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Anyone ever have an MRI?
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 21588" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>I'd not had an MRI until about five years ago, despite having these weird symptoms for 24 years now. The first big test was a myelogram - YUK! The hospital did have a CT machine, I wish they'd done one of those instead. MWM, be VERY grateful we now have access to MRI and CT instead of myelograms. I was so sick after the myelogram - I had to lie flat for days, plus I couldn't stand even dull light. And I had a baby to look after (easy child 2/difficult child 2). They came in to show me the pictures and I couldn't look at them because they were shining lights behind them. I never did see those films. I had a severe headache for the next few weeks - it was like meningitis but without fever, really (I do not exaggerate on this - I've had aseptic meningitis).</p><p></p><p>MRI - I was nervous before my first one. I had been told so many horror stories about claustrophobia, and I DO get nervous in confined spaces. But I talked myself through it - there of course would be plenty of air (in fact, there was a mild breeze, from the ventilation). There was no way the tunnel could collapse on me because it was one solid lump of plastic (with the 'guts' of the machine sealed inside). The technician was within shouting range if I got nervous. My biggest problem was my neuralgia from the angle my arms would be, lying on my back. I told the technician about this and they carefully padded under my arms so there wouldn't be any pulling pressure on the brachial plexus (the nerve junction that causes the problem with this for me). They padded under my knees, so I would be more comfortable. And I was permitted to bring a tape of what I wanted them to play for me. Instead of bringing my favourite music, I brought a tape of a radio play I knew well. I couldn't hear it properly, but I knew it so well I could sort of hear where it was up to and mentally recite with it. Because I was also visualising the action of the play, I was able to forget about the drumming and the small space. I kept my eyes shut and imagined I was in a large, open space with a breeze on my face. basically, by avoiding opening my eyes in the tunnel (although it's quite light in there, it's nothing like a dark hole) I was able to keep telling myself that I was lying on the beach, or lying in a hammock in the rainforest.</p><p></p><p>And afterwards - no headache for weeks. No nausea from the pain and the side effects, like I'd endured with the myelogram. Instead, I went out for a cup of coffee while I waited for the pictures to be processed.</p><p></p><p>Nerve conduction studies and EMG - not great, I hate that electric shock feeling every second and the electrodes hurt more than acupuncture needles. I ache in my muscles from all that effort for about half an hour at least afterwards (or days if they really worked me over). Yes, after EMG I feel like I've had a fall. After the myelogram I felt like a victim of a serious mugging, with fractured skull. But after the MRI - I felt fine (apart from the usual). If anything, I felt relieved because I had done it and it hadn't hurt, one little bit.</p><p></p><p>Have you had VERs done? (Visual Evoked Responses). That's when they wire up your scalp and you sit watching a checkerboard pattern alternating on a screen. It's often done when looking for MS, among other things. They often do it at the same time as nerve conduction studies. If you can handle that, the MRI is a piece of cake. Honestly.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 21588, member: 1991"] I'd not had an MRI until about five years ago, despite having these weird symptoms for 24 years now. The first big test was a myelogram - YUK! The hospital did have a CT machine, I wish they'd done one of those instead. MWM, be VERY grateful we now have access to MRI and CT instead of myelograms. I was so sick after the myelogram - I had to lie flat for days, plus I couldn't stand even dull light. And I had a baby to look after (easy child 2/difficult child 2). They came in to show me the pictures and I couldn't look at them because they were shining lights behind them. I never did see those films. I had a severe headache for the next few weeks - it was like meningitis but without fever, really (I do not exaggerate on this - I've had aseptic meningitis). MRI - I was nervous before my first one. I had been told so many horror stories about claustrophobia, and I DO get nervous in confined spaces. But I talked myself through it - there of course would be plenty of air (in fact, there was a mild breeze, from the ventilation). There was no way the tunnel could collapse on me because it was one solid lump of plastic (with the 'guts' of the machine sealed inside). The technician was within shouting range if I got nervous. My biggest problem was my neuralgia from the angle my arms would be, lying on my back. I told the technician about this and they carefully padded under my arms so there wouldn't be any pulling pressure on the brachial plexus (the nerve junction that causes the problem with this for me). They padded under my knees, so I would be more comfortable. And I was permitted to bring a tape of what I wanted them to play for me. Instead of bringing my favourite music, I brought a tape of a radio play I knew well. I couldn't hear it properly, but I knew it so well I could sort of hear where it was up to and mentally recite with it. Because I was also visualising the action of the play, I was able to forget about the drumming and the small space. I kept my eyes shut and imagined I was in a large, open space with a breeze on my face. basically, by avoiding opening my eyes in the tunnel (although it's quite light in there, it's nothing like a dark hole) I was able to keep telling myself that I was lying on the beach, or lying in a hammock in the rainforest. And afterwards - no headache for weeks. No nausea from the pain and the side effects, like I'd endured with the myelogram. Instead, I went out for a cup of coffee while I waited for the pictures to be processed. Nerve conduction studies and EMG - not great, I hate that electric shock feeling every second and the electrodes hurt more than acupuncture needles. I ache in my muscles from all that effort for about half an hour at least afterwards (or days if they really worked me over). Yes, after EMG I feel like I've had a fall. After the myelogram I felt like a victim of a serious mugging, with fractured skull. But after the MRI - I felt fine (apart from the usual). If anything, I felt relieved because I had done it and it hadn't hurt, one little bit. Have you had VERs done? (Visual Evoked Responses). That's when they wire up your scalp and you sit watching a checkerboard pattern alternating on a screen. It's often done when looking for MS, among other things. They often do it at the same time as nerve conduction studies. If you can handle that, the MRI is a piece of cake. Honestly. Marg [/QUOTE]
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Anyone ever have an MRI?
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