I had an MRI before my op, you are not supposed to wear any metal so I didn't bother wearing any jewellery and I also wore a sports bra so it didn't have metal fastenings and rings on the straps, I wore clothes that didn't have any zips or metal bits and went in with my own clothes on (I basically had leggings and a dress on) you need to watch hair clips and bobbles too, I had some hair bobbles with no metal, I wanted to tie my hair up out the way.
Ive also found that keeping your arms (and body) warm and being well hydrated helps them find a vein to get the cannula in (they gave me a couple of injections of different things) so I always make sure I've got a cardigan or coat to keep warm on the way to appointments.
Its a bit closed in but I shut my eyes and listened to the music and pretended I was on my sunlounger on holiday, it wasn't bad at all, they give you a button to press if you want them to stop at any time, not that it's painful, you can't feel anything, just noisy.
I basically went in, they went through a standard questionnaire (checked about metal and whether I was pregnant) then they let me put my bag and things in a locker and asked me to lie on a bed while they put the cannula in and a few different injections, I think one was a muscle relaxer but I could be making that up lol. They they took me through and strapped me onto the bed for the scanner, made sure I was comfy, let me pick my music and gave me another injection and off I went.
Thank you Arla. That is helpful. I presumed I’d be given a gown so that was really useful re the bra, hadn’t thought of that. I’m not good at lying doing nothing so that is bothering me lol. I don’t even sit and watch tv without doing something else. What am I like? Xx
They do have gowns too, I just preferred staying in my own clothes as my big bum hangs out the back of the gowns lol.
They strap you in to the machine so it's not like lying flat on a bed, it's quite cosy, it doesn't take too long, a few songs and I was out again. EDIT: just found out the strapping to the machine doesn't happen everywhere, it must have been a special treat for me lol xx
I just went with what they told me and put a gown on. I, too, found it very noisy, even with music on. I seemed to have been going a long time when the machine stopped. I was just wondering if I should press the button thinking it had broken down when a voice said 5 more minutes!!!
I was very glad I had a dressing gown when I had my operation. We had to walk down miles of corridor in a hospital gown. Mine had lost the ties at the back, but fortunately my dressing gown hid anything! xxxxx
Hi granny, for me the biggest fear of all was having to go in the mri machine but that is Cos I’m claustrophobic, I was given Valium from my dr and I took it an hour before my appointment, the funny thing is I felt no different but my mum said I was so relaxed, also looking back now I know it must have worked Cos I don’t know how I did it, anyway that’s just me, the actual mri took 50 minutes for me, I wore jogging bottoms, a loose t shirt and a sports bra , t tied my hair back in a scrunchie and was ready to go, they put something into my arm, then I laid down , I was not strapped in but two plates were placed on my chest and abdomen, they played music into my headphones, and spoke now and then through the earphones to me, asking if I was ok, I kept my eyes open for some of it and closed for others, I did not move a muscle, not sure how I didn’t move so I think maybe as arla thinks, perhaps there was a relaxant in the meds, I held my panic at bay until nearly the end, I started to feel really panicky inside, then they said five more minutes and I thought I must hold on , and I did, I felt proud of myself, the contrast dye you can feel go in while you are inside the machine, only towards the end, it felt like warm water going into my arm, it worried me then I remembered the dye, so be prepared for an odd feeling, but none of it hurts at all, , also even with headphones on you hear a lot of nose and cranking from the machine, but to be honest for me silence would have scared me more, good luck Hun you will be fine, if I could do it, believe me anyone can xx
Don’t ever give up hope, there are earth Angels all around us and Miracles really do happen xx
I think I was in the MRI scanner about 40 minutes, but you have no idea of time in there. The CT scan was quicker, and I think I had dye put in for that and 2 plates resting on you. That picked up the fact that my thyroid was enlarged and might squash the windpipe, so I had to get that checked out! Its OK at the moment. I hadn't been near a doctor or hospital for 30 years, so no wonder they found other potential problems! At least you shouldn't have that, having been near a hospital recently.
I was totally amazed at what they can do these days. I never even had a scan when having children! It would have saved me a lot of heartache. (2 miscarriages, a threat at 20 weeks, and 2 babies 'stitched' in!!!
Hi nannyanny, you are right about not knowing how long you are in the mri scanner , I only know cos I asked him, the first thing I said was how long was I in there , he said 50 minutes I thought omg so long, but I did feel proud of myself lol ..... as for you I know you had a lot of problems with your pregnancies etc and totally agree that if all this technology had been about then it would have been so much better for you, but I also think look what you went through, look how you coped, not many could cope these days cos everything is done for them, I just see a strong lady when I see you, I’m 50 in a few months and I still think our generation and the ones before are so strong both physically and mentally, the old school generation as I call them , take care my lovely xxx
Don’t ever give up hope, there are earth Angels all around us and Miracles really do happen xx
Thank you both. I’m concerned about the liquid in the MRI because I have chronic kidney disease and it can cause problems. They have done a blood test and they said it was okay but I do worry. That and the thought of a plate on my chest as I’m asthmatic. Is the plate actually on you or above you?
