Ttt - How Long Does It Take?

[Beccapooh]

From everything I've read/heard the TTT only takes about 45 minutes, but when I asked the nurse how long to allot for the test and she said that I needed 2-3 hours. Could this be right? I'm just asking because I need to find child care for my girls and I'm really wanting to know what the extra hour or two could possibly be for? Any ideas??

I know that this is a subjective question and all, but I'm still curious as to all of your experiences.

Thanks, as always, in advance for your kind words.

Rebecca

PS - my test is for tomorrow, so I'm kinda in a crunch here!!!

[lalalisa]

Rebecca,

Hmm, that's a good question! I wonder if the nurse was including the time it takes to register in the hospital, etc?

I wish I could help. All I know is that for my TTT they monitored me laying down for a bit while they put in an iv line and got me set up. Then once they stood me up it took about 6 minutes until my blood pressure bottomed out. So, total the test couldn't have been more than 30 minutes or so.

I hope this helps. I'm sure everyone is different - I just thought I'd share what my experience was in case this helps you decide about childcare.

Please let us know how everything goes,

Lisa

[Tammy]

Hi Rebecca,

The reason the nurse said to plan on about 3 hours is that the TTT varies so much for each person... they estimate the longest time so your covered. Mine took the full 3 hours from check-in to release. First they had a hard time starting an IV line and then they were deciding if they would do another line that would be feed up a vein to my heart (not sure what that was about but they never did it?). Then once they get you all set up, they move you into the room that monitors you while they do the test. Since I have presyncope symptoms, I never actually passed out, so I stood there for the full 45 minutes (board out of my mind staring at a wall feeling very exhausted). Then once your done and they remove your IV line they make you rest for a while until your HR and BP are down to where they are comfortable in releasing you. Thus the reason for the time allotment.

Best of luck with your test

Tammy

[MightyMouse]

The test can be longer if they don't capture an event that explains your symptoms early on--my friend's TTT took well over an hour b/c she was having highs and lows in bp and heart rate, but they did seem to be related to one another (!!). She was later diagnosed with a pitutary tumor (Cushings), which explains the strange TTT that didn't look like POTS or NCS as they were expecting. They may give you cardioactive medications to simulate what your body does when you're more active (I didn't need any, but they gave them to my friend).

Personally, my test was shorter than 15 minutes, with most of the time spent getting my IV ready and then getting a baseline. I only spent 5 minutes upright before my heart rate skyrocketed and my bp dropped to 50/-- (the bottom was not readable). My heart rate then dropped to about normal (90) at which point I started to faint and they stopped the test because they'd figured out the definitive dx's of POTS and NCS.

My friend (the one with Cushings) is the one who took me to the test and drove me home. It was nice to have someone there who'd been through it--she was waiting for me with a huge iced-coffee and a bagel b/c no food or caffeine, or meds are permitted for 12 hour before the test. I had to be off florinef for 2 weeks/ I'd be placed on it prior to my test b/c my doc felt I had POTS, but there was a very long wait for my TTT, so we started the meds as a trial run.

Hope this helps.

Nina

[Sunfish]

in addition to what others have already said, might there be a chance that they are going to be doing other autonomic function testing as well? for me when all the testing has been done it has taken about 2 hours. my tilts are always quite short but the places i've had them done never go longer than 45-60 min on the tilt itself for anyone.

hope it goes well for you tomorrow,

melissa

[Jacquie802]

My tests have taken about 45 min. less if I was symptomatic. When I got my TTT's at Boston Medical I was at the hospital for 5 hours because they do it as an inpatient procedure/test.

Let us know how you make out! Good luck!!

Jacquie

[dizzygirl]

well.. my ttt i was in and out once i got back to the lab and an iv satrted in about an hour.. my 2nd ttt..that one took several hours b/c they could not get a line started.. now my 3rd ttt.. kind of hard to say..i was admitted to the hospital at about 6 am.. and taken back and prepped and all tha jazz.. and was in bed... some 5 hours later.. they took me down to the ep lab (i was suppose to have an ep study as well.. but ended up not having the ep after i had the ttt)

but once i got down to the lab that one took maybe an hour and a half (they used meds).. my 3rd ttt.. i was there about 3 hours.. it took along time to get a line in then too..

so it can very.. good luck tomorrow.. let us know how thigns go when you can

[Beccapooh]

I guess I missed the part about having an IV implanted. Now I'm totally freaked out!!! They can't ever get an IV started in me, even when I'm well hydrated and they told me that I can't drink anything for at least four hours before my test. I only get up at about 8am and my checkin time is 12:30 so, huh, I have to leave my house at 11:30 to get there. So, I guess that I won't be drinking anything tomorrow at all!! How do they expect to get an IV into someone that's so dehydrated, huh? Geez.........now, I'm going to be all freaked out.....about the stupid IV!! ARGH!!!

Should I just be drinking like a fish tonight then? If I do that, I'll be up all night peeing!! LOL

I took my Mestinon today, but I won't take it tomorrow. They didn't even mention that, but they also didn't even know that I was on it to begin with, I suppose. I'm not very confident that my GP told them that I was taking it and since I STILL haven't heard back from my Neuro, he hasn't had anything to add to this little senario. Great............now I'm even more scared then I was before.

What's the IV for exactly? Fluid or just a port to give me drugs or both or what???

I've gotta be honest, I'm fully terrified of this test. I'm afraid that it'll be positive and I'm afraid that it'll be negative. I don't know what's going to happen and I just have a bad feeling that it's going to be, yet another, dead end for me. I've had every single symptom of Myasthenia Gravis, too and that's still under scrutiny by three different Neuros. The can't seem to agree on what EXACTLY is the definative DX tool for MG.

Some days I just wish that I would just drop dead and then someone might believe me!!???!!!

Thanks, guys. You're the best!!!

Rebecca

PS - What's NCS???? Something else I should know about, I assume.

[dizzygirl]

alot of times they have told me that the IV is a just in case measure.. to administer medication or IV fluids if needed.. I've had an Iv with every ttt.. I think only dring the first ttt.. they ran fluids thru it.. and during the 3rd ttt...

try to relax.. i know easier said then done.. if you do faint or something they wont let you go home until you fel stable enough to go.. is somebody going with you?? they typically tell you that you need somebody to drive you home after the test.

good luck dear

[Beccapooh]

Nope, I'm going alone. Nobody said anything about having someone to drive me home ?? What should I do?? I already have my one girlfriend watching my girls and my husband is trying really hard to get home in time to relieve her, as she has somewhere else to be later this afternoon. My Mom is useless (long story). My other sister is in Arizona on vacation. All my other friends work!! ARGH! Am I screwed now? Will they make me reschedule the test or what? I hate it when you don't get all the information the first time around, you know??

So I'm drinking water right now, because it's technically 5 hours until my test and if they're going to have any chance at getting an IV started I'll need the fluid. I wish that they would have told me that they were going to start an IV. I would never had gone through with scheduling the test. It's THAT hard for them to get one started!! You can imagine how fun my IVIG treatment was??!?!?!!?

I'll let y'all know how it all goes ASAP. Thanks again, everybody!!!

Rebecca

[MightyMouse]

They may be able to start a line using a smaller needle, such as a "butterfly", which can be placed in the back of your hand. I've had this done a number of time. Also, some places will give you a little shot of novacaine/lidocaine if you're a tough one to get a line it--that way they can fuss with the line without causing you so much discomfort.

If you don't have ANS dysfunction, the test is an easy one to drive yourself home from--but if you become highly symptomatic, you may feel ill/tired afterward. If you feel to sick to drive, maybe you could go to the hospital's cafeteria and eat a bit of food, and drink something with sugar and caffeine, like cola, to perk yourself up? If that doesn't do it for you, think about calling a cab! Do NOT drive if you feel too sickly. Worst case, have your friend pack up your kids and come get you.

Nina

[Sunfish]

this is probably coming to late, but not all places use an IV for the test either....so that's another possibility. hang in there,

melissa

[Beccapooh]

Nina-

Thank you. Those are great ideas. I will do that, if need be (the whole cafeteria thing).

I'll be getting back to y'all soon!!!

Rebecca

[nadine]

Good luck on your test!

I do believe it is dift. at dift. test sites. I had no IV, test lasted only a few minutes for me total. However, I did go for additional testing, which could have been done later if necessary. I was also told a couple hours, as I think everyone varies and they consider time to set up, IV meds, if used,etc.

I believe you have been given great advice. When in doubt, don't drive-

call someone, or hospital may have transportation service??

Be sure to let us know how you did.

[lalalisa]

Rebecca,

Hey! I hope all goes well.

I hate IV lines as well....they say it's a "just in case" part of the test - they didn't end up using the line for me. They put the line in at the beginning of the test so that they don't disturb the test later on if it's needed.

Please let us know how thing go,

Lisa

[Sophia3]

hmmm..kind of late on this but I had NO IV for my TTT.

The place I went didn't believe in giving drugs to speed up the HR...and in my test just getting upright raised my HR 55 BPM in less than a minute. I didn't faint but felt lik &@*#&@*#&@.

Hope you were able to get home ok. Mine was a long drive and a friend had to take me. I felt crummy before the test.