MRI question

Hey guys, a quick introduction....I'm a 37 yr old married mom of 2. I've been suffering from fibromyalgia and tendonitis for about 7 yrs now. Most of my pain is in my upper back/shoulder area. I have horrible knots in my shoulder blade area and have tried everything: chiropractors, physical therapy, heat, ice, massage, every muscle relaxer known to man....All to no avail. My pain doc is scheduling me for my first MRI to look at my upper back.
I also suffer from sciatica which has been getting worse lately. My question is this: Can they also look at my lower back to see what's causing my sciatica? The doc is ordering the MRI for my upper back, so does that mean that's all they will look at? Or can they see everything from the MRI?
I hope my question makes since! Also, what can I expect? I've never had one of these.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

If you want lower back, talk to your doctor; he or she will have to add it to the order.

Assuming you're having a standard (rather than "open") MRI, here is how it works: you'll go to the MRI center and check in. When you are taken back, you'll be instructed to remove any clothing that has metal on it. Be sure to remove your bra, because most bras have metal hooks, etc. Also remove any jewelry, dentures or partials, glasses, etc. The reason for this is that the strong magnetic field generated by the MRI causes the molecules in metal to vibrate back and forth, creating heat which can burn you.

Once you're ready, the tech will help position you on the table. There will likely be pads to help you maintain your position without moving for several minutes. You'll be given earplugs or headphones to protect your hearing during the procedure, as the machine makes an extremely loud, "chattering" sound. This sound will go on and off numerous times during the procedure, so don't think you're finished when it stops. Then the table, and you, slide into the tube-shaped MRI machine. You lie there and do nothing for a while, then they pull the table back out and you're finished.

You shouldn't have any problems unless (like me) you're claustrophobic. If that's the case, ask your doctor for pre-medication (mine uses Xanax) and arrange to have someone drive you to the procedure.

Good luck with your MIR!

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Thanks for the info!! I'll ask him about it next week. He wants me to start coming in next week for a series of injections in my hip for the sciatica. I'm guessing someone here knows about those too?? I have a great pain management doc. Up until now, though, he has only treated me with meds. I'm glad we are taking it a step further!! Right now I take paxil and lyrica on a regular basis, and vicoden and flexeril as needed. Anyway, thanks again, glad to find some folks who know what it's like living with pain as a constant companion!!!

Hey Toritoo, thanks so much! I HAVE however tried SOMA though. The reason I chose Flexeril is because I just can't function on the Soma. I have a 5 yr old son and a 8 yr old daughter and everything that comes along with 2 busy kids. So Flexeril is the only one I can take during the day and still keep up with everyone. I'm glad it is working so well for you. Thanks again!!

Are you getting the steroid injections in your hips? I'm not sure if they use the same procedure but I have had 2 series of epidural injections in my SI joint which were xray guided. The first series worked for about 2 months - felt great! But then the pain started coming back so I went in for the second series and it didn't work as well.

I had a MRI about a month or so ago of my head and lower back. I sort of freaked when I was first put into the machine but once I calmed down and actually started using the "thumping" as part of my mental music! :) I would make up songs when I was in there lol. It's not that bad and if you are having one with contrast, they use a needle in your arm to administer the med. That is not bad either. I think the MRI was one of the easiest (albeit a little uncomfortable) test I've had to have.

I'm glad you are doing well on Flexeril. I couldn't function when I was on that. I felt like a zombie and it didn't really help much with the pain. So I tried Skelaxin which worked better for me. It's just a matter of finding what works for you.

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hi Achymom and everyone else!

Re MRI's: I haven't had one since my fusion, but I had at least 8 of them over the past 1.5 years. Non-invasive and once you get past the "lying in the tube" factor, can be quite relaxing (with ear plugs, of course.) I always asked for a little cloth for over my eyes, as I didn't want to look up and see the top of the tube only inches from my face...arrrrugh! So you might consider that. I also asked my techs to tell me ahead of each image how long it would take them to capture it....some are really short pictures, like 2 minutes, while others can last up to 5. You're not supposed to move, so by knowing "how long" I had to lie totally still, it helped the claustrophopic factor reduce. They would say "OK, this one is going to take 4 minutes...are you ready?" etc And also that way, if you need to cough or something, you can do that w/ advance notice.

Also, if they do your lumbar area, they use a special spine coil, so if you want to have that area included, your doc would probably have to RX it, as they have to re-arrange the machine if they go from upper to lower spine. (Adds to the $$ and they are $$ to begin with. All of mine, per my insurance receipts, were between $2,500 and $3,000 each.)

Good luck---I also, like Red did, made up little "jazzy" music pieces to go w/ all the thumping and clicking...actually, that part was almost fun!

I'm betting you'll have a good story to share w/ us afterwards! It's not bad at all! don't worry about it!

~Lakeside

PALady: Funny mix of winter/spring weather today...but sun/warm tomorrow. You'll be getting our funny stuff, haha! we're done w/ it now!

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Nov. 06-- Lammy @ L4, removal of spinal cystic tumor @ L4/5(benign)

It's intriguing how many of us found some way to incorporate the noise of the MRI - making up songs, etc. I pretended it was a percussion band! My last MRi was an open machine, which I didn't know of until I got there. Although they're a lot easier to take (they put earphones and I could pick the radio station I wanted to listen to and you could kinda hear the music), but I've heard the open ones may not be as powerful. I think once you get used to the tube, it's not so bad. Also, the cervical spine one I had years ago was the worst because they tape your chin so you don't move and you're not allowed to even swallow while the machine is running. And of course the tech keeps says "don't swallow" and it's sort of like a kid needing to go to the bathroom 2 minutes into the car ride.

So if you're anxious I'd do what someone suggested and take a muscle relaxant, but have someone drive you.

Lakeside - kind of yucky, rainy here today with a peak or so of sun. My crabapple tree is just starting to open so I hope we don't get any big cold temps!

PaLady

Post Edited (PAlady) : 5/3/2008 7:24:43 PM (GMT-6)

I agree with the stiffness in the back, Gramps. Most of my MRI's lasted about 50 minutes & that's a LONG time to lie so still on such a hard surface when you are already in pain. Like you, they had to literally "lift" me to a sitting position afterwards & when I'd get home, the spasms would start.....

But it is still the best way to DX so many things & gives an excellent "picture" of what's in there & what'll need to be done. Compared to a myelogram or a disco----!!! MRI's are the way to go! Painless in itself and non-invasive, 2 important consideratons w/ all the tests we spineys always need!

Haven't had one now after my fusion; hear they can't get as clear a result. Doc's been doing plain x-rays, as he thinks that's the best for now. Probably an MRI this summer, just to make sure everything is going well. Does your hardware heat up, anyone who's had one after instrumentation? Sure hope not!

~Lake

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Nov. 06-- Lammy @ L4, removal of spinal cystic tumor @ L4/5(benign)

Lakeside,
I had an MRI a couple of months ago because there was no improvement in my pain. My surgeon said all the hardware he put in me was compatible with MRI's, so that was good. I had an X-ray about 6 weeks after the surgery to check the fusion process. When I talked with my surgeon after the MRI, that's when he said he wanted to try a "traditional" surgery because there was still soft tissue that could be causing my pain. But I asked him how the fusion was going and he said an MRI wasn't the best way to tell that - an x-ray was actually better for purposes of evaluating the fusion.

I do know you need to have them with contrast (the dye) after you've had surgery, I guess so things show up better.

And speaking of tables, the worst are the ones for the bone scans - those narrow metal tables that they squeeze you into and there's absolutely no padding or lumbar support. Even though the test itself it painless, beingin those positions on lousy tables makes everything 10X worse!

Sunny here today Lakeside....don't send me bad weather. I want my tree to bloom without having the blossoms blown off in a day!!

PaLady

The MRI people were laughing at me, because I fell asleep and started to snore. Evidently this is not normal...LOL I think it is like being back in the womb...

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^{Forum Co-moderator}
_{We will find a way, or make one.-Hannibal (crossing the Alps in the 15th Century on war elephants)
Praise in public, chew in private.
Make sure your suffering has meaning....}

I hope your MRI goes well
I also am having a Lumbar one soon, and wanted one don of the entire spine.. due to some pain I have from an ol car aciident....
I was told they do them in sections... so I jsut hope that the MRI will show somthing that the Xrays didn't

I am still expereiencing pain.... and some really bad days

WCB has decided that I have too much preexisting osteio arthristis.... to think it could be something else casueing my pain & disfunction.. and walking problems

I keep thinking LIGAMENT... something...
who knows really we are a mass of muscles , nerves, jionts, vessles, layers of tissues...
and as my Neuro suregon said

he even knows only a little piece of the puzzle..

I am going to ahve FIGHT for my rights...

any ays...
I didnt mean to vent
Just hope all goe well with your MRI..
let us know

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