Can MRI cause a flare?

[Zebedee44]

I attended the hospital early yesterday for an MRI scan on my throat and neck and pain was widespread through my body yesterday evening and worse this morning. Should I treat this as a flare and increase my pred or will paracetamol help?

I have been suffering with lower back pain for a week which is for me usually a sign of being at my lowest dose (6mg after seven years!). Lying on the scanner bed with my knees supported hasn’t helped but I wondered if the magnetic field in the scanner has affected my PMR or is it just the stress and early hours appointment?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It has been found that healthcare workers who are expoed to the magnetic fields all day and every day may experience vague effects but that is significantly more than the patient who is only there for a short time.

The FDA suggests "They may also cause peripheral muscle or nerve stimulation that may feel like a twitching sensation" - and that could result in muscle aches I suppose.

But I'd be inclined to blame the disturbance of the early hour and lying in a strange position whileit was done. I had a mammograph the other day with a - for me - ridiculous appointment time since I had to leave home an hour and a half earlier to get the bus! But what is the weather like? It has been foul here - damp and snow for a couple of days and that always gets me and makes me ache.

[Zebedee44 in reply to PMRpro]

Thankyou as always for your prompt response. My appointment was at 8.45 am and required an early start for me, also I had driven back to East Sussex from West Wales on Thursday to attend the appointment, a drive of 7 hours.

My PMR is manageable at 6mg and this generalised pain is unusual for me, but I guess it’s more likely to be the stress than the scan itself. I have had MRI scans before but not since starting pred in 2017.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Zebedee44]

All contributes - 7 hours in a car seat will leave its mark too.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Sounds as if you were on the cusp of a flare anyway previous to MRI, and as PMRpro has said the positioning of your body during that hasn't helped...

You may find paracetamol helps with yesterday's occurrence, but not if it's a flare. Maybe see how things go today on painkillers - and then decide tomorrow if you need more Pred.

[SnazzyD]

lying still in the MRI in the not warm and a 7 hour drive and your reaction to both so soon after would see me putting my money a reaction rather than a flare. It could be a flare that’s unrelated of course but it might be worth waiting today after some paracetamol.

[Zebedee44]

Thankyou I think you are probably right. A hot bath and a short walk with the dogs has loosened me up but the backache persists. I have a doctors appointment next week to request a dexa scan as it has been three years since my last and have not maintained the calcium and vitamin regime due to repeat UTIs

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Zebedee44]

Watch your diet and take vit D separately - it is just as important.

[Rugger in reply to Zebedee44]

I had to stop the prescribed calcium because of blood in my urine, but I still take vitamin D tds and loads of calcium in my diet from dairy etc. I do have osteoporosis and have Dexa scans every 2 years.

I hope you improve soon - we had 6 hour journeys at Christmas and that was too much for me. x

[Zebedee44 in reply to Rugger]

I hope my meat free diet with lots of cheese, dairy and non dairy milk provides sufficient calcium and I take a vit D3 and K2 supplement.

I hope to return to living in Wales or on the border when my mother passes but she is still with us even in a most depleted condition. Im getting better at the journey and the reward is to spend quality time with my grown up kids.. Happy New Year to you Sue xx

[piglette]

I would put it down to the whole stress of the MRI scan, the appointment and worry about your health rather than the magnetic field of the scan.

[Gimme]

A day like that would knock me for six too and I also get odd bad days for no obvious reason. I would take it easy today and see how you feel tomorrow.

[Gimme in reply to Gimme]

oops just noticed that was yesterday. Hope you are feeling better today.

[Zebedee44 in reply to Gimme]

Hi Gimme, it’s Monday afternoon and things are not improved, so I am beginning to think a five day increase in pred might be necessary, reluctant as I am.

[Missus835]

Hi Zebedee44. I "tried" an MRI about a month ago. They did put a pillow under my knees. The technician whipped my legs up way too quickly after me saying "please let me do it". That caused problems later. It took quite awhile to recover. I have 9 fractured vertebrae and do have osteoporosis. I had to tap out after about 15 mins. in the machine as I was unable to lie on the hard table any longer. I've another MRI scheduled for next week. Please get a dexascan and maybe CT. These fractures have all occurred since May and found in the CTs. I've been on Pred for PMR since Jan 2022. Can't take AA, but had a Prolia infusion in October with at least 1 more fracture since then. Also, I've been taking K2, D3, calcium for almost the last 2 years. I doubt it's the magnetic field, but more the position. Wish they would try a pillow along my spine. Going to ask next week, at the risk of sounding bonkers. All the best to you.

[Zebedee44 in reply to Missus835]

Thankyou for your input Missus835. I was lucky in that the scanner was a new extra wide device and I was offered a wildlife video to watch so I wasn’t claustrophobic just struggling to remain still for the whole time and very stiff returning to the upright position.

Still at 6mg pred after seven years I feel confused by the emerging pains and symptoms, unable to identify what is happening to my body. This has brought me to a standstill and I’m not at all sure what will restore me. I am not inclined to add more pred if I can avoid it, but it’s now Monday lunchtime and I’m not feeling any better!

Good luck with your next MRI, maybe you could ask if they can screen a film or play music as they did for me .

[Missus835 in reply to Zebedee44]

Thank you. It's a new MRI unit at a different hospital, so perhaps they will have that capability. Getting up to a sitting position - they always want to help, God love them, but they invariably end up hurting me. So I say I'll do it. Sometimes they listen. Best believe I will dope myself up before the next one. Lol. Take care Z. xx

[Thelmarina]

You mention osteoarthritis in your profile. Is it possible that that is now more of an underlying cause of your general aches and pains rather than polymyalgia? X

[Zebedee44 in reply to Thelmarina]

I have had two dexa scans over the past seven years with PMR which were ok but it is highly likely that some of these pains are osteoarthritic in nature. Hands, thumbs and hips /knees were treated with localised steroid injections. Pred had made it possible to return to my active lifestyle with my driving pony but as I have lowered the dose some of those familiar pains have retuned. I had an active lifestyle till selling my beautiful driving pony in October, and unsurprisingly I have lost strength and mobility, but the backache came from nowhere last week so I don’t know it’s nature.

I’m hoping my GP will offer a follow up dexa scan. I developed mouth ulcers soon after starting Alendronic acid so I didn’t continue, maybe he will offer an alternative.

[Thelmarina]

There are several alternatives to Alendronic acid outlined here on a different thread so don’t give up hope!