MRI Weirdness

[Echo]

I had an MRI this morning.  I have now had 3 of them basically each one 6 months apart.  My first MRI was done without dye and towards the end of it I felt a very uncomfortable pressure inside my head. Almost felt as if something was going to burst but nothing obviously happened.  I was quite dizzy after it for a good 20 minutes.  My second MRI included the dye. I had no weird feeling of pressure, no dizziness, but I was quite nauseous afterwards for quite a while.  Today my third MRI, this one with die and I again during the very last few minutes felt the weird pressure in my head and was quite nauseous after for a good 1 - 1.5 hours.  I don't get nervous having these done so I never take anything to calm me down.  Just wondering if anyone else has any weird sensations during their MRI's.  I've asked all the techs about it each time and they all tell me I should feel nothing - I can't be the only one that experiences this weirdness!

Cathie.

[Jim Scott]

Cathie ~

Everyone has a slightly different experience when undergoing an MRI head scan.  The most common issue is claustrophobia.  The noise also bothers some people.  I've had many MRI head scans and never experienced the kind of pressure you noted, or the nausea, although many AN patients report the gadolinium dye produces some level of nausea. 

I agree with the tech that you shouldn't feel any pressure.  “MRI” stands for 'magnetic resonance imaging'.  It uses magnetic and radio waves to produce images - not radiation - so there is no chance of the pressure you feel being generated by radiation.  However, I won't be surprised if some of our members chime in with their own accounts of feeling something like the pressure you felt during your MRI scans.  As I stated, we all react differently to the MRI experience.

Jim

[james e]

My wife hates being in an MRI machine, and usually takes some tablet to relax. I have actually fallen asleep during an MRI, but I had a panic attack in an airplane...go figure. Never felt any sensation during or after an MRI.

James

[Kathleen_Mc]

never have had this sensation
wondering if it's anxiety related, a person can have anxiety and not realise it and it turns into a physical symptom instead
wondering if you could try a medication to relax you next time and see what happens (anxiety would also explain the nausea afterwards, if not the dye)

[Echo]

I'm not bothered by anxiety with MRI's.  The last one flew by and was over before I knew it.  It was very early in the morning, I grabbed a bowl of cereal before leaving the house, but didn't bother with my usual mug of tea.  Not sure if that made the difference, but I'm inclined to think the dye caused the nausea.  As for the weird pressure, I just can't figure that one out. Loud noises have always bothered me so maybe it's just my own weird way of reacting to 45 minutes of some pretty intense noise - even with earplugs! 

Cathie.