Any MRI Contrast (Gadolinium) reactions?

[tripsplus6]

I am in the beginning stages of diagnostic procedures for fullness, vertigo, tinnitus, headaches so not even sure yet that it is AN.  ENT said use 2 weeks of Nasonex Steroid Nasal spray to reduce pressure---is that typical?  There is no fluid, but he said pressure, and that reducing the pressure with the spray will give a more accurate Audiogram.  Then do Audiogram which he said will tell us if I have an AN.  Does that sound accurate?  I assume MRI after that, or only if abnormal audiogram?  Anyway, I'm sure this sounds trivial with all the possible major worries ahead, but I hate getting IV push meds like that (Gadolinium) that I have never had before because I fear a reaction.  I have heard that adverse reactions to Gadolinium are pretty non-existant, it is very inert and allergies just do not occur with it.  So can I relax on that count?  Thanks.  If anyone wants more history of symptoms I will post, but hate to waste everyone's time since I dont have a diagnosis yet.  I mean, couldnt it be Meniere's or something else?  How do they differentiate?  We have 9 children including 4 yr old triplets and I just can't afford to be sick.  Oh, also, we live in northeast OH (ugh), near Cleveland.  Thanks again for listening.

[leapyrtwins]

Hi,

boy, you sure have your plate full with 9 children including triplets!!!  I don't know how you do it.  I have twins, 11 years old, and some days I'm ready to pull my hair out   You must have the patience of a saint.

I don't know much about your specific situation - that is, a lot of what you are saying I'm not familiar with.  But, I wanted to encourage you to keep participating in this forum.  I'm a newbie myself and have found out so many things in the past week or so since I first logged on.  And just reading what others have gone through and learning how they've coped is amazing to me.  I'm sure you'll find a lot of help here.

My only symptom, before being diagnosed with an AN, was muffled hearing and fullness in my ear.  It took me 3 months to see an ENT because I thought it was a "sinus thing" and that my ear would eventually "pop".  The ENT could find nothing by looking into my ear, but did a hearing test that showed significant hearing loss.  He sent me for an MRI (first one I've ever had) with gadolinium contrast and my AN was discovered.  I didn't have any reactions or side-effects from the gadolinium and don't know if they are common or not.  Hopefully another member can be more helpful.

Hang in there; and don't hesitate to post - these members are very nice people.

[sgerrard]

My regular Dr. had me try Flonase when we were thinking I just had a plugged up tube, and I guess that could help make sure that the hearing tests were more reliable. When the congestion treatments weren't working, I was referred to an ENT, who had me do a full hearing test. Besides the audiogram, they did a test that sends sound through the bone directly to the inner ear. It was the result of that test, i.e. inner ear hearing loss, that prompted the ENT to order an MRI.

I certainly had no reaction at all to the Gadolinium, and it lit up the AN like a little light bulb. It is what makes the MRI such a definitive a test for ANs, so don't worry about it - it's a good thing.

I hope you don't have one, but OH is okay, I think there is a good clinic there. Good luck.

Steve

[ppearl214]

Hi Tripsplus and welcome.  Praying your situation is not an AN...Please do keep us updated as to the diagnosis and if it is, indeed, an AN....

I have reaction to CT constrast, not MRI contrast.  CT contrast gives me headaches.... MRI contrast (Gadolinium) has no affect on me....

Hang in there, if you can, since your hands are slightly full.. and hoping you do not have an AN.

Phyl

[Carol]

Yes, I had a very large hive appear simultaneously with the MRI dye injection. Told my doctor about it when I went for results and was told that precautions would have to be taken when I had another one. The precautions included taking anti-histamines and prednisone hours before and then at the time of the pre-treatment MRI. However, at the last moment they decided that since they already had one MRI with dye, they could do the MRI without it. Only the one hive but it was taken seriously.
Caryl

[Jim Scott]

Hi, tripsplus6:

9 children is quite an accomplishment.  God bless all of you.   

For what it's worth, I've undergone six (6) MRI scans in the past 12 months, all using gandolinium injections for contrast.  I never had the slightest reaction.  Unfortunately, others have.  My wife had a nasty reaction to an injection (I forget what it was) they used during a CT scan of her spine.  She broke out in hives.  Not fun.  She won't be doing that again, I can assure you.

You'll probably not have any problems but you simply won't know until you have the MRI and the accompanying gandolinium injection, which  has proven to be the most efficacious method of finding AN tumors, especially small ones.  I really hope the MRI comes back 'negative' for you. 

Jim