What to expect for the following medical tests: Glucose test, Echocardiogram and Holter Monitor

As someone who has anxiety I like to know what I am getting into in terms of medical tests especially as medical procedures of any kind have been known triggers for me (it got to the point where my parents told me at the last minute when I was having a surgery as an 8 year old as my anxiety was so bad). Having undergone quite a few medical tests recently I thought I would share my experiences with them along with any tips/tricks I have learnt. I am in no way a medical professional just someone who has undergone these tests recently, if you have any concerns about the tests I recommend seeking out your doctor or the provider prior to the tests.


Glucose Test - this is the test that tests for diabetes and pre diabetes, I believe this is the same one pregnant women go through to test for gestation diabetes but I am not positive. You will be required to fast for 12 hours prior to the test and you need to book in for the test before you go in to have it. As you fast for it, you get priority over anyone else getting a blood test and you go in as soon as the centre opens (for me it was 8.00am). It's made up of 3 blood tests spread out over 2 hours and during that time you must stay in the waiting room of the centre.
You have one blood test then drink this super sweet liquid which reminded me of undiluted cordial and was lemon lime flavoured (I have no idea whether this is the standard flavour though), then they set a timer for one hour. After the hour is passed they then take another blood test and they set a timer for one more hour for the final test, they tend to alternate arms which helps. During the waiting period I brought in my laptop to work on job applications which helped make me feel productive in between tests, I also had my phone and ereader with me which both helped the time to pass. I found it was helpful to drink half a cup of warm water (I believe you have up to 2 cups of water before the test and then some water between the blood tests if you feel sick) beforehand as my veins aren't the greatest. This test did leave me feeling wiped after it but that's just how it is with me after any blood test.

Echocardiogram - this is a detailed ultrasound of your heart, it can take between 40-50 minutes. While it can be awkward and uncomfortable its not painful. You will be asked to remove any clothing (including undergarments) off from the waist up and put on a gown which opens up at the front. You then lay on a bed and have sensors placed on you for the duration of the test and will be asked to lay on your side. The tech will then move the ultrasound wand over your chest getting video and photos of your heart. There were a couple of times I had to change positions and hold my breath so images could be captured.
Once I got over the awkwardness of it all I honestly didn't mind it, I chatted to the tech about various things and before long the time had passed. I should've mentioned prior to the test that I was allergic to latex as I found I reacted to the adhesives on the sensors and they left two red marks on my skin for a couple of days afterwards and were a bit itchy. My advice is to wear a comfy two piece outfit and just go with the flow of it.

Holter Monitor - this is a test where you have sensors put on you for 24 hours (or 48 hours) attached to a monitor to see how your heart goes. There is a button on the monitor that you press when "events" happen such as dizziness, heart palpitations etc and you then record the time you pressed this button, what the event was and what you were doing when it happened on a diary. Even though the monitor is recording consistently during the 24 hours it just allows the technicians to look at the events more closely. If I pressed the event button every time I felt dizzy, I can honestly say I probably would've had a novel (as it was I had to use an extra sheet) so I only pressed when I experienced heart palpitations and/or severe dizziness, I also tried to press it when I was doing a range of activities so to show that the dizziness comes on randomly regardless of what I am doing.
A tech will place 5 sensors on you (two on your upper chest and 3 on your lower chest) and reinforce them with surgical tape and then give you a monitor to carry (with the wires attached), the monitor I was given had a lanyard on it so I could wear it around my neck but I found it easier and more comfortable to put it in my pocket (I did wear it around my neck at night though as I had nowhere else to put it). You can't get it wet so shower before you get the monitor placed and it's also recommended that you don't do anything that could cause the sensors to come unstuck (like heavy exercise). I would also wear a two piece outfit that has pockets big enough to put the monitor in (which is about the size of a bar of soap), I wore denim shorts with a flowy top which I found helped hide the wires and sensors.

While wearing the monitor you just go about your day and do the normal activities you would do and try to ignore it (which is easier said than done). I felt really self conscious that people would notice I had wires attached to myself but you couldn't really tell unless you knew I was wearing them.
After 24 hours (or 48 hours) you need to remove the monitor - mine actually made a beeping sound once the time was up. As I did it over Friday and Saturday, I had to remove it myself which I found challenging and I hated removing the sensors as they were stuck on really good (and reinforced with surgical tape). I also struggled with getting the stickiness off my skin and after a bit of trial and error I found eucalyptus oil worked best (though it was hard to get it all off). I then dropped the monitor off along with diary back to the place as soon as it opened (8.00am) the next business day.

Result times varies depending on the provider of the tests and their policies and procedures, the glucose test results don't take any longer than standard blood test results, but for the echocardiogram and holter monitor results expect anywhere from 48 hours to a week for results (as these require a report written up). I also needed to travel to two different provider locations for the echocardiogram and holter monitor tests as there was a waiting period for the holter monitor at the closest location, so I ended up driving 25 minutes just so I could get both tests done in the two weeks I had before I saw my doctor next.
Medicare only partially covered my heart tests despite me being on a concession card so it's something to realise if you require those tests (though you can't put a price on your health).
This is just my experiences having done the tests and I hope they help anyone who may be facing them, as always talk to your doctor if you have any concerns as I am no way a medical professional.