Thank you for this. I have to go for one in January to rule out Crohn's in my small intestine after having a total proctectomy in September. You just eased my fears!

I wish you the best of luck with your test! Hoping that they can Crohn's out for you!

I had a MRI pre surgery to map out my fistulas and soon I'm having a MRE aka MR enterography which is where you drink the contrast specifically to highlight your small intestine though it shows your entire pelvis. I hope my ileostomy bag doesn't blow up during the hour in the scanner after drinking 1.5 litre contrast!

Good luck, Jayne!

I'd love it if you could share your experience with the MRE (and the contrast drink!) on the community forums once it's done: https://www.veganostomy.ca/community/

I had it done and never will again after drinking that crap, it went right through me they had to stop the test many times so i could empty my pouch, not to mention how sickening that contrast is. Now they want to do the iv contrast, not sure i want that either.

Thanks for sharing, Deb. That's sounds so frustrating. The IV contrast certainly avoids any of the issues with needing to empty the pouch that often.  

Hi Deb,  I had this test done with the iv, and am glad to tell you that its pretty straight forward. I was told I may feel like I was going to wet myself which I can assure you is only a feeling :-) and I slight warm feeling in the back of my throat. So hope this helps with any fears. :-) 

I have had both done. The CT Scan is great with only the IV contrast. A breeze I would say. However when I had the MRI I hated it royally. Drinking that stuff was what I imagine drinking a stale puddle of sea water was like. YUK!  I had to drink it in a certain time limit as well, and trying hard to keep it down, not to mention taking the next swallow.  It was so GROSS. My son was there,  he said MOM...you have gone through so much in life, your tougher then I can ever be. I can't even take a Tylenol 3 he said. Now drink it,  he said with authority.  I was honestly afraid to disappoint him so I took that deep breath and swallow after swallow I got it down. In the machine, I almost cried.  I could really feel my insides vibrating to a weird foreign beat. I am sure I had the same look on my face that Eric has in the picture with his story of the test. Has anyone else ever felt that?  I thought I was going to vibrate all the way home and for days after.  I swore I would never have one again. I made them stop the test several times because of it.  It did scare me. I thought it might throw my heart into one of its crazy arrhythmias, but, it did not. I was unusually sensitive about things at that time and my life. I was glad the test was finally over.  I know that because of it, they were able to make the diagnoses, so it is an important test.  Yes, I would go through it again if I had to.  I would encourage anyone to go through it if their doctor ordered it. These tests that we do not like much at all, have their purpose. Do not let your fear get in the way.  Suck it up, be strong and say a little prayer. Then smile. Climb on the table and get er' done. Everyone is different in how our bodies respond to things, just remember that because I felt the vibration does not mean you will.  They told me that out of all the tests they had done, I was the second person to feel it like that. All it was, was a vibration.  

I too have had CT's ( easy) and MRI's with contrast ( no fun at all)...but I remember  the time when when  doctors did not have these non invasive techniques and used to do 'exploratory surgery'. 

This HAS to be so much better.

Very good point Dona, we have all had embarrassing and painful examinations and the CT and MRI scans are state of the art technology which keep the patients dignity. Also they can show up more than a lot of other tests will not 

Ironic: vegan-centric blog discussing an MRI, which is NOT vegan (ALL medical imaging contains gelatin)

Ironic, no. Unfortunate, yes.

Living in a non-vegan world, I have to accept that I will be in contact with animal products that are unavoidable. Medicine, medical procedures, and medical devices are often one of those unavoidable situations.

Of course, if alternatives exist, I'd gladly take it.