Sunday, November 24, 2019

I don't like CT scans any better than MRIs

I had to do a couple more medical things to prepare for this surgery. I had my regular breast MRI along with a CT Angiogram to map out the blood vessels in the abdomen and make sure they are in good shape to handle microsurgery. I found out quickly though that I have an reaction to contrast dye. I’ve always had a negative reaction to the MRI dye where it makes me puke and just feel yucky, but for the CT Angiogram they use a different contrast dye that is stronger and push it through the IV at a faster rate. Of course, I immediately felt the warm sensation all over from the back of my throat to my toes which included the feeling like I peed (but I didn’t!). Then the dry heaving came. I was able to hold still and hold my breathe for enough time to get the scan but as soon as that breathe was let go, the puking feeling came right on. I knew that this was likely so the technicians hooked a puke bag on my finger before pushing me in. Thankfully, the scan with the dye is the last scan, so the technician came back in right away and helped me out. As my dry heaving calmed down, I noticed her looking at me funny. She asked, “Did you have a blemish on your forehead when you came in!” I explained that No, I didn’t. She said ok, let’s just take a look at your arms and while she disconnected the IV she said “Ope, there’s another one...yep that one on your head is getting bigger.” I had broken out in hives! She told me to stay lying down and that she was calling the doctor to check me out and get me some Benadryl. The room filled quickly with 6 staff members checking my vitals and asking a million questions about how I was feeling. I was just fine...it was just a little itchy. They made me take Benadryl and stay for observation for another hour. It delayed and changed our family plans that weekend just a bit as being on three times the usual amount of Benadryl makes me a little bit sleepy. Only 1% of patients have a reaction like this and of course, I'm that 1%. However, on top of that, I also developed what my doctor thinks may have been a delayed reaction to the iodinated contrast. Later that week, I developed small red bumps (my hives were very large in comparison) all over the trunk of my body and underarm area. Apparently this happens in even less patients, but I got 2 for 1. It itched like crazy while there (insert more Benadryl), but went away at 2 weeks out. 
I'm really hoping that these are my only complications when it comes to this surgery. Everything last time went so smoothly, but it's like since I've had these implants for reconstruction my body reacts differently than ever before and I cannot predict what it's going to do.

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