Heart MRI in Bangkok — looking for big machine or cheap option for anesthesia

[lambshankredemption]

Doctor suggested I should do a heart MRI. When I tried the machine I could barely make 10cm in before getting claustrophobic.

 

They said anesthesia would add another 40-60k on top of the 40-50k for the MRI itself. 
 

So I’m looking for an MRI in Bangkok that either 

a) is much bigger than this one (I think this one is 50cm) and/or 

b) is cheaper than 100k incl. anesthesia 

 

 

  

Edited April 26, 2023 by lambshankredemption

[FritsSikkink]

Cheaper to buy a sleeping pill

[lambshankredemption]

23 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Cheaper to buy a sleeping pill

That wasn’t on the radiologist‘s menu. I was also a bit surprised that they would go to full anesthesia with no other option. 
 

I am now scheduled for a CT scan instead because that one, apparently, has a bigger opening. But I’m wondering if it’s as meaningful. 

[Sheryl]

What is the reason for the test?

[lambshankredemption]

51 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

What is the reason for the test?

I started to get pressure on my left chest that radiates into the left arm around three weeks ago when my gf and I broke up and I started to do therapy. So I believe this could be stress related. I also barely ate for two weeks.
 

it’s not actually painful but more like pressure or tightness. Maybe 1-4 on a scale to 10 depending on day and activity; it can be uncomfortable and worrying but it’s not actually painful. 
 

I went to the ER three times since then; one time I thought I had a heart attack (I don’t know how a heart attack feels, it just felt getting rapidly worse and something bad is about to happen, including shortness of breath, dry mouth/throat and feeling like I’m fainting). They ran their usual tests (blood work, ECG, blood pressure, pulse, even X-ray and stress test ECG and ultrasound of the heart) and all came back unremarkable all three times (stress test and X-ray was only done once). I stayed in the hospital one night and the ECG and blood pressure throughout the night were fine. The muscle relaxant/pain killer helped with the chest discomfort. 

I feel ok as long as I sit or lay down and don’t do much. When I walk too much I get shortness of breath and feel like fainting. I went jogging on a good day and boom, the chest pressure came back and I started to feel really bad again, shortness of breath, feeling of something bad about to happen.. It also seems that anxiety/stressful thinking increases the symptoms. 
 

Not sure if an MRI is warranted here but that’s what the doctor suggested. I believe it’s stress related (and maybe panic attacks) but it worries me that it gets worse with exercise. 
 

I’m 40M without known underlying diseases. I had Covid in November last year. I believe I had depression/anxiety even before the breakup with my gf. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by lambshankredemption

[lambshankredemption]

PS: Any MRI machine in Bangkok that works feet first and head out?

[lopburi3]

12 hours ago, lambshankredemption said:

PS: Any MRI machine in Bangkok that works feet first and head out?

The new MRI at Vejthani is feet first for both upper and lower abdominal scans and larger than previous model but your head is still inside unit a bit.  Not sure if there are any open MRI machines in Thailand but believe there may be.  CT scan would be fast and likely not cause issues (for most people) but then you have radiation that may not be justified (as nothing indicates a need for such a scan apparently).

 

Edit:  for heart suspect you head will be in MRI machine in any case,

Edited April 27, 2023 by lopburi3

[mania]

12 hours ago, lambshankredemption said:

I started to get pressure on my left chest that radiates into the left arm around three weeks ago when my gf and I broke up and I started to do therapy. So I believe this could be stress related. I also barely ate for two weeks.

It is odd they would go MRI

Normally wouldn't they first do a stress test, echo cardiogram & even then a CTA scan would be next ...If in fact those showed signs THEN  maybe MRI next if there was a question of structural integrity afaik

 

But you said yours were normal/unremarkable

If I were you I would settle down & take a breath

Edited April 27, 2023 by mania

[lambshankredemption]

2 hours ago, mania said:

 

Normally wouldn't they first do a stress test, echo cardiogram & even then a CTA scan would be next

They did a stress test (though I didn’t feel much stress on the treadmill, can’t compare that with my usual workouts) and echo cardiogram (if that‘s the ultrasound of the heart before and after the treadmill). All was unremarkable. I never had issues with the heart before but I don’t do enough Sport and I have slightly elevated blood sugar and cholesterol showing up on my annual health checkup. 
 

Doctor then suggested MRI which I couldn’t do. So he switched to CTA which apparently is faster and not a tunnel but a donut. If CTA is ok for this, I would probably do this and not keep looking for an MRI. 
 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by lambshankredemption

[mania]

4 minutes ago, lambshankredemption said:

So he switched to CTA which apparently is faster and not a tunnel but a donut. If CTA is ok for this, I would probably do this and not keep looking for an MRI. 

Yeah CTA is usual next step

As long as the dye doesn't bother your kidneys

But yes you sound pretty good already

Good Luck

[lambshankredemption]

6 minutes ago, mania said:

Yeah CTA is usual next step

As long as the dye doesn't bother your kidneys

But yes you sound pretty good already

Good Luck

I understand both procedures would require dye, just a different type. Whether they bother my kidneys I don’t know tbh

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, lambshankredemption said:

I understand both procedures would require dye, just a different type. Whether they bother my kidneys I don’t know tbh

CT dye is more likely to cause kidney issues - but it is rare. 

[crouchpeter]

Left chest pain is stress related usually. Left arm could be angina??. Just had a CT scan in Sydney for blood in urine, and went in feet first. (Big kidney stone. Phew!). Also, they wouldn't normally give a GA; sedation usually.

When are you blokes going to start trusting government hospitals. Not only are private hospitals expensive, (have to be), but I suspect there's a lot of overservicing. I had a 3 hour op at the Police General, and the anaesthetist was about 6,000 baht.

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, lambshankredemption said:

They did a stress test (though I didn’t feel much stress on the treadmill, can’t compare that with my usual workouts) and echo cardiogram (if that‘s the ultrasound of the heart before and after the treadmill). All was unremarkable. I never had issues with the heart before but I don’t do enough Sport and I have slightly elevated blood sugar and cholesterol showing up on my annual health checkup. 
 

Doctor then suggested MRI which I couldn’t do. So he switched to CTA which apparently is faster and not a tunnel but a donut. If CTA is ok for this, I would probably do this and not keep looking for an MRI. 
 

 

 

CTA is fine.

 

If the doctor thought coronary disease was at all likely he would go straight to angiogram but obviously he does not think so and indeed, from sounds of it what you have are panic attacks.

[mania]

13 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

CT dye is more likely to cause kidney issues - but it is rare. 

It just depends also on how your kidneys are before the dye is injected.

My father lost function of both his kidneys after CTA with contrast dye

but...he was not the picture of health either.

Edited April 27, 2023 by mania