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Vascular ultrasound

ScottTriGuy

Stop the harm. Start the research and treatment.
Messages
1,402
Location
Toronto, Canada
In 2 days I go for a vascular ultrasound.

I'm thinking that I want the test done when my body is not stable so it is more likely to pick up dysfunction.

I can do this by walking up a few flight of stairs or lifting something above my head. This will trigger nausea, dizziness and urge to lie down (so I don't fall down). Usually 20 minutes of horizontal time will allow my body to stabilize.

Does this make sense? I don't want to unnecessarily make myself unstable if the vascular ultrasound doesn't pick up on it.
 

Old Bones

Senior Member
Messages
808
Does this make sense? I don't want to unnecessarily make myself unstable if the vascular ultrasound doesn't pick up on it.

Hi @ScottTriGuy . Your suggestion of intentionally triggering an unstable state prior to your vascular untrasound sounds like a prudent move, as long as there's little risk your actions will result in an extended period of discomfort, or disability. Is the 20 minute horizontal rest pretty consistent in stabilizing your symptoms?

It's not likely you'd have another chance at this diagnostic test, if the results are inconclusive. And who knows what additional medical attention you might attract if the doctor/technician would actually witness your impaired condition. Just make sure someone accompanies you to the test to ensure you get home safely.

Good luck, and I hope you get some answers.
 

ScottTriGuy

Stop the harm. Start the research and treatment.
Messages
1,402
Location
Toronto, Canada
Thanks @Old Bones - 20 minutes seems to be the minimum I need to feel like I can sit up and walk a short distance...or drive home like last week (yikes!). I'll still feel tired and kind of crappy for the rest of the day and into the next but if dysfunction gets captured on their instrument than it will have been worth it.
 

Chris

Senior Member
Messages
845
Location
Victoria, BC
@Scott; you don't say what kind of "vascular ultrasound" you are booked for--a cardiac echo? carotid arteries? legs? the works? A cardiac echo is likely to pick up valve function, and that can change a bit with the stress of exercise--I just had a full-blown stress echo to test for ischemia--I was fine, it seems. Other ultrasound results should not, I think, be much influenced by recent exercise. They will pick up on the amount of plaque in an artery, but that is usually a very slow moving target--years, not minutes.
 

Jonathan Edwards

"Gibberish"
Messages
5,256
I don't think any exertion prior to a vascular ultrasound is likely to have any effect on the result, but as Chris says, there are lots of different sorts of US examination.
 

ScottTriGuy

Stop the harm. Start the research and treatment.
Messages
1,402
Location
Toronto, Canada
Thanks @Chris @Jonathan Edwards

I don't know where they're going to look - the doc didn't tell me he was making a referral for an ultrasound, I was surprised when his office called to tell me the date of the appointment and mentioned that it was a vascular ultrasound.
 

Old Bones

Senior Member
Messages
808
I don't think any exertion prior to a vascular ultrasound is likely to have any effect on the result, but as Chris says, . . .

There may, however, be another reason why @ScottTriGuy 's original intent makes sense. I think part of ME's credibility stems from the fact that those of us who are not very-severely ill often look too healthy during the short periods of time we interact with medical practitioners.

For example . . . last week I had an appointment with an internist to get my bone marrow biopsy result. I don't have full-blown Mastocytosis as a proliferative disease (never thought I did), which is the only mast cell condition known/recognized by this generally-excellent specialist, and perhaps the entire mainstream medical system in Canada.

I took in a photo of myself showing how swollen and ill I am when I don't follow a low-histamine diet. By the look on her face, she was shocked. If showing her the reality of my life at my worst causes her to investigate the existence of other less-serious mast cell conditions (eg. MCAD and histamine intolerance), I may have done some good. Similarly, if you, Scott, fall down at your vascular ultrasound appointment, or are unable to get up immediately due to dizziness and nausea, perhaps this is a teachable moment for the diagnostician.
 

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,335
Location
Southern California
In 2 days I go for a vascular ultrasound.

I'm thinking that I want the test done when my body is not stable so it is more likely to pick up dysfunction.

I can do this by walking up a few flight of stairs or lifting something above my head. This will trigger nausea, dizziness and urge to lie down (so I don't fall down). Usually 20 minutes of horizontal time will allow my body to stabilize.

Does this make sense? I don't want to unnecessarily make myself unstable if the vascular ultrasound doesn't pick up on it.

Scott - let us know how it goes. I have no idea if walking upstairs or lifting something over your head will affect the results of your test, but I guess if I were in your shoes, I'm with @Old Bones and would give it a try, if I did not have to pay too high a price for doing so. Several years ago I walked up a flight of stairs to see my ME/CFS doctor and immediately upon arrival he used a pulse oximeter to check oxygen levels - I had asked him to do this, as I wanted to see if something bad happened to my oxygen levels from climbing the stairs - but nope - my levels were just perfect - dang! I wanted to see something tangible. :sluggish:
 

kangaSue

Senior Member
Messages
1,851
Location
Brisbane, Australia
What kind of Dr does this testing? Should be interesting to see your results. Then perhaps it would be something I could try to get done, if it makes sense.

GG
Vascular Surgeons are the specialists in this area but it depends on your country's health system. In Australia, the major players in the imaging diagnostics field can also do vascular ultrasound testing but they're not always the best experts for interpreting the results.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@Scott; you don't say what kind of "vascular ultrasound" you are booked for--a cardiac echo? carotid arteries? legs? the works?

I was curious about this, too, and hoping Scott that you will post more after the test is done re: what type of vascular ultrasound you had. Good luck with the procedure whatever you decide to do!

@Jonathan Edwards Is there any type of vascular ultrasound that would show blood perfusion to lungs/heart when a person is standing up vs. supine? (I suspect this is not what Scott is doing but was just curious if such a test exists amongst the different types of vascular ultrasounds). Thanks in advance.
 

Jonathan Edwards

"Gibberish"
Messages
5,256
I was curious about this, too, and hoping Scott that you will post more after the test is done re: what type of vascular ultrasound you had. Good luck with the procedure whatever you decide to do!

@Jonathan Edwards Is there any type of vascular ultrasound that would show blood perfusion to lungs/heart when a person is standing up vs. supine? (I suspect this is not what Scott is doing but was just curious if such a test exists amongst the different types of vascular ultrasounds). Thanks in advance.

Not that I am aware of.