ANA Discussion Forum

Post-Treatment => Eye Issues => Topic started by: 4cm in Pacific Northwest on October 31, 2007, 03:01:43 pm

Title: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: 4cm in Pacific Northwest on October 31, 2007, 03:01:43 pm

Hey all,

I am in the midst of booking my 3 month follow up MRI post surgery. They ask all sorts of questions about “metal� body parts. (I am both a metal head and a fat head LOL) Titanium is not a big deal …

My eye weight is still the temporary-stick-on kind on so I will simply take it off for the MRI and stick it back on later. But one day I may have to get the gold weight implant… if the eyelid remains stubborn .I am waiting (or was that “weightingâ€?) out the facial palsy phase- LOL ;D (sorry punny   ::) post craniotomy humor there)

So once you have the gold eye weight – can you still have the MRI being that you have a metal implant in your eyelid?

I figured that you-all are THE folks to ask on this one.

4

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: Jeanlea on October 31, 2007, 05:42:50 pm

Hi 4,

Yes, you can have an MRI with a gold eyeweight.  Pure gold is not magnetic.  But it reminds me of my first MRI after my surgery and the eyeweight.  They asked me the metal questions.  I wasn't sure if my eye weight was pure gold or not.  So they tested it out.  A technician or nurse stood by my side and had me walk closer and closer to the MRI machine.  I guess if it didn't rip the weight out of my eye I was good to go.  LOL 

Jean

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: badyellowvette on November 08, 2007, 05:23:37 pm

I have had many MRI in the past 22 years since my FIRST tumor, never a problem. It has gotten warm at times when getting a MRI.

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: TP on November 12, 2007, 06:39:39 pm

I had my gold eye weight removed today! Yee ha! I've had it for 16 months now and my eye Dr (Dr. Smithwick-sweetest Dr) who I saw this past Friday said it was time to have it removed, so he did it this afternoon in his office (I originally had it placed during my last hospital visit last year). This procedure was done in his office. I had a little sting while he was injecting me with the needle but once removed I was able to close my eye on my own. The whole procedure lasted about 15 minutes. It is a little swollen and now that the numbness is leaving me I am going to put some ice on it for a bit. He gave me the gold weight and it had three little holes in it where he stiched the weight into my lid. I am going to make a piece of jewelry out of it in remembrance of my ordeal!!

God is good! Only issues remain that bug me is the SSD and facial paralysis. Hopefully the paralysis will get better over the next few years!

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: 4cm in Pacific Northwest on November 12, 2007, 09:35:33 pm

TP

It is party time and this is due cause for a celebration! :)

3 cheers for TP in getting her eye weight out ;D

Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!  

I love reading these success stories it gives me hope and helps me, the ever-so-impatient-patient, that patience is a virtue.

Way to go TP!

Cheers,

4

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: nancyann on November 13, 2007, 05:36:15 am

Great news TP - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!       Nancy

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: TP on November 13, 2007, 11:22:51 am

You ALL are so sweet and kind. Thank you for the congrats! I woke up in the middle of the night with my face all wet. I thought my eye had tears in it now but NO I went into the bathroom and had blood on my face and eye. I was worried my eye ball was bleeding but it was my eye lid and I must have pulled the stich while I was sleeping. I fixed it up and the bleeding stopped. The eye lid is sorta puffy but today there are no issues. Isn't this process FUN!!!

I hope everyone has a great day!

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: nancyann on November 13, 2007, 04:43:33 pm

HOLY MOLY TP!!!    You sound so matter-of-fact about what happened - I'd have been FREAKING OUT!!!!!   Did you call the doctor today ???
I had my eye weight taken out because of an allergic reaction - what happened to you didn't happen to me;  I remember keeping ice pack to my eye for a few days, also applying an eye ointment prescribed by the doc along the incision line.
Hope you continue with your healing.   BE CAREFUL!!!!!    All the best,  Nancy

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: Karen on November 13, 2007, 07:26:35 pm

How did you know it was time for the weight to come out?  Did you have to have it put in as an outpatient?  I am wanting to have mine taken out and was afraid it would have to be as an outpatient and I am getting tired of surgeries.  I think mine is to heavy I can't keep my eye open. Karen

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: TP on November 13, 2007, 08:26:35 pm

Karen and Nancy:

My eye lid was was not as opened as the other one and my eye Dr tested the muscle and it appeared to be strong enough to close on its own. So he said it was time to remove the weight (plus I was sick of looking at it, as well as my friends). He tested my eye by pulling up on my lid while I tried to keep my eye closed. So far it is closing when I blink and it stayed closed all night last night.

The procedure was very simple. I sat in the office chair while he did it. He numbed my eye to calm it down while he injected on my eye lid novacane and that took about 10 minutes. It stung a little and then I walked to another room in the office and he tested it to make sure I couldn't feel anything and he did a small incision. My husband actually sat in the room and watched the whole thing. It took about 10 minutes to pull the weight out and he stiched me up. I put ice on it in the evening and took two aspirins.

When I had the eye weight placed in my eye, I was already in the hospital. That surgery I didn't feel anything, the one yesterday I felt a little sting which really wasn't bad at all. 

Nancy, I forgot to call my Dr today and tell them what happened. I guess I need to do that tomorrow. At 2:45 AM when it happened, I was sleeping so well and then felt my eye all wet. I was so excited when I woke up, I thought for a brief moment that by removing my gold weight that my dry eye finally got tears. Boy was I wrong when I walked in the bathroom and looked in the mirror and saw blood over my face. I said a few choice words and thought oh my gosh, my eye ball that was double vision a few months ago was bleeding. Then I remembered that I had stiches on my eye lid and pulled out my old eye patches and gauze and fixed me up. I was more worried I had blood on my pillow case - which thankfully I didn't. I am putting an antibiotic ointment on it twice a day.

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: 4cm in Pacific Northwest on November 13, 2007, 09:02:36 pm

TP

quoting you
"I put ice on it in the evening and took two aspirins."

Ice makes sense but not the asprin (tylenol maybe) ... did the doctor suggest asprin?

Be sure to tell the doc you had bleeding at the incision site...

Is it still bleeding? ... if it is I suggest you just contact the "on call"...

Take good care,

4

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: nancyann on November 14, 2007, 05:47:13 am

Hey TP:  I agree with 4 - before & after surgery I stay away from aspirins, Aleve, etc., & stick with Tylenol, at least for a month or so (I overdo it, I know).   Definitely call your doc if you haven't - you may need another stitch in there to avoid thicker scarring along the suture line.  Best to be safe.
Best wishes,  Nancy

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: TP on November 14, 2007, 08:19:39 pm

Hey ladies, well the good news is my eye lid only bled on Monday night. I must have rolled over on my face and hit the side of my theraputic pillow that has an edge on it.  I haven't had any problems since and yes, I forgot to call my Dr again today. I am bad....however, I've had a lot on my mind. We have a very close friend (46 years old) who was diagnosed with (signet cell-stomach) cancer about 2 months ago and we were told yesterday he has less than two weeks to live. He was one of the first friends we had who came to see me when I got out of my surgery last year and was in ICU looking like a mac truck hit me. When I learned I had a brain tumor and called him to tell him the news he had to pull over off of Interstate 95 to cry. Now he is dying and I all I can do is pray for him and when I visit him in the hospital I gently massage his feet with cream. Life is precious, we have to make every day special! 

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: 4cm in Pacific Northwest on November 14, 2007, 08:54:02 pm

TP

Oh you do need a hug!

HUGs

4

AN Family ... I think TP needs a group hug here...

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: yardtick on November 16, 2007, 05:02:52 pm

TP,

 So sorry about your very sad news.  Thinking of you, your friend and his family.

Anne Marie

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: lori67 on November 16, 2007, 05:32:44 pm

I'm new at this virtual hug thing, but here goes....

HUG!!!!!!!!

Hope that worked.
I know your friend appreciates you being there for him, just like he was for you.  What a special friendship.
Lori

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: TP on November 18, 2007, 07:32:04 pm

Oh WOW, thank you all for your hugs. That is so sweet of you all.

Andy died this past Saturday (11/17). He fought until the end, he was sick of being in the hospital and wanted to get out of bed, they sedated him pretty heavy and he couldn't take it any longer and died with his family around him.  This cancer was so fast. We all were at the beach in August having a cook out and laughing. A few weeks later he was in the hospital having surgery and within two months his intestines and stomach were eating up with tumors.  His service is tomorrow and then he will be transported to North Carolina to be buried next to his dad. He leaves two young girls, 16 and 8. He was divorced.  :'(

The sermon at church today was about being thankful and having gratitude. Bottom line, as much as it is so sad he died at such a young age and leaving his mom, brothers and two beautiful girls,  I am so thankful he was in our life for the past 2 1/2 years. He was our first friend we met when we moved here and we had him over for Thanksgiving the last two years as he was single and had no where to go since his family lived out of town and his girls were at their mom.

This website has been such a blessing to me, thank you all for your understanding and kind words of support. 

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: yardtick on November 19, 2007, 11:49:37 am

We have all lost someone close to us.  We lost a forum member on Sept 24.  I know I speak for all of us on this forum, we feel your pain.  This life of ours is so complicated at times.  Its his girls I feel for.  I lost my mom when I was 8, 39 yrs age.  It is something that never leaves you.  I also feel for his mother.  No parent should out live their child.

You were a good friend to him.  I hope you are well.  Take care of yourself.

Anne Marie
   

Title: Re: MRI question re: eye weights
Post by: 4cm in Pacific Northwest on November 19, 2007, 07:04:57 pm

More hugs to you YP

4