Very painful MRI

[Linda in Calif]

Hi Everyone: Had my first (and I hope only) MRI of head today. I had thought the test was supposed to be easy to do. Everything WAS fine for the first half but then half way through the test the tech injected me with contrast solution so my Onc. could see films with and without contrast. I thought I was going to come off the table my arm hurt so bad. It felt like the worst fire/pain I have ever felt. Is this normal? I asked the tech about it and she said that some of the solution must have leaked out around where the injection was given. She said the pain would fade away in about 1/2 hour but it has been 10 hours and my arm is still tender and hurting. Have any of you had an experience like this? Do you think I had some sort of "bad"
reaction to the contrast? I dread it if I need to have another MRI in the future. Any info would be helpful. Take Care, Linda

[Mary - Tierrasanta in San Diego]

So sorry to hear about your painful experience. Would not have expected it to hurt. The last two times during MRI the line blew two or three times which means I got the solution on the outside of my arm. Only knew because I heard the line pop and felt the liquid - no pain.

[Annamarie16]

Linda, that same thing happened to me. Tell them to slow down the insertion of the dye. The one time they put it in too fast and I about came off the table.

[Hope]

Hi Linda, I just had a head MRI done today. No, I didn't experience anything when they put in the dye. However, they made me fill out a questionaire about being allergic to iodine before procedure. But I wasn't. Hope all goes well when you and I both get results.

[Lyn]

Hi there, sounds very much like they missed the vein when they put in the die. If the pain has spread around the arm it has gone into the tissue, if it goes numb, it means it went through the vein and that numbness will last about 6 weeks apparently. I think yours was bad luck on the day, I have had many a contrast with CT's and bone scans so how it shouldn't feel.

Hugs Lyn