Has anyone suffered a bad reaction from the dye in a CT scan, if so how did it affect you?

[Suzym2u]

My husband 'seems' to have suffered a severe reaction from the dye they use in a CT scan he had on Tuesday. I just wondered if anyone else had experienced this?

[PMRpro]

Sorry to hear that Suzy - hope all is going well now. Best wishes. Mine is having a CT with contrast on Wednesday - hmmmm...

[Suzym2u Moderator Vasculitis UK in reply to PMRpro]

It just might not be why he became so unwell, but it all started within 4/5 hours of having the scan. I had to call the paramedics out late Wednesday night, his oxygen levels dropped to 91%\92% and his temperature spiked at 39 and he was unable to get out of bed. He had a severe headache and was very nauseous. They managed to Stablise him, so no hospital thank goodness, they thought it was not a reaction to the ct scan. On call doctor came Thursday and put Him on very powerful antibiotics and the community nurse came yesterday to take lots of bloods liver and kidney function etc etc so we will have to wait and see. So who knows, it may just be coincidence but I have found out some people do have a reaction to the dye but it is not very common. He seems to have turned a corner today, thank goodness. I will give him your good wishes thank you 😊

[PMRpro in reply to Suzym2u]

I THINK the reactions are usually pretty much immediately although "A very small percentage of patients may develop a delayed reaction with a rash which can occur hours to days after an imaging exam with an iodine-based contrast material. Most are mild, but severe rashes may require medication after discussion with your physician."

But you may find this interesting - delayed reactions, with flu-like symptoms and fever:

esur.org/fileadmin/content/...

I found a much better paper - but you had to pay to read the relevant page

[piglette]

I had a CT scan with media earlier this year. I started to feel ill just when leaving the hospital. I just wanted to curl up and die. I felt incredibly sick too. It was particularly bad at least five hours after and then slowly improved. I think it took a while though.

[maisie5]

There seems to be more reaction to contrast dye than the experts think. I had a contrast scan a few years ago, threw up immediately afterwards and remained dizzy and hot for another 2 hours. Wish him all the best

[Wordsley]

When I had one recently it always gives me a bad stomach pain and wind pains I was told if you are allergic to fish it can upset you as there is something in the dye which can cause an allergy reaction I was told to drink plenty of water to wash it through hope he feels better soon.

[SandieB]

Sorry to hear that Suzy hope John is feeling much better and soon back on his feet again xx

[Suzym2u Moderator Vasculitis UK in reply to SandieB]

He's much improved , thank you 😊

[LauraMk30]

Hi Suzy, sorry to hear about your husband feeling so rubbish I hope he feels better soon.

I had a reaction a few hours after the contrast dye.

Felt extremely hot, very sick & dizzy, fever was something chronic.. felt like I had a bomb in my head! Worst headache, my veins felt like they were on fire it was terrible, then the early hours the next day I had a suspected TIA.. lost my superior vision in one eye.

i was very poorly weak & felt as if I wanted to curl up & disappear. I don't ever want that dye again !!

[TallKeith]

I had pins and needles and numbness in my legs when I had a CT scan with dye. I was told it was probably the way I was lying. I wasn't convinced and as I have PN anyway it was just a lot worse than usual.

It passed after about a day.

[vonnyrad]

I had a brain scan using an iodine based contrast medium way back in 1982 at the age of 21.I had an immediate reaction which I was later told was an anaphylactic reaction but I don't really remember very much except feeling hot, dizzy and as if I was choking. Apparently I was given adrenaline immediately and I was okay but warned never to have i.v. iodine again.This has proved difficult as I have needed many scans over the years.

[BronteM in reply to vonnyrad]

Your reaction sounds similar to mine....also a long time ago. I passed out and woke to find myself surrounded by some very worried looking doctors. I was told that I should never again have a scan involving iodine contrast. So I didn't.

When I needed one about five years ago to help in my Vasculitis diagnosis, I was told that the contrast mediums were now completely different and that allergic reactions were now very rare. Though they did have extra drugs etc available the first time I had the new contrast.

[Proudgma in reply to BronteM]

I had a CT with contrast on Monday morning.

By 4pm that afternoon my resting heart rate was 155 bpm.

Was taken to the hospital and fought for hours to get it to go down. 10 hrs later heart meds were given and my heart rate went under 90bpm.

I had a reaction to one before and so this time benadryl and another med were given to counteract. Made it through the CT just fine but was very ill later.

The CT was the only thing different in my day and had to have caused the problem.

Now have to see a cardiologist because I almost had a heart attack!

Please someone tell me if this has happened before.

[Wrigglymonkey]

Glad to hear he is better now - best wishes, Keith

[JemimaSunflower]

During 2011, before my diagnosis for Wegeners (GPA) and having various tests with various doctors, I had a CT scan. Several hours later that day I had an anaphylactic reaction and was rushed to hospital. 5/6 months ( Jan 2012) later I finally had the appointment to investigate what caused this. The doctor didn't have my notes and asked many questions - and was the first doctor to suggest I might have WG! He said I probably had a reaction to the iodine in the contrast dye. This is flagged up with my notes, but when I have had other CT scans they still try to get me to take the contrast dye!! If this had not happened I am not sure how long it would have still taken for a diagnosis.

[Dscarlet1]

I realise this post was over a year ago however the information has been helpful to me.

I went last week for an MRI however had contrast dye for an anthrogram injected beforehand. I was feeling completely fine before the injection/mri however as soon as I stood up from the MRI I was dizzy, i put that down to being lay down completely still for an hour. However walking to my car I realised I was beginning to feel very unwell. By the time I got home (approx 1hour) I was completely I'll! That evening I had a very high fever and sore head, dizzy and couldnt stand. It a now day 7 and I'm still unwell. I couldn't find any information about the effects of this dye untill I found this post. I'm still suffering night sweats and have a sore throat. I went to the our of hours service at the doctors ON Sunday morning and she thinks my body has been trying to fight an infection by producing white blood cells resulting in a further infection of tonsilitis which has cleared up with antibiotics. I still have a fuzzy head and am very lethargic. My joints over the Ilness were very sore. I thought I had sprained my wrist at one point. It was all very strange. And too much of a coincidence for this not to be linked to the dye or the mri some how. I have never felt this I'll ever.

[Akpr in reply to Dscarlet1]

I’m having the EXACT same things happening right now! Fever, night sweats, sore throat, etc. how long did it last for you? I have a follow up with my primary care doctor tomorrow!

[Dscarlet1 in reply to Akpr]

It lasted the initial 7 days but didn't clear up properly for maybe 3-4 days further. 10 days total. If you are going to see your doctor make sure they know, and note that your symptoms happened straight after your mri/CT.

[Ziegen in reply to Akpr]

I realize this is an older post I'm replying to, but I just had a CT with contrast done 4 days ago. Right after leaving the place that administered it, maybe 30 minutes after, I started feeling a bad headache and my lower bad started to hurt. I got home and laid down and the headache and pain got even worse. I called to Dr office and they told me to take up to 1000mg of Tylenol and take Claritin and Benadryl. The symptoms lessoned that day, but have persisted since a bit more mild than originally.

I'm also slightly nauseous almost all the time and my apatite has really declined.

Are these similar to what you experienced and how long before the finally went away? Thank you

[Hj87 in reply to Ziegen]

Hi, I know this is an old post I’m replying to but it’s all I could find...

I’m having more or less the same symptoms as you and it’s been almost 2 weeks now. I had a CT with the dye injected and within a minute I was feeling sick and nauseous.

I’ve been having mild sickness and dizziness ever since.

How long did your symptoms last for before it went away?

Grateful if anyone could advise also.

Thank you.

[My2puppies]

Yes! I had And MRI with contrast this afternoon within a couple of hours I started coughing and feeling achy and by 10 o’clock tonight I had a fever of 100.5