What can I expect with DD2's MRI scan on Wednesday?

[mumgoingcrazy]

That's it really. I'm absolutely dreading it, all I know is that she'll be under general anaesthetic for about 20 mins (scanning brain).

Do I speak to the anaesthetist first? How long will it take for her to come round? How long before she'll eat/drink (can't go until she does)? Will she be groggy for a few hours/days?

I just don't know what to expect and I'm tying myself up in knots about it when to the pros it's probably so routine.

She is 2 this week. Any shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Just to answer your questions mumgoingcrazy, I wasn't fully sedated, just enough to make me a bit sleepy so I didn't wiggle too much. I felt groggy, but other than that I was OK. They let me go home as soon as they could see I was just groggy. With my MRI, they had some sort of intercom in the scanner, and when they were about to do pictures a nice lady came on and told me to keep still. The hardest part for me was having no concept of time becaue obviously, you can't wear a watch under the scanner.

My MRI was for brain btw, is it not normal to just have sedation for those?

Thanks Hairymaclary and lollipop. DH will be with me so I'm really pleased about that. Yes it is at St Georges, we're leaving loads of time because of the tube strike, DD1 is sorted for the day, map is printed, big packed lunch is done so I think we're ready

This is her first GA (as you can tell).

Ours went a lot better than we could have hoped for today!
DD initially terrified of the big machine, and took us nearly 1/2hr to talk her into giving it a go with the promise we would stop if she hated it. 3 mins in, she was relaxed as anything, headphones on watching HSM on the telly
She stayed perfectly still the whole time and thought it was very cool and wants to do it again!

Good luck for tommorow, it will all be fine I'm sure, you sound more than prepared for everything, a hell of a lot more than I ever am

Just to add to what hairymaclary said - my DD has never struggled as she's been 'put under' with a mask - it's always been very peaceful, tho emotional for us. We were told to expect struggling, and maybe that's what most kids do (my DD has Rett syndrome and doesn't really go in for much movement, struggling or anything!). But maybe you'll have the same experience as us.

Sending you positive vibes for tomorrow - hope you're back on here by this time tomorrow telling us it was all OK.

How did it go today mumgoingcrazy?

undertheboredwalk, your dd did brilliantly. How great to be able to do it without GA!!

Well as you all told me, today has been long and tiring, but it's done and it's out of the way. We were really delayed as the anaesthetist forgot about the tube strike (non of the patients did ) so for a 10:30 appt, DD2 didn't go through until 12:15. She fought it and I didn't hold it together very well at all, then it was 1hr and 20mins before we could see her again. They were scanning her a lot longer than what they said originally so we feel that they might have found something and were doing more investigation. They used a mask and then did the canula in her leg after she was asleep to take her bloods, then removed it before waking fully. They did everything I asked and were lovely so can't fault them at all.

Seems daft now as so many people on here deal with invasive surgery etc and I was in a flap because of an MRI. Anyway I'm very glad DH was there and DD2 is now fine. She was sitting up and eating within 20 mins of coming round.

Thanks again for all the great advise, we felt much better prepared after reading this thread. xx

Well done DD2 . Have been waiting for news all day! Am so glad it went well.
Such a relief now it's over, isn't it?

Yes a big relief, I guess the next hurdle is hearing the results. I think DH and I know that we'll be told DD2 has some degree of brain damage I think the big question will be how much, and how will it impact her. I'll call tomorrow to make the appointment, but hopefully it won't be too long.

Out of interest, how long after the scan did you get results? Any of you really x

We're getting our results on Friday mumgoingcrazy. Usually when we book our scans the consultant books us into his clinic a few days afterwards so we never wait long.
Hopefully you'll get an appointment soon

Glad it went okay mumgoingcrazy. We got our results within a few days, but only because I had a paed appointment and she chased it up. Our DS wa sbeing scanned because he has ASD and epilepsy - there was no brain 'damage' detected, but they found some unusual morphology.

WMF, What is 'unusual morphology'?

The paed secretary is hopfully going to squeeze us in in the next couple of weeks, I hope she can otherwise it's a long time to have it hanging over us.

UTBW, Friday is so quick, I'm impressed!