BC sister's help me make it thru by MRI today - I had an allergic reaction

VickiSam
VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
MRI w/dye at St. Joseph's. I immediate had an allergic reaction to the dye, but fought my way thru the 30 minute procedure.

Suck a simple procedure, but I freaked out. Narrow, confined and wrapped like a baby on a thin table. Face down.

This will be a piece of cake, or so I thought until the saline solution was administered. I asked if my sweating and heart racing was normal, tech said, yes. Let's get you into the MRI machine.

One of my ear plugs fell out onto the floor, my right eye stating to pound. I said to myself, Vicki hold on this is nothing compared to what any of our bc sister's have expereinced. I state out loud .. I feel like it's a 120 degrees . is this normal? Yes, was the response I received from the Tech. I now am seeing white and color dots in my right eye.., still pounding -- okay relax, think about the enforcer, our Sundance filmmaker, think about..Judy who is waiting for results, Nichole in GA, 3 small boys husband deployed ..chemo sister, sick but will take daughter to gitar lesson .. the hundred's of bc surviors. pray ... My mouth is tingling, my veins feel like there on fire .. machine stops.. Tech asks me if I ok .. I say no, describe my symptoms .. she asks if I can go on another 10 mintues ... I find myself answering, yes, let's continue. I spend the next 10 mintues praying and thinking about the bc fighters .. sweat now dripping from my scalp onto the floor.

Test over, Tech takes 1 look at me & SAIDS .. oh my you've had an allergic reaction.. I see small hives on your forehead and you are flushed .. DUH! is what I answered back. Rude, perhaps .. she's lucky I didn't get angry, and chew her a new one.

Hugs from Mother of 2 in Corona, CA .. aka Vicki
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Comments

  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    Bravery
    Vicki, the way you endured your MRI today is as brave as anything I've seen. I myself would have been panicking. Usually, the waiting for test results is the worst, but it seems to me in your case the test itself was that. I'm also impressed at your composure with the tech.

    Next time, though, do whatever you have to do to get the attention of medical staff. You should not have had to experience this physical and emotional distress. Your mental strength is amazing and will serve you well in whatever treatment you have. But, don't put yourself through pain that can be avoided.

    My hats (of course I have many now) are off to you.

    Moopy
  • tjhay
    tjhay Member Posts: 655
    I agree
    I agree you did well Vicky, today you show the stuff you are made of. As one of you BC sisters I have nothing but admiration in you composure and self control. I would of been throwing a tantrum (I am know for that around here) Thank you for letting us know how things went, and remember we are always with you.
    tjhay
  • tasha_111
    tasha_111 Member Posts: 2,072
    tjhay said:

    I agree
    I agree you did well Vicky, today you show the stuff you are made of. As one of you BC sisters I have nothing but admiration in you composure and self control. I would of been throwing a tantrum (I am know for that around here) Thank you for letting us know how things went, and remember we are always with you.
    tjhay

    Vicky
    You done good. What a horrible experience, So proud of you and your bravery and fortitude. Like Tj tantrum said.........we're here.

    Huge hugs Jxxxxxxxxx
  • taleena
    taleena Member Posts: 1,612 Member
    Vicki... I'm so sorry you
    Vicki... I'm so sorry you had a reaction to the dye that they use.. I know when they started mine yesterday I thought for sure I was going to be sick all over the place.. well not really all over but in that place they make us put our faces... you poor thing... but you know what... YOU DID IT!! I am so glad that they didn't have to stop so that you would have to do it again.. and I'm so sorry that you had that reaction! I hate those things!!

    Wishing you the best..

    Hugs

    ~T
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    MRI's are hard enough as it
    MRI's are hard enough as it is without an allergic reaction! OMG sweetie, you are one brave soul; getting hives while the Techno-leprechauns are banging out "tunes" in that claustrophic tunnel is just about the largest show of courage I have heard of! You are one Mega-Warrior!

    I send you hugs and admiration!

    Chen♥
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    taleena said:

    Vicki... I'm so sorry you
    Vicki... I'm so sorry you had a reaction to the dye that they use.. I know when they started mine yesterday I thought for sure I was going to be sick all over the place.. well not really all over but in that place they make us put our faces... you poor thing... but you know what... YOU DID IT!! I am so glad that they didn't have to stop so that you would have to do it again.. and I'm so sorry that you had that reaction! I hate those things!!

    Wishing you the best..

    Hugs

    ~T

    Vicki
    You are so brave..I would have been flipping out (I think) it's just that we aren't sure what it is supposed to be like...so we put up with stuff that we really don't need to. Now at least they will know of your allergy so it shouldn't happen again.
    hugs, Jackie
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    blasted double post!
    grrrrrrrr!
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    chenheart said:

    blasted double post!
    grrrrrrrr!

    You girls - R A RIOT!
    Laughing out LOUD. Thanks for the words of encourgement, and support. Our website and sisterhood ROCKS!!

    Vicki
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    VickiSam said:

    You girls - R A RIOT!
    Laughing out LOUD. Thanks for the words of encourgement, and support. Our website and sisterhood ROCKS!!

    Vicki

    Wow Vicki! Glad you made it
    Wow Vicki! Glad you made it thru it. Maybe next time, you should be put into "twilight", and, without the allergic reaction.

    Hugs Lex♥
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    taleena said:

    Vicki... I'm so sorry you
    Vicki... I'm so sorry you had a reaction to the dye that they use.. I know when they started mine yesterday I thought for sure I was going to be sick all over the place.. well not really all over but in that place they make us put our faces... you poor thing... but you know what... YOU DID IT!! I am so glad that they didn't have to stop so that you would have to do it again.. and I'm so sorry that you had that reaction! I hate those things!!

    Wishing you the best..

    Hugs

    ~T

    Glad you are ok now Vicki.
    Glad you are ok now Vicki. What a horrible thing to have happen. Bet you won't be doing another MRI for a long time.

    ♥ Kylez ♥
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    Vicki
    Sorry you had to go through a bad experience, but glad you were ok in the end. I wonder what alternative they will use for the dye next time? Make sure you tell anyone doing a test to you, that requires a tracer, that you had this reaction! You don't want it to happen again. Pammy
  • Reikigemgirl
    Reikigemgirl Member Posts: 278
    Your composure......
    with the tech is amazing. I am afraid I would of been yelling by then. Thank goodness you are o.k.!!

    Love and Light,
    Vicki
  • zahalene
    zahalene Member Posts: 670
    Vicki,
    same thing happened to me with my first cat scan. Hives, hot flashes. Technician noticed and called in a dr. He said, 'You are allergic to IODINE...don't EVER let anyone inject you with an iodine dye again'. Each reaction can be more severe than the one before to the point of serious illness or even death.
    Find out what was in the dye you were given and avoid it like the plague in future. There are always other things they can use.
    God bless.
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    zahalene said:

    Vicki,
    same thing happened to me with my first cat scan. Hives, hot flashes. Technician noticed and called in a dr. He said, 'You are allergic to IODINE...don't EVER let anyone inject you with an iodine dye again'. Each reaction can be more severe than the one before to the point of serious illness or even death.
    Find out what was in the dye you were given and avoid it like the plague in future. There are always other things they can use.
    God bless.

    My worst test was the MRI. I
    My worst test was the MRI. I hated it and I to thought I was not going to get through it. I am glsd it is over for you.
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    Alexis F said:

    Wow Vicki! Glad you made it
    Wow Vicki! Glad you made it thru it. Maybe next time, you should be put into "twilight", and, without the allergic reaction.

    Hugs Lex♥

    Tink is DARLING!
    Lex! I love love love LOVE the Tinkerbelle! She is my absolute favorite!!!! As I am severely computer challenged, I am thinking of changing my name to LEX for the day, just so I can pretend that I have the Tinkerbelle! LOL

    Hugs,
    TinkerChen! hahahahahaha
  • creampuff91344
    creampuff91344 Member Posts: 988
    Kat11 said:

    My worst test was the MRI. I
    My worst test was the MRI. I hated it and I to thought I was not going to get through it. I am glsd it is over for you.

    Vickie,
    I am so glad to hear you made it through the MRI all the way, and that the reaction wasn't too alarming. (That's a joke! HA!) Sometimes the techs are behind that screen reading a comic book or something just as ridiculous, and pay little attention to our distress. I had a brain MRI about three months ago, and talked myself into being calm and reserved during the test. However, when the dye was injected, I also had a similar reaction. The test was 45 minutes long, and every time the tech would tell me over the microphone that the next phase would take ten minutes, I would start counting.....1001, 1002, 1003....etc. Those 45 minutes were the worst I have spent...ever. When they finally pulled me out of the machine, my eyes were bulged, hives all over my face, I was burning up, and shaking uncontrollably. EEK! "An allergic reaction", the tech yells to the top of her lungs, as I couldn't even speak. Here come doctors, nurses, machines, and the hospital seemed to be moving in ultra-sound speed. Needless to say, my chart is now marked "No Iodine - Allergic Reaction", and you can be sure when I had another brain MRI last month I was telling anyone who passed me in the hall that I couldn't have iodine....even the janitor. They also gave me a valium before starting the test, which helped to keep me calm. We live and learn, and ultimately are our own health advocates. There are lots of ways to get screenings, and I would be sure to object to anything being injected that I didn't know what it was. Good to hear you are doing okay now. Hugs,

    Judy
  • lolad
    lolad Member Posts: 670
    Vicki
    Im sorry that you had such a tough time getting through your mri. I think it was cool how you brought us all with you to make it through tho. At least its over and you got it out of the way now. I hope it all turns out good for you. Take care

    laura
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    Kat11 said:

    My worst test was the MRI. I
    My worst test was the MRI. I hated it and I to thought I was not going to get through it. I am glsd it is over for you.

    MRI .. thank you ladies for the positive input ..I have nothing
    but admiration for all of you. Not only are your fighting to dance with NED (my new term of the week), but you all take the time out your very busy day to post greetings, heart felt stories, diagnosis along with words of encourgement! You provide information and hope to newbies like myself DAILY - even when you are sick, lying on the floor -- Gusty and Graceful under pressure and personal attacks of breast cancer.


    THANK YOU ALL - from my heart . .. I need to stop, as I have tears (happy) rolling down my face. I am curious -- can I lose weight due to my non stop crying (I surely hope so).

    I would rather be on this site, than spend time with my family and friends. Please don't think bad about me, you all understand. Family and freinds have yet to see any negative side affects yet.

    Call me if anyone needs to CHAT .. seriously, I never go to bed before 12:30 a.m. here in CA.



    Hugs and prayers from Mother of 2 - Corona, CA - Vicki Samaduroff 951-818-7034

    Yes, I gave my full name and phone number .... I am here for YOU ... anonymity no longer -
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    At least it's over now and
    At least it's over now and you know about the allergic reaction and can avoid it in the future. Too bad things can't run smooth. Hugs.
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    chenheart said:

    Tink is DARLING!
    Lex! I love love love LOVE the Tinkerbelle! She is my absolute favorite!!!! As I am severely computer challenged, I am thinking of changing my name to LEX for the day, just so I can pretend that I have the Tinkerbelle! LOL

    Hugs,
    TinkerChen! hahahahahaha

    LOL Claudia! I am glad you
    LOL Claudia! I am glad you like Tinker! And, if you want, you go ahead and change your name to Lex for the day, but, I don't think that will change your avator. Or, will it? LOL

    Tinker Lex♥