Having an MRI tomorrow and I'm feeling extremely anxious today. I'm very claustrophobic.

[beaglelover]

They say they will sedate me but I'm afraid it will not be enough and I'll freak out when they put me in the tube. Has anyone here had an MRI and how did you cope? Mine is supposed to take about 40 minutes. Ugh.

[LuckyCharms]

1. I'm not claustrophobic, so I'm fine without sedation. But with your sedation,

You will be A-OK. Really, no worries. The sedation will make it a piece of cake.

Best of luck.

[beaglelover]

3. Thank you. That is reassuring.

[LuckyCharms]

5. You're welcome. They will probably give you a versed IV, or something like that.

You won't even remember being in there.

Best wishes for a good outcome.

[wnylib]

22. I've had 3 MRIs, without sedation.

I am a little claustrophobic, but not severely so. My main concern was lying perfectly still for 30 to 45 minutes on my back. I have chronic chest congestion from multiple allergies and a hiatal hernia which creates upward pressure from my abdomen to my chest. So I was concerned about having a coughing spell from chest fluids being pushed upward into my throat.

How did I cope? I asked the attendants to elevate my shoulders and head with cushioning. Then I closed my eyes as the conveyor belt moved me into the MRI machine and kept them closed the entire time so I would not have to see how confined I was. I kept up slow, deep calming breaths the whole time. I kept a few favorite songs running in my mind.

I survived. Three times, a few years apart. I don't like the process at all. But I have developed a coping method.

It should be easier with a sedative. Relax and just tell yourself that it's only temporary. When it ends, you will be free of the machine and able to move around again.

[Silent Type]

2. They'll give you some good meds. They don't want to have to pull you out early.

I get it tough. Good luck.

[beaglelover]

4. Thank you.

[OAITW r.2.0]

6. Sedatives will help. Maybe you can take a nap. The machine is a bit noisy, maybe as for some ear foam

to deaden the sound?

[fargone]

7. I requested periodic time reports

WE are 10 minutes in... Only 5 minutes to go etc. It helped knowing that it was halfway done or nearly finished

[Upthevibe]

8. beaglelover.............

As others have stated, you should definitely receive anti-anxiety medication of some kind.

.......Good vibes your way.......

[FloridaBlues]

9. It can get loud with some of the machine noise. Hopefully they give

The sedation early to feel effects to calm you. The tech talks to you and gives you a small call light if you need to stop for few mins
Hope all goes easy for you. I have had several MRI.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

10. Best of luck to you for a smooth procedure and a good result!!

[surfered]

11. Xanax could help. If it's the enclosed tube, I recommend keeping your eyes closed.

and listen to the music thru the headphones they provide. Good luck and hope your results are “unremarkable .”

[Bread and Circuses]

12. I've had it done, tell the technician

Hi, your doctor could have prescribed a sedative. I thought I would be panicking, but I was fine. Just keep your mind busy with songs. Good Luck!

[JMCKUSICK]

13. I've had several, and my truck is

To choose music I like that they'll pipe through headphones, and Believe it or not, I try to listen to the rhythms of the machine and meditate to the sounds it makes.
Eyes closed the entire time.

[beaglelover]

38. That's exactly what I did. They didn't offer music. But each scan had it's own unique sound and many of the sounds

were very rhythmic and cool and those noises helped to calm me.

[CrispyQ]

14. Ear plugs AND music. Do both.

The music alone won't help. I'm not claustrophobic but I hate loud noise & MRIs are very noisy. They let me pick the music & I chose some meditation music.

Also, they put a helmet type thing over my head that had mirrors angled so I could see outside the tube.

Good luck.

[hlthe2b]

15. Newer machines are not totally enclosed--so-called "open MRIs"... Did they tell you that it was definitely

the first type? If so, you may need the sedation if you are that claustrophobic. Good luck.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. No Open MRI?

That was a must for my wife.
The tube version would have been way too much anxiety for her.

[electric_blue68]

17. Good Luck on your state of mind, and getting good, nornal results!

[mitch96]

18. What body part? The thing with MRI is that the part in question has to be in the center of the tube..

If it's an ankle or knee that needs to be in the center of the magnet. Some places have glasses you wear that shows you the outside not the wall of the magnet. Music is a good distraction.
The problem with " open MRI " is the quality of the images are not as good as the tube.. If it's a extremity then they are ok but not a big body part like a belly or head. Zanax or Valium can be given and in extreme cases of "we must get this done" IV sedation is used. A doctor is usually present for the whole time if that is done..Monitored with blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels checked.
I'm a retired MRI/CT tech. Hopefully things have gotten quicker since I have retired
Good luck with the test..
m

[Clouds Passing]

19. Yes. With Ativan or Lorazepam. Tell them you have claustrophobia.

Some mris have music.

[Tesha]

20. Sedation and a kind tech will make it possible

If I did it…

Anyone can

You got this!

[dai13sy]

21. I am also very claustrophobic. They sedated me enough so I stayed pleasantly mellow. When the

sedation started to fade they gave me a boost and I happily listened to the music for the rest of my time. Then they fed me to make sure I was okay. I wouldn't be afraid if it needed to be done again. I hope everything goes as good for you.

[beaglelover]

23. Thank you all for the encouraging words. I'm not sure what type of sedation they are giving me. I do know

I need to show up an hour before the exam instead of 1/2 hour.

I do remember when I had Lasik surgery in 2004, they gave me a Valium or something to relax and that was a very good drug. I didn't even care when they cut open my corneas in advance of the laser surgery. Hopefully I'll get something similar or more powerful for this test. I keep telling myself, it's only 40 minutes and millions of people have successfully completed this test so you can do it!

The MRI is of my prostate.

[Paladin]

24. Best of luck. I'm no fan of MRI's either.

The sedative ought to help.

[beaglelover]

25. Yeah it's over. The sedation definitely helped me get through it.

I think they did about 14 scans in total with and without contrast. I liked that each scan made a different noise and the noises helped distract my thoughts. I also liked that before each scan the computer voice told me how long the scan would take. I meet with the urologist on Christmas Eve to go over the results. Fingers crossed.

[happybird]

32. Glad to hear you were ok. Sounds like you rocked it!

Often times, the anticipation can be a lot worse than the actual event.
Sending positive vibes for good results.

[debm55]

36. beaglelover, I hope all is fine with you. My husband went through Malignant Prostrate Cancer.that started in August. He

had 28 sessions of beam radiation which is followed by 2 years of hormone therapy , Bless you beaglelover. If you have any questions mail me and I will put Rich on.

[walkingman]

26. Next time ask if you can pick your music - I like "Comfortably Numb" ☮

[beaglelover]

27. They didn't offer me any music. Just ear plugs and headphones.

[CentralMass]

28. I am claustrophobic as well. If you can chose one of the bigger MRI machines that available

The worst one that I had was 45 minutes in duration in a tight one. It was difficult.

[leftieNanner]

31. I had a brain MRI a number of years ago

No only do they put you in the tube, they lock your head in a cage.

I started to panic, but just closed my eyes and took slow deep breaths.

[debm55]

35. IeftieNanner. after I fell and hit my head, They put me in the tube, head in the cage.I opened my eyes and it was like

being in a casket, The did give an ID, When the machine started I counted the bangs and fell asleep inside

[FirefighterJo]

29. Just fade out

And listen to the music

[exmodee]

30. I've had some truly horrendous medical procedures done

which involved what I can only describe as sophisticated torture. I'm just so grateful when they can do an MRI instead of one of those other tests or procedures. An MRI doesn't hurt, it's non-invasive, and doesn't threaten to cause as many problems as it seeks to solve. I try to remind myself of how amazing it is to have such technology. I won't tell you what I've been through lest it scare some of you off medicine even more.

[beaglelover]

39. Afterwards I googled how MRIs work and it really is amazing technology. I wonder how they came up with it?

[The Wandering Harper]

33. omg I think I might love to have a 40 minute MRI

I had one a few years ago and it was heavenly,
the sounds it made were like delightful weird music to me.
I was sad when it was over.
I'm really fuckin' weird though so . . .

[MaryMagdaline]

34. I'm extremely claustrophobic

Sedation will absolutely work
My primary doctor is also claustrophobic so she makes sure I get a sedative.

Just don’t drive!

Good luck and sleep well!

[Phentex]

37. I've had a couple, the brain one was annoying

because of the noise. I don't know if they allow you to use airpods or something now but the constant pounding made me a little crazy. And then I got the same feeling I get at the dentist. Is my mouth moving? Where is my tongue? Does my nose itch?

I have done a lot of meditation now so I'd probably use that if I had to get one today.

Good luck! Breathe!