Bad reaction from MRI prep

[JenniferH]

Hey. Just wondering if anyone else has had a bad reaction from a MRI Prep? I last had an MRI 2 years ago. I drove myself to the MRI as the leaflet they gave me about the procedure said I'd be fine to drive. I drank the preparation over 45 minutes then had the MRI. Towards the end I started having some cramping. The nurse had warned me that I may get some cramping from the prep so I wasn't too concerned. I finished and drove myself home. I was having really bad cramps but thougt they would pass quickly. Halfway home I had to pull over quickly and was sick on the side of the road. Then started having even worse cramps. I drove to some public toilets up the road and proceded to be sick from "both ends"!! I was in SO much pain. I had to ring my husband who got a neighbour to drive him to pick me and the car up. I was so ill but because I was in the middle of quite a bad flare up I put it down to that.

Yesterday I had another MRI. I had the prep but this time they weren't able to get an IV in because my veins are tricky. This time I started cramping a lot when in the MRI. When finished I was in extreme pain. The nurse said that some cramping was normal, but when they put the dye in through the IV they also add some antispasmodic drug to stop the cramping, but as I didn't have it that was probably why I was in so much pain. She gave me some oral buscopan and I waited about an hour then I drove home...in AGONY. By the time I got home I was so violently ill from every direction and was shaking and running a temperature.

Has anyone else EVER had a reaction like this??

 

[Norseman]

Not what you describe. I only took some oral dye. That was some horrible, sweet stuff that I had to drink about 1,5 litres of.

Anyway, the clinic where I had to go to get my MRI was a 4 hour boat trip away from home. So after finishing the MRI I went and ate something, and thats when things started to go down hill. I spent an hour at a public toilet, then got on the boat home, and by the time I got home, I was shaking with fever. And since my surgeon told me that if I have get a fever, come straight to the E.R, I did so.

By the time I got there I was running a 39,5 Celcius fever, my with a sverely low blood pressure. So they kept me in hospital for 4 days, while running all sorts of tests. They where scared my ileum was leaking again. Buit it turned out okay. The next morning I felt fine, but they kept me there for 3 more days for observation and tests. Thank god we have socialised medicine, so that did not cost me a dime.

Anyway, this may have happened becouse of the colonscopy the day before the MRI, as there was some bleeding and he could not get compeletely trough becosue I was flaring so bad at the time...

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

I had an MRI scan about a year ago.
I drank the solution they gave me, but I can't remember what they said it was. I went out for lunch with my Mum after and I could feel my stomach cramping and gurgling. Then I had an hours train journey home and It was getting worse. I ended up getting a taxi home from the train station because I was worried. I got home in time for some nasty D. Which probably lasted on and off for that evening.
I was in a flair, but that was definately because of what they gave me. I think they mentioned a bowel relaxant at some point.

 

[KayleighK]

After my MRI I literally JUST made it to the toilets, I only just closed the door before projectile vomiting everywhere. I dunno if its just the amount you are supposed to be able to keep in your stomach or if its a reaction to whatever is in the dye. My husband remembers the doctors asking him if he was allergic to either shellfish or strawberries before they gave him the dye. I didn't get asked that nor am I allergic to either so I dunno but I did have mega cramps and horrible vomiting and was all shaky but I was back to normal the next day.

 

[Catherine]

My daughter (16) had MRI two weeks ago, she was given two tablets with the prep to stop nausa. They all give her two injections one which was the dye and another to stop cramping (anti-spadmodic).

 

[JenniferH]

Thanks everyone. I'm only just starting to feel back to normal today. I think I'm going to ring my Dr and tell him about the reaction so that it's on record that I NEVER want that stuff again!

 

[ormsklad]

hi do you know the name of the prep. I had moviprep and had to drink a litre in 20 mins where it should take 2 hrs. I lived an hour and a half away from the hospital so I had to book in a hotel to avoid a big accident!

 

[techgirl]

So sorry to hear about this. I actually had an MRI a couple weeks ago and wasn't informed of cramping as a possible side effect (found out after experiencing more than 5 hours of unbearable pain). As my doctor explained to me, for the imaging to work they essentially give you this drink to 'puff up' your insides and all that air that comes in must come out. The quicker you dispel the air the better you should feel.

I also had a horrible reaction in the past to an agent used to slow the bowels for imaging, Glucagon, and threw up/experienced other side effects. This time, I asked my nurse performed the procedure without this IV and that part was at least better. Hope you're alright now!

 

[natatak227]

As soon as I drank the solution, I had to go immediately. I almost couldn't make it through the MRI! And, what sucked the most was the the MRI was deemed, "not accurate" since the solution went through me so fast.

 

[StarGirrrrl]

I had a repeat MRA (dye via iv, no drink) yesterday and halfway through they had to give me some stuff to slow down my bowels (had a 24 hour flare day before so not surprised/concerned), of course I panicked it was going to give me D like i've seen people on here get lol. But of course it was nothing of the sort

 

[tlc-x]

I had my first MRI yesterday and I drank half of the drink but it made me sick. I had a tiny bit of cramping, but it wasn't too bad compared to when i'm in the middle of a flare, so I didn't think much of it. I haven't gone to college today because I had pains during the night and i'm exhausted because it was a long day yesterday with the hospital.

I'm allergic to buscopan so wouldn't be able to have that if I got too bad.

My only problem with the drink is they said i'd have D a few hours later but instead i've had C and only had a BM a couple of hours ago, so I kept the solution in all night and all morning. They said it doesn't get absorbed so the only way is out in a BM.

I also had the IV cannula thing and that made me need the toilet so after the MRI I had to run for the toilet but that one wasn't a BM.

Also, on my leaflet it says no driving or any machine work etc for the rest of the day. That's weird.

 

[izzi'smom]

My daughter didn't even finish the drink before running to the bathroom.

 

[natatak227]

Ditto for me!

You would think they would come up with a better solution, seeing how the test is designed to find inflammation/abnormalities, which is most likely causing GI issues!

 

[Aniuko]

Ok, my daughter had an MRI today at noon and has been in the toilet on and off since we came back (3 hours ago). She is not flaring so I am thinking this must have been the liquid. And her stomach hurts too! Nobody told us a thing so I was worrying crazy until now. Looks like she is the alone. Thanks. Ania

 

[tiredofbeingsick]

I had a CT Scan today and had a similar reaction! I was given Omnipaque solution to mix with 24 ounces of Gatorade. I mixed and drank that 90 mins before the test. When I got to the hospital I was given another glass to drink. I downed that and did fine, but once I got the contrast via IV I was sick! My heart started racing and I was just shaking all over and thought I was going to pass out. I stopped to get something to eat on the way home, ate it in the van and by the time I got in the door I had to hit the restroom with the big D! My stomach has been cramping non stop since then. I Googled the solution and it appears what I had was a severe reaction to the solution. The Radiologist told me to inform my doc so that he never gives me that solution in the future. Its been awful. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[Riley]

I had severe cramping from an MRI several years ago, it started hours afterwards. I had to go to the hospital and they told me it was from the dye/solution. The next time I was in the ER for a flare they wanted to do an MRI and I told them what happened the last time....they did an ultrasound on my bowel and said there was enough fluid in there so I only needed to drink the dye (very little amount) They gave me pain killers afterwards and I was fine. Glad to know this has happened to others.

By the way I hate buscopan, they always want to give that me and it doesn't help in the least.