most people donot have to have this done...so they must lay still for a few hours in recovery and then able to go...I always tell people ... you should rest a few days and drink lots of water after the procedure...I think we all forget...that we have a lot of dye going through our bodies...and sometimes it doesn't makes us feel ourselves...~ keep us posted...sending good thoughts your way ~ Colleen
Hi Judi, I just had mine last Monday. I also was nervous. I was just sedated and I hardly remember anything. It seems like it was over in 5 minutes. I didn't feel a thing and before I knew it, it was over. I had a little bit of a headache after but had a little one before I started. Tylenol took care of that. Went home about 5 hours later. I took a couple days off work just to rest but felt fine. Good luck to you. I hope you get good news. God bless! Deb
Thanks, Mary, for your thoughtful and reassuring reply. You are SO right...the waiting and wondering isn't easy. I feel appreciative that my college roommate is coming for a visit this weekend so I'll have a wonderful distraction. Still and all, I hope to be on the other side of this, with good news, in short order! I suppose angiograms will be a part of my life going forward, along with the MRA's. Acceptance, supportive loved ones, humor, strength are my mainstays.
Colleen, I appreciate your reply and your guidance. This time of waiting isn't easy, but I'm sure January 24th will be here before I know it. What an experience this all has been. I must say that I feel grateful for how fortunate I've being so far. Life is precious and I practice to count my blessings. Not easy with the challenges of life! Take good care. Judi
Hi Deb, congrats on your angio. Was that your first one? Did you have much discomfort afterward beyond a small headache? My angio is on a Friday and I plan to go back to work on the following Tuesday. I don't like the waiting and will be relieved when January 24th has come and go...I hope!
Hi Judi, It was my first one. I did not have any discomfort after. I slept for a hour after, during the time they do not want you to move. But I felt fine after. You will do great. Its not bad. But I do know how you feel. Good luck I hope you get great news like I did! Deb
I agree with what everyone has said, piece of cake. I took my phone and headphones with me and was able to listen to a book that I had downloaded and my music. The time just flew by.
Thank you so much for your input, Laura! I will plan accordingly and pack my bag with headphones and my latest good read...perhaps I can even find it in an audio version! Much appreciate and hoping for the best. Judi
Hi Judy, I just had an angiogram done, had several over the years and there's nothing to it! There's just the minor inconvenience of laying still. You will have some bruising in the groin and it may be tender for a bit. The only difficulty I had was that it took long to stop the bleeding at the site & of course I was getting nervous.........but they weren't they know what they are doing! Have no fear, you've gone through alot worse! Good Luck! Dee
Judi, I just had my first follow up angiogram in October after rupturing a basilar tip aneurysm in April. Honestly it wasn't any big deal compared to what I'd already been through. Most people are given some kind of sedation, so they might have limited memory of the actual procedure itself. Being a typical type A that I am, plus given the fact that I'm a nurse and the memory loss I experienced after the rupture still bugs me, I asked my neurosurgeon about not receiving any sedation during the angiogram. I'm sure he thought I was a bit nuts (so did the anesthesiologist) , but he agreed. So I can tell you from the perspective of being fully awake from the time I walked in at 5am until I was discharged at 11:30am that it really was a pretty easy procedure. I agree with others- it's waiting to find out the results that is the hard part. Because I chose to be fully awake, I was able to get the information and remember it, as soon as the procedure was over from the neurosurgeon and not asking my family (who are non-medical) over and over "what did the doctor say". Common to have memory issues temporarily after depending on what is given for sedation.
Hope your test goes well- my next one is due in April and again, I'll do it without sedation :)
Hi, I'm new to the forum and just happened to find this post a few days before my first angiogram. I was nervous also even though I had already a coiling back in Sept for a ruptured aneurysm but I was totally out of it for that. I had my angio a couple of days ago and the answers here made me much less nervous which I would like to thank everyone for. The procedure was no big deal as everyone stated. They put me in a "conscience sedation" state as they described it and it went exactly as they told me to expect. I remember them asking me to hold my breath a few times, some slight warmth when the die went in and the nurse holding pressure on afterwards and talking to me but no pain at all. My results were mixed with the good news being that what they thought was a second non-ruptured aneurysm turned out not to be one at all (which takes a huge worry off my mind) but the coiled one has compressed slightly so will need to be watched and need to have follow up MRI in six months. I really just wanted to say thanks to everyone responding to Judi for also helping my experience be much less stressful. Judi, I wish you the best on yours!
Hi Mary, thank you for thoughtful reply. I'm wondering how you experienced the angiogram without anesthesia. Were you in much pain? Also, I'm wondering how long I'll have to wait for the results. I like your idea of being fully awake to receive and retain the information.
I'm inspired that you've done so well after rupturing a basilar tip aneurysm. Do you get your angiograms once a year? I'm also wondering how often I'll be getting the MRA's and the angiograms. I, too, don't like the anesthesia effects, especially over time.