MRI: Watching "House" Isn't Enough to Know What to Expect

I thought I had been totally prepared for the MRI I had this afternoon, right down to taking a Xanax as recommended. (That probably helped!)  Plus, I loved that show "House" where some of the best scenes were between the doctors conducting a MRI on the patient who in about 20 or so minutes would be miraculously saved.

What I wasn't prepared for was every time I was told not to move (Very Important That You Don't Move), my nose or ear would itch. I expected it to be noisy and in a confined space, but didn't realize the sounds would sound like some sort of alarm and intermittent, so would startle me in the beginning. Trying not to jump when startled was hard enough but keep breathing calmly even harder.

No where did I read that you'd feel this weird sensation as it was taking images using the magnetic technology.  Not really painful, just this almost vibration feeling. It was actually uncomfortable in that spot on my back where I have a little degenerative bone disease in my sacroiliac joint.

Hardest part was not to ask the technician to describe what she saw and her experience what it is means. I will wait for the meeting tomorrow with the surgeon who will go over everything with all the various tests (biopsy results, mammogram, ultrasound and now MRI) in hand.