MRI went bad + MS hug & a bad tech's

[johnniebear]

I got my DX just this past  April,  however the Dr wanted to have a T-spine done after being pushed by me ( thanks Quix).  I've always had my MRI'S done at the local hospital,  they called me and said they had a much earlier appointment at their offsite location,  seems like a no brainer to me.

First of all the staff seemed kind, after checking in,  walking back to the area with MRI tech that took my history I  told her about my two bad disks in my neck,  now I'm a big guy even when I was thinner my shoulders rub the sides.
O.k. I guess I'm fat now to.

I asked for the glasses so that I may see out during the scan, they don't have them at this location.  Warning #1.
I have to keep my eye closed & I picked my music,  told them I have go in slow,  my next question- where is the panic button?  Warning #2-  We don't have one, however we can talk to you & hear you.  
                                            
                                     OK I SAID.

They placed the targets on my back  for scan & ready to start,

  John the first scan is less than minute,  OK.
next scan was 3 or 4 minutes,  I began to feel a little warm,   next scan John is about 5 minutes, OK-
The MRI ramps up at this point & is at it's loudest point- the noise has never gotten to me, 1/2 thru this scan I began saying it warm- HELLO IT'S WARM

I tried to stay clam  & now I"m yelling   HELP -HELP IT"S TO HOT - ITS TO HOT ,  began moving my legs hoping they would see me.  They sure in hell couldn't hear me.

Ok John next scan,  I kept saying NO NO GET ME OUT I"M ON FIRE, they heard me, two people came, I really doubt that they ran in,  and quickly  began fanning me with big card board &  placed wet  cool towels on me.

I would only let them complete the MRI only if they came into the room after each scan and pulled me out to cool off.
I felt pretty tight in my chest , it wasn't a panic attack I had to many MRI & I know how the show should work.

My wife went with me this time & I have never asked her before thank God  she was with me,  I bearly was to walk to waiting room afterwards, my wife  knew something  was wrong I was pretty washed out looking.   I  just sat there,  she was able to fine me some bottled water , she gave it to me & couldn't  hold it or open it.   I  think it was a good 20 minutes until I felt recovered where we could go home.


I guess besides being treated badly, is this what an MS hug is?
Has anyone else ever gotten over heated during a scan?

Thanks to all
John..

[slightlybroken]

Boy, it all sounds like a horror movie from your description.

I think the pain pill and muscle relaxer wouldn't have worked against you. I have the same issue and I have done the same thing before a scan. Once I lay flat on those MRI tables, I can't get off, and my back is spasmed up in pain. I usually need a hand from one of the techs, to help lift me off.

I think I can recall one MRI that I had that got very hot. It scared me because this was the first MRI I had since my vena cava filter was placed in and I was worried that it had something to do with that because my whole back was literally on fire. My skin was still hot a good 15-20 min. or so, after I was pulled out. It felt more like a tanning bed rather than a MRI machine. It ended up being just that MRI machine, since I've had others that haven't effected me that way.

My legs were like jello after that MRI and I was so fatigued. My husband touched my back and could feel the heat coming off of it, which was funny since it was in the middle of winter.

I could see if your MRI got too hot, it could aggravate symptoms that you have or bring on  pseudo symptoms, like the MS hug. You could have been experiencing Uthoff's phenomenon which shows itself with small increases in body temperature and may activate old symptoms or cause new ones to emerge.

Either way, I wouldn't want to go back into that overgrown easy bake oven, they call an MRI machine if I was you ;)

[Lulu54]

This sounds gruesome.  A quick search turns up virtually nothing about overheating in an MRI unless you have metal in your body.  Even a patch (like nicotine or morphine) may have a metal backing that causes overheating, but I'm thnking that wasn't your situation.

Be sure to discuss this with your doctor - I would love to know the official explanation.

And also tell the doctor about your experience - this place should not get any more referrals until they correct the shortcomings.

-Lu

[johnniebear]

I took a pain pill & motrin & a muscle relaxer prior,  maybe that some  how worked against me.  I was just trying to head off the pain from laying flat because of the neck problems.




thanks
John...

[HVAC]

Sounds horrible.

Alex

[rothexl]

That does really sound horrible! I didn't know you could overheat so extremely in the scanner either- but that doesn't mean I don't believe you, I so do!!
Awful they didn't even have a panic button, that is really extreme. Wishing you a stress-free next scan WITH a panic button (I agree with the movement issue)- and hope you are recovering fast from this awful experience!

Rike

[supermum_ms]

Hey John,

That sounds horrid, it doesn't sound right at all. I dont recall every hearing about people over heating that badly, though it sounds like it might not be that uncommon, considering the techs were already prepared with the fan and cool wet towels.

Hate to say it but you might need to re-do the MRI, the spine is difficult to see at the best of times, and your suppose to stay as still as a statue, even breathing can affect the quality of the pictures. I was listening to a comedian and found my self struggling to not laugh, the tech's come on the mike a few times asking me if i was alright, they could see i was moving and i was not moving my body, just the diaphram from the giggles. I think your tech's went to sleep on you!

I didn't feel hot at all, i was pretty zen for most of it though i couldn't get my self to move when it was over, feeling pretty heavy, they helped me up and had to lift me out, so maybe i did heat up but didn't notice it. I certainly was not burning or aware of heating up.

People experience the hug differently but on a similar theme. For me its being squeezed around my rib cage, like someone crushing me for a few seconds then it releases, repeating over and over, I get it mostly on my left side but i do get it sometimes all the way around just not as often. I'm not sure from what you've written that it was not the heat making it difficult for you to breath, if i get into a hot car for example it feels like my lungs can't expand and my chest feels heavy, instinct is to get out quickly.

I'm sure someone else will explain their experience, which might help you to work it out. It sure didn't sound like it was a hole lot of fun, sorry it went so badly for you, i hope in the end it was worth all the trouble.

Cheers....JJ

PS i'd tell your neurologist about your experience, an email might be better than using up all your consult time if you did it face to face.