The dreaded MRI
I have suddenly gone deaf in my left ear and 2 specialists dont know why. Last week one of the doctors was cleaning out my ear with a long suction tube for about 20 minutes, as I was gripping the arms of my chair with both hands. He was pulling out things I didnt think would even fit in my ear, but he finally said, "well you certainly have a nice, clean ear now, but I dont know what is causing the deafness". There is a small possiblity there could be a tumor deep in the inner ear that we cant see. These words sent shivers down my spine as I knew exactly what his next words would be ........You will need an MRI. Oh no, the dreaded MRI. Now, to explain my fear of the MRI, my claustaphobic level on a scale of l to l0 is l5. I have had 2 MRI's in the past for other ailments and know what to expect.
On the way home I was thinking that being deaf in one ear is not bad at all. I can hear fine out of my right ear, I have absolutely no pain, so why not just continue as I am and forget the MRI. Then my common sense took charge and I remembered what the doc had said about maybe, just maybe there could be a small tumor. So, MRI here I come.
The day of the MRI, the doc had given me a prescription for valium just in case I needed it (ha, ha, as if I would not need it), so 30 minutes before the procedure I swallowed the bottle of valium and was feeling pretty good by the time the technician came to get me. Little did I know what was awaiting me.
She was very nice and gentle speaking as we entered the torture chamber where the MRI was and as I looked at the machine I noticed Hannibals mask from Silence of the Lamb, laying on the bed. Whoa, hold on there Batman, what the F--- is that for. She explained that for full brain scans I had to wear that so I would not move my head and ruin the xray. Holy S---, I did not sign up for this. Even though I was stoned from the valium, I said that I truly did not think I would be able to manage that. She asked me to just give it a try. So, I lay down, she put earplugs in my ears and very gently attached the mask to my head. It was clear plastic and surprisingly not as bad as I thought. So, we started the MRI. After a few minutes she took my right arm and said she need to start an IV for a certain type of chemical to go into my brain so they could see more of what was there. After this shock wore off, I told her I had no veins and she would need to use the small butterfly needle in order to get into a vein. Guess what, she had no butterfly needles. So, after poking my arm 3 times with no success she found a vein in my hand and was able to insert the needle.
Remarkably, I was able to stay calm throughout all this, except when she said if you feel your arm getting hot or burning, we will have to stop the MRI, remove the needle, and start the MRI all over. "If your feel a hot arm, just push the button I gave you and we will stop it". After being in the MRI now for about 30 minutes with 30 minutes to go, I would let my arm catch on fire before I would push the button to stop and start all over.
Well, to make a long story short, I survived, went home and spent 6 hours sleeping off the valium. Wont have the results until I see the doctor again in 2 weeks.
The moral of my story is DONT GET OLD and dont have an MRI without some valium.
On the way home I was thinking that being deaf in one ear is not bad at all. I can hear fine out of my right ear, I have absolutely no pain, so why not just continue as I am and forget the MRI. Then my common sense took charge and I remembered what the doc had said about maybe, just maybe there could be a small tumor. So, MRI here I come.
The day of the MRI, the doc had given me a prescription for valium just in case I needed it (ha, ha, as if I would not need it), so 30 minutes before the procedure I swallowed the bottle of valium and was feeling pretty good by the time the technician came to get me. Little did I know what was awaiting me.
She was very nice and gentle speaking as we entered the torture chamber where the MRI was and as I looked at the machine I noticed Hannibals mask from Silence of the Lamb, laying on the bed. Whoa, hold on there Batman, what the F--- is that for. She explained that for full brain scans I had to wear that so I would not move my head and ruin the xray. Holy S---, I did not sign up for this. Even though I was stoned from the valium, I said that I truly did not think I would be able to manage that. She asked me to just give it a try. So, I lay down, she put earplugs in my ears and very gently attached the mask to my head. It was clear plastic and surprisingly not as bad as I thought. So, we started the MRI. After a few minutes she took my right arm and said she need to start an IV for a certain type of chemical to go into my brain so they could see more of what was there. After this shock wore off, I told her I had no veins and she would need to use the small butterfly needle in order to get into a vein. Guess what, she had no butterfly needles. So, after poking my arm 3 times with no success she found a vein in my hand and was able to insert the needle.
Remarkably, I was able to stay calm throughout all this, except when she said if you feel your arm getting hot or burning, we will have to stop the MRI, remove the needle, and start the MRI all over. "If your feel a hot arm, just push the button I gave you and we will stop it". After being in the MRI now for about 30 minutes with 30 minutes to go, I would let my arm catch on fire before I would push the button to stop and start all over.
Well, to make a long story short, I survived, went home and spent 6 hours sleeping off the valium. Wont have the results until I see the doctor again in 2 weeks.
The moral of my story is DONT GET OLD and dont have an MRI without some valium.
Replies
I was certainly thinking about YOU and what an experience it was!
Hoping that the two weeks does not just inch along and that you will understand what you are dealing with and that you won\'t have to have anymore of those. My sister is deaf in her left ear and it was because of the mumps as a child. She has learned to compensate for it, yet I\'m sure it must be quite a strange sensation to have hearing in that ear and then not.
Had to LOL about the \"arm on fire\" yet I know it was not funny at all, yet how you described it I know I would have let that 4 alarm fire happen too.
Lots of loving care dear Katrina,
XO Joanie
Hope it is good news that you receive. I don\'t do well in those kinds of tests either. I get dizzy when I lay flat and then my heart beats very quickly and it is so hard to stay still. (((HUGS)) to you. Connie
Good for you. You were very brave. Hope you don\'t have a tumour.
My hubby just had an MRI for the exact same problem...sudden deafness left ear
In addition they put him on steroids which screwed with his blood sugar but some hearing has come back
Good luck !!!
Hoping for all good news. These tests are truly torture. Peace, Kathy
Thanks for the tip! I have never had an MRI but I did have a CT scam with dye. That was enough.
Praying that all goes well.
Hugs, Marlene
Keep me posted, praying that all is well, Abby
oh my goodness.... as I was reading,,, my thoughts went back,,, way back,,,labor day weekend 1982,,,,, we had just gotten married in August and I ended up with a bladder infection that went to my kidneys,, as I laid in the hospital the nurse stabbbbbed me over and over to put in an iv... ouch oh how I cried!!!! glad your made it through,,,,,, sending prayers you are ok..
Gotta say this, listen up: sudden deafness in one ear can be a sign of serious problems. MRIs? I\'ve had many. Are they FUN? Heck no. But would you trade your life because you can\'t tolerate one, a fully grown adult? I don\'t think so.
All that suction that idiot did may have damaged your ear drum. After results of MRI (and I have had a full brain scan), find another ENT, second opinion. If the ear drum was ruptured, it will take time to heal and you will need antibiotics. Don\'t give up and don\'t worry too much (easy to say, hard to do).
PS: let\'s put some humor into this and this is a TRUE STORY.
I went for an MRI (who remembers why, I\'ve had several). I saw a sign on the door going from the waiting room into the MRI room that said, in huge letters: NO WEAPONS ALLOWED PAST THIS POINT. Ooooook.......here I am dressed in this little thing with a bow tie and where am I supposed to PUT a weapon and who put this sign up and WHY? So, being ME, I just had to ask. (Wouldn\'t you? lol) And this is what the Technician told me, TOTALLY TRUE STORY. Some State Cop or local Cop (can\'t remember) was having an MRI. He considered the locker he was given a poor and unsafe place to leave his (loaded, semi-automatic Glock with one in the chamber, cause that\'s how the cops carry them) into this \"flimsy\" locker. DO NOT ask me how he got it past the technician but he did and he got into the MRI. GUESS WHAT HAPPENED? DUH>>>>>????? As the MRI got going, the magnetic field PULLED THE CHAMBERED CARTRIDGE DOWN THE BARREL AND OUT, making an enormous hole in the MRI machine, $1.5 MILLION dollar machine. TALK ABOUT STUPID? I never did find out if the insurance company compensated this place for the loss of that machine but I can tell you this: that COP needed to be immediately DISARMED, his credentials taken away, and introduced to another sort of job LOLOL.
Wow, what a wild experience Katrina! I\'m so glad that you survived it in one piece!
I pray that the results are good. I can imagine it will be a long two weeks for you. Please keep us updated.
Love & Peace,
Diane
Abby, have you had an eye exam lately. Not trying to scare you but that is how my sister started with an Acustic Neuroma(spelling)tumor. It is not cancer. A friend of mine has one and it is too small to operate on. He is doing fine. Good luck to you
Dear Katrina: I,am sorry about your ear and MRI . I have that tenntis ringing in the ears. it comes and goes. But there is a tumor youcan get in ears or head but it is not cancerous they can remove them. Acousta I think it is called.. I agree with you completley DON,T GET OLD IT IS NO FUN AT ALL I don,t think I have had so many aches and pains in my life. I think it is from that surgery I had last year 11/1/2013 when my breast implants ruptured and all the silicon came out. Who knows. I hope you feel good soon. and that ear is ok. alot of people are deaf in one ear. Bless your an gel hugs Mary Ann
Love the moral of your story....
Lets see....if we don\'t get old, we die !
If we don\'t get a needed MRI, we can die !
I will take the valumn and think nasty thoughts in able to survive, lol...
((((HUGS & GOOD LUCK )))...Julia