Re: Another MRI plus medication question

Alvin P Shipley (allori(AT)juno.com)
Mon, 30 Mar 1998 09:40:36 -0500

I had an MRI of my brain - this was the first of several MRIs over a 3
day period - and the technician did secure my head to keep it very still
but it was not in a cage or anything - I believe he used some rolled up
towels and possibly something along the lines of soft foam or styrofoam
(I am a little fuzzy on the details since I hadn't slept all night as I
was in the E.R. and had already had the spinal tap and was basically in
the twilight zone when I had it done). The technician did cover my eyes
and put the headphones on and let me listen to whatever radio station I
wanted to and he would interrupt the music frequently to tell me what was
going on - like how long the next series would last and how much longer I
had to go and so forth. I am not normally a claustrophobic person and
actually dozed off during some of my tests. I don't remember how long
the MRI of the brain took but it was definitely not as long as the MRI of
my entire back (that one took over 2 hours). I think he did offer me
something to relax me during the back one because my back started to hurt
and it was getting hard to lay still but all in all the tests were not a
bad experience. Now, the spinal tap, that is another story
entirely!!.......

Hope this helps.

Lori (in Florida)

P.S. I was taking Neurontin (300-400 mg. a day) and I think it did cause
some drowsiness and fatigue. I quit taking it a couple of weeks ago
since I did not feel it was doing me that much good (I have had a good
recovery so far) and the potential side effects were so numerous that I
stopped it. I will have to see how my doctor feels about that when I go
back on 4/8 (he doesn't know I stopped it on my own) but I know my body
better than he does and I just didn't feel it was necessary at this time.
I don't have the burning sensations and am not in pain as so many others
are so this might make a difference.

On Sun, 29 Mar 1998 14:42:13 EST Marsden51 <Marsden51(AT)aol.com> writes:
>In a message dated 98-03-29 00:26:41 EST, aurore(AT)erols.com writes:
>
><< Hope the MRI goes well. Do they cover your eyes and ears when they
>do the
> MRI? I was nervous, too, so my neurologist prescribed the valium and
>said
> to be sure to ask the technician to block out the noise and cover my
>eyes. >>
>
>Aurore (and all):
>
>When I had my first MRI (of my neck) they couldn't use the music
>headphones
>because of the cage thing they had my head in (to keep my neck still).
> The
>second MRI I took valium and had a different technician. I told the
>tech
>about my panic attack during the first MRI and he said he would talk
>to me off
>and on during the MRI. He also said that if I felt I had to get out
>all I had
>to do was say so--that he could hear me because there is a speaker. I
>didn't
>know that with the first one.
>
>Who on the list has had an MRI of the brain? Do they have to
>immobilize your
>head?
>
>Sharon M. (from Arizona)
>
>

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