| great news, managed to get down to see Dr Mark Turner yesterday (he offered to see me on Tuesday but yesterday was more convenient) - still to get an appointment that suited me and the doctor within the week I thought was amazing.
Dr Turner and Martin (the radiologist) were fantastic, very professional and very knowledegable (although you'd hope that about a heart surgeon!).
The test was quite painless and not as gruesome as I was expecting. There were three parts to the test (in my language not the doctors!).
1. an ultrasound scan similar to that of what a pregnant women would receive to check some fundamentals, the only uncomfortable bit was the gel was a little cold for about 2 seconds (I'm told that the gel is warmed for you when scanning more sensitive areas!)
2. same sort of thing again but this time with a bubble test. Martin held the probe and focussed it on the part of my heart that is need to check for bubbles passing through. Then Dr Turner inserted a needle (I hate needles, but being well practised in needle insertion, he did it amazingly without causing me any pain) into the top of my right hand. Then he attached two syringes, one with some of my blood in and the other with a saline solution. Next the two liquids were mixed together a bit like a cocktail and then injected whilst I did a long valsalva and released. This process was repeated four times to ensure accuracy.
3. A chest x-ray to check that my lungs were OK as it would be pointless having a closure procedure carried out if my lungs are knackered as I wouldn't be able to dive anyway.
Then it was a chat, a drink and a 3 hour drive back to Nottinghamshire.
The result of my test was that I have a very large PFO and was offered a date in November to have it closed. I declined the offer as we're moving to The Lizard before December and need to be lifting heavy things etc throughout so I've decided to have the procedure carried out in January which, all being well should mean that I'll be back in the water for Easter.
If anybody would like to know more, please ask. If anybody would like Dr Turner's contact details, please ask.
I was terrified that I'd have to be awake and have somebody ram a probe down my throte but this was not the case for me, and was informed that if that procedure had have been carried out on me it would be unlikely that my PFO would not have been identified.
I cannot recommend Dr Turner highly enough, if you have any concerns about a PFO at all, give him a call and discuss. He's been doing this work for over 10 years and is a very sharp cookie.
Thanks again to colinicky who put me in touch with Dr Turner, had he not, I'd be wondering around for several more months not knowing.  |