Well, for what it's worth, those who have allergic reactions are definitely in the minority. The steroid dosage was also quite low and a one time thing, so I imagine it wore off quite quickly.

DavidHC - I want to thank you for your insight on the toxic nature of the gadolinium. I did some research myself and decided I did not want the MRI with contrast. I have an MTHFR mutation that makes it hard for me to detox metals. I had a test done that showed I have a large amount of lead in my body that I have been trying to chelate. I do not want to add to that burden. So I called my doctor and asked I if I can just have the MRI without contrast and they said that would be fine. Problem solved!

Hopeless - the doctor ordered the MRI to see if I have MS. I would like to know if I have MS or not even if I am not going to do anything to treat it. It is getting very difficult for me to go to work every day and I am considering getting a medical retirement and I think the MS diagnosis would help.

Once again, you guys are awesome. I can always count on this forum for great insight and answers. DavidHC you probably saved me from a lot of misery.

Hi Onebeed,

I'm really glad to hear you found my comment helpful and that you've come to a decision you're happy with, but I'm worried my comments may have discouraged you from getting the MRI with contrast, and that was not my intention at all. I just wanted to report my own experience and research, including my worries going into it. I'm no expert but I'm surprised your doctor was okay doing a brain MRI without contrast when checking for MS, since the little I know indicates that contrast is very helpful when looking for lesions. But again I'm no expert, and if you and your doctor are happy with the decision, then I'm glad.

If only they could create solution that are not toxic for such important purposes. Medication is not the only source of toxicity in medicine today.

DavidHC - from what I understand from reading the posts on the MS web site, they can still see lesions without contrast. The contrast just helps them identify new lesions.

I've been tested for MS 2x now. Both times contrast was used. I hate it; you can taste it in the back of your mouth. I also the pleasure of having the radiology tech piercing through my vein with the contrast injection. Teaching hospital rookie.

Sounds good, Onebeed. You and your physician know best. What my physician told me, when I raised issues with using the gadolinium, is that it's intended to make the images more visible/clearer when looking for lesions, and that it's part of the protocol. So I hesitantly acquiesced. As I mentioned, after my allergic reaction, they did the rest of the scans without contrast.

Best of luck with the scans. I hope they prove useful.

Onebeed, as far as I remember, the test for MS is much more accurate with gadolinuim. The gadolinium might help to find defects in the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). However, it is might be possible to detect some of leasions and inflammation without it.

David, I know there is some research for MRI methods to replace the gadolinium.

Thanks, Stillhoping. I'm glad to hear that. I hope it's into non-toxic substitutes.

There are some folks that think that gad. can cause SFN.

I had six MRIs with contrast prior to the idiopathic SFN starting. After it started, I had two more. The last two, I noticed at night that the symptoms were worse at the time within a day after.

Am searching about this now.

Hey onebeed........never heard that about Paxil. I was on it 2 years before my chemo/diabetes caused my SFN. I never had any electric shocks until after the chemo and SFN dx. Interesting though and thanks.

I'm still on 40 mg of Paxil a day.

Debi