Mri with dye

[sleepless68]

Yesterday I went for what I thought was usual Mri.Nothing to indicate otherwise in letter.First one since hospital 11 months ago. Was quite shocked to find it was using dye.Firstly all my veins collapsed and not recovered in arms and huge level of neuropathy remains so getting needle in took 3 painful attempts.Nurse never warned of any side effects.By time I got home I was dizzy,nauseaous,headache,shivers and awful taste and smell.Was on hold with 111 for 45 minutes twice each time to be but off.No advice .Improved after 8 hours but still bit out of it.Has anyone else had this? Why no warnings of it or of side effects? Absolutely feel no one gets this disease!

[Gandalf2]

Hi S68 - I 'm sorry to hear you had a bad reaction from the dye and such a slow reaction from 111. Medics often seem reluctant to alert to side effects, either because they are unaware or because they don't want to worry you, have a cancellation on their books, or are just forgetful?

Here's a list of potential side effects I found after a quick Google search.:

What are the side effects of MRI contrast dye?

Iodine-based Contrast Materials

nausea and vomiting.

headache.

itching.

flushing.

mild skin rash or hives.

Can MRI dye cause problems?

NSF is a rare but serious disease affecting skin and other organs that has been found in some patients with advanced CKD after exposure to gadolinium-containing contrast dyes that are used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). NSF appears to affect about 4 percent of patients with advanced CKD.7 Dec 2020

How much water should I drink after an MRI with contrast?

If you had intravenous contrast, you should drink at least eight glasses of water throughout the day to help flush the contrast out of your body. Your doctor will receive the results within 48 hours.

I , hope this helps. Best wishes from G2

[Ocean96]

Hi sleepless68

That must of been so scary for you. Medical practitioners should always mention side effects before and after giving you dye for an MRI. The only thing I would suggest is ringing the place you got your MRI and making them aware of your reaction to the dye so in the future they will be aware.

The Encephalitis Society is always there to help you - encephalitis.info/support

[Remos]

Hi Sleepless68

Sorry this is a bit of a late response. I’ve also had a couple of scans with contrast/dye. I wasn’t made aware of any potential side effects to the dye but was asked to go for a blood test for kidney function beforehand. No contact/discussion with neurologist beforehand. In fact after 10 months since HSV diagnosis I have still yet to meet her!

I was lucky and didn’t suffer any side effects although it did take the nurse about 5 attempts to get the needle into the vein which was distressing.

Anyway, I hope you are now doing OK. Hope the MRI results were also fine.

Thinking of you.

Remos