MRI Scan

madwestie

I have an MRI scan on my neck on Wednesday. :sad:
I have had one before on my hip and didn't really like it, has anyone else had one on their neck? How far into the scanner do they put you? is it a lot louder when you head is in it?
I am not really looking forward to it. But as i have had to OA in my neck for approx 20 years and this is the first one i suppose i shouldn't really complain. I also have Ra.

I have been viewing the form for a few years but only able to post occasionally but my lovely hubby has just bought me a netbook so i can post from my comfy armchair so hopefully i will be able to join in more now.

Tracey

dreamdaisy

I have had my knees done (and wore headphones) but I wonder if, because it is your neck, that headphones won't be allowed? Yes, the machines are noisy but they don't hurt as such - tho your joints may well protest at the keeping still! You will be able to see out of the beast, and you will have a button on a string to press in case of emergency: close your eyes, think lovely thoughts, try to ignore the noise and it will eventually end! I wish you well - let us know how you get on, and congratulations on the netbook - I fancy aquiring one o' they (despite having a perfectly wonderful laptop)! DD

caterina57

Hi Tracey
Yes I have had an MRI scan on my head - not painful or uncomfortable but very noisy -can only describe it as being in a washing machine cycle and a Rap concert at the same time- I survived it though LOL and yes you do have a panic button to press if it all gets too much, you will be fine though.

Cath

suzygirl

I have had an mri scan of my neck, its about 20 mins. I had to be fully in the scanner. They give you ear plugs for the noise. If you are nervous, your gp can prescribe a mild sedative to calm you down.

Hope it goes well for you!

skezier

Hi Madwestie,

really nice to see you!

had 2 but both times they did the whole lot in sections so kept going further and further in Was about 50 mins for all 3 to be done and the neck was only into the shoulders so maybe that's how far you will have to go.

Its not long flower and can help so much. Will be in the pockets if needed cus it does kinda help.

Hope the mad one is fine and you too? Cris xx

barbara12

Hi Tracey
And welcome...sorry I cant help with any advice, I just want to say hope the results are good, and let us know how you get on.
Barbara x

madwestie

thank you for all your replies.
it really helps to think that it may only be upto my shoulders.
I have had one before but the horrible nurse upsate me before i went in by saying my husband couldn;t cme in even though the letter said he could one she had got me all upset she said well if you are upset then he can go in with you :roll: then they tell you to relax... This time i am going to tell them either he comes in with me or i don't have it done..

Cris thank for you for volunteering for pocket duty it is 7.30pm on Wednesday I must remember to put my best coat on big pockets, hopefully no dog treats in them :oops:

the mad one is a little westie called maddie who unfortunately takes after me and has arthritis in her spine poor thing and is just recovering from injurying both cruciate ligaments in her back legs. We walk at about the same pace now..

skezier

Hi Tracey,

My lot wont mind the dog treats thing and compared to my pockets yours will be just fine.....

7.30 it is then and yep when they did mine they started with the neck and that was just in to below the shoulders.

If your worried tell them cus they are used to people not liking it to say the least but its over fairly fast cus if 3 bits are 50 mins its not too long per section i guess though maths was never my strong point

Bless her I hope Maddie is doing ok with her back? they take it easier than us sometimes and I envy them there ability to just get on with it really.

You Take care and big pockets or small shall be there and bring her with as well... she likes dog treats as well Cris xx

julie47

Hi Tracey

I went for an MRI scan not so long ago for my neck and I too was nervous at having my head inside the machine. I have had 3 Mri scnans now 2 on my legs which my head was outside, but obviously for the neck I went in head first. It isn't that bad really and did only last 20 mins.
I had on headphones (not that you could really hear their music cause still quite noisey)
I closed my eyes as sooon as i was laid down, and thought about all these lovely people on here doing their pocket duty.
I thought about my OH and tha fact he was waiting in the waiting room and my daughter who was at work. I also pretended I was at a beach in spain and the banging was the construction men working on a near by hotel All these distractions made the 20 mins go really quick.
Will be thinking of you on wednesay
Take care
Juliepf x

traluvie

Hi Tracey,

I had one to check for fluid on my brain, i was in up to my shoulders.. It's pretty much like Cath said, a washing machine whirling around you..
I was cold so asked for a blanket lol..
I am claustraphobic so was pretty nervous.. i was ok though.. just closed my eyes, and tried to relax.. thinking of good things..
Hope it goes ok for you..
Good luck..
We will all be thinking of you..

Tracy
xxxxx

dreamdaisy

Does your husband have a pacemaker? I ask because strong magnetic fields are not that good for those who do. They check with the patient being scanned and one would hope they would check for those who are sitting in. Luckily my husband has avoided that particular exercise - he uses an excuse called 'work' - honestly! :roll: I am sure it will all be fine, just close your eyes, think nice thoughts and definitely ask for a blanket - one can get quite chilly with lying so still. DD

lupin15

I am waiting for an appointment to have one on my neck and head....(looking in the wrong place if they are looking for my brain. How long did everyone have to wait to get there appointment?

skezier

Hi lupin,

Glad they are going to look at you though flower, its a good way to find out whats going on.

Its how long is a bit of string this way that question.... waited a couple of month or so for the scan and then 16 weeks (i joke not) for the results to get to the rumo.... i don;t think that's the normal way but that's what we have down here.... back logs and funding issues all over the place.

Fingers crossed you will be lucky and get it all come through quickly. let us know though. Cris x

lupin15

skezier wrote:

Hi lupin,

Glad they are going to look at you though flower, its a good way to find out whats going on.

Its how long is a bit of string this way that question.... waited a couple of month or so for the scan and then 16 weeks (i joke not) for the results to get to the rumo.... i don;t think that's the normal way but that's what we have down here.... back logs and funding issues all over the place.

Fingers crossed you will be lucky and get it all come through quickly. let us know though. Cris x

I am almost sure i end up under this 2 week rule thing because they think it maybe cancer.....could be wrong???? Might ring the GP to find out what the position is. Must admit arm and face back to normal now although i do have a pain in my neck...mind you that could be hubby..

skezier

Hi Lupin,

Fingers crossed they get a move on and its not. ((((( ))))) and try not to worry seems a silly thing to say but... Cris xx

madwestie

thank you all for your support.
DD hubby did eventually come in with me last time just a lot of fussy to get them to agree, he is ok no pacemaker or metal bits the lady who rang did ask if he had been shot or blown up.. :shock:

Lupin, i saw the consultant on 19/1/11 and got a phone call on Sunday from the mri team asking me to go on wednesday so not very long at all.
I hope you get yours through soon and that you get the right result.

tracey

lupin15

madwestie wrote:

thank you all for your support.
DD hubby did eventually come in with me last time just a lot of fussy to get them to agree, he is ok no pacemaker or metal bits the lady who rang did ask if he had been shot or blown up.. :shock:

Lupin, i saw the consultant on 19/1/11 and got a phone call on Sunday from the mri team asking me to go on wednesday so not very long at all.
I hope you get yours through soon and that you get the right result.

tracey

Good luck for tomorrow and fingers crossed mine will be soon. How long before you get the results or do you have another appointment for your specialist?

madwestie

Lupin, i am not sure the consultant said i will get my next appointment with the rheumy nurse btu didn't say when i don't suppose it will be for a while.
To be honest the appointment didn't go too well all he was concerned about was that i need to do more excercise and lose weight oh and i can only have 3 depo medrone injections a year, which means more pain.
I've had the OA in my neck for over 15 years now so i think the scan is only to see if there is any pressure on the nerves and then probably do nothing about it anyway. fortunately the rheumy nurse is really nice and my Gp is a godsend.

tracey

traluvie

Tracey..
Good luck for tom..
Thinking of you..

tillytop

Hello Tracey

I have had two MRI scans - one a brain scan, where I had headphones to listen to and one a neck scan where I didn't. When I went for the second scan I was very nervous because I knew what to expect and I was into the scanner all the way - only my feet were outside. But my husband did come into the room with me and was able to "hold onto my feet" which sounds silly but it was really comforting being able to feel that he was there, even though I couldn't see him. Top tip though, if you do want someone to go in with you, make sure you state this when you arrive because the person going in with you will have to fill in the same form as you do, to make sure it is safe for them to do so and will have to remove anything metallic before they go in. Provided there is no medical reason why not, I can't see why they won't let your husband go in with you. I didn't do this - they got my husband in when I started to panic and this held up the scanning process. Once inside the scanner, I did like Juliepf and imagined that I was elsewhere and that banging was the noise of the river ferry on the river Dart, which is my favourite place in the whole world!

One thought - would it help to put your mind at rest if you phoned the unit today and said that you want your husband to go in with you? That way you will know what's what before you go.

Really good luck with it. Will be thinking of you.

Love Tilly xxx

madwestie

Thank you all for you good wishes, your thoughts got me through it.
Cris thank you for staying out so late on pocket duty.
Tilly i took your advice and hubby held onto my ankle the whole way through it was amazing how reassuring it was not to feel alone. I was quite a way in the machine, upto my bum hubby says. I don't mind the noise so much but i do find it really uncomfortable verging on really painful by the end (glad to get home to hot water bottle and pain killers).
I must say if i had to have another one i wouldn't say no but i hpe it will be a while before i need to.
I took your advice whilst in the machine i closed my eyes and thought about all the time i was missing when i could have been on the forum and all the good wishes, i worried that cris might be getting a bit squashed in my pocket and about hubby who was holding my ankle. it all kept me going.
So again thank you to all of you.

Tracey

traluvie

I'm glad your experience wasn't as bad as you thought and that it all went near enough smoothly for you...
Lets hope you get the results soon..