So I have a problem with my back. I tried physical therapy and that did nothing. I got an x-ray and that showed nothing. Next step is an MRI.
I’m a naturally anxious person and somewhat claustrophobic. I have no problems being in an elevator or something like that but when I watch people do caving on tv and they’re squeezing through a dark tunnel on their belly and emerging on the other side like the cave birthed them I get queasy.
I asked a lady that’s a friend how much clearance there was between her face and the tube and she said about 6 inches. Is that true? Or is she perhaps a bad judge of distance. If true I’m not sure how people of much size would get in one. She’s average sized.
The doc said they’d give me some valium if I had concerns, 5mg. I’ve never taken valium before and am a 42 year old guy that never really has taken any meds to speak of. Maybe some ibuprofen. So I have no idea what to expect from taking that, and I’m not sure if I need it.
I think if the tube is enclosed on the end that my head is at that might kind of freak me out. Also if it’s truly 6 inches from my face that might as well. I kind of get freaked out if there’s no easy way out. I like the thought that I at least could get out if necessary.
So, any advice? Should I jump on the valium train, and where does it go, lol. Is my friend right about the tiny size of the tube? She said I could probably do an open MRI but the doc pretty much poo-pooed that idea. Thanks in advance for any advice. This is all very new to me, which I’m thankful for, but which leaves me and my over-thinking anxious mind wondering what I’m in for. I’ve done some research online myself but wanted to ask here as well.
I’ve never felt claustrophobic in MRI machines, and I’m a pretty big guy. Mostly, I’ve felt bored. If they offer you acoustic earphones to listen to your favorite radio station, take them.
They can be kinda tight. I’ve never been in one where an end (like by your head) is closed off. I would not be able to do caving either, but mostly because of all the unknowns. After a minute or two, the ‘tight quarters’ feel goes away for me.
Note, they are loud. They bang around a lot, but I’m sure that will be explained. The should offer you something to listen to. The worst for me is the need to stay absolutely still. After that is the boredom.
I have a hip problem and need to make an appointment…
I’ve had a few MRIs without incident, but then again, I’m not claustrophobic. My biggest complaint is that they always make you take your shoes off, and without fail, the room with the machine is always cold, so my feet get cold.
I’ve also taken Valium before a knee surgery- I was really sweating it- my surgeon had told me that he couldn’t tell how extensive the ACL damage was- I had a roughly even chance of needing just MCL reconstruction alone, versus combined ACL/MCL reconstruction. The former meant about 6 weeks on crutches and some minimal PT/rehab. The other meant more like 6 weeks of immobility and six months on crutches (this was 1989- now it’s a MUCH shorter recovery time). Since I was an athletic kid, I really didn’t want to be out of commission for that long.
Anyway, I was sitting there sweating- apparently my temperature was elevated a little bit, and my heart rate was something like 115 due to anxiety. Nurse says “Oh, I see you’re pretty anxious. Let me talk to the doctor.” She came back with a single capsule and says “This is Valium- it’ll calm you down.” In a very short period, my heart rate was normal, and I was very chill- not in the least bit anxious. The surgeon could have come in and said “I have to amputate your leg”, and I’d have been like “Do what you gotta do, doc.” It wasn’t mind-altering in any kind of altered perception kind of sense, but it was definitely weird to be able to actually perceive the drug taking effect and feeling the anxiety ebb away.
Yes, I’ve heard that music can be an option. I wonder if I can do podcasts. I love podcasts and can get lost in them. I can get beyond the boredom if needed, my brain is always running and will keep me entertained.
Thanks for the words about valium. Something that just takes the edge off the anxiety is probably not a bad idea. I wasn’t sure how loopy it might make a person.
If you’re claustrophobic, take the meds. 100%, no question. It’s tight and you can’t move. I find I do better with my eyes closed, so I can’t see how close things are. It helps if they’ve got a fan going to move air past your face.
I am a person of size. They can move the bed around and up and down a bit to help adjust, but you’ll still be slid into a hole. In other words, you should fit, but it’s not roomy.
Valium shouldn’t do much other than make you feel really calm, and possibly a little floaty. Follow the instructions so that it’s in full force when you start the procedure.
They will give you a buzzer you hold in your hand so you can signal if you need help.
All in all, it should go relatively quickly. I’ve gotten through by doing my math in my head or other mental exercises to keep distracted. I won’t lie though - I really hate them.
Why did your doctor nix an open MRI? I’ve had numerous scans, one of my MRI’s was in an open machine. I think it was simply availability, since I don’t have problems with enclosed spaces.
Is my understanding that they’re more expensive, but that’s an issue for you and your insurance, not the doctor. One of my doctors requested a pricey PET/CT scan knowing it would probably be denied. It was, so we settled for an MRI.
Anyway… The worst part is staying still. Mine are done on my head and neck, so even swallowing is problematic. Then there’s the fl*cking needles (gadolinium injection). Boredom and noise are merely annoying.
Imagine being under your bed, or working under your car for an extended period. Would that bother you? If so, take the valium.
My claustrophobia is all about running out of air. So in the MRI machine, with huge round holes at the top and bottom, I am A-ok. Put me in a much larger enclosed cabinet though and I would freak.
Here’s the thing though, the valium will also relax your muscles. So it is possible that a small tear in a disc or something might not show in the same way it would if your back were in its normal, tensed posture. So don’t take it just because you can; only if you need it to get through the procedure.
@garygnu - She (and the research I’ve done) said that open MRI’s aren’t near as detailed and kind of look like someone shoot an etch-a-sketch up a bit. It’s not as clear and detailed. Like for this back issue they need extreme detail to be able to tell what’s going on. The thought is a herniated disc, possibly an issue with a facet. That’s the reasoning given to me for what it’s worth.
I have no problem under a bed or car, but I’m in the group that never considered themselves claustrophobic until I had an MRI.
For me, what made me feel that way was that there’s no (easy) way to get out if you want to. It’s really not something you could do on your own, there’s just no space to wriggle around.
Oddly enough, I found closing my eyes to be more annoying. When they were closed I felt like the tube was an inch away from me and I’d be relieved to find it about 6 inches away when I opened them.
If you’re truly going to panic ask for a valium and make sure you have a ride home. This is what those techs do, they’ll think nothing of it. OTOH, look at it this way, if you got in the machine when you started this thread, you’d be on your way home by now. If you can suck it up for 45 minutes (maybe more, maybe less), you’ll be fine.
Yes, the eye trick only worked for me if they had the active air movement device. If there’s no breeze, then my brain stayed firmly in “I can’t get out” mode.
Take the Valium. It will help. Sunny, I close my eyes too. I have spatial phobias, leans more toward big open areas, but I do get claustrophobic in crowded spaces. I wanna run out the nearest exit.
Again, OP take the Valium. Best stuff on earth.
They should offer you some sort of ear protection/distraction. You have to use their headphones, not your own because equipment in the same room as an MRI machine has to be OK’d for being in proximity to a monstrously large magnet. If you didn’t already know, essentially you’re being threaded through the donut-hole of the magnet.
If they give you Valium it won’t be enough to knock you out (although they’ll probably not want you to drive yourself home). As others have said, it just eases the anxiety.
You do have a panic button. If you use it they’ll pull you out of the MRI machine.
I found keeping my eyes closed worked for me, YMMV. I’m not a fan of tight spaces but I didn’t feel at all trapped or anything of that sort which is what triggers my claustrophobic tendencies.
Actually, I was so chill during mine I actually fell asleep for a bit. And I didn’t even have the Valium.
If I had a complaint it would be just how LOUD those machines are.
I am claustrophobic. If I have a dream in which I am in any way confined, I will wake up in a panic and need to get up. However, I elected not to take the valium. As it turned out, I suffered no anxiety even while remaining perfectly still. I had them play 60’s classic rock and I counted the passage of time by the length of the songs. Doing so helped me focus. While a 45-minute MRI didn’t freak me out, a 20-minute bone scan did. My legs were tightly bound and I had to hold my arms over my head. There was no music and no communication. With nothing to distract me I really began to get panicky. Had I been in there any longer I would have gone berserk! In short, the music helps pass the time, but if you really feel the valium would ease your mind, go for it.
I wish I could see or experience it in some way before taking the valium because I might be cool with it, but it sounds like if panic might even possibly be an issue I should just take it and move on. I don’t know if I’ll be in any place to judge, while on valium, if I’d be cool or not.
I was told to take one 5mg valium before the scheduled time, and I have another for later if I need it. My wife can drive me to and from.
Those prism glasses look cool. Of course, I probably can’t wear my metal glasses frames in the machine and without them I can’t see far anyway. I wonder if closing my eyes would even make a difference since i’m so nearsighted, lol.
I get an MRI to check on progress of my MS every 1-2 years, so I’m a “pro” at this point. Ask the nurses to put a folded-up towel on your eyes. The one time they did that for me, I was able to pretty much totally forget that I was in a tiny tube. I don’t ask for it every time because the sensation of being in the tube doesn’t really bother me. I am a person of size, and there’s not usually any problem with getting me in the tube.
Another vote for the valium and an eye shade/towel. And the headphones with some loud distracting music. I had to push the button once during my first shoulder MRI. If your problem is lower back, your head may be partially out of the machine, which for me is a whole different experience.
