How long are you in that machine? I'm just having my leg done. I'm curious how long i'll be at this place b/c I have other things to do tonight

3/26/2008 12:50:55 PM

1.15

and i refuse to have this done.

i'll wig out.

3/26/2008 12:51:18 PM

i had both of my knees scanned last year and it took 45mins each knee.

you have to lie really really still and the machine makes a lot of noise, but it's the steady kind that will put you to sleep. i just slept for most of it.

[Edited on March 26, 2008 at 12:52 PM. Reason : ]

3/26/2008 12:52:16 PM

^^claustrophobic?

Damn, 45 minutes?! Crap. Oh well.

3/26/2008 12:56:10 PM

My wife just got an MRI recently for her headaches. They've been getting more frequent and painful. Took about 35 minutes tops from the point we walked into the facility to the point we left.

P.S. Her brain is fine. Now we gotta go see a cardiologist.

3/26/2008 12:57:39 PM

I could get my limbs done, but when my upper half is in that tube I'll FREAK.

Anyway, it takes an hr 15 for head MRI, so 45 min. per limb sounds about right i suppose.

^that doesnt make sense. maybe they do partials or something, but a full scan is verbatim 1.15

[Edited on March 26, 2008 at 12:58 PM. Reason : k]

3/26/2008 12:58:02 PM

I've had 2, one of just a leg and one of my arm

The arm one seemed to take forever, the leg one seemed to be like 20 mins.

It was kinda relaxing though.

3/26/2008 12:58:23 PM

Quote :

"Took about 35 minutes tops from the point we walked into the facility to the point we left."

yeah mine was 45 mins from the time the machine started its run until it was done (it had a counter). you sure she didn't get a CT scan?


i was so afraid i was going to have to pee. wait until you get in the room w/ the machine then ask to go (that's what i did).

[Edited on March 26, 2008 at 1:00 PM. Reason : tiempo]

3/26/2008 1:00:01 PM

i had to have one of my upper half

loud

uncomfortable

can't move

claustrophobic as all get out

good thing it's just your leg

and even with insurance it can be $texas

3/26/2008 1:10:01 PM

if you haven't met your deductible, it's going to be $texas. mine was almost $1000 per knee (and i have a $2000 deductible).

3/26/2008 1:13:22 PM

Claustrophobia is easily countered with Valium. If I give you a couple Valium, I could dip you in a shark tank while you're covered in blood and you biggest reaction would be something along the lines of, "It's a little wet in here."

3/26/2008 1:13:31 PM

you can nap probably if it's gonna be awhile you just have to keep whatever they are looking at still, and since it's not your noggin or a major organ sleep won't affect the results

3/26/2008 1:31:03 PM

I had a knee done, took about 45 minutes IIRC.

3/26/2008 1:39:59 PM

I've had a few MRI's. The one I did here at Wake Med took forever and I was put completely inside the tunnel. The one I did in Egypt was a lot better since it was an open MRI and didn't take nearly as long.

3/26/2008 2:21:58 PM

I've had 2 since I've had a herniated disc in my lower back...I was inside the whole thing for an hour both times...was pretty cool, didn't mind it

3/26/2008 5:56:29 PM

i had an MRI done on my abdomen twice, and i was in the machine for like 15 minutes, if even that.

3/26/2008 6:02:44 PM

my husband has had his knee done 3 times and it takes anywhere from 25-45 minutes for those

hes also had his elbow done twice - 30 minutes for those

i had my back done and it took almost an hour

3/26/2008 6:38:07 PM

i had one and was in for like 2 hours, it felt like 30 min because i was doped up as hell because i am crazy claustrophobic

3/26/2008 7:07:48 PM

i've had 2, one was for my hip, the other for my knee.

the real problem is that its LOUD. make sure you get ear plugs. then just close your eyes and breathe normally - thats the easiest way to dose off. They do giv eyou a little button to push if you get claustrophobic but if you push it you are just going to end up taking longer in the long run.

3/26/2008 7:53:46 PM

Did anyone else develop special powers afterwards?

3/26/2008 7:55:12 PM

yes

3/26/2008 9:21:09 PM

i had my knee done, 45m sounds right. I power napped with the radio on.

3/26/2008 9:28:36 PM

Only took me about 25 minutes in the machine itself, and they did provide ear plugs for me.

HOWEVER, they were behind schedule and I had to wait two hours in the fucking waiting room to go in. Talk about ruining the evening!

[Edited on March 26, 2008 at 10:30 PM. Reason : k]

3/26/2008 10:29:40 PM

oh cmon pat, you've gotta get your health in check at some point. so you ruined the evening, could have been worse, maybe they would have caught something on the MRI.

3/26/2008 10:31:09 PM

i had my knee done too, i'm noticing a pattern here

did everyone else get diagnosed with this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker's_cyst

i did. i bet it was all fake now that i see that everyone and their brother has already had a knee MRI

3/26/2008 10:31:22 PM

I bet if you didn't have insurance they wouldn't have deemed it necessary.

The insurance companies are not the only problem here btw.

3/26/2008 10:32:31 PM

i went to get a checkup when i first got my job, and didnt have insurance yet. it was short and sweet and i was fine.

then after my insurance kicked in, i went back. and i ended up getting like 3 referrals out about some of the same pains and stuff that i'd mentioned a few months before. i went from them not thinking twice about my knee, to getting sent to another doctor, who sent me to an MRI, who tried to send me back to the doctor for surgery, etc etc etc.

i cant decide if my knee is really shot or not

3/26/2008 10:38:38 PM

^^probably man. I've already had 3 very experienced doctors tell me its a 3rd degree ACL tear, but I guess in this day and age its practically standard procedure. And thankfully my insurance covered it all, not a cent from me.

Quote :

"oh cmon pat, you've gotta get your health in check at some point. so you ruined the evening, could have been worse, maybe they would have caught something on the MRI."

yeah I know, its not a big deal

[Edited on March 26, 2008 at 10:39 PM. Reason : ^]

3/26/2008 10:38:44 PM

I recently had an MRI done on my entire back and left leg (which determined I have a herniated disk and pinched nerves in my leg) which took like 1 hr total. Shit was uncomfortable, b/c that lil' beating noise the machine makes right by my head kept me from going to sleep. Grrr! But wasn't bad. If you're claustrophobic, I feel bad for you.

3/27/2008 12:25:21 PM

Yeah about 10 minutes into the scan I fell asleep for a sec and then woke up. I could have sworn I jerked my leg, but when the test was over the technician told me I did a good job and didn't move. Phew!

Luckily I wasn't fully immersed in the machine, just my legs. clearance looked a little tight!

3/27/2008 12:28:37 PM

Yeah, I had to go all the way in. Plus my legs were propped up with a pillow or whatever. Shit was mad uncomfortable considering I was having excruciating sharp pains down my lower back down into my left leg. Blah. But I'm glad I got it, b/c it clearly shows the disk that is herniated. It's amazing.

3/27/2008 12:29:51 PM

about the baker's cyst thing, i've never been diagnosed with nor have i heard of it before.

and while we're on the topic of knees, i'll explain what my MRI was for...
i have periodic swelling/inflammation/fluid build-up in both knees, both ankles, my left wrist and left thumb...but my knees are the worst, most often, and interfere more with daily life. i test negative for the rheumatoid factor whatever they call it that indicates rheumatoid arthritis. i do not have osteoarthritis. i had xrays to check the ligaments and stuff in my knees, which was fine, then they did MRIs to check the whole thing. no/negative results.

i've also had some weird full body scan thing, i don't remember what it was called but they injected me with some radioactive stuff...2 hours later i come back and they scan me. it wasn't a CT or MRI. some sort of xray maybe? they said any cancer or anything that collects LOTS of blood would show up on the scan as a bright white spot. no white spots, but it looked really cool.

they still don't know what's wrong with me. we're 99% sure it's an autoimmune thing b/c it comes and goes, and def comes when i get sick...plus i already have 1 autoimmune disorder.

anybody have my problem? got any ideas?

3/27/2008 12:39:13 PM

wish I could help, but I have no idea.

I just wanna know how to get the damn swelling in my knee down! Been over two weeks, and its still quite obviously swollen.

3/27/2008 12:41:53 PM

can they draw the fluid off? they did that for me the first time my knee inflated. i woke up, got showered/dressed, went to work, then about an hour later my knee started getting bigger. pain started. by about 11am it was HUGE and hurt like hell and i couldn't walk on it at all. it was weird and scary.

3/27/2008 12:44:40 PM

Whatever you can do to AVOID knee surgery is the best option. Exhaust all possibilities. I hear that knee surgery is CRUCIAL and extremely painful, as well as the physical therapy required afterwards.

3/27/2008 12:47:12 PM

I had my knee reconstructed.. I wish I never did.

As for the MRI make sure you tell them if you have any metal that is in your body. VERY important.

3/27/2008 12:49:50 PM

^^My ACL's torn. There really isn't any way to recover 100% without surgery. The option is to build up the muscles around your knee big time and wear a brace during athletic activity. But even with that I highly doubt I could ski like I want to.

^I had the MRI last night. Explain why you wish you'd never had surgery please.

[Edited on March 27, 2008 at 12:50 PM. Reason : k]

3/27/2008 12:50:20 PM

my dad tore his ACL a few years back, and when they did xrays or something to check it out they found the space that the ligament passes through was too small (that way from birth) and they couldn't really repair it like normal. he had to have a full knee replacement. he's doing fine now but it was long tough road as far as recovery. every once in a while when he squats or picks something up and turns at the same time it gigs him.

both my grandparents on my mom's side have had knee replacements too. all of their doctors recommended building up those muscles and getting in the best shape of your life before the surgery. my dad did, my grandad did, but grandma did not. it's been over a year and she's still not up to snuff. granted she's old and you're not, but still i would get as strong as possible before any knee surgery.

3/27/2008 1:04:50 PM

^ PET scan

3/27/2008 1:20:27 PM

^^I'm working on the knee strength, but its a compromise with letting the swelling go down as well.

3/27/2008 4:52:45 PM

i have had a few due to various sports injuries and each time i request an open MRI. they put you in two disks that are like a sandwich and not a tube. they are much more comfortable to be in. i am bigger than the average person also i can not get my shoulders in a normal MRI tube anyway. next time do the open MRI

3/27/2008 8:22:49 PM

My doctor won't be back in the office till Tuesday, so I have to wait till then to hear his thoughts, UGH

3/28/2008 12:56:01 PM

^ Don't you love that?!?!

That's how it ALWAYS is at the neurologist office for me. The doctor is hardly available and u have to leave a message and wait for a phone call to even hear anything. Blah.

3/28/2008 9:01:10 PM

I'm having one done on Wednesday and then shoulder surgery at some point after that.

This will be MRI #2 for me, had one about 12 years ago on the same shoulder. This time they're going to inject me with some kind of dye first. Apparently this one is an MRI-arthrogram. Sounds expensive.

http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/PatientCare/MedicalSpecialties/SpecialtyCare/UWMEDICALCENTER/Radiology/mriarthrogram.htm

[Edited on March 29, 2008 at 12:34 AM. Reason : yippee]

3/29/2008 12:32:22 AM