Mri tomorrow...help :(

[carli]

Hi eveyone, as most of u know i have been having some problems lately and my mri is due tomorrow at 8am and im so so scared. Im am petrified that they will want to inject me with that stuff to high light the bits they need to see in my head and neck. Im scared i will have an allergic reation :( Any advice guys. xxxx

[Redrainbow]

Hi Carli,,,
It will be alright,,you see. I bet it wont be half as bad as what you are thinking it will be, things never are. Try not to worry to much, sorry i cannot be of more help, Anyway long time no hear!!! lol
Regards Redrainbow.

[carli]

Hi hun, so glad ur feeling better now...u had me worried :weep: My son as been ill with a lung infection, kidney infection and tonsilitis so ive only been able to pop on and off, also was feeling really down a few weeks back and thought it would be best if i stay off here as i did feel i would be much use to anyone. Totally freaking out about 2morrow. I think its more a case of if they want to inject me(side effects:wacko:) then anything else. Its at 8 am so i wont have to much time to panic,lol. How have you been? xx

[nomorepanic]

Did they say they might need to inject you?

I thought that was only with CT scans and not MRI's.

[carli]

ji nicola, no they never but i though they might want to. What do u think? xx

[Mondie]

I've had both a CT and MRI scan and was only injected for the CT scan. Am sure you'll be just fine!
XX

[anx mum]

hi ive had two mri scans one of my head and one of my leg the test will soon be over there is banging in background but they will put music on to ease u also if it gets too much u have a buzzer u can press at anytime. Try not 2 worry ur b fine:)

[carli]

Thanks guys, anxmum how was ur results? I remember u had some of the same problems i was having? xx

[nomorepanic]

I am sure they don't inject for an MRI - just the CT scan.

[Dollie]

Hi Carli,

I had a ct and MRI and injection for both, It was fine, its a warm sensation but that is all and you will be fine = i'm sure x

Chrissie x:hugs:

[carli]

Thanks....hope they dont inject me :( xx

[beanie]

Hi Carli

I'm a radiographer and have worked in MRI, and have also had two scans myself. I can tell you that it is very very unusual for people to have a reaction to the contrast used in MR scans - it is totally different to the contrast given in CT scans and is far, far better tolerated. It's not like the CT contrast where nearly everyone reports warm sensations/feeling of wetting themselves etc. In the very rare case of a reaction it is usually only something like itching (which can happen with anything), but that is very rare and not a problem. It is very very very very unlikely that you will have any sort of problem :hugs:

As MR scans are so detailed we hardly ever need contrast, and usually only use it for very specific things. It can sometimes vary between hospitals as what they like to do (doctors are fussy creatures and they all like to look at things slightly differently lol!), but for a standard brain/neck I don't think they will want to give it to you (we don't at my hosp) so try to be reassured that you won't even have to cross that bridge :)

As for the scan, when I had mine I found I had to just shut my eyes and listen to the music. There will be buzzing and banging in the background but they are all totally normal noises and nothing to worry about. It'll all be over before you know it! The radiographers will explain everthing to you and as the others said you will have the buzzer to press if you feel unhappy at all.

I hope I have managed to reassure you a little! If you have any more questions please ask away. Good luck for tomorrow hun!!

[carli]

Hi beanie, thanks so much u have put my mind at rest. DO u know how long the results will take as im petriefied i have ms (i have done loads of threads on it) and i will want to asap? Thanks hun xxxxxx

[beanie]

Were you referred from your GP hun? If so we normally say about a week, tho sometimes it can be faster so I usually tell my patients to give the docs a ring after a few days to see if they have it, then you can go down to discuss it asap. If you are having it on Sat it won't get reported by the radiologist until Mon/Tues I imagine, so I'd try ringing your docs on Wed and see if they have it.
If you are seeing a specialist at the hosp rather than GP again the results will go to them once it has been reported - when you hear of the results varies on if your doc likes to write to you or wait until your next appointment, but I reckon you could still ring up and try to find out.

I hope that helps :) They should tell you tomorrow how long things normally take with them - they will have a more accurate answer for you. I know how awful it is waiting for results when you are so worried about something. The best thing to do (spesh if GP) is keep ringing and checking if they have them yet, then you don't have to wait a day more than you have to.

Not a problem hun, anytime! All the best for tomorrow! :)

[carli]

Hi my thyrois dr ordered the test? I have just got back, i freaked out a little but the staff was great and i managed to stay in there. Although now im petrifeid as im waiting for some kind of side effect as it said on the wall to tell the guy if i was having my menstrual cycle and i am :ohmy: So i told him but he did not seem bothered by it. Just got to wait for results now as the man would not tell me anything which makes me think its gonna be bad as sometimes when i have scans done they tell me. :( xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[beanie]

Well done for getting through it! :D I knew you'd be ok! Did the staff tell you when you would get the results? It depends if the thyroid doctor will write to you with them or if they will just tell you at your next appointment - your doc or the staff should have told you what to expect. If you are unsure try ringing your thyroid doc for clarification.

Please do not worry that he would not tell you anything - we actually can get into a lot of trouble if we tell patients anything, even if they have the most normal scan on the planet. I never ever say anything! It is not our responsibility to report the scan (unless we have been trained to), and we normally only just have a check we have everything we need rather than actually trying to read it. Some people will tell patients (sonographers are allowed to anyway as they are actually the ones who report their scans) though they really shouldn't. It really really doesn't mean there was anything wrong - he probably hadn't even looked at the scan! I can't stress enough that this is really not a thing to worry about!

Are you worried about a side effect from the scan or did they give you contrast? There are absolutely no side-effects from an MRI scan, next to ultrasound it is the safest thing you can have - it's just bigger and scarier! You will not experience anything at all after the scan as nothing has happened to your body. You will be fine! Don't worry that you were on your cycle - that is only of minor importance if you were having a breast MRI as altered hormone levels during your cycle can change signals we get from breast tissue. That's why the man wasn't fussed when you told him :)

Well done again for getting through it:hugs:

[carli]

Thanks beanie but im really freaking out now as my period seems a lot heavier (sorry). Do you think its related? xx

[beanie]

No not at all hun, there is no way it is related. All an MRI scan does is pick up signals from the water molecules in your body when they are put in a magnetic field, it doesn't interact with anything. It is completely harmless. The only thing that can react to a scanner are magnetic things like pacemakers. Even if scans did interact with something, you were only having your head/neck scanned and not your pelvis, so nothing has happened to that area of your body. As I say the only time periods are relevant is when you are having a breast MRI as the scan can pick up normal monthly changes in the breast due to the increased hormones. I think you are just having a heavier month - I must admit I have done in the past when I have been under extreme stress, and it is not pleasant! :)

I know it is hard, but try to take a breath and relax. You have done the hard part! You are fine and still have a lot of adrenaline running through you which is making you nervous. There are absolutely no side-effects of an MRI, I promise you.

[carli]

Thanks beanie, im so dramatic arent i,lol. I do get heavy months but am freaking out cos i read that sign about periods :blush:. You have been wonderful, thankyou so much. xx

[anx mum]

both came bk normal at time really thought something would show. Have u had mri yet? Dont worry ur b fine let me know how u get on?

[carli]

Hi anx mum, had it done 8am this morning.......freaked out a little but once i wnet in i managed to stay there which really surprised me,lol. Im sure mine will come back with something so just got to wait now:(.xxxxxxxxxx

[anx mum]

im sure your b fine hun i really thought mine would show smething. Well done for getting the it can be quite daunting to us:yesyes:. Have u been getting headaches then? Pm me anytime x

[carli]

No, no headaches.....numbness, tingling, sensations like its spitting rain on various parts of my body, buzzing in leg, burning sensations.....internal shaking feelings, eye problems are just a few to mention. So i googled (as u do) and came up with ms and have been hysterical ever since. Seen nuro whos says pysical dont suggest anything. It was actually thyroid dr who requested mri of head and nero requested mri of neck so they did both today. Waiting for the results is gonna drive me nuts. xxx

[beanie]

Oh don't be daft bless you, if could you see the state I get into when I get taken over by my HA and panic attacks you would know I really don't think you are being dramatic!! It is perfectly normal to be anxious, especially when you spot things like that that are relevant to you.

No problem at all, anytime! This site has been so amazingly helpful to me in the short time I have been a member I'm just so glad I have managed to help someone else! I'm so pleased for you that you were great and got through it - you are stronger than you think you are :) I'm so pleased you felt I have helped xx

[carli]

Hi beanie, this site has helped me so much and its so comferting to know im not alone. Thankyou. xxxx

[anx mum]

how u feeling now. Did they tell u when u get ur results?

[springblossom]

I had an MRI today and although uncomfortable I wish I had been online last night to chat with you Carli.

[carli]

Yeah me to springblossom, would have been good to char to you.hope urs went well xx