Hi all, has anyone had a scan involving dye and felt bad after?

[footballcrazy]

I went to cardiology a few days ago to have a scan involving dye being injected.I have been feeling exhausted since then and wondered if the dye might have caused a flare up.Has anyone else found this? I suppose it could just be the physical effort involved.

[caninecrazy]

hello football crazy, I had an mri and had dye put into my arm (don't know whether its same dye though) and I felt worse after, I did put mine down to the worry of the scan and hospitals make me nearvy ? hadn't thought about it being the dye? I felt better after two days,well as better as we can be with lupus x

[LynnCrook in reply to caninecrazy]

I am aware your post is old. But I got a CT scan with contrast in May 2017 to check for blockages, my abdominal area. I was trying to figure out why for 6 months I would, daily, get sharp pain from my belly button to my inner pelvis and buttocks. CT was recommended after Xray indicated a blockage. But I felt extremely fatigued daily after scan. Started getting pain and numbness everywhere. Feels like my nerves and muscles. Some days worse then others. Couldn't manage the pain, sensitivity to smells, sounds, and light. Two months later I still get that awful taste in my mouth. I fe like crap. Do you still feel off?

[Tezza147 in reply to LynnCrook]

Hi I have the same problem ,went for Mir scan yesterday with dye,and I got home felt so fatigued and unwell , also felt nausea ,my legs and arms feel like jelly ,yet I had a scan a month ago without dye and didn't feel anything different ,it must be the dye

[Dancing43 in reply to Tezza147]

I had a ct of my abdomen. Four hours after, I became extremely I'll. Throwing up, severe nausea, metallic taste,legs were very weak, I couldn't walk and both hands become locked. I had to go by ambulance to the hospital. Stayed two days. Went home and back to the hospital five days later. Severe dehydration, nausea, painful legs etc. Worst symptoms every. I will never get ct with dye. I'm home one week now and still have problems with legs. Anything that's injected is not normal and these side effects can happen.

[Hidden in reply to LynnCrook]

Had 2 ct scans less than a week ago, abdominal then chest, both with contrast, few days later have been feeling EXTREMELY tired, fatigued, weak

[Csavi3 in reply to Hidden]

The radioactive iodine dye i injected used for the imagine process is taken in by the thyroid and can cause hyper and hypothyroidism as it is a super dose your body is not used to and is miles above normal levels.

If you are still having problems have a thyroid test done on levels t3 t4 etc. Ask your doctor.

[pattismith]

Had the same for CT scan with the iodine injection, l felt worn out afterwards and as you just put it down to the visit to the hosp, but maybe it was the "foreign Body" entering my body - but then again my antibodies wouldn't attack it - thats what normal people's bodies do , not the case with us Luppies eh

;0

[adrianne]

I have had two MRI scans with GADOLINIUM contrast agent. [I do not know if I have lupus or not] Soon after my scans I became very ill after being healthy. My symptoms began with nausea, metallic taste, itching lesions, skin changes to my legs & arms, weakness in my limbs, extreme pain in my hip bones. My last Gadolinium MRI was three years ago and I am still ill.

I would like to know if any one else on this site has had gadolinium contrast MRI scans, prior to becoming ill or have become worse after these scans.

FYI - Gadolinium is a highly toxic earth metal, chelated for use in MRI/MRA to enhance images. It is associated with adverse reactions and a relativelty new man made disease caled Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis [NSF]. NSF can at first manifest with unexplained lesions, rashes, pain, burning & itching, yellowing of the eyes. Adverse events & NSF can be delayed for weeks - months after the initial exposure.

[Diagnosed2012]

I had a CT scan and had something put through a line in my arm. Besides the feeling of wetting myself during the scan, and feeling a bit queasy for a few hours afterwards, I felt okay. I also had a scan on my eye and a dye injected through my hand after my retina popped off and lost my sight. Again, apart from the expected back ache and luminous urine, I just felt queasy for a few hours, but was okay after that.

[footballcrazy]

Thank you all for your help with the dye question, I did wonder if my immune system was reacting to it, but it was all a bit stressful too so maybe that was the reason.I don`t know what dye it was but it wasn`t the wet feeling one I`ve had that.I looked up the meaning of the spoons,brilliant!! My hubby thinks so to.It explains it perfectly.I`m new to HealthUnlocked,I think it`s great the way everyone`s so helpful and supportive.Thanks again Loopies.

[LMHestahhhh]

If i can attempt to shine some light here...whether for this forum or anyone who comes across it looking for answers...I am a certified MRI/CT technologist. The contrast agent given for MRI is called gadolinium. You can look it up. (On a real medical journal or FDA website please, not wikipedia) It is a liquid metal that highlights vessels and anything with blood flow in the body. The only affect is had on the human body is an increase in kidney function because that is how your body rids itself of it...so the tech should ensure your labs are good before giving it. I don't know which magnet (MRI) machine you were scanned on but, it is often people feel affects of being in the magnetic field even after they leave it. It moves atoms around in your body and can sometime take a day or two for them to get back to normal. This could have something to do with you not feeling well. Many techs get headaches and for stronger field strengths, dizziness can occur. NSF is for people injected with any contrast agent whether it be CT or MRI dye that have impaired renal function. You don't spontaneously get NSF from being injected with the dye. I would guarantee you that the sickness you were feeling is not correlated to the dye unless you have a renal issue. Most MRI facilities will never give you more than 20cc of gadolinium and you only get 20 if you are at least 200Ibs.

The CT dye is different from the MRI dye. It is usually an iodine based agent that can cause you to feel warm, or possible like you went to the bathroom or have to go. It is also excreted through the kidneys and is given in much larger volumes than the MRI dye. CT dye is given anywhere from 40-100cc. It is more common to have a reaction to CT dye but the reaction is instant. You would feel it before you even left the facility and it wouldn't linger. The queasiness that may come after the injection is actually because it is injected so quickly...not because of the dye itself. You would have the same reaction as if they injected saline that quickly.

Hopefully this helps. In either case....labs should be drawn to check your kidney function before either dye is given. This ensures that NSF does not happen. I would attribute your abnormal feelings to perhaps the magnetic field if you were in a 1.5 Tesla or higher MRI machine or possible just anxiety....or maybe even the reason you had the scans....but, its very unlikely that it is due to the contrast.

[Hidden in reply to LMHestahhhh]

Hi LMHestahhhh, Thank you so much for this information. I'm hoping you can help me further though. Last Monday I went to the hospital for swallowing difficulty, they performed a CT scan with contrast dye. They had not checked my blood yet. I know nothing about these procedures so I trusted them and had it done. The following day I started feeling weak and very tired, the next day I could barely get out of bed. By Thursday I started feeling a little better but have a thirst that will not go away. As of today I still feel very thirsty but my energy is back for the most part. Still feeling a little more tired than normal. Is this normal? As far as I know I don't have any other symptoms. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[laughy42 in reply to LMHestahhhh]

They have now found that reactions to the CT dye are not just immediate, out cab happen up to 24 hrs later which did happen to my x mother in law. I won't let them inject me with any of it because I have several allergies to meds, and many allergies to other things which puts me at a higher risk of an allergy to these dyes,plus I take a beta blocker which interferes with epinephrine if needed for a bad reaction, they would have to have other meds on hand(which they don't) and watch my blood pressure closely because mixing a beta blocker with epinephrine can cause it to skyrocket,so no thank you to all the risks.

[onebzmama in reply to LMHestahhhh]

I had a ct scan done today with contrast and at the end I blew a vein. The contrast went into my arm and now my arm is swollen and its moving. At first it was a bulge just above the iv and now its moved to the left and down my arm. Should I be concerned? They told me to put heat and Ice and I have done that all day.

[mrkeys1962 in reply to LMHestahhhh]

So, I had an CT scan ages ago in regards to a gall stone. I had a reaction to the dye where the insides of my body and behind my eye balls I itched. Cleared within a few minutes but told the front desk and they had a doctor clear me to leave. Fast forward years later and had a ct scan for a kidney stone (big one) with dye. They gave me prednizone (sp) to avert the allergic reaction and no problem. Had another done a year to two years later for another (or same) kidney stone and this time they had me take an antihistamine. This time when I got up and moved about after the scan my muscles were sore. Like having worked out and two days later you get that soreness and muscle fatigue feeling. I went home, sat down in a chair in the basement and watched t.v. I got up to go upstairs to the bathroom and two stairs up my muscles went into complete paralysis. I fell backwards and was unable to grab the handrail or do anything. My brain was functioning fine and I literally thought "I'm going to fall and smack my head on the cement. Better just relax because there's nothing I can do about it." Took me about 15 minutes or so of laying on my back to finally be able to turn over on my stomach. My arms just wouldn't work. When I turned over I crawled to my bed and got up on it and slept. I completely forgot about it for about 3 years but in the mean time I still suffered from muscle fatigue and now I walked around light headed constantly. I honestly thought I was going to die. I thought I must have a brain tumor or something. Had an MRI done and part of my brain had died and I didn't know why. I finally, November of 2018, remembered what had happened. Crazy story and I can't find anyone else on the net that had the same reaction to the dye but am throwing it out there as a warning. Prednizone worked perfectly but using an antihistamine resulted, in my case, with significant problems.

[Val64]

Hi football crazy I know your post is old but I just googled how I felt after my heart scan and if it could be the dye and your post came up! I've felt so weak and breathless since the scan so I've kinda blamed it on the dye and not drinking loads of water to flush it out. I hope it goes away soon cause I feel really awful 10 days later.

[Geezee74]

Hi, I have recently had a fdg pet scan and have felt terrible since. My energy has decreased so much and I wondered if anyone has felt the same and how long it lasted.

[Csavi3]

The stuff they inject is iodine for a ct scan. There are cases of people having thyroid problems after the injection as it is a super high dose of iodine. Some people end up hypo or hyperthyroid as a result.

Have your thyroid hormone levels tested after if you are still hvaing problems with fatigue etc after. A simple Google search shows they are finding a link.

[Wendy39]

Hello

Just picked up your post and it rang bells with me.

In 2012 / 2013 I had started to get hip issues and was told that I needed a MR Arthrogram of my hip - dye injected into the socket in the operating theatre - guided - and then MRI.

I didn't think anything of it and thought I'd return to work the next day. But I had a shock. I felt terrible and spent the following two to three days lying down to recover.

Strangely when I saw the doctor and told him how ill I'd felt afterwards, he remarked it was strange, as some people find a little relief after the procedure itself. That definitely wasn't my experience.

I was diagnosed with lupus later in 2013 and I possibly have sjogren's and history of some allergies like hay fever, pet dander and house dust. But this is something that I would be very weary of having done again.

I'm interested to read about the thyroid issues too. I have had mine tested but always been told it's fine - of course we know that here in Britain many are told that and actually across main land Europe different levels are used and many more are medicated.

Great post.

Wendy

[Nhette]

I just had a CT scan done yesterday and they injected me with the contrast dye. I felt my inside go really warm and felt like i wet my self then as soon as I finished with the scan I sneezed. No itchiness or anything but then my throat felt itchy and felt like something is blocking my airway. It felt weird to swallow. They gave me telfast and monitored my heart rate and blood pressure, it took 30-45minutes for the medicine to work. They let me go home. Then its painful to urinate, so I looked it up and found out I have to drink lots of water to flush it out of my system. Then on my second and third trip to the toilet i saw blood and still painful, but I keep drinking more and more water and on the fourth visit no more blood in my urine and pain start to ease down. And when I woke up this morning the pain when urinating is gone. I had Mri and dye injected in me two weeks prior to this and I was fine. Thanks to all who posted their experiences and thats why i thought I might share my experience too.

[radiographer]

Imaging Tech and Radiology Administrator for 20+ years here. The information shared by a technologist earlier in this thread is mostly accurate. Although I would not say that a patient cannot have an allergic reaction to the dye, either MRI or CT contrast. People can be allergic to the stangest things. Contrast allergies are not uncommon, although less common to Gadolinium (the only contrast used in MRI.)

I have written extensively about imaging contrast if you want more information:

theradiologictechnologist.c...