Well, that was pretty freaky.You get some cotton scrubs to put on, and you stash everything else in a locker. I already knew to leave all my jewelry at home. But of course I took my camera, and they let me snap a shot before I put it away.
This warning is no joke. Check out this video of an office chair that apparently was allowed a little too close:
This also explains why the technician was very exact about where I could stand to take a photo. Can't you just see the camera flying out of my hand and getting stuck inside the machine? I guess I'd be in a little trouble then!
So anyhoo, I lay down, had a collar thingy (that's the technical term) placed around my shoulder and some extra blocks, pads and straps to keep my arm steady and comfortable. I also got earphones with a static-y rock station playing. And a blanket.
They say it sounds like a jackhammer, but it is more of a loud electronic pulse. They did six views, each lasting four to six minutes. I got an extra blanket after the first one; it's cold in there!
You can actually feel a weird pulsing in your muscles; a friend speculated that you have enough iron in your body for that to happen. I also was a little freaked out by a wave of nausea midway through, but the tech said, "It's not the machine." Well, OK then.
At last I was done! After I dressed, they handed me the films and I dropped them off at my doc's, so I should hear something tomorrow or Friday.
I'm just glad this didn't happen while I was in there:
Glad it went off well! If possible and for your future convenience, ask them to give you your scans on a CD. If you need a second opinion, you can just mail a copy of the CD or take it with you.
ReplyDeleteThe nausea might have been a result of mild claustrophobia, perhaps? I was allowed to take my own music and I chose music that relaxed me and told the technician exactly which order I wanted it in. It helped a lot.
I hope the results are good, too!
And, tag you're it!
ReplyDeletePlay along if you feel like or keep it for a slow NaBloPoMo day. :-D
Yikes! Glad you weren't in that one too. I haven't had an MRI but I have had a cat scan and I really liked the humming sound, I'm not sure how I'd feel about a whole body thing though.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, They didn't give me the option of a CD. They just handed me an envelope full of film and sent me off.
ReplyDeleteNot claustrophobia; while the thought of spelunking gives me the willies, something this doesn't bother me at all. It was just weird; my gut just suddenly got very warm and I felt sick. But it passed.
Funny you should tag me with that one ... that was the first meme I ever got hit with, last year. But I'll make it a post anyway ;-)
Alecto, I guess maybe a cat scan is quieter? This is darn loud. You really need the headphones. They just did my upper body, though. I'm really interested to see what that looks like (I didn't have time to peek at the scans).
Scary! I hope everything's okay.
ReplyDeleteWell yes, I'm glad it didn't explode. Small favors and all that.
ReplyDeleteHaving just stepped out of the dentist's office, I have to ask -- it doesn't affect your fillings? Mine are so old I'd be scared they'd pop out.
How brave are you! Hope you didn't find the exploding MRI clip first
ReplyDeleteYou got headphones? I didn't get headphones. I got a headache, but no phones. Did you get any twitching? At one point the noises changed and for every "bam... bam... bam" my cheek would twitch. It was very weird.
ReplyDeleteGlad you didn't have any problems with it!
Kitt, I wasn't offered an option either - I asked. Primary reason being that I wanted to pass the scans by my b-i-l who is a very respected neurologist in NJ and I was in Chicagoland. We dropped the entire 200MB onto his computer and then viewed the scans together - no snail mail! This was over 3 years ago.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's good to know, Manisha, should I need to consult a specialist.
ReplyDeleteDeneph, I wonder if headphones would interfere with a head scan, and that's why you didn't get them. They do help the time pass, giving you something to focus on besides the banging and twitching. Yes, there was twitching.
Lisa, from what I could tell, embedded metal such as fillings and pins isn't in danger of coming out. A copper IUD is another story.
Breezy, happily I didn't find that clip until after!
Thanks, Miss T. Fingers crossed.