MRI and Claustraphobia

I never thought I was clausstraphobic until today. I went to have an MRI on my melon cause I've been having headaches but screw that! I don't like being in that tube. I re-scheduled for the "open" MRI. The "closed" MRI takes 35 minutes according to the tech. He said the "open" MRI "takes a bit longer".

Get them to give you some sedation, although that's like pulling teeth (or just come in for the study after having a few "pops"). The open MRI images aren't as good, but probably diagnostic enough. The newer magnets have a bigger bore, you may have been in an older one. Most places will cover your eyes and give you music, but it's still kinda unnerving.

Hope everything turns out well.

TKL, the open MRI is much nicer, my daughter had one, no comparison to the tube.

I had to stick my head in the tube about six months ago, and I didn't like it either. It was definately a disconcerting feeling having that tube so close to my face. I just closed my eyes and tried to relax, which seemed to work pretty good till they turned the damn thing on and I almost crapped myself because it was so freakin' loud! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/faint.gif The noises are very loud and random to where you don't really get used to them. Just when you do, they run a different scan and the sound totally changes. Mine took about 15 minutes, and that was plenty for me.

The tech running the thing told me about 20-25% of the people freak out to a degree where they need to be sedated or use the open model. He also remarked that the images from the open type are not as detailed.


Peter

They had to pull me out, and give me valium just to get through it. The open MRI is still right in your face, but much nicer.

hmm if i were you i'd probly sneak something like 1mg of Xanax b4hand..

Bravo says he took a Valium.. i would've thought that'd be too strong but it worked for him, i imagine it'd definitely work for you too.

Valium is very helpful and not that strong. Don't be shy about asking for it. But on the other hand, going into a circle filled with thousands of watts of electricity circling you head and having a giant magnet made of explosive super cooled liquid nitrogen can be disconcerting.

OK, ok, even if the gas gets "quenched" it just blows off. There is nothing ever to worry about. No reported deaths, ever.

cheese

I've gone in head first before. When you think something is seriously wrong with your head, you'll put up with the claustrophobia. Of course if they'll give you valium on the spot, maybe I'll fake it next time!

Geepondy,

good point, when you are really worried you're willing to put up with more. As far as the valium, you really have to put up a show.

I had a nice patient w/ a brain tumor who needed an emergency MRI prior to going to the OR - I had to give her 5mg of versed before she would stay still enough to get decent images. It's a lot of fun sitting in the control room, watching the sat monitor & hoping you don't have to intubate someone /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I had a MRI when I was in PA school (as part of an ongoing study for functional MRIs) - it's a bit close in the tube, but the whirring & clicking were more annoying ( a set of headphones & some music would have been great, but the study required responding to auditory & visual cues).

I have moderately severe claustrophobia and the only way I could do an MRI is under general anesthesia. I couldn't even do a cat scan, even with my girl friend looking through the"control room" window at me for moral support. You can be physically brave and a strong person but this !@#!%!! claustrophobia has a power of its own.

Brightnorm

when I had my first mri, I hardly fit inside the machine. I'm a broad shouldered big chested guy and the tube was close to touching my nose as well. I was into meditation at the time and was able to get myself into a barely manageable space. Since, I've had a couple of mri's in an open machine where if you tilt your head slightly backwards you can actually look outside the machine. I wouldn't mind being in a tube so much if it was big enough to fit comfortably.

[ QUOTE ]
keithhr said:
when I had my first mri, I hardly fit inside the machine. I'm a broad shouldered big chested guy and the tube was close to touching my nose as well.

[/ QUOTE ] Me too. If I had a little more room I probably would have finished it.

I have had a bunch of MRIs and I'm lucky, it doesn't bother me at all. It helped me that I had been in the afterburners of many jet engines that are very close to the same size as an MRI enclosure and you just get used to the tight quarters while doing an inspection.

OK, ok, I'll admit it, I had an MRI years ago and had no problems (fell asleep in the scanner and I'm no petite little thing-I was stuffed in like a sardine). I look at the scanner now and maybe because I'm older, I don't think I'd go in without some sweating or helpful pre-MRI sedation.

I'm glad you guys posted. I had no clue.

There was a thread that gravitated this way My brain. Literally.
I posted a link to a pic of the open MRI, still say it looks like something from Star Trek /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Hope all goes well with yours. And the results

I hate the MRI tube also very much. Never thought I was clausstraphobic either, but that thing is like a coffin.

I've had several bad disc in the back, and have gone through many MRI in the old full tube. Just relax, close your eyes and go to sleep. That's how I handled it. Also, that d@mn hard slab they make you lay on made my back hurt so bad I didn't fear death at the time.

Yes, a tight fit for me too. Seems like they're built for short thin people. Also, I don't know if it's all in my head, but I always felt nausiated for a couple days afterward.

Good luck tkl, hope the open one is more comfortable for you.

No worries, it's probably just a little tumor /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

good posts.

the oral valium or ativan are good choices. it is a lot easier to deal with fear when your heart is not pounding out of your chest!

however, make sure you take it about 1 hour before the scan.
i have seen people given a sedative 10 minutes before--it takes 30+ minutes to take effect.

if they place a heplock, you can get the meds IV just minutes before the scan. the effects will be short lived.

good luck,
Bob