Hi everyone! Just wondering what your experiences have been with the angiogram. My daughter is now 16 yrs old and is due or a 4 yr follow up angio for her AVM and was wondering if conscious sedation was enough so she wouldn’t be in pain. The 1st time she was under general anesthesia. Did you or your children have any pain during the cerebral angiogram? My daughter is a highly anxious type and scared of needles. Please give me some advice if we should ask for a something stronger than the conscious sedation.
Hi Lana,
I also have a high anxiety to needles and was able to go through 4 of my angiograms while awake, tell her it's not pleasant but it will be ok the fear is actually worse than the procedure itself. My prayers go out to her.
Hi Lana,
I have had 2 angios. The first one I too was under major sedation (popofol actually) so I don't remember anything from the first one.
The second one was concious sedation and while I do remember the proceedure, it didn't hurt at all and I was too drugged up to really care about what was going on :p.
I have also had concious sedation when I had my wisdom teeth out and I remember nothing but feeling really happy AFTER the proceedure was done. So i think she shoiuld be okay with just concious sedation. Of course i would talk to her doc about her anxiety issues and see if they suggest an alternative.
Hi Lana, my daughter is fifteen, she has had two angios the first one she was to put to sleep and the second one she remained awake. She found it very painful and stressful and said she wouldn't want another one done awake. She is having an angio in two weeks time and is being put to sleep, luckily the doctors recommended it too. If your daughter is the highly anxious type it may be best that she too is put to sleep.
Lisa x
Hello Lana...I've had four cerebral angiograms. I don't remember much about the first two since I've had the first one after my brain hemorrhage was discovered, and the second one during my Gamma Knife procedure (both were within three days of each other). I was either on morphine or a percocet, so I was asleep most of the time.
For the final two, I didn't feel any pain,and was pretty much asleep during the procedure. The doctors were aware of my nerves and anxiety when it comes to needles, so they suggested that I take a few breaths and try to relax.After that, the doctors would say, "here comes the needle," and I was asleep after that. I remember being extremely sleeply after that procedure and the day after.
I'll echo Mary S. and suggest that speaking with the doctor to find out what the options are.Best of luck to you and your daughter.
seeing all these post about being asleep. never was put to sleep the only thing was they gave me something for my nerves. I would not go through it again i came i do believe in shcock.
I was awake during my angiogram and they actually had to strap down my head because I kept trying to watch! : ) They said if I became uncomfortable to just let them know and they would put me to sleep. If your daughter is afraid then just let her sleep. I was never in any pain and only slightly uncomfortable for a few seconds when the dye was injected. I didn't feel anything down in my groin even when they set up the catheter. The other good thing about being put to sleep is that you will probably still be sleeping off the drugs for part of the mandatory 'lay on your back and don't move' 3-4 hrs after the angio. I wish I had been better prepared for that part of it. Bring movies! Good luck...
Thank you all for your responses! I think I'm definitely going to let the doctors know how anxious my daughter is about the angio so that he can give her something stronger than the conscious sedation.