Re: OT - MRI on Monday - freaking out about anesthesia

[Guest guest]

Hi, I hope I can help a little. My son will be 4 in March. He just had an

MRI done on February 7. They gave him an IV sedation. He was a little upset

with that, but once it was over he just sat on my husbands lap and relaxed

until it was time for the MRI. They then bought him in to the room where the

MRI was to be done. They then gave him the sedation medication. After the

MRI (which took about 35 minutes) we went with him up to recovery. It took

about a half hour for him to wake and drink something. ( they wouldn't let

him leave until he could drink something). He fell back asleep on the way

home (about 5:30PM) and slept until the next morning 6AM). After that he was

back to his normal self. I understand your concern for his cold. My son had

to have eye surgery back in December of 2000. He had come down with a cold

right before the surgery. I called the hospital to see if it would still be

okay to have the surgery and they told me to bring him in to see the

anesthesiologist. When he met with the anesthesiologist he said if it were

my child I would not put him under with this cold. So we canceled the

surgery for a later date when he was not sick. I think you should contact

the hospital and tell them what's going on. They might have you come in and

see your child like mine.

My sons MRI results did come back normal. What a relief. I wish you the

best with your child.

I hope I might have helped a little bit. I know what a hard time this is for

you.

Good luck with everything.

[Guest guest]

I can completely relate! I went through similar thing with my son. I

was completely against the IV sedation they were using for my son,

and went along very relunctly. Just go with your gut, if it feels

wrong wait. I don't think you ever feel great when you are facing any

kind of anesthesia for your child. Do you feel comfortable with the

facility he's going to, if so you have to trust that the Doctor who

has expereince with this will make the right call. Did you talk to

your regular Pediatrician about what they will use? Prayers are with

you and your family, hope all turns out well. Carole

> Hi Mom's, doctors, doctor moms, and others,

> My Son has a MRI scheduled on Monday - he is just shy of 3 years. I

am

> really scared about the anesthesia - they won't use chyloral

hydrate

> at this hospital so he is getting some type of gas.

> I am nervous because he has bit of a cold, stuffiness and I know

this

> increases the risk of the anesthesia. The nurse said to bring him

in

> and the anesthesiologist will make the call - but I don't know this

> doctor - just whoever is there at the time.

> I don't want to take any risks. Yet, my son is in pre-school so he

> basically perpetually has a cold or is on the tail end of a cold or

a

> sniffly thing it seems. He needs the MRI because he's had an

abnormal

> eeg and I don't want to continue to wait (took over a month for

this

> appointment) -aaahhh!!

> Anyone with any experience, words of wisdom, good thoughts for me?

> Thanks, na Piccillo

[Guest guest]

Hi na -

I don't post here, I mostly read but I have two children who have had

MRIs. My daudhter had her's at 6 months with chyloral hydrate. Bad

choice, they had to do it three times (on three different days)

because she kept waking up. That machine is SO LOUD. Looking back I

wish I had insisted on general because she had to have an IV for

contrast anyway. I would not do oral sedative again ( from what I

understand it is not generally used for over 1 yr anyway) My son had

a MRI because of suspected seizures and an abnormal EEG. He was given

a IV line for a contrast dye so they gave him a IV sedative and he

was out in less than 2 seconds. The Dr was not even finished

depressing the plunger and he was out. He never remembered a thing.

They told me they could not give him gas because the tanks could be

nowhere near the MRI facility. We also had the stuffiness/cold

problem and were turned away from the first MRI with our daughter.

But the Dr who did the MRI on our son said " no big deal " to the runny

nose(this one was done at Yale New Haven Hospital in CT, supposidly

one of the finest) Hope this helps, haveing the " everything is

normal " results really helped us. The small risk of anestisia was

well worth the peace of mind, hope this helps.

Amy

> Hi Mom's, doctors, doctor moms, and others,

> My Son has a MRI scheduled on Monday - he is just shy of 3 years. I

am

> really scared about the anesthesia - they won't use chyloral

hydrate

> at this hospital so he is getting some type of gas.

> I am nervous because he has bit of a cold, stuffiness and I know

this

> increases the risk of the anesthesia. The nurse said to bring him

in

> and the anesthesiologist will make the call - but I don't know this

> doctor - just whoever is there at the time.

> I don't want to take any risks. Yet, my son is in pre-school so he

> basically perpetually has a cold or is on the tail end of a cold or

a

> sniffly thing it seems. He needs the MRI because he's had an

abnormal

> eeg and I don't want to continue to wait (took over a month for

this

> appointment) -aaahhh!!

> Anyone with any experience, words of wisdom, good thoughts for me?

> Thanks, na Piccillo

[Guest guest]

Why don't they use chloral hydrate. That's what they used on my

daughter.

> Hi Mom's, doctors, doctor moms, and others,

> My Son has a MRI scheduled on Monday - he is just shy of 3 years.

I am

> really scared about the anesthesia - they won't use chyloral

hydrate

> at this hospital so he is getting some type of gas.

> I am nervous because he has bit of a cold, stuffiness and I know

this

> increases the risk of the anesthesia. The nurse said to bring him

in

> and the anesthesiologist will make the call - but I don't know

this

> doctor - just whoever is there at the time.

> I don't want to take any risks. Yet, my son is in pre-school so he

> basically perpetually has a cold or is on the tail end of a cold

or a

> sniffly thing it seems. He needs the MRI because he's had an

abnormal

> eeg and I don't want to continue to wait (took over a month for

this

> appointment) -aaahhh!!

> Anyone with any experience, words of wisdom, good thoughts for me?

> Thanks, na Piccillo

[Guest guest]

Hi!

My son who is 20 yrs. has had many MRI's with a variety of

sedations. When my little one needed it, we were able to use chloral

hydrate, but the info they sent prior said that it was only used up

to age 2 years. When she had her last surgery for ear tubes, they

used gas and while the child fights the mask, it is faster for them

to go to sleep when they are yelling. They do come out of the gas

cranky!! And, because they are still so out of it, they are not

really able to respond to your verbal comforting. My daughter went

back to sleep after the firt hestaria spell and when she woke she was

much calmer and in about half an hour from then, she was drinking and

we were out of there.

I took her to her ped. the day before for her runny nose to get a

letter stating that she always had a runny nose and this one was the

usual type. Of course, the anesth. has the final call and while I

argue with everyone else, they do always have the best intrest of the

child in mind and especially in a non-emergency test.

They do have salf tanks for the MRI, now. But the one thing I always

do is just make a quick sweep of the things in the room and if

anything doesn't say MRI on it, ask if it should be there. Right

before my daughter's MRI was turned on, the technician came running

in to remove a garbage can that wasn't suppose to be there. You

should be able to sit in the room, if you want, and it will be cold

in the room. If you have a sweater or sweat shirt with out zippers

or snaps ( all of your clothes) you might need it. Also, credit

cards and anything with a

magnetic strip will be damaged. They usually give you good info. on

what to bring, but I have had times with out knowing.

I hope everything is " normal " and if it isn't, I hope that it at

least leads you to answers.

Gloria