Have you ever declined your MRI?

[Queen Lavee]

Have you ever declined your MRI with contrast, when your health was fine no MS issues for a year?

I have read a few issues about the contrast effecting your liver and I'm like if all is well on copaxone have you ever left well enough alone?

Hope all are well. Thanks

[muppy1]

I have not had a MRI of brain and c-spine since 2006.

If you are on a DMT , they may wish to see if your particular drug is doing it's job by looking at the MRI for lesion load etc.
Also to see if a change of drug is needed.
Ms can be very active without symptoms in some people.

I stopped my drugs in 2006 because I personally felt worse on them than off.

Plus my co pay went to $600.00 dollars when my husband's insurance changed thru work. (So you gotta do what you gotta do.)

I am making appt with new neuro, so I will be asking for one to see where I am at now.

I think it is a good thing if your insurance covers it and your doctor wants it.

The contrast injection for the test does not stay in your system very long, I wouldn't worry about that aspect of it too much.

Good Luck,
muppy

[DogMa]

I have reacted to so many things, including contrast used in other situations, that I have consistently refused to have an MRI with contrast. All my MRIs are just my brain, lesions, etc., but no contrast views. So far, that's been sufficient for me - probably frustrating for my Neuro. though.

Maybe I'm being stupid, but I just don't want to risk having to deal/cope with any more allergic reactions than necessary. My liver reacted badly to one of my DMTs, so I want to be good to it. Besides, changes in lesions are a given, and more lesions can be seen well enough without contrast. Yes, I know contrast views can show more, but I'm not sure the trade-offs are worth it, IMO.

[Queen Lavee]

Thanks for your opinions.

[Jules A]

Its my understanding the contrast is cleared through the kidneys not the liver. That said I'd talk to your physician if that is the only reason you are refusing the MRI.

I get MRIs approximately every 18 months despite being relatively stable on Copaxone. There can be changes on MRI that don't always present as physical symptoms and I want to use this additional tool to monitor and possibly consider a different therapy if there are drastic changes in my MRI.

[HairstylistMLB]

I have never declined a MRI with contrast either, but I am seriously thinking I will not have another one done as the gladium dye makes me very nauseous, which makes it almost impossible to lay there for the rest of the MRI.

[kelm10]

your body

The dye is only to see wether there is active lesions. So, unless you are going to do steroid treatment, the contrast is not needed.

I had refused all MRIs when I was not going to change treatment plans. I was fairly stable for a long time on the treatment that I was on. My neuro agreed with me. It is my body.

I wanted to change DMD, so, he suggested a MRI, with the contrast. I agreed. It had been 3 years since I had a MRI.

I decline them, because, I hurt so much from laying there and I stiffen up with my joints and my muscles, too, with my spasticity and arthritis. I dosed myself up with a muscle relaxer and arthritis medicine and tylenol, and had someone else drive me. I get to sedated with the muscle relaxers.

Still a little stiff, but, tolerable when I got off the table.

And, previous post was correct. The dye is excreted through the kidneys.

Hairstylist, you can take nausea medications, when you and your neuro feel that it is time for a MRI.

Dogma, you can ask your neuro for premedication of meds to prevent an allergic reaction. But, once again, when you and your neuro think that it is time for a MRI with contrast.

[Jules A]

The dye is only to see wether there is active lesions. So, unless you are going to do steroid treatment, the contrast is not needed.

But its my understanding that the active lesions that might be shown from the dye are the red flags that are a large part of the reason to even have a MRI.

[Queen Lavee]

Its my understanding the contrast is cleared through the kidneys not the liver. That said I'd talk to your physician if that is the only reason you are refusing the MRI.

I get MRIs approximately every 18 months despite being relatively stable on Copaxone. There can be changes on MRI that don't always present as physical symptoms and I want to use this additional tool to monitor and possibly consider a different therapy if there are drastic changes in my MRI.

Great point, I'll do it.

[Jules A]

Great point, I'll do it.

Its just one more item in our rather lacking tool box.

[Thinkimjob]

Could care less about possible liver/ kidney stuff. Oh death where is thy sting, etc.

I will not have another MRI until next year, when the interventional neuroradiologist will need to do one before he tries to stick a stent across my lovely aneurysm.

He, God bless him, believes me about the aneurysm coils, MS and the dramatic deterioration after an MRI.

He'll have a go without doing the MRI, but I don't think that's fair on him.

Anyone else have any metal in their head? They, except Dr Clouston, refuse to believe that platinum and MRIs are not a happy combination.

I'd happily have another angiogram (had three), which is bloody risky by comparison, because my MS turned for the worse after that first, and second MRI, post brain haemorrhage.

No. 1, Walked in, staggered out. No. 2, Staggered in, could hardly lurch out.

[palmtree]

I have an aneurism, too. The procedure was called an angioplasty. I can't remember what it was called. But I've had quite a few MRIs since then.

My last MRI for MS was kind of a disaster. The tech couldn't find the vein for contrast dye.He stuck me and stuck me and did the images only to find that the dye had hot gone in. I gave him one more chance. But I don't think the images came out very well.

Next time I'm offered an MRI for MS I may refuse it unless I'm already in the hospital and I already have an IV.. Last summer when I had a stroke they got the IV in perfectly but the stupid doctor didn't order contrast so it wasted my IV.

[HairstylistMLB]

Kelm10
Sorry, I for got to mention that I have tried to different meds for nausea, which didn't work. But thank you for replying.

[DogMa]

Just a note to the person who made the good suggestion of my asking the doctor for meds. for allergies before contrast MRI: I am already taking Rx antihistamines 3-4 times daily to keep my reactions to other necessary meds at a tolerable limit. I really don't dare overwhelm things...swelling, hives, closing throat have happened in the past. If my situation were different, meds would be great though.

[BigA]

I turned down contrast simply because it was not warranted. BTW, from what I understand, the issues with contrast are with the kidneys, not the liver and that it can build up in the brain and give false positives. But discuss with your doctor and he or she may have a good reason or agree with you.