Has anyone had an MRI?

[Lucyr]

I doubt that they will give you noise cancelling headphones unless they’ve manufactured one without any metal. More likely it will be foam ear inserts, which work reasonably well. I fell asleep during my brain and spinal cord scan using ear inserts.

They definitely said headphones but whatever it is, so long as it makes the noise reduce is okay with me. I have tics and am extremely jumpy at loud noises, as well as being stressed by them, but it really helps to know what to expect from all your experiences. Surprised so many people have had one! I assume it’s a quick enough procedure that you don’t need to worry about BGs so long as they’re fine when you arrive?

Outfit wise I’ll go for joggers & hoody (no metal tassels or eyelets I checked), sports bra (no metal clasp etc), and remember to remove face mask, watch and glasses before going in

 

[Lucyr]

Things obviously vary! I had a brain MRI scan about 18 months ago. I had to wear a gown, no ear protection at all (but don't recall it being that noisy), at no point had to hold my breath and not aware that the table moved!

Is holding your breath a lung thing? Not sure what difference it would make to a picture of your brain?

 

[Deleted member 21371]

They definitely said headphones but whatever it is, so long as it makes the noise reduce is okay with me. I have tics and am extremely jumpy at loud noises, as well as being stressed by them, but it really helps to know what to expect from all your experiences. Surprised so many people have had one! I assume it’s a quick enough procedure that you don’t need to worry about BGs so long as they’re fine when you arrive?

Outfit wise I’ll go for joggers & hoody (no metal tassels or eyelets I checked), sports bra (no metal clasp etc), and remember to remove face mask, watch and glasses before going in

They definitely do headphones.
I had a hospital gown supplied.

 

[silentsquirrel]

Is holding your breath a lung thing? Not sure what difference it would make to a picture of your brain?

No idea! But I didn't have to.

Interesting POV from the chap operating the scanner, said I must be quite healthy as it was my first scan at 70.

 

[Lucyr]

No idea! But I didn't have to.

Interesting POV from the chap operating the scanner, said I must be quite healthy as it was my first scan at 70.

I’m 34 so presumably only half as healthy as you!

 

[eggyg]

I’ve recently had a head MRI, my first one. I was told my bra was fine and didn’t need a gown, he did ask if my walking shoes had steel toe caps! I knew I couldn’t wear my Libre sensor so removed it before I went. I didn’t have the contrast although have had that a few times with CT scans and like Mike said, it feels like you’ve wet yourself. I just had earplugs and foam this time but have had headphones with many of my other MRIs ( I’ve had quite a lot on various parts of my body) I could hear it but I found it surprisingly relaxing.
You’ve just reminded me I haven’t had my results, no news is good news I’m thinking.
Good luck. Try not to worry.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

They definitely do headphones.
I had a hospital gown supplied.

Ah but Covid has played a major part in getting people to be metal free when they go for a scan as it saves time in the dept and loads of laundry etc.
One of the scanners I went in they provided both ear plugs and head phones due to the type of scanner. (Can't remember what it was called) just an upmarket MRI 🙂
Even when I had a brain scan I was asked to hold breath and that was about 4 years ago I think. Last scan pancreas scan and same thing really.

 

[helli]

I had an MRI a few years back. I had to remove insulin pump and sensor and wear clothing with no metal zips, etc. I wore my gym kit which was convenient because the fastest and least stressful way to get to my local hospital is to run there. I had no headphones but was allowed to take my own music … probably a CD because it was some time ago.
When I arrived at the hospital, I was given a lot of blue liquid to drink which tasted sweet but did not affect my blood sugars.
Then the scan was uneventful. Noisey (even over the top of my music) but not uncomfortable.

 

[Sally71]

No you shouldn’t need to worry about blood sugars, the whole procedure was over and done with within half an hour I think. No breath holding required either!

 

[Docb]

I have had a couple of MRI head scans. Lucyr, you will find the staff very conscientious when it comes to making sure that you are sufficiently magnetic metal free for their scanner and the scan they are doing. The scan will most likely be noisy despite the ear protection with lots of strange noises and banging. What I found was that the noises were rhythmical, almost like listening to an avant-garde percussionist, and by focussing on that I managed to treat them as interesting rather than disturbing.

 

[Lucyr]

Ah but Covid has played a major part in getting people to be metal free when they go for a scan as it saves time in the dept and loads of laundry etc.
One of the scanners I went in they provided both ear plugs and head phones due to the type of scanner. (Can't remember what it was called) just an upmarket MRI 🙂
Even when I had a brain scan I was asked to hold breath and that was about 4 years ago I think. Last scan pancreas scan and same thing really.

I’ve found a friend who has had one in the same hospital, and he said both ear plugs and headphones supplied too 🙂

 

[Windy]

I'm pretty sure I had foam earplugs in my ears, and a pair of plastic yellow headphones over the top of them. But it was still noisy, but not unbearably so. I definitely recommend keeping your eyes shut the whole time the scan's happening and thinking about something nice instead. I used the same eyes closed/think of something else technique when I was having a root filling done, and the dentist asked me if I'd gone to sleep!

 

[Lucyr]

So I thought I’d update you all… I survived the MRI. I think my autistic noise problem is more about the number of layers of sound, the MRI was fairly noisy, but not that many layers of different sounds. It was not as loud as say walking right past someone drilling the road up. More a next door neighbour drilling type volume. All the sound was coordinated and rhythmical so did feel okay and didn’t have to press the buzzer. There was a picture to watch though not entirely sure what it was as I’d taken my glasses off. It definitely made my headache worse and I felt a bit disoriented after, probably because of the blinding headache.

The results were good, my brain is structurally normal and the headaches are probably a mix of tension type headache and migraines, and caused by a type of post viral fatigue.

I’m going to try amitryptaline before bed, been warned it can make you groggy, that it takes a few weeks to work, and that it’s a low dose and I may need to build it up. Also going to keep up with paracetamol, ibuprofen/naproxen and Propanalol during the day, then sumatriptan and metoclopramide as needed.

 

[Lily123]

So I thought I’d update you all… I survived the MRI. I think my autistic noise problem is more about the number of layers of sound, the MRI was fairly noisy, but not that many layers of different sounds. It was not as loud as say walking right past someone drilling the road up. More a next door neighbour drilling type volume. All the sound was coordinated and rhythmical so did feel okay and didn’t have to press the buzzer. There was a picture to watch though not entirely sure what it was as I’d taken my glasses off. It definitely made my headache worse and I felt a bit disoriented after, probably because of the blinding headache.

The results were good, my brain is structurally normal and the headaches are probably a mix of tension type headache and migraines, and caused by a type of post viral fatigue.

I’m going to try amitryptaline before bed, been warned it can make you groggy, that it takes a few weeks to work, and that it’s a low dose and I may need to build it up. Also going to keep up with paracetamol, ibuprofen/naproxen and Propanalol during the day, then sumatriptan and metoclopramide as needed.

Good that you know that nothing serious showed up on the MRI. I hope the headaches go soon