Have an MRI on my knee booked in on Monday. This is for an issue I’ve had for over 3 months now. However it does finally seem to be getting better, and I’m now fairly sure that it won’t require any intervention. There isn’t any point in cancelling now is there, as they won’t be able to rebook the appointment, and in any case it’s still far from 100% and I’m not totally sure there’s not a bigger issue (still not expecting to run for a couple of months and yesterday was my first time on a bike in months)? Just feeling a little guilty now at wasting NHS time and resources, but then at the time I got the request in for a scan a month ago it showed no signs of getting any better (and it’s only in the last day or so it’s really become clear that it’s getting better).

I think you should at least walk with a limp when you turn up for your appointment.

Yes you should go now, they’re unlikely to be able to schedule anyone else in at such short notice and you never know it might show up the reason for the issue and help you avoid it happening again in future.

HAve the scan to try and help diagnose whats actually wrong. If it’s getting better by itself it could get worse by itself. If there is nothing underlying then thats good, if there is you found it. Some diagnostic things are there to rule things out along with in.

Thanks, and good call ernie – apart from that I wasn’t limping when I got the referral, or even the day after I injured it (it didn’t seem to help reduce the pain).

+1, still go.

Having said that, in the team that I manage at work, 2 people have had cartilage conditions that could not be diagnosed with MRI. To the extent that the second guy who went private was given the choice between MRI first or “straight in with the endoscope, scissory things and cartilage shaver”. Fascinating video footage afterwards……

I had the same thoughts I’ve had migraines all my life and went to get my usual tables from a new doc and he wanted me to have a full head scan and tons of tests. I’m very aware of how long genuinely Ill people wait to get an MRI so I said thanks but no thanks. And. Then spent 12 months dealing with letters and calls trying to re arrange a scan I never booked. If I was you I would just go so not to have to deal with the constant letters and calls of a “missed appointment”

Would you still go if you had already paid for it ?

It’s more wasteful to not go….. Too late to slot someone else in

Definitely go.. It’s bound to make you feel better.

If you cancel or DNA (do not attend) and it flares back up, expect to wait a minimum of <insert local waiting times> plus however long it took to see your GP and for them to refer you.

Go you have nothing to loose. I waited 3 moths for mine. Walked in without a limp as it had settled down plus physio. When i got the results I had ruptured ACL etc.

stone in shoe.. put it in the right shoe though..

Don’t assume everyone else has a greater need than you.
I’ve just had ankle surgery after putting off a problem that ‘kept getting better’ or was intermittent for a number of years. It culminated in a miserable 2013 from a running perspective as I didn’t get it dealt with early enough. 🙁 If you are a racer that’s prob not the outcome you’re looking for.

Don’t be daft, go!

In the scheme of things an MRI doesn’t cost that much these days, rather than leaving it and coming back 2 years later with even more damage to your knee.

There isn’t any point in cancelling now is there, as they won’t be able to rebook the appointment,

It’s more wasteful to not go….. Too late to slot someone else in

Any cancelled appointment can be given to an in-patient or A&E admissions, so long as its cancelled rather just not turning up. I was admitted to hospital a few months ago principally so that I could be on standby for any cancelled scanning slot.

But go, even if its to be sure that the problem is solved.

turn up and see as rest may have healed it and exercise will mean the issue returns

No harm in it tbh as you are probably in relapse [ from rest] and not cured [ sorry not meaning that to sound mean]

Hope it gets sorted. Once had 18 months out and thought i would never run or ride again….shudders

Go anyway. Just because you feel better per se doesnt mean it will be along term thing.

An MRI now will help diagnose or dismiss any existing or ongoing problems and should it get worse ina few months time then another MRI if you get one be able to pinpoint deterioration. (what i am having to fo atm i.e wait till I get better or woerse!)

yes go and get your protons flipped

MRI scan – it’s a horrible experience – noisy shaking claustrophobic machine – I wouldn’t ever want to go through it again.

Thanks again everybody – things I hadn’t thought of, and given I still get a little bit of knee pain even from kayaking it’s clearly not actually better yet.

I’m actually quite looking forwards to the experience though may have changed my mind on how much fun it is by this time tomorrow. The wait doesn’t actually seem too bad here all things considered – less than 6 weeks from making an appointment to see my GP, though given I’d already seen a physio privately and turned up with a referral letter from her I think he shortcut the usual process of somebody else deciding if I needed a scan and referred me directly. On which point I have a final question – what exactly happens after I’ve had the scan? Who does the scan go to, and who do I need to get an appointment with? I’d think my GP as he’s the only medical professional I’ve seen, but not sure he’s qualified to interpret the scan.

They microchip you and after that you are regularly and easily scanned without even knowing about it – ask the person manning the MRI machine.

On the plus side if you ever have a road traffic accident they’ll know were you live.

MRI scan – it’s a horrible experience – noisy shaking claustrophobic machine – I wouldn’t ever want to go through it again.

really? I’ve never had a problem with them. I’ve even fallen asleep during a scan before

MRI scan – it’s a horrible experience – noisy shaking claustrophobic machine – I wouldn’t ever want to go through it again.

Its only claustrophobic if you have claustrophobia, you’re just in a small space for more time than you’d volunteer too, with the accompanying nagging worry that everyone can see up your gown while you’re in there. As a way of getting examined and diagnosed there are experiences you’d want to repeat less, involving anywhere they might want to poke an endoscope for instance.

Depends what you have scanned though, having you’re knee scanned is less bothersome than having your head clamped up and having your brain scanned.

On which point I have a final question – what exactly happens after I’ve had the scan?

If you’re not already seeing a consultant then you’d go to your GP for the results, if they’re unable do determine anything from them (or the scans haven’t already been interpreted before they get them) then they’ll refer you to someone who can.

really? I’ve never had a problem with them. I’ve even fallen asleep during a scan before

lol, thought I was the only one to have fallen asleep during a scan 🙂

GP. I’d say go.

If you cancel – the pain will come back the next day…

Cool, thanks, better book myself an appointment then.

Yeah, that’s what I reckoned – I was wondering whether the pain going was as a result of having the scan coming up in the way things often get better when I’ve got round to booking the physio (this time that one didn’t work).

I had one done in France and I got the pictures and the CD of all the images. See if you can do the same. FYI I paid for it, it cost £200 which I think is pretty cheap and highlights frustration about how difficult it can be to get NHS to pay for stuff.

As above I agree to having it done, even if pain has stopped there may be damage and the MRI can help a physio prescribe a rehab programme.

An appointment is usually the best thing for making me feel good and healthy. I usually get ill and then have to wait for an appointment by the time I’m in the waiting room I feel a total fraud.

The one time I did cancel an appointment I immediatley relapsed. >:(

So go and get checked anyway.

An appointment is usually the best thing for making me feel good and healthy

I had a recurring knee problem for about a decade that defied diagnosis, took most of that time for orthopaedics to conclude it wasn’t an orthopaedic problem and refer me on rheumatology – who concluded it was some sort of rheumatic thing but never got to the cause.

Something would trigger my knee joint to swell as if it had been injured and it would take months to calm back down again. Without fail for every appointment it was absolutely fine – no symptoms to see. But one of the action of the examination – either movements or the prodding – was a trigger, so next day I’d have knee like a balloon again. So I stopped going for checkups – no examination no swollen knee.

Well that was quite straightforward – I also fell asleep! I didn’t get fully inserted for a scan on my knee, so can’t see why that would be a problem, though wouldn’t have been worried even if I had been.

its different if you are getting head or upper body scans done then you go right inside and it does feel a bit close.

This was a T2 scan looking at changes depending on what sounds I was listening to. Part of someones PhD

…have just been back to the same department for mum to have a CT scan – the nurse asked if I’d been in for an MRI yesterday “you’re the chap who injured his knee unicycling” – hadn’t realised that had made it onto my notes 😳

Any results yet? I’m awaiting an MRI in the next few days, definitely hoping it doesn’t find any problems!

I’ve had a few head scans and the closeness doesn’t bother me at all. However, spending 1 – 1.5 hours in a super uncomfortable head cradle severely sucked balls (this was only the one machine that was uncomfortable luckily). Does anyone happen to know if I can ask for copies of the results on disk or something?

I got my MRI images on disc (paid £5 for it)

They didn’t have them on Monday when I last checked, which was a week after the scan (so cancelled my GP appointment for Tuesday) – will check again later today as I’ve got another GP appointment booked tomorrow. Seems a rubbish way to do it, but it seems to be how it works when results go back to the GP.

In case anybody is interested I got my results today – less than 6 weeks after first going to see my GP, and about 10 days after the scan.

No tear, so no surgery, but a maltracking patella (not quite sure how they tell that from a static scan), so it was worth it as now I know what’s wrong and hopefully how to fix it.