[OzzieMom (OP)]

I have had trouble with Mri's. (I do not have panic attacks)
I get the feeling an elephant is sitting on my chest while I am in there. When I get out to dress I notice little blood vessels are popped at the edge of my skin, on my chest, stomach and thighs,
I mentioned this to the Dr.s several time and I was told I was just anxious. NO. One tech. gave me an answer once that seem to fit.
He said the magnets are so strong they are pulling and that is why I get the heavy chested feeling. After I am done I am weak for a few days.
I am a year over due for a post op Mri and I just cannot bring myself to have one, I am anxious now.
Another thing that has happened and I don't know if is it nerve damage, but you know the feeling when you have butter flies in your stomach. I feel like I have that in my chest. Like someone is tickling my heart. Another girl that has had surgery like mine expressed the same feeling.
I have worn a holter monitor and it didn't show anything but the tachacardia? I have She said everyone has that kind, it was not dangerous.

[chris]

These are actually the symptoms of anxiety - palpitations, a sensation of breathlessness etc.

It is a very claustrophobic experience - I took part in a scientific study and had an MRI to monitor brain function. It was an interesting experience - especially when my colour vision because momentarily distorted (apparently this can happen in a minority of people) - but certainly claustrophobic.

why not ask for some valium prior to procedure. Then you can doze through the scan and be non the wiser. I have successfully used this on many anxious patients.

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

[Donnah]

Careful with that valium.  Last time I took that stuff I married my first husband.[xx(]

[OzzieMom (OP)]

Donna That should be a new anti drug commercial....[:0]
Chris, I do have panic attacks, but this I know is not. I can't cause things like that to happen, like the busted blood vessels, or the strange heart feelings. I just wondering if any one else had it and some on my medical support group expressed similar feeling. while some have actual blow out panic and have to be medicated.
It even happens to me in open MRI's so I am sure it isn't panic.
Due to the extent of my problems I have to go in the paper towel tube. The magnets in the open MRI are not strong or clear enough.
If ya'll hear of a woman whose heart is sucked out of her chest, well you will know it was me....[xx(]

[bezoar]

You know, there's a doc here who's into alternative medicine, and when he had a stroke he went to some place in Canada for magnetic therapy.  The theory behind that was that the magnet would attract the iron in his blood, thereby increasing the circulation to any remaining ischemic areas of the brain and minimizing the effects of the stroke.  Didn't work for him, and his speech is still slurred and he limps and walks with a cane.  He's a pretty severe alcoholic, so maybe if there was something that attracted to the alcohol in his blood....

But it leads me to the question if you smoke, cause if you did, your hematocrit would be higher and likely the iron in your blood would be higher, and do you think that magnet could attract to the iron in your blood and cause those sensations?  Now Chris is going to think I've really gone bonkers.  I can't help it Chris.  It might be some lardaceous cells on my brain.  I know it's from overeating.

[OzzieMom (OP)]

That's interesting. No I don't smoke, I did when I was younger, near 20 years ago. There have been some on the list that have worn magnet bracelets or in their shoes, I don't know if it helped in any way, I never ask.
 Chris I have to admit I did have a panic attack once before going in the tube after I had my 1st surgery. I have a titanium plate in my head and I was scared to death it was going to be snatched out of my head! I was assured that it was ok and I wouldn't set off security at the airports either. I still have trouble with lightening. I feel like I am a walking weather vane![]

[Donnah]

I thought you were bombarded with Carbon 13 in an MRI.  How does a magnet fit in?

[chris]

quote:Originally posted by Donnah

I thought you were bombarded with Carbon 13 in an MRI.  How does a magnet fit in?

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/articles/article/bobburycolumn7.htm

Scroll down to the MRI bit for an excellent overview

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

[bezoar]

MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

[OzzieMom (OP)]

Chris, have you ever had a 3-D ct before? That is the coolest thing I have ever seen. I had that before my last surgery that showed the SBO (spina bifida occulta) Looked like something alien! I have pictures if you want to see. Sorry, not nudie pic's
hehe.

[chris]

Hi

I have never personally had a 3-d CT, but this is actually not grossly different from a normal CT. To build the 3D image a clever computer programme stitches together all of the axial slice images that the CT makes through your body and extrapolates a 3D model from the 2D sections.

Functional imaging scans work similarly to produce a composite picture like the one shown in Dani Turner's article about where in the brain we feel surprise :

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/articles/article/daniturnercolumn2.htm

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx