My First Angiogram Experience

I don't know about you, but angiograms scare the heck out of me. But then again, I am afraid of everything. If your doctor ordered an angiogram, please have it done because if I can do it, anyone can do it.

What To Expect

The angiogram room is extremely cold, has tons of hi-tech gadgets, a cath lab, monitors and lots of fuss! It truly is straight out of a sci-fi movie. A catheter is inserted into an artery in the leg or arm through a small incision in the skin. It is an uncomfortable feeling upon insertion and removal I must admit. But it doesn't last long. Using x-ray guidance, the catheter is navigated to the area being examined. Once there, a contrast dye is injected through the tube and images are captured using x-rays.

Take a peek at this short video which explains what to expect during your angiogram:

The halo was the most uncomfortable part of the entire procedure for me. I'm a person who fidgets a lot and I don't like feelings of helplessness. This was definitely one of those moments for me. They screw this contraption to your head and attach it to the table.

Yes, your head is literally pinned to the table and you cannot move. They will give you a sedative to help make this process a little more bearable. I have had four angiograms and all I can say is that I will never get used to my head being put in a cage and pinned to a table. But...that's just me. Did you ever see "The Jackal" from the movie Thirteen Ghosts?

Speaking of ghosts, the side effects of the drugs may give you hallucinations. Imagine lying there on the operating table and suddenly finding yourself floating inside your garage at home? I remember hovering above my car looking at paint buckets lined up in front of my garage door. Was my subconscious telling me that I needed to finally put the paint to use that I bought six months prior? Perhaps. Meanwhile, I'm just floating around in my garage, like how did I get here? I asked the neuro-team, "Why are we in my garage? How did you get me home so fast? Are we painting my house now?" And they just laughed and laughed.

Did you have a hallucination while undergoing your angiogram? I love hearing about these moments. Some of us have some really good ones! Feel free to share in the comments below!