Having an Echo, get the LVEF percentage!

Hi, just to share what happened to me so you're all aware you need an LVEF number if you have an echo instead of a MUGA.

Had an echo/stress two weeks ago (every three months for Herceptin) and when cardiologist called she said EF was normal but couldn't give me a number.

Even if it's still above 50% I need to know if it's gone down from 60%, my most recent number. Phone just rang and I'm on phone with tech right now. She has a number but says she can't give it to me, so we're playing the bread basket game: is it higher than 50%, yes; is it higher than 55%; yes; is it 60% (my last Mugua was 60%)--I can't tell you that. So now I have to wait for my doctor to call with exact number.

So point of this post, if you get an echo rather than a Muga, make sure they know that you have to know the exact number, not just whether it's above normal, as oncologist wants to know the actual percentage that it has dropped--that is, if it has dropped. Hopefully, in my case, not.

So now I wait!

[chrisy]

Grace, the same thing happened to me- they kept reporting it as "normal" but no number (so not very helpful in monitoring until it is "not normal"!). So I don't really even have a baseline for what my LVEF was before I got on this roller coaster!

One thing that can happen (esp if you are a "technically difficult" read due to an implant) is that the tech will not even get that measurement. Hence, I let them know that NOBODY leaves the room until they've got it done. I got to where the first thing I said when I arrived was OK I'm here to get that LVEF, we're going to get it and it's going to be easy! Then I made the tech put notes all over everything to make sure the cardiologist got the message.

Although I like to think I was responsible for their remarkable turnaround, it could also have been after I complained to my onc, he called over there, read them the riot act, and told them he would start sending all his patients somewhere else! Regardless, I get the number now.

Hi Chrisy,

It's after 5:00 and I still haven't gotten the number, and they have it! I told doctor's office I needed to cancel my infusion if it's below a certain number and still no call, and no number.

Thank goodness it's over very soon.

My cardiologist's stand-in, also a cardiologist but a man and I can tell by his voice a young man, finally calls back (mine is away) and wants to know what I want. I said, the EF. (I left four messages that I needed the number.) He say's it's "Normal." I'm ready to explode at this point, but I don't, and I say: "I need the number." He still won't give it to me, and wants to know why I need the number. I have to go through a long explanation when this is the reason I had the echo done in the first place. His response is that the number is so imprecise, that there's no point in giving it out. So let's not do it at all, I should have said. But I didn't!

But he finally gave it to me, and it's 60%, which is what it's is been for most of the previous year, so I will go ahead with herceptin next week.

[chrisy]

Grace,
Lucky for that doctor you weren't face to face with him! Maybe you missed the secret code with the tech - She said she couldn't tell you, and said "no" to all your guesses and "I can't tell you" to when you guessed 60!

What a crazy system!

Good thing they didn't require a blood pressure - that might have been off the chart after all that baloneysauce!

[Alice]

It seems so silly that they would not give you your number especially the Dr. I always get my number. I don't usually get it the day I had the echo but at least a day or 2 later. The tech always says that it looks pretty much like the last one but to get a number the Dr. has to do the calculations. It can be frustrating when they won't give you a silly little answer!

Chrisy--you're absolutely right, that it was good we weren't face to face. I actually bit my lip to hold back. At the end, though, when he finally gave me the number and added "that these numbers are very imprecise," I thanked him but also said:

Since all my numbers have been an imprecise 60%, I'm happy that this also is an imprecise 60%."

I may go back to MUGA's next time, and my old lab. The tech there, the only one who can get into a vein without bruising me, always tells me my numbers then and there. We have a pact that I won't tell the doctor.

[tousled1]

Grace,

I will ditto what Chrisy said - lucky you were on the phone and weren't there in person. I must admit I've never had that problem, that God. I had echocardiograms every 3 months while on Herceptin and on my visit to the onc's office they wouldn't even start my treatment until they looked at the report. Also, I always got a copy of my echos and each one had a % listed. Glad your LVEF is still good.

Thanks all for your sympathetic listening. All's well that ends well.

Kate--As I said before I wish and pray for the very best for you. You have a wonderfully even temperament, which will get you through this.