Near MRI, post-donation?

[Snoopy]

Hi.
  I'm scheduled to accompany my mom for an MRI tomorrow.  To decide whether I may be allowed in the room with my mom, the doc's office asked me a number of questions such as whether I have a pacemaker, implants, aneuryism clamps, etc..  Because my mom (who doesn't know I donated) was right there, I did not ask about the donation surgery (mine was Oct., 2011).  Could there have been some sort of clip or something used that might make my presence at an MRI problematic?
  Thanks, Snoopy

[elephant]

Don't know about your surgery, but I had an MRI and nothing came shooting out of my tummy! 

I'd hope something like that would have been disclosed to you when you had the surgery.

I did have a stitch knot come to the surface of my incision recently - three years post donation.


Love, elephant

[Orchidlady]

Might be a good idea to ask. I had not thought about it until I had an x-ray at the chiropractor's office about three years ago. Was I ever shocked when I saw it! There were what I described as "clips" everywhere on my left side! They may be plastic for all I know - I keep meaning to ask and forget. Now you have reminded me - I really need to ask if they are plastic or metal!

[Snoopy]

Thank you for Elephant and Orchidlady for the advice.  I am happy to report that everything went well today.  Because I was in the room with the patient during the MRI, I had to remove all metal, including eyeglasses, wrist watch, and belt.  In fact, I discovered I must be doing better on my diet than I thought:  when I surrendered my belt, my pants immediately dropped down to my ankles.  But the main thing is that assorted surgical clips did not start shooting out of my body, I am pleased to report!
   Be well, Snoopy

[HappyMaleDonor]

I asked about the staples inside of me prior donation and nephrologist told that it is made of titanium and said "don't worry about it the security wont stop you at the airport" jokingly. 

[poodles]

I'd still be wary. I fly a lot and have had no  problems until recently at Heathrow where my metal clips have shown up on their scanners. The first time the security lady asked me to identify the tangled chunks of clips in my groin and solar plexus. When I told her what they were she said that was ok. All my other UK flights have had the same clumps show up. A few weeks ago I was flying through Dublin and mentioned the UK security alarm. The friendly Dublin security official grabbed a hand held scanner, did a hand scan and told me there was absolutely no metal in my body. 

A couple if years ago I had a bone density scan. The technician came out afterwards and ask very carefully worded questions about body jewellery. I'm allergic to most metals and seldom wear any. Eventually she produced the X-ray and there was a golfball size tangle of metal clips under my pelvic bone. There were too many clips to count, presumably the end of the ureter where it enters the bladder.

Has anyone else had a bone density test?

[poodles]

Orchid lady you probably have both. My surgeon gave me samples of several clips for my allergist, four or five samples both plastic and metal along with a variety of thread. However I think chip technology is constantly changing, your surgical report should list the products used.

[Clark]

I've seen abdominal imagery of my innards several times, via several technologies, and no clips or mystery masses have shown up yet. Maybe my 11+ year old surgery predates the popularity and subsequent FDA warning about clips. Seems like a reasonable question for donor candidates to discuss with the surgical team in advance.

[tantemorte]

You should really really ask what sort of clips or staples they left in you....they most probably did.

This particular issue is driving me nuts because NOBODY told me pre-donation OR post-donation that they had indeed left staples in me!!!

This despite my repeated warnings that I am allergic to most metals & my repeated requests not to use staples to close my skin (mini-incision).

I tried to find out & the literal reply was 'OK,I found out what kind of staples,don't worry,they are MRI-safe"....but still no mention of what they are made out of.

I asked my endocrinologist to ask them,figuring 1 medical professional to another might get a better result....she didn't even get a reply.

It drives me nuts,because an underlying chronic allergy to an implant/staple/etc can actually cause symptoms of chronic faigue/etc & I need to know....then I could get a Melisa test for trace metal allergies.....