Extreme Vertigo After MRI

[dm0329]

After my yearly MRIs, I have been experiencing extreme vertigo. I wear glasses and have not been able to walk a short distance to pick up my glasses that were laid on a small table before the MRI.

My past three yearly MRIs have resulted in extreme vertigo for about 15 minutes or so. I have to sit with my legs hanging down for a while before I dare to get up and walk to pick up my glasses. I wonder how long it will take for me to walk out of the room? Is it aging with MS (mid 40's now)?

I've had MS for more than twenty years and have been on Avonex for 16 years. My MS has been "not-active" these past five years or so (stable MRIs) and have had minimal disability progression; however, I have a "very bad scan" (lots of damage, black holes, etc.).

I'm curious why this happens. Does the MRI itself cause the increase in vertigo? Does it move the water/blood in the brain or something to cause this rapid change? Fortunately, it passes within 15 minutes and I rarely experience it otherwise.

Does anyone else have clues about this? Any input is appreciated!

[SNOOPY]

Hello dm0329,

I typically don't experience vertigo after a MRI. However, I recently had a CT scan and was quite dizzy and unsteady.

When the Tech came in to let me out of the CT scan he told me to just sit up and hang my feet off as I might experience dizziness. This was not due to MS.

[aprilmitt]

vertigo

I suffer from vertigo too. Laying down for the MRI was challenging for me as I was afraid I'd be dizzy when I had to get up. I asked to have my head elevated a bit so my head wasn't flat down. Altho, my head was VERY CLOSE to the thing that it's in, I kept my eyes closed the entire time so I didn't feel claustrophobic. I closed my eyes before that thing went around my head so I never even saw it. But, having my head elevated definitely helped

[football-mom]

The MRI's make me a little loopy as well. I have to sit in the lobby for 30 minutes before I'm fit to drive home, but I still feel off for most of the day. I no longer try to go to work after an MRI, I just take the rest of the day off.

[Thinkimjob]

Only one neurologist will believe me, but I believe MRIs cause me to have flares. And not little ones. Ones that leave lasting damage. I walk in, I get scanned, and bam, I can't walk as well.

I have platinum coils in my brain after a burst aneursym eight years ago.
They used to check the coils with an angiogram, then they decided MRIs were better.
This MRI instant MS progression has only happened since then.

I am now frankly terrified of having another one, because I don't have all that much mobility left to lose. It's the main reason I rejected Tysabri.

Fortunately the man who believes me is an interventional neuroradiologist, and he's the one at the top of the tree.

[dm0329]

Thanks everyone for your input!

But, I did a bit of "googling" myself and found out that John Hopkins did a study in 2011 on MRI-induced vertigo. The study found that MRIs have can have a profound effect on inner-ear canal fluids and cause balance problems, and stronger MRIs are more likely to cause balance problems.

I must say that vertigo was one of my earliest symptoms (early twenties) but I rarely experience it anymore (now mid 40's). My last few MRIs have really scared me because I cannot walk for about 15 minutes afterward.

So glad to learn it's NOT MS related!