oh how coincidental... I have high prolactin levels and am having an MRI done Monday

can I ask how it is contraindicated?

What about a tranquilizer for before the MRI ???

It would be worth asking your doctor about a benzo, or something, to help calm you.

I've had several CTs/MRI's, sometimes being in the tube for nearly an hour.

I rely -- HEAVILY -- on what I learned at my stay at a Buddhist Monastery -- breathing, mindfulness, meditation -- call it what you want. It made a big difference for me.

I wish you peace, health, and strength.

oh i definintely concur with David..... I am taking 10mg of valium before mine... I can't have a prolonged panic attack for 30 mins.. I've had one before and that dose helped so benzos do help

I can't do MRI without being unconscious. Ten mg of valium won't touch me. They do 3-5 of Xanax to knock me down and out, and one hospital in my area uses Ativan. BTW, that was *before* my dx---I'm just claustrophobic!

My prolactin levels are fairly normal even with the PTSD, but we are all individual, and I suspect they vary depending on where I'm at with stress, even hormone cycles, you name it.

Request sedation and explain why. It should be do-able.

Luck and healing,
Leo

Thank you all!

I've decided against the MRI for myself. I'm having such a visceral reaction to it beyond just fearfulness. Something in me is screaming "NOOOO!!!!!"

I will see an endocrinologist next week and will ask if a CT or an MROpen or sitting MRI will help with the diagnosis and telling them a closed MRI is simply not doable because of my PTSD.

I've researched the hell out of prolactin and although the worst case scenario is a macro prolactinoma it's fairly rare. In about 1/3 of the cases they never find a reason. In about 1/2 of the cases my age and gender it's thyroid and the rest are stress, medication induced or prolactinoma - almost always micro, benign, slow growing and often don't require any sort of treatment. They usually go away by themselves or stop growing at menopause.

But I'm doing acupuncture and taking folate (a natural dopamine agonist) and will start on another natural dopamine agonist if the folate isn't enough to bring the levels down.

I am concerned about Western medicine. I realize the cabergoline is effective 80% of the time, but you need to be on it for a long time and the side effects sound like they could be pretty uncomfortable. The other alternative, surgery, can damage the pituitary gland and the tumor may just grow back so it may need to be done again and again. And radiation? That sounds like total overkill to me unless you're having horrendous symptoms.

Perhaps too much information, but if others have high prolactin, I want to share that there are alternatives beyond conventional Western medicine.

Ruby - how did your MRI go?

I had high prolactin levels before I had my best cancer and there are many cause thyroid disease. Another major cause has to do with psychiatric medications that are used for depression and even high blood pressure meds can cause high levels of prolactin. I have had many MRI's and it has never been contraindicated with me having PTSD. If I had had a fear of them or issues with claustrophobia than they would have suggested medicating me or not doing it at all. There are some other reasons that can cause high levels of prolactin which can be researched and also you can ask your doctor. I wish you the best with this. If you are taking any meds you might want to see if it had to do with that first. If it does and you go of the meds it will go back to normal within a week. Also unless it is a tumor most doctors say it is not that unusual for women to go through that. It definitely worth checking back with your doctor. I'm sending you lots of hugs and support as you sort this out. Hopefully something I've said was a little helpful. Hugs

For what it's worth, I'd want to rule out a tumor in my brain, no matter what. For me, that nagging stress on a daily basis would be way worse than dealing with the fear of an MRI.

Embarrassing fact- I put off going to the dentist for a LOOOOOONG time. Even though I've got insurance. I finally told my husband to book an appointment with a dentist who's very nice. I was very nervous, but I put on my earbuds with meditation music and I was okay! I now have my second appointment to get my 4th and 5th cavity filled and my second round of deep cleaning. Nice, huh? The only thing worse would have been NOT going and losing my teeth later...

Hugs.

I just had my first MRI this year and got through it OK, so I hope if you need one you get lucky like I did, Reed.

Thank you everyone. It helps so much to read your replies.

My prolactin came back high three times, but it's always been under 100 (average is no higher than 30) so my doctor thinks it's due to PTSD or the high blood pressure meds.

Last week I saw a new GP for a second opinion and she said with no symptoms and a prolactin of 100, she'd just keep an eye on it. The PTSD or meds could definitely be the cause.

The endo wants a scan but because an MRI scares the crap out of me, she said a CT would be fine. Her main concern is a big tumor because that we'd need to treat. If it's tiny and they can't see it, she's still going to suggest meds until my prolactin levels return to normal.

Hoping the acupuncture and folate is working!

Ruby - how did your MRI go? What was your prolactin level and did they find a problem? I hope you're well.

Deli - congrats on getting to the dentist. Yes, that can be really scary too so that's fantastic that you went. I had to get to the point where the worry outweighed the fear. How sad is that? I even tried hypnosis but still couldn't think about an MRI without sobbing. The CT will give us some answers and I went in for thermal imaging which helped me feel healthy and I have a session of computerized kinesthesiology scheduled for later this month. That will not only be informative, it will also be super interesting!

Wish me luck on Monday guys. I may need a contrast IV which is stressing me out. The CT, from what my claustrophobic friends have told me, is totally manageable. Thank GOD!

Thank you for the reassurance, dear Lilly. And the hugs!

I have a friend who is very like me who can't stand the MRI and told me the CT is like nothing. No big deal. So I'm hanging my hat on that. My son will go with me and I suspect we'll stop for BBQ on the way home which is a good reward!

I will also go up for acupuncture next week which I really love. She wants to clear out all the x-ray and contrast gunk. It's relaxing and I feel so great after. So I'll look forward to that as well.

Isn't high prolactin levels associated with an underactive thyroid? I thyroid that is not functioning properly can cause all kinds of health issues including depression. Might be worth monitoring?