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Posted 5/30/2010 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
hey , im due to have a MRI scan tomorrow just to confirm my crohns disease although I have ahd a colonosocopy ..im 18 years old and a little nervous because im told i have to have an injection and to drink something ..does anyone know what i have to drink and what it tastes like? im not very good at things like this? thanks xx
Posted 5/30/2010 6:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I have had an MRI but not with having to drink anything. Its normally quiter here on a weekend but no doubt someone will be along soon who can answer your questons. Bev x
Posted 5/30/2010 9:45 PM (GMT 0)
The drink tends not to be as bad as bowel prep. It's just some clear contrast, and it tastes like liquorice or orange, depending on the contrast, if my memory is correct.

The injection might be Buscopan, which is a pain-relieving med that also slows down the gut, which will make it easier for them to get the images they need.

The drink can have mild laxative properties, so it might be a good idea to take a change of undies, just in case. However, the Buscopan slows things down internally, so my feeling is that you will probably be ok afterwards :-).

Good luck with it. I don't mind MRIs: they're much more relaxing than many of the other tests we do. I often doze off during mine :-).

Ivy.
Posted 5/30/2010 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
I've had two different IV contrasts for MRI's. The most common one causes you to feel like you need to pee, but you don't really need to and the feeling passes pretty quickly. The liquid you have to drink may be barium which isn't as thick as what you would have to drink for a small bowel follow through, but it is still not the most pleasant. I just had a CT yesterday and had to drink contrast(barium). I had the berry flavor at home and then the vanilla at the hospital. The vanilla was better, just an FYI if they give you a choice.

I think the hardest part of an MRI is the fact that you are in a small tunnel environment. The only way I can get through it is to close my eyes before they put me in the machine and not open them until they take me out. As long as my eyes are closed I can pretend I am not in the tunnel.

It really is a pretty easy test compared to some of the other things we have to go through. Good luck.
Posted 5/30/2010 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
had a few ct scans over the yrs, i've had to drink a jug of contrast mixed with diluted orange, it just tastes like liqorice so if u like that, nothing to worry about. the injection is an iv in your arm/hand. as your having the scan done, they inject more contrast thru the iv, doesnt hurt at all and only leaves a warm feeling for a second thru your body. dont think theres any laxative in that contrast. this is my experience of having ct scans. may be different to an mri but i think it's more or less the same thing. also, the prep may vary between hospitals. hope this helps and good luck, no need to be nervous :)
Posted 5/31/2010 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
The MRI contrast usually doesn't have any side effects at all, it's not the same as the kind used in CT. I've had to have MRI contrast and didn't have side effects at all. Depending on the facility, you might just have to drink water...or at least I know where I did clinicals in MRI we just had patients drink water. Some places have other protocols though...not sure what's done at other places.
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