Alex,
to keep your items from an imported character...
spoiler ?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
at the very start of the game the screen goes blank - then your character groans and collapses. The game then opens with you lying on the floor of a cage and Irenicus appears.....
What you have to do is hit the space bar (to pause the game) when the screen is blanked i.e. before your character groans. Then hit the 'i' key to go into inventory and drop *all* your items on the ground.
Unpause the game and it will proceed normally. Then when you gain control of your character (after Imoen talks to you) your items should all be lying on the floor of the cage and you can pick them up.
Just as well Irenicus isn't wearing his Glasses of Detect Dropped Items
Kez