Huh. As I remember things, before my first MRI all the techs did their best to be very gentle and reassuring with me. They asked me if I was claustraphobic at all, offered me a sedative, gave me earplugs and the panic squeeze-ball thingie, explained that the loud noise would be the magnets moving around, etc. They were actually so nice about the whole thing that it scared me a little – I thought it was going to be a horrible experience for sure. But I’ve never been bothered by the MRI at all, which is good because I have a brain tumor and I have to get them done all the time. I guess even if I didn’t like them at first I’d probably be used to them by now, but honestly they’ve never seemed like a big deal to me.
If you are upset by them I’m not sure what could be done to make it better, except to be sure that you’ve got earplugs and ask for the sedative if you think you’ll need it.
I had my first MRI a few months ago. I really didn’t find it bad at all. If it wasn’t so noisy I’m sure I’d’ve fallen asleep. I don’t remember having a panic button, but maybe it didn’t register because I didn’t need it. The techs were freindly and let me watch the images of the person in line in front of me. They covered me with a blanket. I did some slow, deep breathing and started my usual prayer routine. (Prayer is optional, of course) I’ve never considered myself claustrophobic, however I don’t like being in small crowded places at all. It feels like the tall people get all the oxygen. I’ve walked up 10 flights of stairs so I didn’t have to get in crowded elevators.
The problem, at least for me, isn’t fear of the equipment or misunderstanding how it works. I had no fear that the equipment would hurt me and I did have at least a vague understanding of the principles involved. It also had nothing to do with the noises, they didn’t bother me. It’s the basic instinctive fear of being in a small enclosed space. I would most likely have reacted the same way if someone had shoved me into a simple big pipe of the same diameter that contained no equipment and made no noises. We’re talking about a primal instinct here. You don’t know how you’ll react until you’re in the situation, and trying to rationalize it may not be as useful as you think.
I worked in an MRI unit for a few weeks (Replacing a sick nurse) I did sedations on kids, then sat inside the room with them.
They wanted to test some new software for cervical (neck) injuries. Since I have a slight problem with C5, I volunteered.
Question: Did yours have a mirror inside? Mine did. No one told me, and it startled me almost to the point of panic. After that I kept falling asleep. My chin would drop into the scan field, and they’d wake me up and start over. I think I was inside for 2 1/2 hours. Other than have a mirror 1 inch from my face for that long, it wasn’t bad.
The reason the don’t always give a call button, is that they don’t want you to move at all. They could see you (there’s a camera in there.) and hear you, unless the had the mic turned off.
You were handled by someone who needs to go work in a rat lab. He had so little empathy.
They didn’t tell you about the open MRIs because MRI Units are usually private, for-profit units. They didn’t want you to take your money else where.
I can understand why they were careful with the Xanax, If one gave my 6’2" husband a 1/2, someone would have to breath for him.
1010011010, what Davidm said. And it wasn’t that I thought the machine was going to hurt me but the shock of the whole situation. I was not prepared for what they put me through. Then realizing I was alone in the room, locked into this machine in a 2’ tube up to my waist with no one on the outside communicating with me freaked me out.
Perhaps if they did explain everthing to me I could have psyched myself up for it but instead they psyched me out of it…
Lamia sorry to hear that. I am hoping the Open MRI I have scheduled will be the answer I am looking for. Because I have to have the dye injected I couldn’t get an appointement until Nov 20th.
StGermain, sorry for stealing your oxyen but I can’t fathom how “The Tube” is better than a crowded elevator.
picunurse, mine did not have a mirror so when I slid in all I could see was bright lights and the white cylinder walls.
Do all MRI machines come with microphones and cameras? If so I am getting more upset that they could not hear my calls or see that I was visibly unfomfortable (let alone the hands waving and feet kicking). If it was obvious that my images were not acceptable (becasue I needed to do the first 10 mins again) did they know this as it was happening or did they have to wait some time for the results to get to them?
Yes, you (and I) should have been given better preparation.
I didn’t get a panic button. Yes, you should have been given it from the top.
I didn’t – see link above. I slid out of the tube after about 1 minute of swelling panic.
Yes.
I think you shouldn’t have trouble with the open MRI, but the image may not be as good as one from the closed machine – you may need to talk to your doctor before scheduling the imaging. I can’t get an open MRI on my hand, for whatever reason, and I haven’t gone back to my doctor or for another scan since the shudder experience. There is absolutely no way you will ever get me into one of those machines while I’m conscious.
gallows fodder, thanks for the link. I knew I couldn’t do a search for “MRI” and I didn’t remember your thread from last month. The thread probably didn’t register with me because I never thought I was going to be inside that damn tube myself.
I’ve never had an open MRI, but I hear that for some people they are a lot less scary. There is some variety even among the closed-in MRIs – the newer ones tend to be roomier and a little less noisy. I had to have an MRI done in another town once, and the machine they had was really quite elegant. There were potted plants in hanging baskets over the opening, and they gave me headphones so I could listen to a little classical music.
At the other end of the spectrum, I once had to have an MRI inside a trailer on the roof of the hospital…in January.
If it looks like you may need to have more than one MRI, you might want to talk to someone about relaxation/meditation/breathing exercises you could do. It’s really best if you can just think about something else (or better still, think about nothing) while you’re in there.
How can you people who live in cities filled with murderes be afraid of a MRI? Where’s the concern?..that everyone will leave and you’ll be forced to wiggle out of the tube?
Holy crap, NYR. I would have had a heart attack a minute and a half into that test. I am SEVERELY claustrophobic - so much so that I panicked badly and puked inside a CAT scanner thingie (the techs were very unhappy with me…) Just reading your OP had me gasping for air.
I have nothing to offer you but a long-distance hug and a buttload of sympathy.
Dude. It’s claustrophobia. Phobias are, by definition, irrational fears. Who knows why some of us hyperventilate at the thought of being trapped in a metal tube for an hour? We just do.
And for what it’s worth, I had no idea that I would react the way I did. I wasn’t claustrophobic before that. Elevators don’t give me any problems. (Though, seriously, why is that the yardstick for claustrophobia? You’re in an elevator for, like, 30 seconds, and you can stand up and walk around a little in them. How does that compare with being stuck in a 2’-wide hole, not being allowed to move, for an hour?)
Claustrophobia - this is odd, I know I didn’t experience it as a youngster, but boy, do I suffer from it now. Which, of course, means I’ll never attend another concert again. I would literally throw up if I had to go through a MRI; I almost passed out when they put the shield too close to my face during my last c-section delivery. I will not get on a crowded elevator!
I also dislike heights.
I can relate to your experiences, NYR407. Back in April, I needed an MRI on my lower spine, to verify a possible herniated disc and a pinched nerve. The military, in it’s wisdom, only has a tiny closed MRI machine. Well, if I was a size 10, it would have been fine, I suppose. But I haven’t been that size in more years than I care to count.
Anyway, to relate my own experience, they did not offer me a panic button at any time, they did not warn me that it would be that tight a fit, and they almost forgot to offer me some piddly little excuse for earplugs. No medication was offered, either. I would have had to reschedule. So, not being the claustrophobic type, I decided to forge ahead, since I really needed to know.
Ok, that was bizarre to say the least. I clicked on backspace, and it submitted it. To continue:
This tube was not wide enough for me to lay with my arms by my sides; we tried, and I almost got stuck partway in. So, back out, and I had to lay with my arms up over my head for the entire time. That was uncomfortable to say the least; first, to lay my arms up and over that cervical block around my neck. I have osteoarthritis, moderate to severe, and 40 minutes of having my arms above my head became excruciating. To the point that the tech had to manually move my arms, one at a time, back down for me, since they refused to move for me. :eek:
And, about 10 minutes into the test, I suddenly started having an asthma attack, and since I had no inhaler, and couldn’t have used it anyway, I started hyperventilating too. It took forever it seems like, when I was kicking my legs, and trying to scream for help, before they came in and pulled me out. shudders
I’m still not sure if it was a bit of claustrophobia or my asthma acting up, or what. But I really, really, really hated to get put back in there. At least I got them to rip the neckline of my ‘gown’ so it wasn’t choking me. That did help some.
That tech wasn’t very friendly, nor did he seem to understand what it is like to be in such a tight place. Even with my arms up over my head, I was squished into that tube, and couldn’t have moved myself if I had to. That is a scary feeling, to be stuck and not able to move. It’s one thing for them to say ‘be still, don’t move’ and it’s quite another to be a long inch away from hitting your nose on the ceiling, and yet not be able to do more than wiggle your toes and fingers. :rolleyes:
One more thing I almost forgot to mention. The tech said it might be a little noisy in there. A LITTLE?!?!?!? Of course, part of my problem is that I have better than average hearing <just ask my cubs>, but come on. Little compared to what, a KISS concert? Standing next to a jet taking off?
It was horrendous to me. All that clacking and banging and every sound made the whole thing move and jerk around… I was starting to wonder if it was attacking me or something.
One time too many. Nope. Ain’t goin’ back. No way, no how. If they ever want to do another one (that was my second, by the way; at least the other one was just on my right hand), they can either send me to an open MRI unit, or they can forget it. I have a new appreciation for those who suffer from claustrophobia. You have my sympathy.
I’ve had approx 4 MRI’s - I wasn’t given any panic button or any explanation of what was going on or any of them. They caged me up, as described, laid a blanket on me and told me to stay very still.
My attitude to it and any other test I had to go through (and believe me, compared to some of them, the MRI experience you had to nothing!), was that I was ill and anything that’d help them figure out why was good for me. I would walk on hot coals if they said it’d make me better.
Hi: New the board - can’t resist this one! I can’t possibly imagine what hell your experience must have been! You know when they show people dangling off very high things and divers going into underwater caves with a really really tight fit? My palms sweat and my tummy gets really rollin’!
My sympathies…hope you find a solution which doesn’t involve drugs! You have a long way to fall!
