Sunday 26 February 2012

MRI

Thursday I had the MRI scan required to check for new activity and see if I am eligible for Tysabri. I've had a few before, I seemed to have totally forgotten the procedure! I can't even remember if I've had 2 or 3 before, I am pretty sure it is 3 but it could be just 2. Either way, I thought I'd write a quick blog about the experience even if just for me to look back at when the time comes to have another.
I arrived 15minutes early as instructed. The boyfriend had come with me as I was quite nervous and hate sitting in that waiting room on my own reading out of date rubbish magazines. I got called in pretty quickly, so turned to the boyfriend and said I'd be about 20minutes and that he could go for a wander if he wanted. That was my first mistake as of course I was only being called in for the list of questions they ask you before the scan (do you have kidney problems, any operations, metal here there or anywhere etc). Also at this point I had to put all my things in a locker, she said if I was with someone I could leave my bag with them, I looked in to the waiting room but the boyfriend had already gone off for a coffee so in to the locker went my bag. So there I was back in the waiting room, feeling all naked without my handbag. No phone, no cigarettes, no watch and worst of all there is no clock in the waiting room so I had no idea how quickly or slowly time was passing. Luckily the boyfriend came back (no idea after how long due to the lack of time telling objects) to find me still waiting.
Because the appointment was in the middle of the day there was quite a wait, I think before I've been first on the list (I remember arriving before the receptionist once) and so there wasn't a wait. Although I think I'd rather not get up early and wait for a bit. After about 45mins I got called in, I didn't need to get changed in to a gown as it was only brain not brain and spine being scanned.
I had the usual telling off about my piercings - "it's not for our benefit you know, it's for your own benefit as they might hide some of the lesions". The neurologist has said it was fine when I wore them before. I would just take them out but they are ones I can't physically remove myself so it would involve a trip to the piercing shop the day before and potentially letting them close up. I do remember from my first scan (which I had as an inpatient after the unexpected first attack of MS) they were really arsey about the piercings and I remember thinking "I didn't plan to be having MRI scans when I got these piercings, this has come totally out the blue and so please STFU!" I can understand them being a bit off about it on routine appointments though as obviously I could have planned to take them out, but like they say it makes no difference to them.
I hopped up on to the scanner and she put the clamp thing over my face. I never understand why they have a mirror on that thing. I remember once being told it was so I could see out the scanner and not feel so claustrophobic, but every time it's been pointed so all it shows is another part of the machine. So really it doesn't help at all, just makes it all more disorientating.
She then said that she'd be back in 10minutes to out the dye in. I had thought I was having the scan without the dye, because the letter just said 'brain scan' not 'brain scan with gadolinium dye'  as it has before. That threw me a bit because for some reason I've developed a bit of a phobia of needles lately. I used to be fine with them but ever since injecting myself with copaxone, I've been not able to bear anyone else doing it. Also my veins have been hiding a lot and so the experience is never pleasant.
The first 10minutes of scanning went reasonably fast, I tried to do the mindfulness of breathing practice which wasn't easy with the clicking, clunking, beeping and drilling noises the machine makes.
She came in to try and get the dye in, this took painful several attempts, making me worried about having to have someone find a vein on me every month if I do go on Tysabri.
After the dye went it, there was just another 4minutes of scans and it was over.
We left the hospital about 1.5hours after we'd arrived in the end, so not too bad at all.

I feel relieved to have got the scan over with, I don't find the experience horrendous but it isn't exactly a way I would choose to spend an afternoon either. Now just to wait a month for the results and hope that it has found a new lesion or two so that I can have the Tysabri and a reason for how rubbish I feel, but that it doesn't find too many, just one neat little lesion would be nice thanks!

1 comment:

  1. Hello, Sarah! How are things doing lately? I underwent an MRI just last week. My doctor recommended it to evaluate my low back pain, so we could modify the treatment. That was my first MRI, and I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I’m going to be back for another MRI session sometime soon, so reading this blog is really helping me get accustomed to the machine and the procedure.

    Julio Loose

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