Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
I'm getting an MRI on my lumbar/sacrum area this Thursday. I wanted to find out if anyone has any tips for staying calm in the "tube" and to know if the MRI pretty much shows anything that can be wrong in the area including nerves being pinched or compressed.
The tube shows that each end is open but it's not an "open mri". I don't get claustrophobic per se but wondered if there is anything you can recommend to remain calm.
My x-ray and doctor positioning me- moving various ways was diagnosed as lumbar facet syndrome. I've been doing PT to strengthen core muscles and thought I was making progress but Saturday I was standing in the lobby after a concert and after 20minutes, I had to sit down as my lower back was sooooo painful! Standing hurts. Walking is fine...sitting and lying down are great. But STANDING (like in a line at the post office) just hurts so dang much. Anyone else have this? Any chance that the MRI will show what's up?
Thank you very much.
The tube shows that each end is open but it's not an "open mri". I don't get claustrophobic per se but wondered if there is anything you can recommend to remain calm.
My x-ray and doctor positioning me- moving various ways was diagnosed as lumbar facet syndrome. I've been doing PT to strengthen core muscles and thought I was making progress but Saturday I was standing in the lobby after a concert and after 20minutes, I had to sit down as my lower back was sooooo painful! Standing hurts. Walking is fine...sitting and lying down are great. But STANDING (like in a line at the post office) just hurts so dang much. Anyone else have this? Any chance that the MRI will show what's up?
Thank you very much.
The place where I had it done gave me 'glasses' to wear. Instead of 'glass', there were mirrors in the frames. It was like looking at a rear view mirror in a car. What I saw in the 'glasses' was the view of the window on the wall behind me.
They also gave me headphones, asked what music I wanted to listen to. The MRI is really loud. The music was not loud enough, but I think if it had been, I might have hurt my hearing.
Good luck.
Lynne
As far as interpreting them goes, depends on who's doing the looking. My current ortho says he doesn't even bother reading the radiologists' notes- just looks for himself. A neurologist will see different things than an orthopedist than a rheumatologist. Combination of too much information and confirmation bias. As Jen says, you can get a copy, or another doc can usually look at it online.
You may very well find it more comfortable than you think. Good luck! I've been there acute back pain from disc herniation. Being in too much pain to stand is a real bummer. Hope you feel better soon!
I'm glad to know that the MRI will show so much that I can "hope" to have help for my back. It hurts standing around and that's driving me crazy.
Yesterday, I accepted a job interview for next Wednesday. Ever since I said yes, my RA has kicked in like crazy, as has my back. My left wrist feels numb and tingly like it did before my carpal tunnel surgery. My left pinky toe is intentionally trying to be too close to the next toe (RA shift I guess), and my back aches. :(
I need the job. It's just part time 9-3p Monday through Friday. It fits my family's schedule and we've got to get some money put away for college!
I have prednisone for "flares" and I took 3mg yesterday and just 1mg this evening. I didn't do any manual labor today and tried to take it easy except grocery shopping and some laundry folding. MRI is tomorrow and my job interview changed to next Friday giving me two extra days to prepare.
I sure hope my situation isn't complicated. I really need that job. :)
So, tomorrow I'm going to do an open MRI. When I take drugs that are supposed to be calming, I am still a nervous wreck, maybe even more than usual. Hopefully, this won't be too terrible.
2leftfeet- I tried the glasses but the view was upside down and it made me nauseas. How odd! And the headphones would have been good but I couldn't stay in there more than 2 minutes. I even tried going in feet first to see if that would help. Nothing helped. I sure hope the open MRI is ok!!!
I got the CD - and will get results by Wednesday.
I did learn something...this whole time I thought my lumbar pain only came from standing. But I was lying on a very firm/hard surface for 40min and my back ached as bad as when I stand. So it happens in that position too.