quote:

Originally posted by snidera:

Unless it has unpleasant side effects for you, I think a Valium would be welcome

After-effects for me include vertigo, disorientation, dizziness, balance problems, all of which induce nausea and sometimes extreme, very unpleasant, puking. No thank you, I would much rather deal with some discomfort, knowing that it is for a limited time, and emerge with a clear head and no "drug hangover."

Maybe, as ArtieS said, some Scotch whisky, but I don't drink very much any more. One drink a month is a lot for me nowadays. Although my wife and I stopped for lunch last week when she was car-looking, the menu mentioned mojitos, I had never had one so I tried one. Quite tasty and refreshing, but I don't think I would have more than one.

If I remember correctly, your spouse works in mental health. She should know about CBT and/or relaxation techniques. Claustrophobia is pretty common, but there are degrees of anxiety. Are you reactive to all benzos? Sometimes folks can tolerate Klonopin but not Diazepam. Muscle relaxers sometimes do the trick as well. Good luck.

quote:

Close your eyes before they move you in and remember to breath. Keep them closed the whole time. They should have a fan on you.

Go to your happy place while doing this and you'll be fine.

ZSMichael: Yes, my wife is LCSW. No, I'm not going to experiment with different drugs, I have had enough bad experiences with medications like these that I would rather just deal with discomfort that should be manageable for a short time. I like Rhino's approach (there's a pun there, if you're an aviator).

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:

Go to your happy place while doing this and you'll be fine.

You mean like coming down final on an ILS approach, keeping the needles centered, looking to break out just above DH? OK, I can do that.

When people say it's confined, they mean really, really confined. Like a tube only inches from your face while you are having to stay perfectly still. for 30 minutes.

For a pelvic MRI though I believe they put you in feet first so you're head will barely be in. I think. Brain MRI, not the same.

 
I am also very claustrophobic, and that small tube with all the racket drives me crazy. You have to lie still to get a good picture. I prefer lorazepam (brand name Ativan), 3mg, before the procedure. My PCP is used to this now that I've had half a dozen or more MRI's. He prescribes just a procedure-specific dose. I get 3 little tablets only, not a 30 day supply or anything. I've advised him if they want me not to move and get a good picture, I need that relaxer. Definitely take out your hearing aids to null the noise. Also a washcloth laid across your eyes helps.
 
My worst one was when I had a ruptured flexor tendon in my thumb. The hand doctor wanted a picture of the wrist and a separate picture of the hand. It was about 2 hours inside the tube.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:

For a pelvic MRI though I believe they put you in feet first so you're head will barely be in. I think. Brain MRI, not the same.

I guess that some politicians could get a two-fer, brain scan and pelvic scan combined in one image.

Moderators: Am I allowed to inject politics into my own thread?

The sedative isn’t just for claustrophobia. It’s so you don’t move and mess up the image. If it’s a long MRI and the image takes five minutes, that’s actually a long ass time to sit perfectly still.

Take the Valium. It’s probably a light dose and won’t sedate you too much, just enough to be comfy.

Afterward, have a cup of coffee or a Red Bull. That’ll greatly reduce the effects of the Valium.

Remember, this is for your health. You want the best image possible, for the best diagnosis.

I've been in the tube a bunch - the advice above is spot on - close your eyes (or have a washcloth), and practice whatever meditation you like. The noise is buzzing, jackhammer, clicking, but doesn't seem to break my calm - I've fallen asleep. If they're doing a small area, it should go pretty quick. Mine were full spine, so they took a while.

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Originally posted by V-Tail:
The prostate doc wants to to have a look at returning cancer after radiation failure, so I'm going for an MRI today. He discussed it with me and said that they would offer valium to deal with claustrophobia. I don't like sedatives, tranquilizers, etc.; when I had my cataracts done, I refused the valium.

For those of you have had an MRI, how bad is it? If a sedative is offered, I'm guessing that it's not a walk in the park, but really, lying down for 30 minutes in a tube? Is it really that bad? What should I expect?

I just had one a couple days ago. If you are claustrophobic, it will be difficult. I am not all that claustrophic, so it didn't bother me too much but I could certainly understand why it makes people freak out.

You will lie on a platform and then be transported into the tube. The tube is wider at the entry point and you'll find as you get inside, the roof will be inches from your face.

In the machine I was in, the back of the machine (the end of the tube by your head) is open and you can peer in that direction to get some relief from the feeling you're in a coffin.

I also find it helps to just close your eyes and find your happy place.

My scan took about 25 minutes. Some scans can be over an hour. Just depends on what they are looking at. The tech will probably tell you how long you'll be in there beforehand. If not, ask.

The scan is broken up into different intervals. I had about 6 intervals lasting from 1-4.5 minutes each. There was about 30-60 seconds between each scan.

During the scans, the machine makes a helluva racket. Anything from laser-pulse like noises to sounding like a washing machine with a rock in it. It's mostly very rhythmic. In between each scan is a period of relative quiet.

You will probably be given earplugs and possibly headphones to listen to music (depends on how you are positioned in the machine. I was not able to use headphones).

There is also a speaker and microphone in the machine. The tech will talk to you and you can talk to him. My tech told me when each scan was starting, how long it would last and how many more I had left. I very much appreciated this. It was nice to be reminded that I wasn't forgotten alone in the tube and great to have an idea of how long each scan would last. I would ask the tech to make these announcements to you.

Definitely take care of all bathroom needs before you go in.

I don't know if they have one in your area, but they do have open MRI's which are great if you don't like being stuffed in a tube. I'm pretty wide at the shoulders and putting me in a MRI tube is like putting a cork in a bottle....very uncomfortable.

It's scheduled for 1:30 pm (arrive at 1:00, presumably to fill out, or maybe fill in, a bazillion forms).

I was told nothing to eat or drink for six hours prior, so I had a Jimmy Dean sausage / gravy microwave breakfast bowl. More calories than my normal breakfast, but I wanted it to last, and I did not want to take time to prepare a real breakfast.

Now it's not even 10:00 am and I'm starting to get hungry. No food, no drink, damn! I think that right after, I'm going to go to the closest Wendy's for something big and unhealthy, maybe a double or triple, and some fries, and a frosty, and . . .

Cracker Barrel is my post-fasting fix

They probably just don’t want you to have to go to the bathroom in the middle. Some do have injected contrast stuff. No idea if that is why.

Maybe turds get in the way.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:

They probably just don’t want you to have to go to the bathroom in the middle.

Wait, you mean there's no relief tube? I might have to make a trucker bomb.

Cracker Barrel sounds good, too. Or Waffle House. Or any place with large portions of unhealthy food. That kind of rules out Chick-Fil-A.

To me it is similar to going in a lay down tanning bed. They gave me headphones with music to listen to. If they suggest this, see what kind of music they will be playing as I didn't like the music & that was the irritating part. It was no big deal, but I actually feel comforted by confined spaces. The part that bothered me was the fact that it was getting it done to see if I have a brain aneurysm, which it confirmed

Depending on the age and gradient strength of the magnet, the exam could require that the coil be inserted....just a heads up there. Also, the older the scanner the louder it will be and the longer the exam will take. As a patient, you can ask questions about the equipment being used on you and request a referral to a center with more modern, less invasive, technology. The exam doesn't cost more if the center has better gear.

quote:

Originally posted by TXJIM:

the exam could require that the coil be inserted

Are you saying what I think you're saying?

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Go to your happy place while doing this and you'll be fine.

You mean like coming down final on an ILS approach, keeping the needles centered, looking to break out just above DH? OK, I can do that.

Whatever works for you! The mind is a powerful thing and it can help escape painful / uncomfortable situations. I day dreamed about a number of things with my eyes closed and before I knew it, the MRI was over.

Both of mine were the rather uncomfortable 'tube' and I was head first with it checking my back / upper GI area.

Good luck!

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:

No metal of course. I forgot to take off my wedding ring

My wedding ring has been on my finger for decades. I never take it off.

No metal? OOPS! I better have a conversation with them about this:

L.R. I had an MRI done without any contrast for a brain scan to check repairs. I had 18 platinum strips coiled in an aneurysm for repair to stop the bleed and had similar concerns about the metals. It's fine with platinum too. It was loud inside and a lot of humming and pulsing sounds. After a while it wasn't so bad but my heart was going hard at first. Hope all goes well for you.

I have had a couple recently,I found if I could tilt my head to see the opening behind me I was ok. I too suffer from slight claustrophobia.