hayley Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 hey everyone hope your doing ok.im having an echocardiogram on friday.i just wanted to know does it matter if you sit down or stand up a little with it.because surely they would see more when standing but i cant stand very long.anyway be grateful for your reponses.take care everyone.hayley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mary from OH Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 Hayley,They have to perform an echo while you are laying down. It has to do with the position of your heart in your body and the position of the other organs. Also, they use the probe to get under your ribs to see all views of your heart. Are you just having an echo or an echo with bubbles? I had an echo with bubbles. Good luck! It's painless. (well, I don't like much pressure on my skin, but it didn't "hurt')!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mary from OH Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 Hayley,They have to perform an echo while you are laying down. It has to do with the position of your heart in your body and the position of the other organs. Also, they use the probe to get under your ribs to see all views of your heart. Are you just having an echo or an echo with bubbles? I had an echo with bubbles. Good luck! It's painless. (well, I don't like much pressure on my skin, but it didn't "hurt')!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 I don't have technical knowledge about this, however, I believe it is generally done lying down. They have to position you in such a way as to be able to get a good picture. It is looking at structural issues--things that should not fundamentally change from being in different positions.It's not an uncomfortable procedure.Hope it goes well.Katherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 Regular ECGs are generally done while lying down. This shows the heart's structure, and a structural problem should show up even if you aren't standing. I had an ECG/stress test, and that was done on the treadmill. I think this shows blood flow in addition to heart structure. I am not sure if there are any other types of ECGs which are done while sitting or standing. Good luck,Rita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 hello hayley, this is a good, standard test and it should not bother you at all! Think of your chest like a mousepad and the tool they will rub on your chest as the mouse. They squirt a bit of clear gel on the "mouse" and move it around and click to take pictures of your heart and whatever else they want to see. They usually do this for me once every two years and only a once was I asked to stand up. It only took a couple of moments to stand and get the picture. If you are curious, ask to "see" what they are looking at. They won't tell you anything of a diagnosis but you can have a guided tour of your insides! Take care, tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneva Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 Hi Hayley, yes the echo is done lying down but I wonder if you are thinking of an echo stress test. I have had both. If it is the echo stress, you are put on a treadmill for as long as you can manage...for me it was less than 8 minutes I think and that was going slowly. Then they quickly put you in the lying position and complete the test as others have described above to see how the heart muscles etc react.good luck with your test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calypso Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 I just had an echo yesterday. I kind of wondered about the whole lying down vs. sitting up thing -- my problems are mostly sitting and standing, so what if the test showed nothing lying down? But the kind of problems we experience with POTS aren't ones that you can usually see on an echocardiogram because it's not a structural heart problem. You can obviously see that our heart rate goes up on the EKG when we stand, but other than that, not much is evident from tests (except maybe BP drop if you have that).Anyway, the only thing that bothered me with the test is that I have literally no body fat, and when the tech was trying to push on my chest to see my aorta, I literally got a huge sudden shock-like sensation that ran through my whole body and I jumped. It was so strange and something I had never felt before. I think she pushed a little too hard.Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayley Posted November 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 thanks for all your replys.calypso that was my point exactly about the whole lying down vs standing up thing.i just thought it might show the heart working harder if you stand up.but i guess itll pick up the same thing as lying down.thanks again for your replys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star382000 Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 I've had one and it was just laying down. It lasted a bit longer than I had anticipated although not long comparitively. The person just had me move on my side a couple times so as to get at my heart differently. Now worries and best of luck, youre in my prayers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 Hayley,the echocardiogram is nothing to worry about. Just lay down and let it happen. Hopes it will give you some answers. Good luck,Corina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Julia59 Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 My last echo grahm was in May of 2001. I've had several. To me it feels like a massage. Just relax-------as this test is painless-----and very infomative on the heart structure and blood flow.Julie :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted November 3, 2004 Report Share Posted November 3, 2004 julie? a massage? what??? sorry, had to pick on you! i hate those echos...they are always saying to me...we are having a hard time finding blah-de-blah as they dig the probe into my ribs on the left side, or up under the ribcage by the stomach (which makes me want to puke)....i think they hurt! i guess i am a wimp! no really, they are one of the easiest of tests and a good thing to get done, but i don't find them comfortable. i am one of those people that is so tender to the touch, everything like that hurts. okay! just needed to tease you.emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted November 4, 2004 Report Share Posted November 4, 2004 with all the barbaric tests i've had give me an echo anyday! lying down relaxing and just occasionally having to move a little. it's really easy. morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted November 4, 2004 Report Share Posted November 4, 2004 morgan,are you calling me a WEENIE???? emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted November 4, 2004 Report Share Posted November 4, 2004 hey weeeeenie, yes i am speaking to you nah nah. ha ha. it's just you are such a petite and fragile little thing, i'm sure it was miserable for you.. WEEEENIE MOM HAS SPOKEN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted November 4, 2004 Report Share Posted November 4, 2004 Emily,I can't remember a post you wrote in which you didn't make me laugh. Really, on my darkest days all I have to do is read them. Oh, btw my memory is very bad these days, so maybe . . . . Corina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Julia59 Posted November 5, 2004 Report Share Posted November 5, 2004 I get to have a stress echo on Monday....yippi..........I'm not looking forward to the stress part. But we must see how my heart functions under stress---especially sice every time I try to exercise---walking-----to get my HR up a bit----my heart wants to flip out----flip/flop---PVC's whatever.Come to think of it Emily----they do dig a little. But compared to all the other tests I had-----------------it's nothing. Sounds like the person giving you the test may have been a little rough. I think I remember my first being a little rough----I was little more tender then---at a 110 pounds----in 1982----- 40 pounds later-----well---lets just say i wish it was only 20 pounds later.Julie :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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