Ok, I am not sure if this is going to turn into me pitting the lab techs or not so I am putting it here to see what others have to say first. Mods, if it belongs elsewhere please move it.
To make a long story shorter, I needed to get an MRI on my head (specifically my left ear) so I had an appointment set up for yesterday. Now I had never had an MRI but I did have a CAT Scan once.
At the appointment I answered the questionnaire they had given me. One of the questions was “Are you claustrophobic?”. Not thinking I was I answered “no”. (I have a feeling you can see where this is heading)
After all the paperwork was complete I needed to get an IV set up because they were going to inject a dye into me 10 mins into the 30 Min MRI. Now as they are getting me prepped they asked me if I ever had an MRI. I of course said I never did. I then told them that I had a CAT scan a few years ago and they said “Oh they are nothing a like”. Boy they weren’t kidding.
Now I am all set and I walk into the room with the MRI. My first time ever actually seeing one. For those that haven’t I am guessing it is about 7’ wide by 7’ tall by 10 feet deep with a 2’ tube (it can’t be much bigger than that) in the middle of it with a table that slides in and out.
Still thinking nothing of it I listen to the Radiologist (I am guessing that is what he was) and lie on the table. At this point he tells me that it is very important not to move because it will affect the images. He then adds that he knows it is my ear they are concerned with and unfortunately I will be subject to loud noises for the next 30 mins. Again I think nothing of it because if the ENT doc needs this done to help me then so be it.
Now its time to get secured. And this is where I start to regret doing this. I place my head on the headrest and two small cushions are placed on either side of my head (I presume to absorb some of the sounds.) and close a metal cage a la Hannibal Lecter in front of my face. Ok it was about two inches above my face but you get the picture. The last thing the guy says to me is “I’ll be back in 10 mins to inject you with the dye” and he slides me into the tube.
Let me tell you, I was not expecting that half my body needed to be inside the tiny tube of this machine. I figured maybe from the neck up would be enough the chest would be the most. After about 30 seconds of realizing I was in from the waist up and I could not move for the next 30 mins while stuck inside this tiny tube I wanted out. Fast! I calmly call out “hello?”. Nothing. Again but louder "Hello!? Nothing. I start to panic and my heart rate must have jumped off the charts.
Now the machine has started and loud clicking and clanking noises are going on all around me. I try again much louder “HELLLLOOOOO” Nothing. I realize they can’t hear me but I remember that was a large glass window just opposite the machine. So I figure a visual might help the situation so I start waving my hands (which barely are outside the machine) and feet. Still not a peep out of anyone. Not a “Hey are you ok?” or “Hold on we are getting you out.”
About two or three minutes have passed and my only glimmer of hope is in about 7 or 8 mins the radiologist (or whatever the hell he is) needs to give me an injection of dye. I knew then that he was not going to have the honor of doing that. I made sure I could locate the IV quickly so if he came by he was not going to get to it.
To pass the remaining time I tried thinking of songs to sing in my head but all the noise was distracting me from keeping a beat. So I decided to keep beat with the Machine and bang my hands and feet in tune. Let me tell you there will not be an MRI soundtrack cracking the top 40 unless MTV gets Brittany in there naked for all to see.
Finally my 10 mins of HELL (which seemed like 10 days) are coming to an end. The Radiologist slides me out because I guess he can tell I am freaked. He then informs me that in order to have a proper MRI I will need to start from the beginning because my movement was disruptive to the images. No kidding jerky! That was the point of my movement. To be disruptive and stop the MRI! He actually thought I was going to be all gun ho and say “Lets do it again from the top”. I ask him if they could knock me out for the test and he said he couldn’t. I tell him that I was not expecting the reaction I had and I was not sure that I could go back inside the tube.
I sit down outside the room and they try to calm me down saying how easy it is. One woman tells me how she was inside for 90 mins while they conducted test. She should not have mentioned that the machine had been broken. She also adds that I probably should have closed my eyes before I went in. A little late for that advice.
At this point another Lab Tech ask me if I would be willing to take a pill that should help my anxiety. Sure no problem lets give it a go. So then I make sure someone can pick me up and drive my car home. All is set. So she is about to hand me a Zoloft and asks me what my tolerance is to drugs. How the hell would I know how to answer that question? I don’t take illegal drugs and rarely am I on prescription medication. I tell her that I have no idea and she decides to give me half of a pill (not sure of mgs). If it matters I am 6’4" tall about 190 lbs.
They tell me to have a seat in the waiting room and they will get me in about 30 mins. The affect was supposed to make me calmer and remove or at least reduce the anxiety of the tube.
My 30 mins is up and they ask me how I feel. I really felt no different, perhaps slightly, but I knew I didn’t want to go back in the tube. But I tell myself that I need to have this done so get it over with. I climb onto the table again and something strange happened…the radiologist hands me a BUZZER! Yes a panic Buzzer. Where the heck was this when I needed it.
I think that perhaps now that I have the piece of mind with the buzzer I wouldn’t mind being inside the tube. So we go through everything again and he closes the Hannibal Lecter cage over my face and begins to slide me in. I didn’t last two seconds and said, “Nope, it’s not going to happen”.
I was not going to go back into MRI HELL again unless I was extremely sedated. Something they could not offer me.
So we decided that I was going to call my ENT doctor to see about alternatives. They offered to give me a full Zoloft as long as I came an hour before my appointment so it took full affect. I told them I would think about it.
On my way home I was informed that the industry has “Open MRI Machines” for the claustrophobic and overweight. First thing this morning I called my ENT office to see if this type is available to me. I am waiting for a call back and keeping my fingers crossed that I can use the Open MRI because I really don’t think I could go through that again.
If you stuck around long enough to read this let me ask you a few questions.
Do you think I should have been given better preparation for what was in store for me (close quarters, no one in room etc).
Should the Radiologist have given me the panic button the first time around? The more I think about it the more I am amazed he didn’t.
Did you have to go through this? How did you get through it? No problems or did you think happy thoughts?
Shouldn’t they have realized I was claustrophobic after the first try and informed me that Open MRIs are available? (they don’t have one)
Anything alse you want to add, comment on or poke fun at?
They should be able to lay the headphones near your head, not on it, and crank up the volume so you’ll at least have something to occupy your mind. You can also ask whether earplugs would be appropriate for this exam, at least in the opposite ear.