Having an MRI

I'm not sure if I have asked this question here before, but here goes. When I had my PM put in a couple months ago, the Dr. asked if I thought I might need an MRI in the future, and who knows the answer to that question, so I said I might, so they used a PM that would allow that. I have bad shoulders and several years ago had one rebuilt and it needs it again. I was speaking to one of our daughters that is a ER nurse and she said to have an MRI on a PM person, they need a couple Dr.'s there with me in case something happens. I called the clinic that does they test's and they said no way would they do it. I have lost my PM Dr. because insurance has not been paying his bills so he has stopped working with VA people, so they are trying to find another. A bit hard here on this Island as we do not have many doctors to chose from. Has anyone here has problems with a MRI?

2 Comments

MRI compatible

by Gotrhythm - 2016-05-21 05:05:38

I'm sure your daughter is a wonderful person and a good ER nurse, but I have found that there is a lot of ignorance about pacemakers even among medical personnel. It's not their fault; nobody knows everything about everything. But it does mean that those of us with PMs frequently discover that we know more about them than some doctors and nurses do.

MRI compatible PMs are relatively new technology so it's even more likely that you might encounter even more ignorance. Sometimes, as patients, it's our job to educate the medical people we are talking to.

Don't take ignorance for an answer. Arm yourself with the PM manufactures' websites that explain MRI compatible PMs, and study the Q&A pages. Ask you daughter to look at them and to assist you in finding your way through the system so you can get the tests you need.

MRI

by islandgirl - 2016-05-22 12:05:21

I just had an MRI with a Medtronic dual chamber MRI compatible pm. Unfortunately, it had to be done at the hospital imaging center and not a stand-alone center. A Medtronic rep put it in MRI safe mode, setting it to a rate 20 bpm above my lowest setting, and it paced 100% of the time. They monitored me with an EKG. When finished, they took it off MRI Safe mode and put the program back to what it was. Only a few minutes for each setting change.
My EP received a form to fill out and fax back before it could be done.
When the appointment was originally set up, I emailed a photo of the front and back of my pm card.
Interesting.....the MRI tech told me when my pm batteries get changed, that the leads should also be removed, as they cannot do MRIs with loose leads.

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