hospital / mri problem!

[mriquestionhelp]

i know, i know, you shouldnt ever use dr google for medical problems. apparently im dying with 10 terminal illnesses according to it.

But in all seriousness, ive had a range of weird symptoms, which i've sort of dismissed as being nothing as theyve been going on for so long. But my friend pointed out to me that all my weird symptoms fit the exact criteria for a pituitary tumour, like exactly the same.

i DONT think i have this, as they symptoms have been going on for years and havent changed. but obviously my friend has sort of got me a bit worried and i would like to get it ruled out. Im sure its absolutely nothing but I would rather just get it checked out and that way we will have peace of mind!

would booking an mri be the best test for this? i can afford it privately, but does anyone know how much it would be? Also, is it possible to get it without my nhs gp finding out? no particular reason, i was just unwell with other things recently and i didnt want to seem like i have non stop problems. I had a quick google and found private mri companies but they all said they need an nhs gp.

any help would be really, really appreciated!

No private hospital will just give you and MRI because you ask for one! You need to see a doctor for a consultation first. The doctor/radiologist will decide if you need any imaging. They don't just expose people to radiation because they diagnosed themselves on Google.

fair enough, i understand what you mean. Although i just want to point out that i have not diagnosed myself with anything on google, and im almost 100% (or at least as certain as you can ever be!) that i don't have it. But i have ever single symptom so i would definitely rather get it ruled out than worry about it.

MRIs dont use radiation (well, any harmful radiation anyway). It uses magnetic fields and radiowaves i think, although happy to be corrected if im wrong.

i probably wasnt clear in my post but what i meant was, has anyone done this before and have any experience with it? im happy to pay for a consultation beforehand but have no experience in this at all so didnt know where to start.

Your correct MRI doesn't use ironising radiation, I was thinking of CT. I work in radiology but only briefly rotated in MRI and CT. You still need to see a doctor before you have any imaging. The consultant is the only one who can legally request it. And it's more likely they will go for other tests first.

Why are you so reluctant to see your GP about this? They can refer you for imaging if they suspect anything.

You can’t just book yourself in for an MRI. You have to be referred for it, if it would be an appropriate investigation, by a doctor or consultant.

There are different types of MRI and contrast enhanced scans can be over £1000.

Contact the local private hospitals and find out if they have private GPs there. Quite a few do. You’d be looking at about £150/£200 perhaps for the initial consultation. You need to discuss your symptoms with someone before coming up with a treatment plan. I expect that routine blood tests would be the first investigation but you’d then be looking at a few hundred more for those.

Usually if you are self funding you can self refer and book an appointment. The doctor won’t send a letter to your NHS GP if you specifically ask them not to, although they routinely do so you’d have to make sure you told them explicitly.

Talk to your GP
You can ask for a private referral to the sort of specialist who deals with this. The specialist will take a full history. Bloods. And likely will order imaging is done.
If you see / Email the GP asap
With a suggestion of who you would like to see then you could get this done n dusted in 10 days.

I had an issue with deafness in one ear a few years back. Seen by private ENT in 2 days. MrI the next day. Saw a neuro specialist the following week.
Got the all clear a week later.
Was very efficient.

@PremsDhaba if you work in radiology, I'll eat my hat!

Op, please just see your GP in the first instance. If you really don't want to, then make an appointment with a private GP and discuss your options

@ChocChipOwl ODFOD

You can self refer for mri but still need a hcp to determine what areas to image, what type of imaging/tests are relevant and interpret the results. If nhs is not your preferred option start with a private gp appointment to identify what specialist to see. Do you suffer with health anxiety that you resort to dr google?

Can I ask tho, if you have had every single symptom why are you so sure it’s not a pituitary tumour? And if your so sure, why put yourself through the cost and trauma of imaging you don’t need?

Why not discuss it with your GP? Go through the correct channels and hopefully you’ll be seen under the two week rule. If he doesn’t take you seriously, then investigate a private second opinion?

Would a maxillo facial surgeon be the first stop, he would then know which tests to proceed with. But you would need a referral. Whether from an nhs or private gp.

Also pituitary tumours will show up in blood tests often so a basic GP appt might help get you started!

An MRI scan will need to be requested by a doctor (to ensure the correct type of scan is requested) and the report will need to be clinically interpreted by a doctor, to relate the findings to your symptoms.

MRIs are so detailed that they often identify incidental findings. Often small abnormalities/ anomalies that probably mean absolutely nothing, but nobody will be quite sure what if anything to do about them. If you did an MRI of anyone's brain you would find several things that look a bit big, a bit small, a bit odd, but probably are normal for that person. However a doctor will need to decide if any of those findings need further tests or monitoring, or should be ignored.

Two problems with that- firstly an MRI scan may not provide the reassurance you are seeking, if it throws up several incidental findings of unknown significance. Secondly if you book a cheaper private MRI they may just give you a long report to take to your NHS GP asking them to follow up- which isn't fair on the NHS GP if they wouldn't have ordered this scan and now are responsible for deciding what to do with the unclear results.

If you do want to be seen privately I'd book an appointment with a private specialist who can decide what tests are needed and fully interpret the results. If anything significant is found they can refer you back into the NHS.

A pituitary tumour will show in a blood test as it affects hormone production causing thyroid and adrenal hormones not to be produced and sometimes causing production of things like prolactin which shouldn't be produced.
Probably cheaper and easier to get a private blood test.