My own (little) Medical Saga

[Aethian]

good Luck Rummy! I'm coming into this late and I feel bad for that but good luck all the same. I offer huskey love and kitty kisses.

I have asked for a sleep mask before and got a nice cloth one. I also bought a sleep mask that I use sometimes at home after work to de-stress. It worked wonders cause I couldn't see and there for did fall asleep. Let the tech know you have sleep apena, mine had asked and seemed relieved that I didn't.

For water arobics, do shallow end stuff first.

For yoga, talk to the instructor that you choose and ask for their recomendations of what kind of yoga you should do.

For a healthier diet, I second (third? forth?) the diet that was posted before. Can be quite tastey as well as good for you. Might even help with Mr. Rum's....size.

[AccountingDrone]

MRIs were invented in the Nudist Colony in MIT/Boston area.

(j/k)

You wear sweats, you may have a room to drop your clothes/stuff in and change to one of the openback papery things. May not. I'd be thinking ahead and not wearing ANY metals at all. Rings, earrings, necklaces, BRAS...go braless if you have to. Notify them if you've got gold/silver in your TEETH. Ever swallowed a penny? Have any stray bullets in your hide? Ingest a nail into your tummy? Let them know if you've got pins/etc in your hips/joints. NO METALS. Not even in your shoes, if possible. It's good you ask!

BTW, there should be some kind of checklist given to you by the radiology or dr. scheduling this - What Not To Wear for MRIs.

NO METAL. ZIPPO. NADA. These magnets are HORRENDOULSLY strong. They will pick up GURNEYS from the room and bring them in!

Read over this page, it should help you.
http://www.bonesandjointssimplified....ish/LT1_19.jpg

Cutenoob

+1 on the advice. I normally wear a very comfy tshirt, all knit microfiber sports bra [no fasteners, all knit like a tube top thingy] and sweats. I take of my medicalert tag and earrings, and glasses. Luckily the shards of metal in my face and body are alloy b bronze and nonmagnetic, but they do have to know they are there so they don't misread them as something to be worried about. Wear warm socks ... nothing quite as nasty as cold toes to make you uncomfortable when you have to lie there and be very still.

Also let them know about tattoos, some have traces of metals and can cause cloudy areas and be misread as something to be concerned about.

[MergedLoki]

Well, I know I'm going to be getting some info in the mail (hasn't arrived yet, but I'm hoping by next week).

What do I wear to this?

I was asked if i had any metal in my body that was put there on purpose or by accident? What does that mean? Do I need to take off my wedding rings? (The engagement ring is made out of platinum & the wedding band is white-gold). How about underwire bras? bad idea for that?

I know those are silly questions, but still i have to ask.

I have sleep apnea, so I don't know if I'm going to be able to go to sleep.

I'll be thinking of a problem that I've been wondering about for a while that has to do with a story I'm formulating to write. That might help me bypass the hour.

:hugs:

Thank you every for the support!

Yes any metal/jewelry (so no bra etc.) off as you are IN a giant magnet.. therefore metal + magnet = no fun for anyone.

the reason they ask if you might have metal in your body from say... an accident when you were younger, or if you've done wielding (wielders can end up with little fleks of metal in their eyes/skin etc.).

However if they DO think for some reason there's metal in you that could shift/move IF you were in the magnetic field of the MRI machine they'll xray that paticular body part and have a radiologist look at it for any metal before they ever get you IN the mri machine.

Hope that was helpful, any other MRI questions? (those i can answer as i'm just finishing up university to go into MRI and will be working in there, as well as xray, come the new year)

[CaroPhoenix]

I do know they have to fit me with an IV. What is the IV for?

The reason for the MRI is because the ultrasound I had for my heart came back fuzzy. I'm very heavy (280 pounds) and the thin little table they had me lying down on wasn't that sturdy enough for the tech to get a good pic/reading of me. And my doctor still hears the murmur so we're making sure everything is okies.

I'm still nervous. I'm already wondering what if they find something then what happens?

[calulu]

The IV it really depends. Sometimes with MRIs they are going to want to use a contrast, that they inject right into the IV. It's also helpful for them to have a port just in case you freak out and they have to hit you with a little IV valium (happened to me once) or you pop an allergic reaction to the contrast and they have to admin meds immediately (also happened to me)

I'll be thinking about/praying for you. I have to have an MRI in a few days to look and see what's driving my horrible stomach pain and constant nausea. They think something might be wrong with my pancreas, meh, I think I have an ulcer happening. Who knows..damn doctors.

It's a piece of cake. I usually lay back and think dirty thoughts now when I'm in the grips of the medical community. I find that erotic thoughts are distracting enough to keep me from freaking out during super painful procedures much less the more routine things like MRIs. I think about what type of sex scene I will insert in whatever piece of fiction I'm working on. I know it sounds weird but it works for me.

[jedimaster91]

MRI uses IV Gadolinium for contrast purposes. I haven't run into any patients who are allergic to it. I'm sure there are some out there, but it doesn't seem to be nearly as prevelent as allergies to CT IV contrast, which is Iodine.

[MergedLoki]

MRI uses IV Gadolinium for contrast purposes. I haven't run into any patients who are allergic to it. I'm sure there are some out there, but it doesn't seem to be nearly as prevelent as allergies to CT IV contrast, which is Iodine.

It actually has a higher reactivty than the CT contrast. I think it's just CT contrast is used SO much more often and in various other things (not just CT) that it seems to have a higher reaction rate than MRI contrast.

the CT contrast isn't 100% iodine but it's got some similarities to iodine (as in people who react to shellfish, react to iodine and are likely to react to CT contrast). the MRI contrast... i can't remember what it's made up of. (no iodine though :P)

[CaroPhoenix]

I've had a CT scan before.

That's how I found out I have 2 spleens, a fatty liver, and an umbilical hernia. I'm spiffy like that.

I hope I don't have a reaction to the MRI stuff like i did the CT stuff. (The CT stuff I had to drink like an hour before my appointment - let's just say ... I was good friends with the bathrooms near the CT area - Oi).

Braless. Sweats. Socks. Take off rings the night before. Give glasses to hubs. Think lots of different thoughts.

Ummm ... anything I've missed?

[Shpepper]

RELAX!!!

[CaroPhoenix]

Hahahaa! Shpepper!

Thank you for that bit of advice!

That's why I like you.

[Shpepper]

You betcha Sweet Cheeks... I even makeded it all prettyful for you.

[technical.angel]

Double advice on the sweats. I've left the MRI place blue lipped before, I was soo cold.

And, to second Shpepper, relax. You've got great advice and you'll do fine!

[CaroPhoenix]

Fortunately, I've been pulling my sweats out a little at a time for the winter months, so they are close at hand.

I'll try to relax. I just get nervous. And then I start to thinking. And then I start to worrying. And then I start to thinking and worrying. And then I start the "what if's". Yes, I know ... working myself up isn't a good thing, but it keeps me occupied.

I got the paperwork for everything in the mail last night. Plus, I've been invited to participate in a research study. Not sure what it is, and if I want to participate, but we'll see.

I have so much stuff to fill out! Lots of yes and no questions.

I hope everything goes as planned, and they find out why I have that murmur and why my legs/ankles/tops of feet are always swollen. Then I can do something about it and get on with my life.

As soon as Child Rum comes home, I'm giving her a gigantic hug!

[technical.angel]

Well, when you get started on the pattern, just send us a post, or send someone a PM, and we'll talk you down.

In all honesty, it not all a big deal. I've never had a problem with the contrast, and believe me, I'm the queen of MRIs. The biggest problem I had was falling asleep during a scan, and waking up with a jolt when the scans started and screwing the picture. I was in the tube for a LONG TIME with that one (but what do they expect, scheudling a scan for 6am????)

[RootedPhoenix]

*offers hugs and cookies to Rummy*

..and I'll even cross my toes for you!