Stress Test

These past few months have been stressful for many reasons.

I know that I have a history of stress mismanagement. Case in point: getting ready to go to college the summer after High School graduation. Although I was thrilled to go away to school the mere thought of it left me so stressed that I started to feel physically ill and was convinced that I was having a resurgence of heart problems. As a kid, I had open heart surgery to repair a hole between my left and right atria know as an Atrial Septal Defect. It it completely fixed but every now and then I am convinced that something is wrong.

A recent visit to the doctor in turn sent me to the cardiologist. During a routine visit she let me know that my heart was producing extra beats.
The cardiologist put me through a series of tests:

EKG
Electrocardiogram
blood tests
24-hour Holder monitor
Another EKG
and finally...yesterday's Exercise Stress Test.

If you're not familiar with a stress test it is basically a doctor-monitored workout on a treadmill. The patient is hooked up to wires and a belt to monitor heart rate while the doctor checks blood pressure and breathing rate and periodically increases both intensity and incline.

The good news in my case is that my extra heartbeats disappeared with exercise, exactly what is supposed to happen. Even though my 24-hour monitor showed a number of extra beats, the electrocardiogram was also normal..another good sign! The cause of my extra heart beats could be related to my surgery but it could also just mean that my heart has its own unique rhythm (or as SB says, it "marches to it's own rhythm!). Either way, I'll take it. After months of worrying I am finally cleared to return to my normal exercise routine and am in fact encouraged to do so.

It looks like the Chicago Marathon is a definite go!