# CT Scans (CAT Scans) - scary!



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

Well on Saturday I have a CT Scan to do so doctors can figure out why the heck a normally healthy 23 year old guy has a blood clot in his subclevia vein (in the upper left arm)... the information sheet claims it is a completely painless procedure but I'm wonderring if it's completely painless with or without the IV which I'll require  and then also I have to drink this nasty fluid called ReadiCAT the night before the CT Scan... can anyone confirm that I have nothing to be worried about, that IVs don't hurt (I've had 15 blood tests done in the past month and a half all ranging from didn't feel a thing to mildly painful courtesy of the lady who had to read instructions on how to do bloodwork before poking that friggin needle into me), and this ReadiCAT stuff really isn't awful at all, and it is indeed completely painless? :baby:


----------



## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

The scan itself won't be anything more than uncomfortable. I'm not familiar with that drink thing, but those things are usually pretty gross


----------



## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Some people get a bubbly stomach on some of those fluids. 

I've been a regular blood donor for years. The amount of pain with the needle going in depends on the skill of the person performing the insertion, but outside of the initial pinch going in any pain subsides quickly. If you're prticulalrly worried, you can slather yourself with EMLA cream, a topical anaesthetic you can get over the counter at your pharmacy.


----------



## JPL (Jan 21, 2005)

Ya the catscan is painless as for the iv and drink who knows. Good luck and stiff upper lip what?


----------



## mazirion (May 22, 2005)

Let me know how it goes... I have some soft tissue damage that is still barely there now - after 4 months! Doc said to call him back (anytime now I guess) and he'll see about a CAT scan too.

Almost afraid to go in - I think I'll restart my running plan and see what happens. Decide what to do after I go back to running.


----------



## RicktheChemist (Jul 18, 2001)

.


----------



## gnatsum (Apr 10, 2005)

yea i've had an old stle MRI done where you are injected with fluid to make all the blood vessels in your body light up! 

i've had a slightly modern catscan done too, which doesn't involve a giant tube that i slide into, it's just a ring that is around you. you drink barium, but it was like grape juice.... nothing particularily nasty. and then i was injected with this fuild that mkes you really warm and have to go pee really badly. like vodka.

it's no biggie. just lie down.


----------



## LaurieR (Feb 9, 2006)

Not scary at all...or painful.

But it's true - you may feel like you're peeing your pants at one point! Rest assured you're probably not. 

Close your eyes and relax - it'll be over before you know it.


----------



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

....

At least I know what to expect now....

Is this why I've been told to drink around 3.5L of water the day before and a litre of water the morning before the catscan? I'm not going to actually pee in my gown am I?? Am I allowed to go pee before the procedure? And is it a good idea to slather on anaesthetic cream where I think the IV will go in before a CT Scan? Wouldn't that interfere with results? I am obviously scared. :yikes:


----------



## MaxPower (Jan 30, 2003)

Just imagine yourself as the Six Million Dollar Man.

"We have the technology. We can build him faster stronger..."

If your squeemish about the IV, just look away. No big deal. And the CT Scan, well just lay there and go "Cool".


----------



## LaurieR (Feb 9, 2006)

Nah, you won't pee your pants.

The IV should be fairly small and it's one quick pinch. You'll probably be lying down when they put in the IV, so just close your eyes - it only takes a second and then you don't feel it again. I really don't think you need to put on any sort of cream.

Remember that people get this done all the time and get through it just fine. Just keep telling yourself that it could be worse...you could be having a colonoscopy or something! 



dona83 said:


> ....
> 
> At least I know what to expect now....
> 
> Is this why I've been told to drink around 3.5L of water the day before and a litre of water the morning before the catscan? I'm not going to actually pee in my gown am I?? Am I allowed to go pee before the procedure? And is it a good idea to slather on anaesthetic cream where I think the IV will go in before a CT Scan? Wouldn't that interfere with results? I am obviously scared. :yikes:


----------



## SkyHook (Jan 23, 2001)

>


----------



## live4ever (Jun 23, 2003)

When/If you get the CD of your CT scan (we get them up here to bring to your family physician) be sure to check it out yourself with Osirix:
http://homepage.mac.com/rossetantoine/osirix/Index2.html


----------



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

Thanks live4ever I'll definitely request a CD of my CT scan.

Everyone, I'm drinking my ReadiCAT formula right now... ew nasty stuff. I created a special 10 minute video Podcast on it i'll post it sometime lol.


----------



## moonsocket (Apr 1, 2002)

I just had my first IV a couple of months ago and I have to say it was no big deal. Don't worry. 

My wife has had CT scans and had to drink some sort of tracer. It was slightly radioactive and the doctor told her not to pick up our daughter for 24 hours or so. That was when she was a toddler and was ALWAYS wanting to picked up. :/ (she also told us not to have sex for at least 24 hours  )


----------



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

I survived!


----------



## Cliffy (Apr 18, 2005)

Yay


----------



## CN (Sep 3, 2004)

dona83 said:


> I survived!



Or did you? (Knew I shouldn't have watched the Sixth Sense a few days ago) 


:lmao:


Just kidding, glad to hear you aren't traumatized or anything!


----------



## JPL (Jan 21, 2005)

OK so you survived but how did you find the procedure? I bet it wasn't nearly as frightening as you envisaged it. Did you get the CD? Where are the pics? -0


----------



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

Ok basically first they had me drink more of that nasty ReadiCAT stuff (Barium Sulfate), and I had to change to a gown since I didn't have any pants that didn't have metal in it, then they hooked me up to the IV and other the initial poke it really wasn't bad at all (I never look at the needle going in, I just get the person to tell me when), and then they apparently took the metal outerlayer out, I dunno how but yea it was all good and I did look at it and I was proud to see the IV attached to me  injected some sailing water or whatever it's called into me which wasn't bad.

then the doc took me to the next room, put me on the bed that moved and scanned me first. Then she went for a second scan where she injected the contrast to my IV ("Did it bother you?" "Did what bother me?" "Oh I guess it didn't, you would've already flown of the bed"), and I didnt' feel like going pee at all as a result but my whole body did get unusually warm and I felt like laughing really hard because of that because it was a pretty odd feeling but I tried really hard to keep my composure. Moments later it was done, she unhooked my IV thing (I was really starting to like that thing, I left with an empty hole on my arm ) and told me the results would be done in three days and I can get my general physician to order a CD for me if I want. I'm not sure if I want to post CT scans of myself online though lol well I might blog it  

Overall, it really was a smooth procedure and I'd give it an A for proving my fears wrong and living up to its "usually a painless procedure" description. 

On the plus side I think i am so much closer to not being scared to donate blood, when I'm off my blood thinners and my blood is back to its usually INR (thickness) level, that's the first thing I'm going to do.


----------



## JPL (Jan 21, 2005)

Thanks for the update and now you are an adult (regarding medical procedures). When the phone rings here and it's blood services calling to remind us that we are due to give again, i yell to Ellen that it's the vampires calling, not sure if they appreciate the humor though. Giving blood is a special act of caring and I would hope more of us partake in it.


----------

