My doctor needs me to have an MRI and bone scan with contrast dye. Just wondering if anyone has had a bad reaction to drinking or injection contrast dye??
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I felt OK ... but I wonder.
Posted by stefi42 (Member # 48591) on :
The only thing I noticed was that I was super tired. Not so sure if that was me or the contrast though!
Posted by HW88 (Member # 48309) on :
I did o.k. with the contrast die.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
No problem with either!
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Highly allergic!
You can ask for one without dye- and you may have to get pushy about it. They can be real toads about it.
The ONLY reason they want to use the dye is to make it quicker for those reading the MRI's at night so they can get thru more scans in a hour. Got that right from the horses mouth.
As mentioned by Tincup, the contrast dye is optional, and you will have to specifically request not to have it.
I am sensitive to this issue right now, as one of my former students just died in the parking lot when leaving the clinic after an MRI with contrast. The autopsy is not back yet, but it appears she had a reaction.
Posted by dbpei (Member # 33574) on :
That is horrible, Phoiph! I have had several MRI's with contrast due to sudden hearing loss and disovery of a brain lesion that does not seem to change much from year to year (there are actually 2).
That was a very good article by Dr. Mercola. I do wonder if some of my troubles could have been caused by the contrast dye.
Posted by stefi42 (Member # 48591) on :
The only thing I noticed was that I was super tired. Not so sure if that was me or the contrast though!
Posted by hshbmom2 (Member # 49510) on :
My child had a nuclear medicine study... a gastric emptying test with technesium laced oatmeal. This triggered a wide range of nuero events before we made it to the parking lot. Old symptoms were increased & new symptoms appeared. This lasted several days. I never figured out if it was the test or the technesium that caused problems. This child had many neuro problems to begin with.
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
I felt weird afterwards. I was told at the MRI place that gadolinium gets passed by the body, but it wasn't true in my case. I had to do heavy metal chelation and then it showed up. I don't think MRIs are good for anyone.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
my sister almost died from allergy to iodine. she'd had it before with no problem. she flatlined on them. family thought she was a goner. she was in hospital for several weeks.
Posted by dbpei (Member # 33574) on :
OMG that is so scary randibear! Now I have another thing to worry about . They don't even explain these kinds of risks to us before we agree to have our MRI's and scans. Another disappointment in the medical community.
Posted by Jordana (Member # 45305) on :
I was worried about this but I felt fine. People do have reactions but I think they're rare.
The only reason I allowed the gadolinium was because the tech told me that was the way they could be sure there was no infection in my spine. I was in the ER and she was actually really worried about me because of the amount of pain I was in, so I let her do it.
Up to that point I had always asked for no contrast. In non-emergency situations I would ask for no contrast because who needs more crap injected into them?
Posted by MichaelTampa (Member # 24868) on :
I felt worse from the MRI with gadolinium for a few weeks.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I'm allergic! I think I recall asking them to test it out with a very small amount and it didn't work! Had to be given epinephrine in the same IV.
So no, you have to be careful.
Posted by onebeed (Member # 46620) on :
I have been asking for tests without contrast and so far have been able to get them without. I don't want gadolinium in my body and not be able to get rid of it.
Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
It will kill some parasites. Tapeworms for sure. Seen that personally.
Dan
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
It exacerbated one family member's lyme symptoms - thankfully just for a few days, so I think it was system overload from poor detoxing. Another family member had an allergic reaction, which was scary.
I would ask for no contrast unless it's truly a critical need.
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
"It will kill some parasites. Tapeworms for sure. Seen that personally."
That's interesting! Glad to hear that there's an upside to that nasty stuff.
Posted by kjcjmommy (Member # 49583) on :
Hi all - just been diagnosed and this is my 1st post! I had my first MRI 3 weeks ago and was allergic to the dye & was unconscious and brought to the ER. Awful experience! I had a horrible time with the MRI to begin with as I found out I was claustrophobic. Then adding the ER visit & I am extremely panicky about finishing off the rest of my MRI's.
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
Something to consider before getting contrast dye. . .
I'm getting a brain MRI with and without contrast next week. Neurologist said without the dye they can completely miss certain types of tumors.
So yes, it's not 100% safe, but I think the ratio of potential benefit to potential risk is highly acceptable.
Posted by HW88 (Member # 48309) on :
I've had contrast dye as well as radio active eggs (zoiks) while trying to figure out what was wrong with me.
I did o.k., but honestly, I felt so horrible, not sure I would know if I reacted or not.
Posted by farraday (Member # 21494) on :
I'm now waiting to be able to have a brain scan again. Kidney function is too low. It's a very serous issue. My docs have been running tests to make sure I can tolerate it. I wonder if milk thistle would help clear it (dye) out. Anybody know? Doc said they can do it without the dye, but results are not as good.
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
Here are some helpful suggestions to get the dye eliminated from your body.
I throw cilantro and garlic into my blender, along with other vegetables and fruit to make a smoothie everyday.
I have heard others use activated charcoal or cholestyramine but I seem to think this would mess with my antibiotic protocol.
I mean, before Narcan, doctors used charcoal for drug overdoses because it coats pharmaceuticals and renders them useless.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
i have a lung ct scan with contrast in November. it will be the third in two months.
ihope it goes ok. two were nuclear but it wasn't iodine. some new chemical. this one will be iodine.
ain't looking forward to it.
Posted by Jubilee (Member # 30343) on :
I had the dye with a scan. I didn't notice a problem, but I was concerned.
Posted by Rivendell (Member # 19922) on :
I had contrast dye with CT scan, and when they inserted the dye, my heart started doing flip flops. Not sure if fear or allergy. Also felt lousy for about lone week.
I drank lots of water. This is very important for several days afterward.
Really hated doing this to my body, and if I have lithotripsy done for kidney stones, doc will probably want to do this scan again.
[ 11-02-2017, 03:05 PM: Message edited by: Rivendell ]
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
Chuck Norris's suffers from gadolinium toxicity from contrast dye administered for routine MRI.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
. They don't even explain these kinds of risks to us before we agree to have our MRI's and scans. Another disappointment in the medical community.