MRI worth it for peace of mind?

[Arietis]

Hi all,

I have posted on here about my "weird seizure / panic attack / episode" that happened last week where my vision went super blurry, couldnt speak, body went numb and I couldnt move for about 2 mins. (was conscious through it)

3 GPs, an A&E nurse and the Paramedics who attended me at the scene all said I was fine but I cant help but think .... BT.

Is it worth having your head checked to put anxiety to bed? I feel like every neurologist in the world could say "You're fine" but without proof, I dont think I will calm down.

Those who have had one, is it worth it? x

[Ditapage]

I've had panic attacks that feel like what you described. I thought it was seizure as well. I nearly made a post today about not being able to move during a panic attack - or feeling like you can't.

I got the scan and it reassured me for about a week. Because we have an anxiety disorder and that will always overpower any test results- it does in my case.

Go ahead with it if you really feel it will reassure you to know your brain is fine. But if you're an anxious person I can almost guarantee it won't get rid of panic attacks and something else will crop up not covered by the MRI. I have now moved onto lung, chest, stomach and want "reassurance" scans. I also want ALL my moles removed. Point is, it never ends once you entertain the thought something is wrong with you when professionals say there isn't. I spent more time at the GP office last year than with friends.

Ultimately it's up to you. If your anxiety will go away with a reassurance scan... Only you know that :)

[almamatters]

In my experience no it isn't worth it. I had weird visual/ pain and dizziness a few years ago, I pestered the GP until I got a referral for a brain MRI . The stress of having the procedure and waiting for results was awful and as my GP predicted the mri was normal. The reassurance from the clear scan was shortlived and a few days later I began worrying about another symptom and the cycle began again. This is just my experience, if a GP tells you that you need a scan, then your symptoms warrant it .

[LilGsMama]

You know my story Arietis.. I paid for the MRI and now feel like I need "scoping" by ENT, even though my MRI was extensive and all clear/normal. What I will say though, is that my symptoms have been different to yours, and I am in the worst HA episode I've had.

During a bad HA episode 4 years ago, I did have a lot of neurological symptoms and the MRI reassured me then xx xx

[almamatters]

If the doctors in A and E thought you had symptoms of a tumour you would have been sent for an MRI asap, so anything outside that is going to be purely for your own reassurance. I suppose if it will make you feel better then go for it. I was told my symptoms were anxiety by a few doctors , a neurologist, ENT, and an eye consultant at the hospital but it wasn't enough for me.

[Ditapage]

I forgot about the anxiety of waiting for results. Torture. Thoughts like "if I'm dying or have a disease do I even WANT to know?" because now I would have to know!

The scan just solidified my doctors opinion that I'm a hypochondriac and he takes me even less seriously now.

[LisaLisaD]

Hi,

I had a brain MRI recently, for reassurance, and it came back clear. I can honestly say that it has been the single most effective thing for calming my health worries. Each time I feel dizzy/foggy/frozen/tingly or other symptoms, I just refer myself back to the medical fact that my brain is fine and my nerves are fine.

I even asked my consultant to show me the images and he encouraged me to take a pic. I have it on my phone (creepy as it sounds), and I look at it from time to time to remind myself that I'm all good.

Was well worth it for me.

Lisa

[Kathryn313]

Before I recognised my HA, I was seriously considering private MRI scans as part of a regular health checkup. I already had Bupa assessments and found that they didn't really do anything extensive - just gave you your blood and heart results - so i though reg MRI would be useful.

But I have read that they can show up things which aren't of medical concern and in my current state i don't think i could accept that they weren't important.

However my thoughts do sometime go....'what if i am diagnosed in 6 month and a scan now would spot it?' and then I panic and google scans. Which is pretty much what has happened tonight....

[pulisa]

I've just had a pelvic MRI but that was only because the consultant referred me for one. I'll have peace of mind if it is clear because scanners don't lie. Anxiety can and does.

[anx mum]

hi just saw your message. I have a headache condition I last had a mri scan in may I suffer with anxiety so I keep rethinking all the time plus my mum had an anyersam

[maianixon]

I paid for an MRI for my reassurance when I was convinced I had a brain tumour. Regardless what people around me had to say on that it was so worth it, I was so deep in my brain tumour fear I honestly feel like nothing else would be able to get me out if it, so if someone reaches that point and feels like that is the only way for them - I guess it can help.
That being said, it definitely doesn't make your HA go away, a week after my MRI I started obsessing over MS and got anxiety symptoms consisted with that. I got MRI without contrast, which as far as I know doesn't always show MS. I did ask for a contrast one at the time as I was worried this would happen, but the radiologist doing it thought it was not necessary (he was probably right, but tell that to my anxiety). So if you get it for reassurance fair enough, but it definitely isn't a magical cure, sadly anxiety is way trickier than that.