Scan Empowerment! Removing the anxiety.

There’s a very real emotion tied to an MRI scan, particularly if you’ve ever received an unexpected diagnosis because of one, as my husband did in 2015.  From the day we first saw the lime sized GBM, every subsequent scan became a scary situation, where we were forced to come face to face with a monster. In the days leading up to it, and especially in the wait between the scan and the report, we would experience a hypersensitivity to any perceived changes in functionality or feeling. As positive and practical people, we were consistent in hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

It took us more than a year to start seeing things differently and using the scans as an informative rest stop on his journey rather than a direction or a detour. Years have gone by where I continue to learn every day and now must apply this to my own personal choices and decisions. I stand firmly in the Knowledge is Power camp and want to know everything about this vessel I am using while on earth and how to maintain it to the best of my ability. So, whether in treatment or prevention mode, my goal is to share information to help you and your loved ones turn any scan anxiety into empowerment!

There’s a new option that can help. It is an MRI with a company called Prenuvo. What I love about this option is that it captures 10X more images than a standard MRI, giving you better resolution without the use of contrast AND it’s full body!

Recently, the need for an MRI and the opportunity to have a full body scan done at Prenuvo converged. I had been dealing with sharp pains in my neck and shoulder for about 7 months, which was having a negative impact on my day to day functioning. At times, even getting dressed had its challenges. My chiropractor did not want to continue treatment without an MRI to rule out a rotator cuff tear, but, my primary care doctor and insurance company required a series of PT sessions before an MRI would be considered. So through those hoops I began to jump. The wasted time while remaining in pain was a high price to pay. Two months and 10 PT visits later, I was not feeling any better and just wanted to go back to my chiropractor!

I realized that a Prenuvo scan would not only give me the info I needed about my neck and shoulder but it would provide a baseline scan of my entire body where any other anomalies would be detected – including very early detection of cancer (something that has been on my list of things to do for about 10 years).

So let me empower you by taking any mystery out of the Prenuvo process.

To schedule my scan, I simply linked to Prenuvo through the Metabolic Terrain Institute of Health to schedule my appointment. I did not need a prescription from a doctor or a pre-authorization. With my date and time confirmed, I made my travel arrangements.

On the day of my scan, I fasted since the night before. I arrived at the brand new Prenuvo office in Irving, TX where I was welcomed by a wonderfully friendly staff who showed me around, talked me through the timing of the reports and answered my questions. I want to note that this is already a huge difference from the hospital basement imaging department! I was shown to a large and well-appointed dressing room assigned only to me, where I was given a comfortable set of scrubs to change into and a cozy chair for reading or relaxing while I await my technician. The technician came to get me and escorted me to the room with the machine where I laid on the cot. She explained to me how the scans would run, while positioning my body for comfort and stillness for the duration of the scans. I was given options of headphones and something visual to watch via a mirror above my head, or headphones for music. The cot I lay on moved my body relative to the MRI tube (which was shorter than others I’ve seen and open on both ends) to be scanned. Each run seemed to last for a minute or two, and occasionally, I was informed that the next scan would include a breath hold. The whole process took about an hour, and when it was done, the technician came in and unpacked me from the cot. She walked me back to a refreshment area just outside my dressing room and I waited for a report to be shared with me. 

Prenuvo offers a phone call with a nurse practitioner to review the report and answer questions and I chose that option. I was able to ask questions and put more context around the mild and moderate findings highlighted in my report. Ultimately, it would be up to me to share it with members of my care team. 

I now know as a baseline where there’s anything that doesn’t necessarily belong in my body. I am not threatened by what I saw but I am empowered to know that there are specific things I can monitor. I am motivated to do something to change my lifestyle specifically to address their existence and eliminate them. I find it empowering to visualize the anomalies found in my scans dissolving. I meditate on the message they may have for me. 

I also look forward to my next Prenuvo scan so that I may marvel at my own progress in addressing what I saw on my baseline and continuing to take control of my health.

Are you ready to book your full body scan? Book your whole body Prenuvo scan now for $400 off.