Thursday, December 8, 2011

My Angiogram Experiences – Part 2

My second angiogram was taken on 23/9/2011. The radiologist who carried this procedure for me was a Malay male doctor, named. Dr. Hazman. His assistant was a Chinese female radiologist. The reason for me to have the second time of angiogram was that I was still having haemoptysis after a day I got discharged from the hospital. Thus, I was admitted again on 22/9/2011. :(

My second angiogram was taken 3 hours for the procedure. Again, I was being given an injection to prevent any allergies and to sign the consent letter before the procedure started. It was a totally different experience for me for my second angiogram. I was suffered for my second angiogram procedure. It took me 3 hours for the procedure and I was having sudden chest pain in the middle of the procedure. The radiologists then quickly stopped the procedure for about 15 minutes and they called a heart doctor came to check on me. I told the heart doctor I was having the chest pain and it was the area that the radiologist had inserted the catheter. Then they let me rested for awhile, of course I was still lying on the bed to rest but I was sweated so much too, I think it was a cold sweat for me. One of the nurses helped me to wipe off my sweat as she wanted me to feel relief. After awhile, the radiologists started the angiogram again and this time he was telling me just to hold my breath for 5 seconds for the x-rays. Both the radiologists for my 2 angiogram procedures were kept on asking me if I was feeling ok during the procedure and they also talked to me.

I was wearing the oxygen mask during the procedure and I had been using 6 bottles of oxygen tank for my 2nd angiogram. After the procedure done, I was very tired and felt very weak. I also had no mood to talk as I felt strengthless and just wanted to sleep. My mother was accompanied me for the whole night. I could not move my leg for 6 hours again of course.

On the next day, after I woke up. I was having chest pain and when I swallowed the food, I felt painful for my chest too. I told the doctor about it and the doctor advised me did not eat too much at one time, he told me to eat a little bit in few times and it was the side effects of the angiogram. Then I was taken some liquid food on that day as I felt my chest pain when I eaten the solid food.

Few days later, the radiologist, Dr. Hazman came to my ward to see me. He asked if I could walk. I told him I could walk and he said it was good. Then he told me the side effects of the angiogram, he said some people would have back pain, it would last for 1 week to 4 weeks. I then told him no wonder I was having back pain, He said it was normal and I could take pain-killer to stop the pain or apply some cream too. FYI, I was having the back pain for 4 weeks after the angiogram and I did not take any pain killers to ease my pain due to I did not want to take so many medicines. I just asked my mother to apply cream for me for 3 times daily. Frankly speaking, the back pain really made me suffered so much. My mother advised me to take pain-killer but I rejected.

Besides back pain, I was also having coolness for my right fingers for a week after my angiogram as it was one of the side effects too. Another side effect of the angiogram was shortness of breath. Guess what?! I could not run away from it, and I got that side effect too and it was really made me suffered.

Since my second angiogram, I got back pain and shortness of breath easily. Even I walked for few paces, I felt shortness of breath. Thus, I had to wear the oxygen mask most of the time during my hospitalisation. After I got discharged, I was using the oxygen concentrator. Like I said, I got the shortness of breath easily, thus, I was staying at home to rest and most of the time I was lie down on the bed or sofa as I was having back pain too. But sometimes, I also forced myself to walk for a while as doing some exercises. FYI, in the first two weeks after I got discharged, my mother was washing my hair and bathed for me. This was due to I was too weak to do those by myself as I got shortness of breath easily. Thus, I was depending on the oxygen concentrator so much during those time. I even felt like lazy to talk, therefore I did not talk much during those days and I also only managed to talk in the soft-tone. When I felt angry, I felt my back pain and started to have shortness of breath, thus, I controlled my temper so much at those time.

It is already 2 months passed my angiograms, and I am feeling much better now. At least I would not have shortness of breath easily now and my back pain had eased. Thus I hope my health would recover soon and the 2 angiograms for me were really a “special” kind of experience for me and I am having 2 wounds in my groin.

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