MRI, Claustrophobia and Ativan

[Disneylover99]

It confirmed my belief that being buried alive would be really really bad.
Terri

Oh yeah.

Okay, I will take my drugs, listen to music and keep my eyes closed.
Wait......is this the 70's thread?

 

[yoopermom]

And keep telling yourself, "For the price of this test I could have enjoyed a week at the Grand Floridian".

Terri

 

[aprilgail2]

It wouldn't hurt to call ahead and ask exactly what to expect (believe me, you're not the first claustrophobic person!).

I had a bad experience, personally, with my head one because they didn't tell me that they were going to have to screw down what felt like a Hannibal Lector type plastic mask over my head so that I absolutely couldn't move it at all. I'm also overweight, and they literally had to pull the blanket tight across my shoulders to wedge me in (I had my eyes closed, but know that I was in past my elbows, and this was for a head MRI). They then switched techs partway through without telling me and when I called out, no one answered me for a second, which really freaked me out.

Honestly, I swore I would never go for another one, but....

Since then I have gone to a large city near me to an "open" MRI (which isn't really, but is at least better), and have had nothing but bearable (not positive, but not screaming mimi either) experiences.

I always ask for pillows under my knees (because of my bad back), extra blankets (because it always seems to be freezing), and for them to turn up the music REALLY loud through the headphones . I also ask that they talk to me, keep me informed as to how many minutes, how many more scans, etc. It might also help to ask "when" you can wiggle even a toe for finger, because you will start wishing you could, even though you shouldn't!

Good luck, I hope the drugs help, and that the findings are worth it .

Terri

OMG- just reading this gives me flashbacks- I swear that plastic mask thing just about did me in before I was even in there, and then they screwed my head in it down to the table-they push me into the tunnel of death and I lost it within 6 seconds- full blown anxiety attack.
I ended up rescheduling at a stand up sit down MRI place- they put like a hockey mask on me, didn't screw it to anything, I sat up and watched a big screen TV playing Seinfeld- I will only use that place now, never an enclosed one!

I have had 3 MRIs of my knee done in an open MRI machine. They would have to anesthetize me to get me into a closed one.

When I had my knee done they only put you in up to your waist- the entire top part of my body was no where near the inside of the machine.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I need to have a MRI with contrast dye for my hip. Can't be done in an open MRI-- my ortho dr has to be there to do the dye and the only facility available is not open. I looked up information about it online and it is a Really. Big. Needle.
Claustrophobia? CHECK!
Fear of needles? CHECK!
if a spider showed up I would probably just have a heart attack and die!

I told my regular doc that there is NOT enough Valium in the world to get me through that procedure-- he has assured me that there is. My solution has been to put it off for the last 3 years. I know at some point the pain and lack of mobility will cause me to have to just do it but until then the fear of the MRI and needle is greater than the pain.

 

[Sweetpancake]

Yes, I had one a few years ago and was SO nervous, seeing as I'm very claustrophobic. What helped like an absolute charm was that I brought a sleeping mask. I placed the sleeping mask so that I could still see OUT of the large MRI machine but I couldn't see UP. So my brain couldn't really conceive how big or small the machine was and I could still see out of the machine and not feel claustrophobic. It really worked

 

[minkydog]

I'm claustrophobic too, and I've had several MRIs, both open and closed machines. Frankly, the open machines wig me out worse than the closed ones.

The closed ones look like a giant round speaker with a donut hole. They put you on a tray and slide you in just far enough to take the pictures. Usually, they'll put an oxygen cannula on you if you're going in head first, which I find strangely calming. The wind keeps me from feeling nauseated.

The open ones that I have tried look like the Starship Enterprise. You lay on the table with the Enterprise hovering about 12" over you. Yeah, I'd rather stick my head in a tube than have that space craft hanging over me.

In the end, sometimes you just have to suck it up. Take the Ativan. Use the ear plugs they give you. Wear the oxygen. Then lay down with your eyes closed and think about "When You Wish Upon A Star" while holding your head completely still.

 

[DebbieB]

I had it done twice, I didn't have the cage on my face. They put pads on both sides over my ears to hold my head still. I just kept my eyes closed and walked through the Magic Kingdom in my mind.

 

[kimblebee]

Yoopermom, you have my sympathies because my experiences have been much as you described.

I have brain scans done twice a year and I am in the cage, all the way in the machine. I am not claustrophobic except for when I am in an MRI machine. I have to take meds before hand and it doesn't knock me out but it calms me down.

What I find helps A LOT is counting the noises of the machine. It helps to distract me and it also weirdly is soothing after a while (hellooooo drugs lol). When the tech says the next series will be five minutes, I know it will be about 300 beeps of the machine. It helps the time go quickly for me as I am usually bolted down for 45-50 minutes at at time.

 

[keahgirl8]

I was terrified to have an MRI. I get really nervous when I can't move, but it wasn't bad at all. I just closed my eyes and tried to distract myself, thinking and praying. I got the nerve to open my eyes for a second and I could actually see the door! If it's just a head MRI, I think you'll be fine.

 

[barkley]

CALL WHERE YOU ARE HAVING IT DONE AND ASK.

I had one done today on my knee-open, but to do it I was inside to right below my shoulders-I was o.k. cuz I could extend my arms above my head. I've had 2 done on my head-both open. the issue I had was the cage they had to put around my neck and shoulders-they ended up having to totally sedate me (did I mention I was claustrophobic???).

call and ask-open means different things, and Ativan for one is a night night med, while for others it's a light sedative.

 

[Planogirl]

I am very claustrophobic and had to have an MRI with me lying face downward. The machine was open at both ends but very long so most of me would be in it. Just thinking about it made me freak out so they gave me some nice drugs just beforehand. Once those kicked in I didn't really care what they did.

 

[Pembo]

I have had many head MRI's. Can't use the open machine. My first MRI the tech put a washcloth on my eyes. I could see out of the machine but not up, if that makes sense. I ask for one every time. Also my first MRI I was allowed to bring my own music CD. I had asked ahead of time how long the procedure was and then figured out how many songs that was on my CD.

I also learned to schedule a massage after my MRI. Gave me something to look forward to.

I just had an MRI a few weeks ago. Had my washcloth, blankets on my feet (it's cold in there), and tried to do my yoga breathing. The clanking of the machine had me counting. The tech told me how long each scan was so I started counting seconds to pass the time. It isn't a fun experience but I got through it.

BTW - ask the tech for a CD of your films while at your MRI appt. It takes a few extra minutes but you can take it to your doctor. I don't always rely on the radiologist report. This time they told me I had regrowth but after allowing my surgeon to look at the films and compare to my old films, it's not a regrowth but has been there since my original surgery.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I had a MRI on my head in a closed machine. It was a little daunting. However they put headphones on me and let me pick what radio station I wanted to listen to. Between the radio drowning out the machine bows, and keeping my eyes closed, I was able to block out the situation enough not to panic.

ETA - I had the cage on too. It is not pleasant, but the pain I was experiencing that led to the MRI was worse than any discomfort from feeling trapped in the machine.

 

[spima3]

I ended up rescheduling at a stand up sit down MRI place- they put like a hockey mask on me, didn't screw it to anything, I sat up and watched a big screen TV playing Seinfeld- I will only use that place now, never an enclosed one!

THIS sounds fabulous. After I ran screaming from the MRI center, I started looking online for a truly open MRI and found this. I don't think there was one anywhere near where we lived.

I spoke to the Dr and suggested for a future investment, why not open a center with one of these!

 

[aprilgail2]

THIS sounds fabulous. After I ran screaming from the MRI center, I started looking online for a truly open MRI and found this. I don't think there was one anywhere near where we lived. I spoke to the Dr and suggested for a future investment, why not open a center with one of these!

http://www.standupmriofdeerpark.com There are pictures at this link of what it looks like.

 

[DawnM]

I had two in my 20s and was fine. I then had one in my 40s and couldn't do it. Maybe if I had had meds, but I didn't.

 

[yoopermom]

Thank you SO MUCH for posting the information about the upright one, I googled "upright mri" and the state, and found out that Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee has one, woohoo! If I ever need a head MRI again, I know where I'll be going.

Terri

 

[Disneylover99]

Thanks everyone for your MRI stories both good and bad and your great advice. My MRI is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. I'll report back.

 

[mommasita]

I need to have a MRI with contrast dye for my hip. Can't be done in an open MRI-- my ortho dr has to be there to do the dye and the only facility available is not open. I looked up information about it online and it is a Really. Big. Needle.
Claustrophobia? CHECK!
Fear of needles? CHECK!
if a spider showed up I would probably just have a heart attack and die!

I told my regular doc that there is NOT enough Valium in the world to get me through that procedure-- he has assured me that there is. My solution has been to put it off for the last 3 years. I know at some point the pain and lack of mobility will cause me to have to just do it but until then the fear of the MRI and needle is greater than the pain.

Hi

Although I have MRI's for my head every 3 months, I had to have this done for my hip, and read as you did and just about freaked

It was easy peasy... They freeze you ahead of time.. Just don't look It honestly was over before I knew it.. I also had it done for my shoulder, and that did hurt ...... HOnestly though, it was painless.. I had an adult soccer tournament for soccer that weekend, and I didn't participate that evening (still frozen), but I was a volunteer walking about, and it was honestly painless.. Go do it!

 

[Pembo]

Just an FYI...I was told that they can't do an MRI of the head in an open machine.