Dizziness and MRI

[carrie235]

Hi Everyone:

I am scheduled to have an MRI of my brain on Monday.  I used to post on this board and I hope that you don't mind that I come back with another question.  Some of you may remember my story, but I had a sudden onset of crazy neuro symptoms back about two years ago (facial numbness, numbness in feet/toes, pain in feet and hands, tingling/pulsating/vibration in legs, trembling, etc.).  Anyhow, an MRI revealed 20 small scattered lesions throughout my brain, not typical of MS.  All other tests ruled out MS.

Six months later, another MRI showed no changes.  Now, a year after the second MRI, I am scheduled to have a final MRI on Monday to completely rule out MS.  I tested positive for Lyme in January 2011, began treatment and have made a lot of progress.  I still worry about MS though....

My question is....I am having a lot of dizziness - I think because of the meds I'm on because the dizziness started right after starting the new meds of Zithromax and Rifampin.  I am worried that this dizziness may somehow affect my MRI.....does anyone have any information that this will or will not affect my MRI?  I don't have dizziness when just keeping my head in normal position, but if I tilt my head to the left or look up like at the sky..whoa...dizzy!

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and I very much appreciate your time in helping me out on this.

Thanks!

Carrie

[sllowe]

Hi Carrie!

Like Dennis, I say too it should not cause any problems, except if you move.
It's funny you mention if something would show during the imaging based on what was going on in there. I remember thinking the exact same thing when I was being imaged for the 1st time. But, not because of dizzy, but because of the distrubing sensations I would get.

I layed there thinking, wonder if they got that one, or that one, I've never revealed that thought I simply had never had an mri before so did not know how they worked. A refresher on the technical side of how mri show lesions health page may be helpful too.

Thank you for coming back to us - you never have to ask to do that btw - it's nice to hear you have seen some improvement where the lymes is concerned. However, this persistent dizzy must be very difficult to live with daily :)
Please let us know how you make out!
-shell

[Sailorsong]

That is almost impossible to say as dizziness can be caused by many things. Even if it is from a lesion not all lesions show up on an MRI. There is a very good health page written about the relationship between lesion and symptoms you can find it here.

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Multiple-Sclerosis/Lesions-vs-Symptoms/show/61?cid=36

Hope this helps.

Dennis

[carrie235]

Sailersong:

Thank you for your reply.  I can lay still with no problems.  It's not that I was worried about moving my head during the MRI, but rather, I was wondering if the dizziness affects my brain somehow that it might make something show up on the MRI...like as an extra lesion or something along those lines...  Does that make sense...

Thanks again.

[Sailorsong]

As long as the dizziness doesn't cause you to move your head it will not effect the MRI.

A simple test you can do is lay flat on your back looking straight up at the ceiling to see if your get dizzy.

If you don't get dizzy then everything would be fine in the MRI.  Also even if it does make you dizzy in that position as long as you can keep from moving there would be no problem with the MRI. If you can't keep still you probably should call you doctor to see if there is anything that can be done to help with the dizziness during the MRI so that you can keep still.

Dennis