quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
^^^You describe a scene not dissimilar to that of a 'Black Hole'! One has to wonder if the Nurse was pushing the bed down the hall, how is it that she ended up between the bed and the MRI?

Reminds me of a scary sci-fi movie I saw as a kid:
“The Magnetic Monster“.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magnetic_Monster

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Those who cannot tolerate the "classic" MRI can ask for the open one.

I am claustrophobic enough that I cannot even get in an "open" MRI without sedation!

About 14 years ago I was scheduled for an open MRI in preparation for neck surgery. I was given two valium tablets to take after I couldn't get in the machine without going bonkers. Tried again about 45 minutes later and still no-go. Was given another valium and made 3rd attempt about a half hour later. Still no good! After the 4th valium didn't do the trick, an IV was placed in my arm and I was given a heavy sedative, and thankfully I didn't remember anything after regaining consciousness.

Last year I had a stroke and one of the first things the ER wanted to do was an MRI. I explained my claustrophobia and was given Ativan via IV. Apparently me and Ativan do not get along, and I became combative, aggressive, and highly paranoid! I didn't remember any of it, but sure heard about it the next day from my wife and one of the nurses! The best they ever did was a CT which I could tolerate; no MRI was ever completed on me!

I have endured a few MRIs I felt like a cork being pushed into a wine bottle. If you close your eyes and picture you are on a nice beach it helps.

Check into wide bore MRI in your area.

Have people been given a sedative for this procedure?
I wonder

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
Have people been given a sedative for this procedure?
I wonder

Some. I didn't want to be put under so I asked my doctor for something to take the edge off. He denied me. I barely made it through the 35 min.
It was for my lower back but so if I could have been placed 12" further towards the opening, I could have looked out and been fine.
The tech guy came on and asked how I was doing and told me I only had 5 more min. Longest 5 min. of my life.

quote:

Have people been given a sedative for this procedure?
I wonder

Sedative? Some people get general anesthesia and this guy was one of them.

Last year I was an inpatient for 10 days (5 in the ICU) with partial paralysis. There was no traumatic injuries causing it and my CT of the head was clear so it wasn't stroke. Next they wanted a full head and spine MRI but I couldn't tolerate the positioning and actually stay still.

So I had a general anesthetic with an LMA as my airway adjunct. A little bit of propofol to induce anesthesia followed by some inhaled sevofluane via an MRI compatible anesthesia machine and I was out like a light, they got the MRI done and found nothing wrong.

Eventual diagnosis was Guillain Barre Syndrome and after treatment I've 95% recovered.

The hospital system I use to work for (and currently go to as a patient) has multiple MRI suites in house and runs anesthesia on 1 of them 5 days a week plus 3 days a week at a 2nd MRI suite.

General Anesthesia in a MRI setting is a real thing and all I can say is THANK GOD for it.

Did you know that dogs can't run MRI machines? But cats can.

Leave. Just leave the room right now. Go!

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
Have people been given a sedative for this procedure?
I wonder

As stated in my post above, that is the ONLY way I can have an MRI done! And closing my ears and picturing beaches, naked wimmens, or whatever didn't even begin to work!

Edit to add: I assume what I was given was just a heavy sedative and NOT general anesthesia, and my understanding it that G.A. would require intubation, and that is not something that was done to me.