MRI Question

[Beacon]

I am having an MRI on Wednesday - July 29. I have never had one before and wonder if anyone has any tips or advice on how to best deal with it. Mine will be on my breasts.

Has anyone ever had any trouble with the contrast dyes? I am wondering about that. Plus, can you see out of the tube or is it like a submarine where you cannot see anything?

Any comments really appreciated.

 

[tina sparkle]

hi beacon,

i have had many mri''s and they aren''t too bad, but you are put in a "tube" and cannot see out of it. i find it easiest to keep my eyes closed the whole time or bring an eyemask. they will probably supply you with earplugs too, since it can be a little loud. i have never had a problem with the dye though. i hope it goes smoothly for you.

good luck.

 

[drk]

I have given anesthetics for kids having them done. The tube is pretty long and narrow - I doubt that you''ll be able to see out of it. The machine is darn loud, but they should give you earplugs to wear during the test. If you''re not claustrophobic, I''d think that you should be ok. Close your eyes, think of being someplace else... If you aren''t able to handle it, the can abort the test and get you out. If you are claustrophobic, they might be able to give you some ativan or something ahead of time to help you stay calm.
Allergic reactions to the gadolinium contrast used with MRIs are much less frequent than to the CT contrast. I doubt you''ll have a problem with it.
The only MRI I had done was looking at leg fat composition as part of someone''s summer research project 15 years ago. Since it was just on my legs, my head and shoulders were out of the magnet tube the whole time.
Good luck!

 

[packrat]

I had an MRI last year on my shoulder. I thought I might feel claustrophobic in the tube, but didn''t. The loud noises were irritating. They covered me w/a blanket so I didn''t get cold, and I did my level best to stay still b/c if you move a certain amount they have to start all over. I just closed my eyes and thought relaxing thoughts and then it was done. I didn''t have any dyes.

I did also have a CT scan a few months ago, and I had to drink a nasty concoction, and then they give you an IV of contrast dye. Is that what you''re thinking of? If that''s the case, the worst part of it was she couldn''t get the IV and had to have one of the surgical nurses come do it. You lay on a table and there''s a speaker-the nurse goes into another room and can talk to you. She told me beforehand that when the IV started, it would very quickly make me feel like I was going to pee my pants, and that should I start to feel weird/odd to say something. She went to the other room, and thru the speaker said she was starting the IV-and w/in seconds, I got super warm-especially in the bladder area. The machine has a computerized voice that tells you what to do. You lay there, it says something like "Take a deep breath and hold"-if you look up there''s a circle with lights on it, and as the lights go off, you know it''s almost done taking it''s pictures. The bed slides down and it makes a whirring sound, the last light blinks off and the voice says to breathe normally. (It''s only for a short period of time you hold your breath) Then the machine resets itself and you do it one more time. The weird/warm feeling did not last very long, and by the time the test was over I thought, oh wow, it''s done already?

Sheesh that was long! Neither test was as much as I made it out to be, beforehand. The sucky part of the CT was that I couldn''t eat, and I ended up having to wait for an ER patient that came in so I was about starved by the time I got home. You''ll do fine!

 

[Skippy123]

Someone recently just asked about the MRI and lots of people chimed in https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/mri-info-advice.114706/
sending good thoughts on your MRI Beacon. I thought the MRI was pretty loud; they gave me headphones with music.

 

[Beacon]

Thanks Skippy, I read through that older post - very informative.

Ok, the paranoid part of me: I have some fillings in my teeth and they are metal, some in there are really old, plus I have two porcelain crowns, but under the porcelain it''s metal. Heaven help - can an MRI pull these? I am sorry to sound so ignorant, but is this possible?

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 7/27/2009 11:44:35 PM
Author: Beacon
Thanks Skippy, I read through that older post - very informative.

Ok, the paranoid part of me: I have some fillings in my teeth and they are metal, some in there are really old, plus I have two porcelain crowns, but under the porcelain it's metal. Heaven help - can an MRI pull these? I am sorry to sound so ignorant, but is this possible?

Nope - no worries with fillings!

I've had loads of MRIs and honestly they are about the most pleasant thing you can have done to you in a hospital! I've also had the contrast ones - with me they stuck me in the machine, took a load of pictures, pulled the tray thing out and gave me the gadolinium contrast into my arm (like a reverse having blood taken) and shoved me back in again for some more pics.

I had no side-effects at all.

You can't see out of the tube, but I haven't found it frightening and I'm mildly claustrophobic. You'll have headphones on and they will talk to you and play you music or the radio - you can even take your own CD. If you get panicked, you have a buzzer thing in your hand and they will come and get you out. At least that is how all mine have been.

Seriously, don't worry!

 

[gemgirl]

Beacon, give your MRI facility a call and ask all of the questions you have on your mind. I''m surprised they didn''t explain this to you. They really should have since breast MRIs are done differently than regular MRIs. Both my mother and my girlfriend (who are both breast cancer survivors) had MRIs for their breasts and the test was done exactly the same way, but call your facility and ask every question you can think of. I don''t want to describe the procedure, just in case your facility is different for some reason.

 

[Courtneylub]

I had a MRI done a couple of weeks ago and I took a valium prior to it because I freaked out last time. The machine wasn''t a tube, but I think a newer more open concept type of machine. I still felt claustrophobic in it, hence the valium. It helped a little bit, but I still had anxiety. My husband came in and sat next to me and told me I was just on the bottom bunk of a bunk bed. Helped SO MUCH! I kept my eyes closed from before they rolled me in and until they rolled me out.

 

[VegasAngel]

I''ve had a lot of MRI''s & I find them sort of relaxing- Never had any problems with the contrast dye.

My daughter (3) has to get an MRI & I am worried about the dye & her being put to sleep.

 

[elrohwen]

I had an MRI on my brain (ruling out tumors as a cause of migraines) so I didn''t need to use any dyes. Overall, it wasn''t so bad. It was fairly loud, but I don''t think I even used ear plugs and I was fine. I remember it only lasting 15-20 minutes, and I just stayed calm and thought about other things. I couldn''t see out of the tube, but I remember being able to see some light from the end where my feet stuck out, so it didn''t feel like I was totally enclosed.

 

[atroop711]

Date: 7/27/2009 11:44:35 PM
Author: Beacon
Thanks Skippy, I read through that older post - very informative.


Ok, the paranoid part of me: I have some fillings in my teeth and they are metal, some in there are really old, plus I have two porcelain crowns, but under the porcelain it''s metal. Heaven help - can an MRI pull these? I am sorry to sound so ignorant, but is this possible?

don''t worry about that. I have metal in my spine (2 rods and 6 screws) and had an MRI...the metal won''t be pulled out from your teeth..all the metal in your body is blur the image but since they aren''t talking an mri of that area..don''t worry