can you tell me more about having an MRI scan or Itoscope scan

[melsy]

Ive got them both this week , MRI is tommorow and Im very nervous about it. I said I wasnt claustraphobic to the consulatant , but Im actually nervous about having to go right inside a loud banging tube [eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek emoticon].

The itoscope is next week and Im not allowed to bring dd2 with us , as Im to have radioactive liquid injected & then have to wait 4 hrs before the scan. I dont know much else about it.

I've had an MRI.

They gave me a button on a cord to hold, to press if I needed to be got out quickly. It helped a lot to know I had it, even though I didn't actually need to press it. And they can talk to you and hear you talking back which also helps. They kept telling me how much longer I had to go and checking I was ok.

It is quite a small space but its not dark. It was quite hot - don't wear thick clothing! And they gave me ear defenders so the noise was well muffled.

I shut my eyes and imagined myself away on a beach somewhere!

How long is it for ? I heard some machines they can put on your choice of music ???

I've had several MRI's. You're normally asked to change in to a gown - it is still quite warm though. Mine have varied in length from 20 min to 1 hour. Prepare yourself to "zone out" - shut your eyes and think about your holidays, your kids, whatever... just lose yourself in to the noise. As soon as you allow yourself to start thinking "the noise is getting to me", it will, and more so, so whenever that thought starts, think of another holiday! They normally have the radio on/tinny music playing through the headphones they put on you which help buffer the noise and they can talk to you through these.

Mine was for 30 minutes. There wasn't any music. And i didn't have to change out of my clothes. They did get me to take my bra off though - because of metal clips maybe? And my earings.

I'm extremely claustrophobic and have had 5 Brain MRI scans. It's not that bad and they do give you ear defenenders. In some you can hear the staff talk to you and they all have a means for you to communicate with them.
Good luck!

Need to practise meditation then withought a cd or podcast me thinks by tommorow afternoon !! (Now I know why I was told not to rely on them).

Stil bricking it though!

No one had an isotope scan ?

I've not had an isotope scan but here is a link to some information.

I've had two MRIs - I think the noise is just disconcerting because normally you wouldn't keep your head that close to something banging like that! I kept reminding myself it was fine and safe and concentrating on breathing slowly when I started to feel worried.

In mine there was a mirror like a periscope so I could see the nurses in their room behind the glass - and they talked to me through the headphones.

Put some lip balm on as you can't move and I found my lips getting really dry the first time so I remembered some for the second and it helped.

It really isn't that bad ... the thought of it is worse than the reality!

I had a MRI the noise is like when u walk past a builder with one of those big drills they go at the road with! but a bit quieter!its not bad and mine had a mirror too so u didnt feel shut in! reall it was much better than i expected! u will b fine! good luck xxx

I've had an MRI. The worst thing is having to stay still the whole time. You need to think about something to distract you from wanting to wriggle. It wasn't scarey at all, just uncomfy. You'll be fine.

The isotope scan will look at how the body is working rather than what it looks like.

The injection is of a drug that has been labelled with a radioactive component that allows the gamma camera to trace where it has gone. You shouldn't have to undress except for metal objects, so no large belt buckles, chunky necklaces etc, normal zips and buttons are OK. The only reason you have to take off big metal objects is that they block the radioactive signal to the camera and you end up missing parts of the image.

You will have to keep still whilst the camera is passing over that particular part of the body, but most scans don't take more than 15 to 20 minutes.

Any excess usually comes out in the urine, so drink plenty and pee frequently, but some can pass into breastmilk, so let them know if you are feeding a lo. The more you drink and pee out, the quicker the radioactivity will be gone from you. Whilst your bladder is filling it acts as a reservoir for the pee, so don't sit any children (or pregnant women!) on your lap or snuggled up next to you on the sofa for longer than 5 minutes at a time until the day after the scan, but the longer it is after the injection, the safer it is.

ahhhh gad , I dont want to be freaked by all this, as feel stupid and silly, especially as I meditate and do hypnosis etc , but Im kacking it. . I was better at hypnobirthing my dd2 FGS!!

Good to be reassured by others though , thank u for that.

Think I shall go to bed , so as to stop thinking about it all. GULP [worried faced emoticon!!!].

hope you get on ok melsy

let us know how it went

I have to have one as well so I'll be interested .

good luck

oohh gad nervous nervous nervous , I keep thinking Ive forgoten about something metal in me that will make me explode in the machine lol . My stomachs churning.

Im so nuerotic !!!!

Can it be forgiven having had nasty ptsd.