Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Mri

JillianLindsay

Recommended Posts

JillianLindsay Enthusiast
JillianLindsay
Posted

Hi all,

One of the symptoms that helped me get diagnosed with celiac disease was seizures. I say that because I think that the seizures are the only reason the doctors took me seriously enough to seek out the cause.

Anyway, I've had 4 (that we know of) seizures in the past 9 months. My CT & regular EEG were clear, so the DR wants me to have a sleep-deprived EEG & an MRI to rule out a number of things. I'm not looking forward to the sleep-deprived EEG, but that's not a big deal.

The MRI isn't really a big deal either I guess, but I've never had one before. All I know is that it's a big magnet, a small space (like a CT but longer), very loud, and I have to hold still & may feel claustrophobic. I've read studies on MRIs (I'm a psych major) but have never even seen one in real life before. Anyway, I'm a bit nervous about it and wonder if anyone who's had one before could give me any advice for how to make it go smoothly, or what do to (or not do) beforehand?

Thanks,

Jillian

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Ahorsesoul Enthusiast
Ahorsesoul
Posted

Jillian,

I've had several MRIs. I think of them as cozy and not claustrophobic. Makes it easier for me. They will have a brace for my head to make it easier to hold still. I get comfortable before it starts. All jewelry, metal items need to be removed. The first time they made me take off a medication patch but never has told me to do so again.

They gave me earplugs which probably helped with the noise but it is loud. I made a game out of trying to guess when the beat of the noise would change. It is a pounding noise that goes slow, then fast, the quiet. Would be better if it was steady so I'd get use to it. Next one I have I am going to keep a total count of the beats. Yes, it's very boring.

I get cold easily so I ask for a blanket it starts. If you need to move or something, you can just tell them. Oh, I hit the bathroom right before going in. I fold my arms over the torso so my elbows do not touch the sides of the machine. They put a pillow or bolster under my knees so it more comfortable.

After I had a stroke, they did stop the test to ask the doctor for an order for some contrast. They started an IV for this medication. Hate that worse than the MRI.

If you are claustrophobic, they can give you medication but you will need someone to drive you home.

You will do just fine. I always ask to see one of the pictures on the computer screen before I leave. Very cool to see inside my head.

The sleep deprived EEG is worse but I'm old and bedtime is early for me. DO NOT mess with my sleep! lol

Let us know how it goes and the results.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

How claustrophobic they feel depends on if it's an open or closed MRI. I've had an open MRI on my knee - totally not a big deal. And I've had an extended closed MRI on my back and on my head (sinuses).

For those last two, they doped me up, because I am *HIGHLY* claustrophobic in very tight spaces. (I kinda freak out if I don't have enough room to get my arms fairly straight. As long as I've got two to three feet around me, I'm mostly ok.) The first one, since it was over time, using a contrast agent, they used the contrast IV for valium as well. The second time, since it was just a single trip into the machine, they just had me take a pill. I used an eye mask for both of them, and kept my eyes closed (I could see a tiny bit out of the eye masks if I opened my eyes). It was totally not the end of the world, and I was able to feel "ok" about the whole thing.

If I can do that in an MRI machine, you'll be fine. If you're really concerned, do talk to them about light sedation - though you'll need someone to drive you home.

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

It may help to figure out what the machine will be like, as there are different kinds...some of which may cause more worry/stress than another. Maybe call the center where its being done and discuss it, so you can manage your expectations of it better than going in not knowing what to expect?

Good luck!

Katie B Apprentice
Katie B
Posted

I've had a couple of closed MRIs and it wasn't too bad at all. You can speak to the technician and you can press a button if you need to get out. I found it okay because they would run one round of images for a few minutes, then they would speak to you again and run another round. This way it broke up the time nicely. I also remember singing a song in my head and that was a good distraction. Overall not too bad at all.

misslexi Apprentice
misslexi
Posted

I've only ever had one, and I have really severe anxiety, and get claustrophobic sometimes. But I was fine. I'm 99% sure they gave me big headphones and I brought a celiac disease that they played for me, and it helped when they talked to me sometimes during it. Let them know beforehand that you get kinda iffy about enclosed spaces, I'm sure they're used to it and probably have some suggestions.

Just relax, there are far worse tests out there!! I wish I could have had another MRI over some of the ones I've had to do in the last year...

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

I had one with contrast. For me the contrast injection felt like a very warm wash over my body. Sort of like taking a strong shot of whiskey. Jsu twanted to mention it sa something else you might encoiunter. It wasn't a bad feeling at all, just warm. Kind of nice in a way. :)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


JillianLindsay Enthusiast
JillianLindsay
Posted
  • Author

Thank you all for your replies, it is helpful to get advice & hear others' experiences :) I am lucky to have become friends with one of my profs at school who is a neuroscientist. He studies seizures for a living so I will ask him lots of questions and maybe go with him to see an MRI being done in person so I know what to expect.

I'm not claustrophobic and I'm hearing impaired so I think I'll be okay with the small space and the noise; just nervous as can be expected.

Thanks again!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,343
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    emoryprose
    Newest Member
    emoryprose
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • asaT
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By asaT · Posted

      plant sources of calcium, such as spinach, have calcium bound to oxalates, which is not good. best source of calcium is unfortunately dairy, do you tolerate dairy? fermented dairy like kefir is good and or a little hard cheese. i do eat dairy, i can only take so much dietary restriction and gluten is hard enough! but i guess some people do have bad reactions to it, so different for everyone.  
    • asaT
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By asaT · Posted

      i take b12, folate, b2, b6, glycine, Nac, zinc, vk2 mk4, magnesium, coq10, pqq, tmg, creatine, omega 3, molybdnem (sp) and just started vit d. quite a list i know.  I have high homocysteine (last checked it was 19, but is always high and i finally decided to do something about it) and very low vitamin d, 10. have been opposed to this supp in the past, but going to try it at 5k units a day. having a pth test on friday, which is suspect will be high. my homocysteine has come down to around 9 with 3 weeks of these supplements and expect it to go down further. i also started on estrogen/progesterone. I have osteoporosis too, so that is why the hormones.  anyway, i think all celiacs should have homocysteine checked and treated if needed (easy enough with b vit, tmg). homocysteine very bad thing to be high for a whole host of reasons. all the bad ones, heart attack , stroke, alzi, cancer..... one of the most annoying things about celiacs (and there are so many!) is the weight gain. i guess i stayed thin all those years being undiagnosed because i was under absorbing everything including calories. going gluten-free and the weight gain has been terrible, 30#, but i'm sure a lot more went into that (hip replacement - and years of hip pain leading to inactivity when i was previously very active, probably all related to celiacs, menopause) yada yada. i seemed to lose appetite control, like there was low glp, or leptin or whatever all those hormones are that tell you that you are full and to stop eating. my appetite is immense and i'm never full. i guess decades or more ( i think i have had celiacs since at least my teens - was hospitalized for abdominal pain and diarrhea for which spastic colon was eventually diagnosed and had many episodes of diarrhea/abdominal pain through my 20's. but that symptom seemed to go away and i related it to dairy much more so than gluten. Also my growth was stunted, i'm the only shorty in my family. anyway, decades of malabsorption and maldigestion led to constant hunger, at least thats my theory. then when i started absorbing normally, wham!! FAT!!!    
    • nanny marley
      Insomnia help

      By nanny marley · Posted

      Great advise there I agree with the aniexty part, and the aura migraine has I suffer both, I've also read some great books that have helped I'm going too look the one you mentioned up too thankyou for that, I find a camomile tea just a small one and a gentle wind down before bed has helped me too, I suffer from restless leg syndrome and nerve pain hence I don't always sleep well at the best of times , racing mind catches up I have decorated my whole house in one night in my mind before 🤣 diet changes mindset really help , although I have to say it never just disappears, I find once I came to terms with who I am I managed a lot better  , a misconception is for many to change , that means to heal but that's not always the case , understanding and finding your coping mechanisms are vital tools , it's more productive to find that because there is no failure then no pressure to become something else , it's ok to be sad it's ok to not sleep , it's ok to worry , just try to see it has a journey not a task 🤗
    • nanny marley
      nothing has changed

      By nanny marley · Posted

      I agree there I've tryed this myself to prove I can't eat gluten or lactose and it sets me back for about a month till I have to go back to being very strict to settle again 
    • trents
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By trents · Posted

      You may also need to supplement with B12 as this vitamin is also involved in iron assimilation and is often deficient in long-term undiagnosed celiac disease.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.