Clare Garrett, a 45-year-old formerly fit and healthy veterinary nurse from Camberley, Surrey, has been left disabled following alleged poisoning by gadolinium, a dye used in MRI scans. Her ordeal began in June 2024 after she accidentally hit her head on a kitchen cupboard while pet-sitting. Initially experiencing dizziness and concussion-like symptoms that persisted for weeks, Ms. Garrett sought medical attention, eventually opting for a private MRI scan.

Before her initial MRI in July, Ms. Garrett was injected with gadolinium, a chemical contrast agent designed to enhance image clarity, which is typically expected to be naturally expelled from the body within 24 to 48 hours. However, a day after this first scan, her health took a drastic turn. She awoke unable to lift her head from her pillow and soon developed a distressing 'crunching' sensation in her neck and knees. Recalling the immediate aftermath, Ms. Garrett described feeling "very, very off" and being in a state of panic.

Despite her worsening condition, and in a quest to understand her declining health, Ms. Garrett underwent two more MRI scans, both involving gadolinium. Each subsequent scan reportedly exacerbated her symptoms. She developed a severe heart condition, alongside a multitude of debilitating neurological issues, cervical spine instability, tachycardia, dysautonomia, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, connective tissue problems, frequent collapsing episodes, and chronic exhaustion. This rapid decline stood in stark contrast to her previous active lifestyle, which included running up to half-marathons five times a week and maintaining a very healthy diet.

Puzzled by her deteriorating health, Ms. Garrett began extensive online research, eventually discovering information about gadolinium toxicity – a rare but severe long-term side effect associated with the contrast agent. Subsequent blood tests confirmed her suspicions, revealing alarmingly high levels of gadolinium still present in her body a full 16 months after her initial injection. She expressed profound distress over not being informed of these potential risks, having been assured the chemical would be eliminated quickly. Feeling "poisoned" and like her life was being "taken away," Ms. Garrett is now primarily confined to a wheelchair, using it "90 per cent of the time" due to severe mobility issues and excruciating head pain, often collapsing daily.

The NHS acknowledges that side effects or allergic reactions to gadolinium are very rare and typically mild and short-lived, with over 90 percent of the agent being excreted in urine within 24 hours in patients with normal kidney function. However, Ms. Garrett's experience highlights the devastating potential for adverse reactions. She is now fiercely determined to reverse the damage inflicted by the dye, a journey that has already cost her an estimated £45,000 in 18 months. She is actively exploring specialized treatments abroad and is dedicated to raising crucial awareness about the potential dangers of gadolinium, emphasizing that had she known the risks, she "definitely wouldn't have gone ahead with it."