MRI Contrast Agents Can Cause Kidney Failure

Los Angeles, CAWhen Carol G was given an MRI contrast agent she had no idea that it would so quickly cause her kidney problems to escalate. However, her doctor should have known. Unfortunately, despite Carol having serious kidney problems, her doctor allowed her to have an MRI with a gadolinium-based contrast agent, which left her in total kidney failure.

Carol's story begins when she was 23 and diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. Eventually, Carol's kidneys began to lose their function and Carol's doctor told her that they could try a transplant pre-dialysis. However, one of Carol's kidney cysts ruptured and she began bleeding.

Carol bled for a number of days and tried to reach her doctor. Her doctor was on vacation at the time and was covered by a general practitioner who Carol says had no idea what was going on with her. So Carol called her employer, who was a cardiologist and knew a bit about Carol's condition. The cardiologist sent her in for blood tests. "It turned out my blood count was half of what it should have been," Carol says. "So he told me to go home and rest for a few days to see if that would stop the bleeding."

In the meantime, Carol's regular doctor, a nephrologist, returned from vacation and spoke with the cardiologist. The nephrologist eventually called Carol to see what she wanted to do. "I told him that I wanted to find out where the bleeding was and stop it," Carol says. So the doctor sent her to the hospital for an MRI. That was when Carol's problems got a lot worse.

"I went into hospital for the MRI on Friday," Carol says. "At the time, I wasn't fully aware of what was happening. They asked me to sign all these forms, which I did because I needed the MRI. After the MRI I felt sicker than I had before. By Sunday I was nauseous, had dry mouth and felt like I had been poisoned."

Carol phoned the cardiologist who asked if a contrast agent had been used during the MRI. Carol confirmed that it had. She says her cardiologist became upset, saying that they never should have used the contrast agent and the nephrologist should have known better. He told her to drink as much fluid as possible while he looked into things for her. The cardiologist later called back and told Carol to get to a hospital, saying, "you're in kidney failure."

Carol remained in the hospital for six days with bleeding that would not stop. Prior to the MRI, Carol's right kidney had been the good kidney, but it had since stopped functioning. Surgery was performed to try to stop the bleeding, but Carol woke up from the surgery in total kidney failure and on dialysis. She was put on the transplant list and a few months later had a transplant.

Unfortunately, that transplant failed and Carol wound up on dialysis for three years while waiting for another transplant. She finally received one and has not required another since.

"I know that my kidneys were going to fail eventually," Carol says. "I was told that I had 2-3 years before that would happen. The MRI made everything happen a lot faster, so I didn't have time to prepare. I lost everything. I could have been more set up if things had happened the way they were supposed to, without the contrast agent."

Since her ordeal, Carol has been unable to work and is now totally disabled. She takes medications, which have resulted in their own complications.

Carol has some advice for other patients with kidney problems, although her words are useful for anyone who sees doctors on a regular basis. "You need to be sure that your doctor gives you all the information you need for informed consent," Carol says. "Do not just blindly trust your doctor. Get all the information possible. I was probably more aware than most people about the risks involved in my situation, but I was still blindsided."

She also recommends that people take a list of questions to the doctor and make sure the doctor answers all of them. "Don't let the doctor blow you off," Carol says. "Take someone with you so they can listen and pay attention. Sometimes the doctor will say something that shocks you and you'll be stuck on that one thing but the doctor is now three pages ahead of you. Bring someone who can listen to everything."

Carol runs online support chats for people with kidney problems. Her support chat can be found at [Blubfly's Place].