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Original poster

My 4 week old baby is having Nuclear Medicine scan on Tues...please someone calm me down

33 replies

Lizzer · 18/01/2008 11:09

Its for his kidney dilation picked up on my 20w scan and that hasn't improved since his ultrasound when he was 10 days old...

Has anyone any experience of this? Wil I be able to stay with him? breast feed before and after? I can't imagine if they take him away I will just cry my heart out, he's such a cuddly baby.

He looks such a healthy little baby, I can't believe we have to go through this, a bit of me just wants to tell the doctors we won't be coming but I'm being made to feel its necessary and I do want to know what's causing the dilation (moderate on left and now slightly on right kidney too) but it seems so extreme injecting radio active fluid into his veins ffs!!!!!!

OP posts:
hazygirl · 18/01/2008 11:12

my granddaughter has had this it is hard you will be able to stay i did but not allowed near pregnant women or ill . they let her come out same day at night but had to stay with us as my dd was pregnant,

PrincessPeahead · 18/01/2008 11:26

My ds had this at 4 weeks (but for thyroid reasons)
You will be able to stay with him (well, I was allowed to). They put a little canula into the back of his hand (quite a skilful thing to do with such a little one) and inject the stuff in. Then put him on a bed with the scanning equipment above. You can bf him before and after as normal, there is no problem wtih that. With us, I had to leave him on the bed for the duration of the scan (ie I wasn't holding him) but I stayed in the room I think (perhaps behind the clear screen - I can't actually remember). I remember putting him on his stomach because he felt more secure like that and actually he was fine. I brought in a little beanbag polar bear that he sort of hugged a bit and he was completely still and quiet and good which I think was a fluke with hindsight!! But perfect for doing the scan which took about 3 minutes in our case (7 years ago - probably faster now). There was no staying in at all - as soon as the scan was over we went home.

It really wasn't bad - I would definitely do it because it sounds like you need to get the kidneys looked at and that is probably more important than the hassle of the scan IYKWIM. And the radioactivity is minute and won't harm them at all although it sounds horrid!

Best of luck. I hope everything turns out OK

milkyJammy · 18/01/2008 11:28

I used to work in a nuclear medicine dept -many years ago as a trainee who did some time in NM, I'm not an expert. However, I would say you'll be able to stay with your LO, prob be able to BF. They'll give an injection of a small amount of radioactive material - not enough to be harmful apart from a very small risk to unborn babies, hence not allowing a person who has had such an injection near preg women. After the injection they will be able to see where the radioactive material goes, using a special camera. This will allow them to see more about how the kidneys are working and/or get images of the kidney structure. It sounds scary, and obviously injections aren't that pleasant, but don't get too upset, this is a simple procedure and the staff will be trained and experienced in doing these tests on small babies. And good luck

milkyJammy · 18/01/2008 11:31

Agree with PPH - you prob won't be able to actually hold your baby while the pictures are taken, but should be able to watch from close by. And DO ask the staff if you have any questions - they are there to help

Mummyof2boys · 18/01/2008 11:33

I had this myself but not when i was a baby, they will be trained and experienced and wouldn't do it if it wasnt the right time. Im sure they wont take him away from you for long and sure they will encourage breast feeding

hazygirl · 18/01/2008 11:36

its all for the best my granddaughter is 3 now doing fantastic born with duplex kidney ,originally said she was born with 3 kidneys and after scan found one kidney and one in two halves they removed one and now she is fine..

hazygirl · 18/01/2008 11:41

we asked to stay with ter and we were allowed to stay as long as im not old and pregnant or ill im 42 this was st james in leeds .they were fantastic

Original poster
Lizzer · 18/01/2008 11:49

Thankyou for your replies.

Hazygirl, yes I do think its for the best, just want to know what's going on now, thanks for sharing that..

PPH, thanks you make it sound much better than I am sitting here imagining and doing my own head in

MJ, yes I keep telling myself its only a minor routine thing but keep getting a bit emotional about the whole thing, thanks for getting it into perspective a bit

Mof2B, Hmmm I hope the hospital is encouraging of b/feeding, our last visit wasn't

OP posts:
hazygirl · 18/01/2008 11:52

he will be fine which hospital r u goingx

Original poster
Lizzer · 18/01/2008 12:01

My local one in Cumbria, apparently ds has a consultant in Lancaster though (just found this out) and he's the one that's pushed for us to have this scan this next week (something to do with him being 4 w old)

OP posts:
cmotdibbler · 18/01/2008 12:12

I trained in NM a few years ago, and we did this sort of test routinely, and apart from the injection (they prob won't use magic cream as distraction is better with littlies)its not traumatic for them. Just the injection, wait around for a bit, and then lie on the bed under the camera. We used to get mums to stroke the babies head or hand whilst the scan was being done to keep the baby calm and still.
Would have thought a nice bf just before the scan would be just the thing to get baby to drift off to sleep.
Is it the Carlisle hospital ? I'm visiting them next Thursday. I can ask one of the physicists by email about bfing if you like.

Original poster
Lizzer · 18/01/2008 12:23

That's really very kind of you cmot its not Carlisle though unfortunately. It wasn't that the staff weren't nice abput it its just that there's nowhere in xray dept to sit and feed and they wouldn't let us stay in the scan room and do it. I did feed in the waiting room but got some 'looks' and tbh cannot be bothered to defend b/feeding (although usually woud) when my mind is on much more important things (although if anyone had said aything dp wouldv'e had 'em )

OP posts:
cmotdibbler · 18/01/2008 12:35

Have to say that I've usually been so bored in x ray waiting rooms that watching anyone do anything exciting becomes hypnotic !
Usually NM have their own, small waiting room, so its a bit less exposed - they should be able to find you somewhere to go though.

Bubblyboo · 18/01/2008 12:41

My DS had to have this a couple of years ago, for the same reason, ie picked up on 20 week scan no better after birth.
The NM scan was done in a different place to the regular scan and he was admitted to hospital as a day patient. This meant that he had a cot and I was able to bf him on the ward.

The most traumatic part of the day was the nurses trying to get a canular into his hand as his veins weren't very prominent but they did manage it. The reason they use radioactive material is to trace the urine as it passes through the body and see what is causing the dilation.

The scan itself lasted about half an hour I think and both DH & I were allowed to stay in the room and watch what was going on. His left kidney was very badly dilated and the staff were able to show us on the pictures so that we had a better understanding.

It turned out that he had a blockage below the kidney, resulting in him needing an operation when he was just 6 months old. However, this was completely successful and his kidney is now functioning normally. He just has to go back for regular scans to check it's all still OK.

Hopefully, your DS will be OK and his kidney won't be anywhere near as bad, but it's much better to find out now than wait until his older and suffering from kidney problems.

hazygirl · 18/01/2008 12:47

we had the operation and cant believe how good key hole surgery is fantastic peoplex

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 18/01/2008 12:50

Agree with Bubblyboo, the most upsetting part will be putting the canular in. But you can hold and even bf your baby while this is being done (babies don't feel as much pain when being fed). It might be a bit more tricky for the person inserting it, but it can be done.

There is no reason you can't stroke your baby when the scan is being done. If they refuse you being in the room it is because of their procedures, not because it's dangerous to you> So stick to your guns!

Good luck xx

buzzybee · 18/01/2008 12:58

Just seen this Lizzer. From what other posters have said, this procedure sounds less "awful" than the procedure my friend described her DD having (cathetar up ureter etc). At least you will have better information afterwards and you can use it as an opportunity to ask lots of Qs hopefully and come away feeling more informed.

Thinking of you, alll the best. xxx

Original poster
Lizzer · 18/01/2008 13:10

Thanks Bubblyboo,so pleased your ds is all better now.. can I ask you a question? Was your ds prescribed prophylatic (sp?) anti bios to take as a precaution for him not getting a UTI? Mine has but I haven't given them largely due to the midwife I had who said had i had a different paed then they may have not been prescribed. Anyway i'll review this when i actually talk to a doc and look out for UTIs in the meantime but just wanted to know if your ds had them long term and didn't have any side effects (ie thrush, low immune system)?

thanks I'dliketo, i'll bear that in mind if they're being snotty with me

Hi there Buzzy, yes it does seem a bit kinder than what your friend's dd went through, thanks for all your input on our post natal thread too, you're a star

OP posts:
Bubblyboo · 18/01/2008 13:23

Yes, he was on antibiotics from the day he was born until a month after the op - so 7 months in all.

I was worried about it too but asked lots of people lots of questions and like you was told that it was a low dose for precautionary reasons to prevent a UTI.
As far as we could tell he didn't suffer any side effects and he certainly doesn't seem to get ill any more than any other child - possibly less in fact!

hazygirl · 18/01/2008 13:24

my grandaughter was prescibed trimothin from bith o.5 ml till a month after the op and it keeps infection to the mimx

PrincessPeahead · 18/01/2008 14:03

lizzer just one word of advice - it is very tricky getting a canula into a 4 week old - teeny tiny veins, nice podgy hands - nightmare. My ds had to have canulas and bloods every few weeks from birth, so I am a bit of an expert on this area! My strong advice to you is as follows. Do not let a nurse attempt it. Request a dr, but make sure it is a registrar or if it is a SHO make sure they are a SHO with at least a good few months paediatric experience not someone who arrived on the job a week ago and hasn't actually SEEN a 4 week old before.

And WHOEVER does it, give them ONE chance to do it, and if they stuff up, demand that someone else has the next go. There is NOTHING worse than an SHO who has had exactly 4 days of paeds experience repeatedly jabbing your child and saying "just one more go should do it" because they are too embarrassed to ask someone else to do it for them. Tell them at the outset that you KNOW this is a tricky procedure, they get one chance to find the vein and then you want someone more senior. One strike and they are out! I still do this now, it focusses everyone's mind. Good luck!

lennygrrl · 18/01/2008 14:23

Message withdrawn

libEL · 18/01/2008 14:29

Both my children have a duplex kidney system - Libby had to have the procedure you are talking about as she had suffered many UTI's before they could find a cause, but as far as I was aware this was to check her kidneys had not been damaged by the infections?

Ellis had to have the cathetar procedure which was horrendous, but every procedure they have had we have been able to stay with them throughout.

Libby was on anti-biotics from 12mths until 3.5yrs and has had no reoccuring infections since they stopped. Ellis was on them from birth till 5mths and has never had an infection

Original poster
Lizzer · 18/01/2008 16:00

Thanks to everyone about the AB advice, yes i will take the advice of the paed over a mw... All sounds positive too
I will look up the biocare pro-bios, i'm sure they're worth it

Thanks for the tips on the canula too i'll bear it in mind...

Thanks so much to everyone for sharing your experiences, i feel much calmer and informed about the procedure now. Just hope they don't find anything too devastating

OP posts:
lennygrrl · 18/01/2008 16:10

Message withdrawn

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