If you’ve reached your wit’s end, you’re not alone. For too long, side effects from MRI contrast have held you hostage, intruding on every aspect of your life. The headaches, brain fog, and constant agony shatter your spirit as your body and health disintegrate before your eyes. Betrayed by a system that did this to you, you’ve lost hope that relief is possible. You’ve tried everything to no avail, from doctors’ empty assurances to fruitless treatments draining your finances. Alone in your torment, your relationships and livelihood threatened, all you want is an end to this nightmare. At the end of your tether, have you come here as a final cry for help? Take courage – through my customised program, I aim to throw you a lifeline in your darkest hour of need.
You’ve had an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan using a type of contrast injection called gadolinium.
Gadolinium is the contrast dye most commonly used in MRI scans. It can sometimes lead to a condition known as gadolinium deposition disease or gadolinium toxicity.
So now you’re suffering side effects from MRI contrast. Ever since the contrast, you’re experiencing a litany of physical ailments. You’re exhausted, disheartened and feeling betrayed.
But that’s not even the half of it. You could be suffering from many more symptoms of gadolinium deposition disease. If you’re unsure what symptoms gadolinium contrast can cause, I’ve written about the commonest ones here. Of course, this list contains the types of problems people complain about most regularly. But from working with many clients who’ve gone through similar experiences, I can tell you that these are just the tip of the iceberg.
No System Left Unscathed
I know how you feel your body betrayed you — I’ve been there, too. One day, everything just…changed. Symptoms cropped up everywhere – nothing felt left untouched.
Fatigue crushed you under waves of exhaustion, sapping all motivation. Concentrating became impossible through the brain fog. Headaches punished you relentlessly while strange pains flared without reason.
Tingling sensations crawled under your skin, refusing to let up. Sleep offered no rest, just more time stuck inside a dysfunctional body. Your mood, digestion, metabolism – nothing was safe from the dysfunction.
Each new twist brought fresh terror. Will this be the day a vital function fails completely? What fresh hell awaits tomorrow? Your quality of life disintegrated as basic tasks like cooking, cleaning, or parenting overwhelmed your diminished reserves.
To face each day with this unpredictable illness raging within is a quiet hell. Hounded by uncertainty, you question whether things will stabilise or only degenerate further. It’s unfair to bear such a challenging cross alone without a clear cause or cure in sight.
Your strength in surviving this far is nothing short of superhuman. But you deserve so much more than a half-life imprisoned by suffering. There are answers within reach – please, let me stand with you to find them.
You’d love to be able to hop into a time machine and travel back to before you ever had that scan. Maybe you’d ask for the MRI without contrast instead. Perhaps you’d check if you needed an MRI at all. But if you could, you’d make a very different decision. All you really want is to feel and be normal. You fantasise about being able to do everyday things easily like before. Ideally, you’d remove every last trace of gadolinium from your body again.
You’re prepared to do pretty much anything to get your health back and recover from the rare side effects of MRI contrast dye. That includes changing your diet and making changes to your lifestyle.
Understanding Side Effects from MRI Contrast Dye
Studies on people with renal failure who develop nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) unveil the catastrophic effects of gadolinium toxicity on connective tissues and the heart, with extremely high mortality rates reported. But what of people with normal renal function? The gadolinium deposition disease and gadolinium-associated systemic fibrosis studies reveal a constellation of symptoms. Studies also prove that gadolinium contrasts (both linear and macrocyclic agents) result in mitochondrial dysfunction.
This helps explain why so many experience long-term complications from contrast-enhanced MRI procedures, including a wide range of neurological and systemic symptoms collectively known as gadolinium toxicity. As dysfunctional mitochondria lie at the heart of just about every chronic disease and have a profound effect on metabolism and organ function, side effects from MRI contrast are even likely to create or aggravate intolerances through a process called TILT (toxicant-induced loss of tolerance). You may not have ever heard of TILT before, so I’ve written an article about it here.
Radiology fields have long failed to acknowledge how gadolinium accumulates in tissues over time in those without impaired kidney clearance. The “safe” dye is anything but transient, depositing throughout the body in bone, brain and elsewhere via its toxicity. This buildup appears pivotal in the development of “rare” side effects of MRI scans like fibromyalgia, headaches and cognitive issues commonly reported following contrast administration.
Studies have shown that gadolinium is retained in tissues even after contrast exposure. In one study, researchers found gadolinium deposits in all five tissue samples from patients with a history of contrast MRI, compared to none in control patients without exposure. This helps explain how long-term gadolinium retention can occur.
While most exposed individuals don’t experience side effects, some develop gadolinium deposition disease after even a single dose. Symptoms also appear years later in some cases. The risk seems to increase with greater contrast exposure and higher tissue levels as gadolinium builds up over multiple scans. Further research is needed to understand how gadolinium detaches from chelating molecules and deposits in cells in a way that can lead to toxicity for specific individuals. These findings illuminate how gadolinium retains rather than being transient, as previously assumed.
It’s high time we shed light on exactly how contrast stays in patients’ systems long-term to create gadolinium deposition disease and complications from contrast-enhanced MRI procedures. Continuing to ignore mounting evidence risks many more needlessly suffering long-term side effects from MRI contrasts initially deemed to be so low-risk. Understanding fully the mechanisms behind toxicity is the crux of pinpointing solutions.
Patients have gotten the full-blown disease after just a single dose. Some have gotten disease eight years after exposure.
Unmasking the Hidden Dangers Lurking in That Dye
You went in for definitive answers from your scan, never expecting the procedure to end up raising far more questions. Days or weeks later, as bizarre symptoms sprouted with no explanation, did you start to connect the dots back to that contrast?
Suddenly, what was meant to shed light left you in deeper darkness. A routine contrast administration stripped away the everyday life you knew without your consent. But how could something so common cause such havoc?
Peeling back the veil on contrast’s seemingly serene surface reveals lurking hazards few in the medical world acknowledge. The dye that coursed so freely through your veins refused to purge itself as promised, instead planting stealth insidiousness.
Answers have been frustratingly difficult to extract, with comfort too often replaced by confusion or dismissal. But the truth exists – and with it, the potential for emancipation from this unwanted legacy of a substance touted as so ‘safe’.
It’s time we fully illuminate what contrast has done to the untold hordes silently suffering in imaging’s shadow. This is your journey to reclaim understanding and kickstart real progress outpacing promises. You deserve to unlock contrast’s secrets for good.
Getting help from your doctor to overcome MRI contrast side effects can be difficult. They might be as stumped as you
Right now, you’re scared and confused and don’t know where to start. It’s overwhelming, and your doctors haven’t been able to help your side effects from MRI contrast.
In truth, some of your doctors and family members don’t even believe that gadolinium contrast scans can deposit gadolinium in your body long-term. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, they don’t think that gadolinium contrasts for MRIs can cause side effects, let alone that they can cause gadolinium toxicity. They talk about gadolinium side effects as if they only exist if you believe in them, like Tinkerbell. They accuse you of imagining gadolinium toxicity. It’s infuriating.
You might even find yourself wondering if they’re right. Can you have a reaction to MRI contrast? The answer to that is a very resounding yes. MRI contrasts are potent drugs that lodge in all of your organs and tissues long-term and can cause damage. The damage from MRI iv contrasts can be permanent even if your kidneys function normally.
You Are Not Alone in Your Struggle
I know how lost and alone you must feel. Ever since those contrast MRI symptoms started, your entire life changed. What used to be simple tasks are now overwhelming struggles just to get through each day.
You wonder how this could have happened – you were never as sick as this before that scan. Now, your body and brain aren’t the same, but doctors say it’s “all in your head.” Frustration doesn’t begin to cover what you feel.
It’s more than valid to be scared, angry and grieving all that was stolen from you. Your dreams, relationships, independence…gone in an instant. You likely blamed yourself at first, replaying every choice that led here. But none of this is your fault.
You deserve so much better than being dismissed and told to “just cope.” Your reality is legitimate, even if others can’t see it. Your health matters – don’t let anyone make you feel crazy for advocating for yourself.
I’m here to say you don’t have to do this alone anymore. Through my own journey with contrast toxicity, I found ways to start healing. It might not be an overnight fix, but regaining even just a fraction of what was lost makes the fight worth it.
You still have so much wonderful life ahead once we address what led to this. I promise there is hope – I’m living proof. Please, you don’t have to keep suffering in silence. Let me help you reclaim your vitality.
You are stronger than you realise for surviving this far. Now it’s time to truly get the support you need to thrive again. I’ll be here every step of that journey if you let me walk beside you.
Imagine Freedom from Chronic Illness Caused by Side Effects from MRI Contrast
Close your eyes and picture what it will feel like to finally win this uphill battle against the side effects from MRI contrasts. The war inside has ceased, with your internal health guardians again restored to full strength.
Each symptom caused by the complications from contrast-enhanced MRI procedures that weighed you down is a distant memory, unable to touch you now in your sanctuary of wellness. Free from captivity beneath fatigue’s iron grip, your days are yours to fill however you desire.
Your mind is brilliantly illuminated by a restored intellect eager to learn, create and enjoy living in the present moment without distraction. Deep, refreshing sleep nourishes you instead of serving as the enemy—no more ruminating about those “rare side effects” of MRIs keeping you up at night.
Regaining Your Life Following Complications from Contrast-Enhanced MRI Procedures
Relationships deepen as you’re fully present and engaged, unhindered by the mask illness imposed. Bonding with loved ones is healing in itself. Purpose rekindles knowing your value extends far beyond productivity. Old passions ignite, and you finally feel like yourself – accomplished and in control of your life again.
Adventure beckons you to explore life’s richness without limitation. Journeys fill your soul rather than exhaust a depleted reserve. Every choice is an expression of self-determination hard-fought.
Exercise brings joy instead of fear. Work or school are rewarding parts of each day. Confidence returns as you require no extra special planning or monitoring of the side effects of MRI contrast. You feel secure in your abilities. Each small step of progress fuels your drive to leave illness entirely behind. Your future stretches bright, recovered and full of potential.
Peace isn’t the absence of symptoms but the powerful knowledge this chapter is over. Your new self, built on the foundation of well-won strength, stands ready to seize each opportunity with gratitude and zeal.
Recovery will return all that was lost and oh so much more. It’s why you must keep going – to reclaim a bright future on the horizon. The trials were not in vain but laid the groundwork for your rebirth. You’ve got this – stay determined and keep fighting towards vibrant, sustained good health!
What does this programme for people with side effects from MRI contrast help you to achieve?
Let me help you clarify what gadolinium contrast for MRI scans is doing inside your body. I can provide you with a suite of strategies you can start using right now to mitigate the damage caused by side effects after MRI with contrast. I’ll also help you learn how to boost your removal of not just gadolinium contrast but other toxins as well.
But it’s not just about what you eat, or even what you don’t eat, that’s important. Of course, those things are vital. But they’re not the whole story when it comes to recovering from side effects from MRI contrasts and trying to remove gadolinium from the body.
As part of my service, I perform a detailed dietary assessment to help you identify where you have deficiencies and imbalances in your intake of essential vitamins, minerals, fats and protein. This is one of our most powerful tools for making the right dietary choices and planning your return to good health.
You’ll also need to focus on lifestyle choices supporting gadolinium detoxification. Not only that, but the behaviours you engage in and your relationships with other people can also make or break your health and happiness.
That’s why so much of my work focuses on helping you with your mindset, reducing stress, restoring your life’s joy, and getting you back on your feet.
Imagine how it would feel to get your energy back after gadolinium toxicity.
Imagine what it would be like to start enjoying life again.
Imagine feeling stronger and healthier with more stamina and focus despite side effects from MRI contrast.
What difference would that make to your life?
If you don’t know how to get there, I can help.
If you have complications from contrast-enhanced procedures, here are some of the areas I can assist you with:
- Reducing or eliminating most of your new MRI contrast side effects,
- Improved sleep and feeling well-rested when you wake up,
- Feeling hopeful and optimistic about the future,
- Feeling calmer. In fact, you should check out this article on how to deal with anxiety,
- Working with your doctor to reduce or get off medications started to treat the side effects from MRI contrasts.
My programme teaches people with side effects from MRI contrast:
- Which foods to eat and which to avoid to best support your health,
- What diet and lifestyle factors support better sleep quality,
- Tools and healthy coping strategies to combat stress and overwhelm while feeling happier,
- How to harness your relationships and community on your healing journey,
- Ways to adapt movement and exercise to improve your strength posture and reduce pain,
- Strategies to boost your elimination pathways and speed up detoxification of gadolinium contrasts and other toxins,
- Other sources of toxicity in your life you may not be aware of,
- How to boost your metabolism and
- The importance of getting into nature and ways to do it that you’ll enjoy.
Who am I?
I’m Dr Catriona Walsh, author of the book Contrasts: More Than Meets the MRI. Although I’m now a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach, I started my career in healthcare as a doctor and trained in paediatric medicine in Northern Ireland. My speciality was in paediatric allergy and immunology.
My health challenges led to my career pivot and retraining in nutrition and lifestyle medicine. I’ve written more about that here, but a big part of my journey has been my struggle with side effects from MRI contrasts. If you want to hear more about my MRI contrast side effect experiences following a single injection with the gadolinium-based contrast agent Multihance in November 2016, you can read about them here and here.
Because I have a condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, my doctor arranged the gadolinium contrast to look at my heart. This is called an angiogram or MRA. The scan was normal.
As you can see, gadolinium toxicity was a life-altering experience for me. When I turned to the medical community for help, they didn’t offer much apart from physiotherapy to help rebuild my strength and get me moving again. I’ve had no access to iv chelation therapy to remove the toxic heavy metal gadolinium.
To recover from side effects from MRI contrast, I've had to develop my own protocol
I’ve had to use the research skills I started developing at Cambridge University. When I went to Queen’s University, Belfast, I continued to hone these skills. Over the years practising paediatrics throughout Northern Ireland, everywhere from Belfast to Derry, Coleraine, Antrim, Craigavon and Newry, I’ve become more adept at asking the right research questions and extracting data from studies. My interest and training in functional medicine and nutrition have also shaped my approach.
Combining these experiences and skills with observations from fellow sufferers allowed me to develop a protocol.
On many occasions, I felt discouraged, petrified, and overwhelmed. Like most people faced with complex challenges, it often felt like I took 1 step forward and slid two steps back again.
I won’t pretend that it’s been easy to get to where I am now:
- Loving life
- Being active, energised, productive
- Living essentially pain-free despite the side effects from MRI contrast
It also hasn’t happened overnight. Sad to say, some of the things I tried didn’t help. But every sacrifice I’ve had to make along the way has been worth it.
Having searched for answers to the side effects from MRI contrasts for so long and struggling to find help, I understand what it feels like not to know where to start. That’s why I feel obligated to ally with other people whose health was stolen by MRI contrast side effects. I have a responsibility to pass on what I’ve learned. It can turn your life around.
Here’s what working with me looks like:
Currently, I only offer individual coaching sessions. They’re pretty intense. We dive deep into your symptoms, pre-existing conditions, vulnerabilities, treatments and anything that could influence your health.
Being thorough is my obsession. Clients appreciate this as it helps them to see connections with other aspects of their health. You’ll discover why it’s so critical to look at everything holistically.
During each session, we also review your progress and troubleshoot problems that crop up together. We celebrate your successes, work on your mindset, and I provide you with gentle accountability to help keep you moving forward.
At every appointment, I help you choose some diet and lifestyle action steps to start implementing.
I’m not going to lie to you. You will have to make some changes. We’re talking about you making a commitment to yourself and the people you love.
More than that, this is an investment in yourself and the most important people in your life.
And while I use several supplements, they don’t work in isolation. The diet and lifestyle changes are 100% necessary.
The intake process:
Even before our first consultation, you complete a questionnaire detailing your medical history and health goals.
You also complete a Medical Symptoms Toxicity Questionnaire, so we have a baseline for your symptoms’ severity at the start.
I use a powerful dietary analysis tool. So you record everything you eat and drink in a 3-day diet diary using an app. It provides a detailed analysis of the vitamins, minerals, protein, and essential fats and shows us where you’re currently getting your nutrition from.
Most of my clients are surprised at how helpful this is in identifying why their diets have some nutrient deficiencies. With this knowledge, they’re even more motivated and clear about the changes they need to start focusing on.
What else do you get?
As well as the individualised coaching sessions and the dietary analysis, I provide you with lots more value. You get a personalised meal plan with a nutritional breakdown, lots of recipes, workbooks, handouts, educational links, audio, and more.
Coaching sessions are usually every 1-2 weeks, but you can choose the interval you’d like since you’re in the driving seat. We chat using online video conferencing software similar to Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime unless you’re in the UK, when it may be possible to have a telephone meeting.
Schedule a free discovery call now to discuss whether we’d be a good fit to work together by clicking this link. What have you got to lose?
I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Here's what some of my clients have said about working with me:
Are You Ready to Take Back Control of Your Health?
If unwanted side effects from your contrast MRI continue to plague you, it may be time to look at dietary and lifestyle changes to aid your recovery process.
I help individuals impacted by gadolinium toxicity learn how minor adjustments in their daily routines and nutrition can make a big difference. Through personalised guidance, my clients see improvements in their symptom picture, energy levels, and overall quality of life.
Conventional wisdom says a healthy diet shouldn’t affect your well-being, but traditional views no longer apply when your body is overloaded with toxins after contrast exposure. By supporting detoxification and reducing chemical stressors, the right eating plan is an essential piece of the puzzle.
Book a free clarity call today if you’re ready to reclaim your health and want to find out how nutrition protocols could relieve your side effects. We’ll discuss your goals and current challenges so I can better understand how to support you going forward.
There’s no obligation – this is simply an opportunity for us to see if working together could help you feel like yourself again. Book your time now by clicking the button below. I look forward to speaking with you soon!
Let's Chat - See If I Can Help Improve Your Wellness
FAQs
Can this approach help if I haven't had gadolinium contrast agents?
Absolutely. While much of my work focuses on MRI contrast toxicity, the underlying methods and principles can benefit a great variety of health issues. Chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic imbalances and chemical sensitivities are common threads connecting many chronic illnesses. My programs address root causes like poor detoxification, gut health issues, nutrient deficiencies and oxidative stress – factors that often play a role no matter the initial triggers. Whether you struggle with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, food intolerances, weight issues or other metabolic conditions like diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or obesity, following protocols to reduce toxicity, optimize nutrition and restore healthy cellular function can support healing. While MRI contrast may not have been a factor for you personally, addressing the same systemic imbalances may provide relief.
What about those with hypermobility/Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?
If you have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), then you know how crucial it is to find an effective health management strategy. As someone living with EDS myself, I understand the daily challenges you face. The connective tissue issues are just the beginning – many of us also struggle with chronic pain, digestive problems, fatigue, and chemical and food sensitivities.
It seemed like nothing could relieve my symptoms until I developed a meticulous detoxification protocol focused on whole foods, targeted supplements, elimination diets and lifestyle modification. By reducing my toxic load and supporting my overburdened system, I was able to stay active, grow stronger, and take back my life.
Connective tissue issues necessitate extra support for collagen synthesis and joint stability. My approach targets EDS’s underlying drivers like high oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired detoxification – all of which exacerbate our post-exertional malaise and multi-systemic involvement. In addition to controlling inflammation throughout your body and joints, optimizing nutrient status can help compensate for our impaired metabolism and make daily processes run more smoothly.
If you’ve tried everything under the sun without lasting relief, I encourage you to consider my all-natural protocols. They were the only way I could function without pain as a regular person. With adherence, they have the power to transform your quality of life and well-being, too. You deserve to feel good – let me help you get there sustainably.
Can you help if I've had side effects from other medications?
Many clients I work with have experienced adverse reactions or side effects from medications other than gadolinium contrast, such as antibiotics like fluoroquinolones, antidepressants, and other prescriptions. My detoxification-focused protocols aim to strengthen the whole body’s ability to metabolise and eliminate toxins from any source – whether pharmaceutical, environmental, or dietary.
The protocols help compensate for underlying genetic or acquired sensitivities that may have contributed to past medication intolerance by optimising functions like liver detoxification pathways, antioxidant production, and methylation support. Over time, as systemic health improves, some clients find they can successfully reduce reliance on or entirely eliminate medications they previously needed.
The goal is empowering your body to regulate itself naturally through nutrition and lifestyle modifications. Rather than just managing symptoms, my holistic approach addresses the root causes of illness to support true healing. If you’re interested in safely tapering or coming off medications by resolving the initial health imbalances, I recommend coordinating closely with your prescribing physician to do so gradually under medical supervision. Together, we can work to reduce dependency on prescriptions by improving your overall wellness from the inside out.
Do you do group coaching sessions for people suffering from side effects from MRI contrasts?
At this point, I don’t. I wouldn’t rule it out in the future.
Do you offer advice on vegetarian and vegan diets for people with side effects from MRI contrasts?
Unfortunately, what I’ve tended to find is that people with side effects from MRI contrasts often develop intolerances to all vegetarian and vegan protein sources as well as some other plant foods. This is something that I’ve experienced myself. In fact, it used to be that the only vegetarian protein source I could tolerate was dairy. Recently, I’ve been able to reintroduce eggs. But I suspect that high-oxalate foods like nearly all nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains (the plant-based proteins) will never be a significant part of my or my clients’ diets. So, I no longer offer advice on modifying vegetarian or vegan diet patterns.
Will you bring out a physical copy of your book, Contrasts: More than meets the MRI?
That is on the cards. It’ll be print on demand. But I don’t have a release date yet. You can find out more about the ebook here.
How long will it take to start to see improvements when you have side effects from MRI contrasts?
That depends on how fast you can make the changes. Very committed clients have noticed improvements in only three weeks. Continued gradual progress often carries on for nine months or longer.
How long does the programme last?
Typically, it’s about six months. However, for some clients, it may take more or less time.
Do the newer macrocyclic agents also cause problems, or is it only the linear MRI contrasts that cause side effects?
Both macrocyclic and linear MRI gadolinium contrast mediums are retained in your body long-term. Both can cause symptoms. I know that many people describe the linear agents as being safer, but many of my clients suffer from horrible symptoms after the macrocyclic MRI contrasts. I had a linear agent myself. I won’t be having another gadolinium contrast again for any reason.
What are the different areas you support?
The holistic protocols focus on optimising foundational areas like:
1. Nutrition
2. Stress management
3. Movement
4. Relationships and community
5. Toxin avoidance
6. Sleep
7. Getting into nature
8. Supplementation
The individualised programs help resolve client health issues over time by addressing wellness from multiple angles. Focusing on lifestyle factors empowers sustainable change from the inside out.
Please reach out if you need guidance on any particular area of support or have additional questions! I aim to take a comprehensive, whole-person approach tailored to each client’s distinct needs and goals.
What do you actually do?
So many people today are asking, “Who treats gadolinium poisoning?” Well, I help people like you who’ve had MRI contrasts and are suffering from side effects from gadolinium-based MRI contrasts to optimise their health using diet, lifestyle and supplements.
Do you have any freebies?
You’re in luck. You’ll get a free gift when you sign up for my newsletter. For a quick overview of side effects from MRI contrasts, grab my free MRI contrast guide, “REVEALED: SECRETS ABOUT MRI CONTRASTS DRUG COMPANIES DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW.”
You can also grab these effective stress management techniques.
If you ever want to unsubscribe from my newsletter, it’s elementary, my dear Watson😉. All you need do is click unsubscribe. However, I sent out some great content worth checking out.
Schedule your FREE clarity call with me now. You won’t have to pay for it. So why wouldn’t you?
Want to drop me an email? Contact me.