MRI scan of the small bowel

Today was the day of my MRI scan of the small bowel.  I wasn't overly worried or anxious about it as I figured it wouldn't be as bad as a barium follow through x-ray, which is the way this area of the bowel used to be examined.  I didn't remember having a particular problem with the follow through so I concluded the MRI would be a walk in the park.  How wrong was I?

First up I had to drink a litre of a fluid called Mannitol. I wasn't allowed to eat or drink for 6 hours before, and my appointment was mid morning.  As I had been asleep all night, I actually hadn't had a drink for about 13 hours. At first I was glad of a drink - any drink.  It looked like water and tasted sweet with a slightly salty hint in the background.  The first cup was fine.  Then I started to feel a little nautious and strangely bloated. The rest of the drink was a struggle.  I started to feel a little pain in my upper abdomen, I'm guessing because the Mannitol was supposed to open up the bowel a little so that it could be viewed.

Before long it was time for the scan.  I had a cannula inserted into my arm, so that an IV of buscopan - a muscle relaxant could be administered, and later, a dye used to show up the blood in my body.

First of all I was laid down on the bed in front of the scanner, and then I was strapped to it with some cushion, padding type stuff over my front. I was given headphones that served both as ear defenders from the noise of the scanner, and as communication between me and the radiographer in the next room.  I had a series of scans taken like this.  I was asked to breathe in, breathe out a little and then hold my breath.  Sounds easy huh?  Not so easy when the breath hold was nearly 30 seconds long, and I currently have a heavy cold with a cough.  The first go at this was wasted as I had to breathe.  The breath holding was to keep everything as still as possible so that clear scans can be taken, without blurring.

Once I knew just how long I was expected to hold my breath, I was a little better at it.  After 10 mins of this I received the buscopan and the dye IV. I didn't particularly feel any of this, and no side effects of blurred vision.  Then it was back into the scan, for more of the same thing.

I don't suffer from claustrophobia, so the closeness of the tunnel wasn't a problem and being able to lie still and quiet when you are mother of two small children was something of a novelty.  The noise was quite surprising. A series of loud beeps and hums, and at one point hard vibrations that shook the table I was on!

In the second half, I desperately needed to cough, and the more I tried not to, the worse it got. I found myself swallowing to try to stop it, which wouldn't be very good as this would be moving the bowel.  The more I tried to stop, the more little involuntary spasms in my abdomen occurred.  In the end I had to ask them to pause while I gave a good cough! This wasn't just in my head because I knew I shouldn't.  I really do have a nasty cough at the moment!

Finally the scanning was over, and once I had got changed out of my gown and sat quietly for 10 minutes, I could go.

"All over" I thought.  Again, how wrong was I!  Almost immediately the muscle relaxant started to take effect on my bowels, and I have been running to the toilet for the last six hours.  I think it has finally stopped.  I have felt very bloated, sore and distended all afternoon.  I have also finally succumbed to the cold/flu I've been fighting for the past couple of days.  The rest of my family have had it - My Mum, Dad, and two daughters, and I knew it was a matter of time with me.  I've been coping with the shivers as well as diarrhoea all afternoon, and quite frankly I feel rotten!

Still, that's it for a while anyway.  I have now had the whole of my gut examined and I should have the results of the MRI in a week or two.  I also had the blood tests and chest x-ray done today that are required before I begin taking biologics.  I should get the results of these in a week and as long as they are all clear and my immune system is ok, then I will begin with the Humira injections.

In some ways it doesn't matter what the results of the MRI are.  Whether there is a lot of active disease in the small intestine, or no disease, I will still be on the Humira.

I'm not sure how I feel about the thought of beginning the biologics .  At the moment, all I want to do is get over the cold, and start pushing this gremlin back into remission!