First MRI Tomorrow

[Beanogirl]

I have my first scheduled MRI tomorrow. Can anyone tell me what to expect and how long it will last? Do most people with Epilepsy have something show up on the MRI or is it just another test to rule things out?

[Rae1889]

Well, MY experience with my first MRI was unpleasant.

I am very claustophobic, so when they were strapping me in I started to panic. Then they started to move the table into the machine and I started panicing more, and shivering like crazy. Then they covered my eyes which made the feeling worse. Then the machine starts and its so loud. like a freaking chainsaw is behind your head. and you can feel the machine pulsate and it made me want to vomit.

I was panicing so bad that they had tried to put a sedative in my IV. a few times actually. Then they put the contrast dye in and I immediatley tasted blood and my mouth filled wit spit and I thought I pissed my pants. I thought I was in the middle of a waking tonic clonic, but no, the dye is supposed to feel like that. You can feel it move through your viens.

The dye made me loopy and sick. Turns out I am allergic to it. SO they had to put me under with anethestic gas. I dont remember the rest and chad said I bawled like a baby all the way home, then asked him to stop at mcdonalds for a cheeseburger.

[Beanogirl]

I think this place does open MRI's and I won't get the contrast b/c I am pregnant. Thank goodness! It sounds like the same stuff they use when doing a catscan. I was convinced that I was peeing my pants! lol. Did your MRI show anything?

[Nakamova]

I think the majority of MRIs don't show anything -- they are meant to rule out aneurysms, tumors, etc. They might show a lesion or scar that is a potential cause for a seizure disorder. Mine didn't show anything, although I think the current machines are a lot sharper than eleven years ago when I had mine done. I had no real problem with the process, though the noise IS pretty bad. Sort of like jackhammering, but it keeps changing the rhythm so you can't even "get used to it" and tune it out.

[Rae1889]

Yes. I was only told at first that there were some scar tissue on the right side, beside my eye brow and into my temple area. I later found out its pretty much the length of my eye brow in the front and along the side of my temple. Most likey from wheer I landed on my head after a bike accident.

[Rae1889]

Lol yeah, it does change rhythm and at one point it sounded like the bass beat to a popular rap song that was all over the radio at the time!

[Endless]

Beanogirl,

An MRI is a nice excuse for a nap, though it's tough to nap inside a tube that sounds like a railroad car at high speed.

Nothing hurts, there's no radiation. Just magnetic pulses, which I think is much better for us than a CT scan. The IV might hurt a little for a minute, but then it's okay. The contrast feels weird - I could feel warmth traveling progressively through my veins, and it made me feel kind of watery, if that makes sense. I also got this weird metallic taste in my mouth. Again, this doesn't hurt or anything. It was just weird.

Anyway, for the MRI... First you'll change out of your cloths and into those lovely cotton pants and gown. They want to make sure you don't have any metal on you. The magnets in the MRI are very strong. They put an IV in for the contrast. Then you'll lay on a table, they'll cover you with nice pre-warmed blankets, strap you in so you don't fall off. They put a squeeze ball in your hand for you to squeeze if you get scared or need out for any reason. If you squeeze it, they get you out really quick. They'll ask you whether you want something covering your eyes - this definitely helps me. They gave me a nice lavendar scented bucky eye cover. So spa-like, lol... Then they roll the table into this big tube that is the MRI machine.

The MRI is loud. They gave me both hearing protection (ear plugs), plus noise-cancelling headphones with my choice of music playing. It helped a little, but it was still really noisy. I let my imagination go and pretended I was on a train in a sleeper car. But this technician kept talking to me so it kind of ruined my daydreaming. BTW, you can talk to the techologist, too. There is a microphone inside of the MRI machine that you can talk into.

If you are claustraphobic (spelling?) you may want to ask for a valium to take before your procedure. It takes the edge off. If you take a tranquilizer they may require you to have someone to drive you home.

The last thing is laying there for a few minutes while they review your pictures. If you moved they may have to redo part of it.

Honestly, it will be okay. Get ready for weird, loud, close quarters. Not painful.

Oh - lots of things can show up on an MRI. Strokes, TIAs, tumors, scar tissue, anurisms, etc. The docs do the MRI to help rule those out.

Good luck, okay?

[travel bug]

I’ve had many MRI’s done in several different facilities, and though the procedure has been a bit different in each one, I, fortunately, have never had a bad experience. Knock on wood. I’m claustrophobic, and the visor they put over your face bothers me as much or more than the machine itself, but having a washcloth across my eyes (wow, Endless, I like the idea of the spa mask) seems to work for me. I place it so that I can see the light at the end of the tube without seeing the tube (or visor) itself. It’s like wearing a hat over your face at the beach – well not quiet, but it works.

Only one of the hospitals I’ve been to lets patients listen to music during the MRI, and even though you can’t really hear much over the MRI, it’s reassuring anyway. But I’ve gotten used to not having music, and I actually find the MRI noises, though obnoxious, strangely entertaining; I start mimicking the noises in my head and sometimes have to work hard not to laugh. Really, the scariest part is being rolled back into the machine because it feels like you keep going, and going. But once they start, I’m fine, especially if the tech keeps in contact by telling me how long each scan will take. (They do front to back, top to bottom, side to side, around this way and that)

I’ve never been strapped down; I think if I were, I’d probably lose it. But they do secure your head which makes me panicky at first, but I try to think of it as cradling my head for comfort. As Endless said, when they put the blanket on you it feels nice and cozy. If they don’t give you one, ask; those rooms are always chilly.

Though you say you won't have contrast dye, just in case you do sometime in the future, I'll just put in my . Sometimes they give an injection half-way through, sometimes they put in a stint at the beginning that has a saline solution and then pull you out part-way and inject the dye into the stint. They are supposed to inject it slowly so that the chance of discomfort is lessened - some are better about that than others - but I've never had anything worse than a slightly strange tingly feeling and a weird smell

And if they give you little disposable earplugs, keep them; they sometimes come in handy

[CathyAnn31]

My MRIs haven't been too bad, just a lot of that lovely banging noise while listening to my fav genre of music with crappy plastic head phones. The dye didn't really make any difference, the guy was a good stick.

If you are clasterphobic let them know ahead of time and they will give you a Xanax, well mine did.

You'll be fine. It's really no big deal. I've had 3 and luckily they've all come back normal.

Oh, I did look sexy as hell in the blue scrubs (no bra, lol) and green socks.

Edited to add- I never had anything over my face or was told to keep my eyes closed... But did keep them shut anyways most of the time. There were mirrors angled to where I could see the dude doing it. I hope I'll be ok. Yikes!!!!!!!

[Beanogirl]

Thank you everyone! Today is the big MRI day. As weird as this may sound I am excited to have it done and get it over with. Everything has happened so fast that the more answers I can get or things I can rule out the better. After the baby they will most likely do another MRI and do the contrast dye. Right now they just want to rule things out so they wanted me to get it done ASAP instead of waiting until after the baby.

[dzivko]

I have had 3 MRI's. If it is an enclosed machine, just shut your eyes. If you are really claustrophobic, you might be given a mild sedative beforehand...but really, if you shut your eyes, there is no problem...you can hear the techs and the machine is pretty loud! All of my MRI's were normal. My EEG is what showed partial complex epilepsy. Good luck. You'll be fine.