Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Please can someone help? I have an MRI tomorrow and completely terrified!

56 replies

Newhouse76 · 10/01/2020 20:53

Thanks to everyone who has offered advice on my labyrinthitis post.

Having failed a number of hearing tests, I was given an emergency appointment to see a ENT consultant today. Have been advised that I am suffering from profound hearing loss in the affected ear and there is 30 percent chance of my hearing returning 😨

Anyway I need to go for a CT scan tomorrow afternoon to rule out something more serious.

Am totally terrified as I am extremely claustrophobic and have been suffering from anxiety for other reasons.

I CANNOT imagine getting into that tube for 5 minutes let alone for up to an hour. I don’t listen to music and i don’t want to talk to the person who is completing the procedure and im totally worried that I might try to sit up or fight my way out!

Any hints and tips anyone? Ive never been so scared

OP posts:

ChicCroissant · 10/01/2020 20:54

Is it a CT scan or an MRI, you have mentioned both.

Original poster

Newhouse76 · 10/01/2020 20:54

Im sorry its an MRI

OP posts:

ChicCroissant · 10/01/2020 20:56

I'd speak to the staff to see if they can reassure you, they are used to nervous patients. Is there anyone who can go with you, I have stood by the tube and held the hand of someone inside who was very nervous - ask the hospital if you can take someone with you.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health

Synecdoche · 10/01/2020 20:57

Close your eyes before you start moving/going into the machine. Try and make tunes/music to the rhythm of the magnets. Tell the people doing your scan to keep talking to you/updating you on how long you've got through and how long is left.

SpeedofaSloth · 10/01/2020 20:58

I had one for the same reason. They gave me some headphones and I could speak to the Radiographers, and they kept me reassured. I think there was music if I wanted it.
I kept my eyes closed and concentrated on my breathing, and it was over reasonably soon.
I don't like to lie completely flat - I feel like I can't breathe - and when I said so the Radiographer gave me a wedge cushion for my head.
It wasn't so bad.
I am claustrophobic, too. Tell them when you get there, they should be sympathetic as it's a common phobia.

CheekyFucker · 10/01/2020 20:58

Phone them in the morning. Hopefully they will be able to give you some sedation to help with the examination.

Hopefully they would only need to put your head in and not your entire body.

I had one a couple of weeks ago. They give you a buzzer to press if you need help and they can play music or talk to you usually.

mrswaddo · 10/01/2020 20:59

I don't know if this will help but I had one recently too and I kept my eyes shut the whole time and concentrated on my breathing and first and then imagined my house in my mind and tried to list as many objects as I could remember. It surprised me how quickly the time went. I am sure you can think of something more fun or interesting than that but I didn't prepare. It helped and the time went very quickly. Try not to think about how scared you are feeling and focus your mine on something else.

Original poster

Newhouse76 · 10/01/2020 21:02

Thank you everyone - Im so impressed with your bravery! I just dont trust myself in there and worried that i may involuntarily start hyperventilating or something.

SpeedofaSloth - how is your hearing now? Hope all better

I am taking exDH! Live nowhere near family or friends unfortunately but very grateful not to be going alone.

OP posts:

AtrociousCircumstance · 10/01/2020 21:05

Can anyone go with you?

Breathing exercises are a life saver. Slowly inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, blow out for eight (as if blowing out a candle). Just four cycles of this breath calms the body deeply.

When I had mine, every time I felt myself getting panicky I said to myself “This is exactly where I want to be, I want to know the best course of action, I want to get this done, I am happy I am here.”

Breathe, daydream. Every minute is a success and then before you know it it’ll be done.

Good luck 🍀

LuvMyBoyz · 10/01/2020 21:09

I also breathed through the experience and took a mental walk to my favourite place. I was pleasantly surprised to feel air blowing over me (I think to cool the machine) and it felt like I was outdoors. Not stuffy and close. Never opened my eyes once.

Original poster

Newhouse76 · 10/01/2020 21:19

Ok i will make a note to practice some breathing excersizes before I go in, thats a good idea

OP posts:

NotStayingIn · 10/01/2020 21:29

I had one quite a few years back (head as well) and what I wasn’t prepared for was the really loud noise. Like a machine gun firing in rapid succession. Not sure if that would affect you, or if they are still so loud. But it wasn’t scare or unpleasant at all overall.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 10/01/2020 21:29

If you have contrast dye it makes you feel like you've peed yourself ( I was so glad they told me this beforehand)

Noteventhebestdrummer · 10/01/2020 21:32

I'm a complete wuss in enclosed spaces and it was ok. I counted down from 1000 in 3s until I got to -1000 then I went back up!

sockittome123 · 10/01/2020 21:33

You will have a panic button to press if you really can't cope (basically the equivalent of I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here). Be prepared for the machine to make a plethora of exceedingly weird noises, I think at one point I compared it to aliens

Polkadotdelight · 10/01/2020 21:34

I had one in the summer. They put headphones on me to reduce the noise and there was a mirror inside which meant that I could easily see the technician operating the machine - he was sat drinking a cup of tea while he was doing it and it made me feel more at ease! Practice some relaxation and breathing exercises but it's really OK.

libertyminty · 10/01/2020 21:35

It is unpleasant but second the people suggesting breathing exercises. Also the poster who said about the noise was spot on, I didn’t know it was going to have such loud noises. I had headphones with music on and counted each song as 1/5th of the time as was told it would be 15 mins. I knew once I’d heard the 5th song it was almost over.
Just close your eyes, try not to panic and breathe. Hope it goes ok for you.

ChicCroissant · 10/01/2020 21:37

The contrast dye for an MRI and a CT scan is different stuff - only the CT scan gives you that weird feeling IME! I was fine with the MRI contrast dye!

It is quite noisy though. CT scans are more of a whooshing sound, the MRI is louder. Ask if they will let your ex in the room to hold your hand (you may not normally do this with your ex, but needs must ) Hope it goes well for you, OP.

thistimeofyear · 10/01/2020 21:39

I had one recently and went alone. It wasn't as bad as I thought - you really have to trust the staff are there to look after you and just try to imagine you are somewhere nice - like on a beach on holiday or in your favourite place in the world. They play music into your headphones. Good luck - you'll be absolutely fine!

rempy · 10/01/2020 21:40

We don’t offer sedation for scan in general. Don’t expect it. Don’t ask, just explain you’re not keen. Focus on the gain - knowing what’s going on, on your breathing, and a place or time where you felt happy. Consider the “lists” distraction - 10 flowers, order of teams in the premiership on Sunday, your favourite sweets.

It is noisy, with random bangs clunks and whirrs. It’s well clever when you think about it... all your hydrogen atoms spinning together to make a pretty picture.

Original poster

Newhouse76 · 10/01/2020 21:40

Thank you everyone for reassuring me. Its so stupid but am shaking reading your (helpful) stories 😟. Maybe I should call them tomorrow morning

OP posts:

shinynewapple2020 · 10/01/2020 21:43

I think something like diazepam can help, probably a bit late if your appointment is tomorrow but perhaps you can explain to the staff, see what they can do.

I really feel for you, the idea of it absolutely terrifies me.

rempy · 10/01/2020 21:44

Turn up and have a go! You presumably do want to know why you’re deaf..??

Almost everything in hospital is far more mundane than your imagination. The staff will be very businesslike and experienced. Plan a treat for when it’s done. Positive future orientation... clever psych trick we all play on children.

MrsFezziwig · 10/01/2020 21:45

Just to correct a couple of things:
Hopefully they will be able to give you some sedation to help with the examination.
The vast majority of MRI departments will not provide sedation on demand.
Hopefully they would only need to put your head in and not your entire body.
Due to your head being attached to your body (and the area under examination being in the centre of the scanner for technical reasons), your upper body will of necessity also be in the scanner, but your legs will be poking out. If someone accompanies you into the scanning room, they will be able to reach your hand to hold.
Please tell the staff that you are nervous (although they will probably pick up on it anyway). They can reassure you and do all the things that PPs have described above.

The appointment letter usually says the scan may last up to an hour just in case, but it very often takes much less time than that.

Qualifications: Over 25 years carrying out MRI scans on a lot of very nervous patients (and I have been in the scanner myself a number of times).

ChicCroissant · 10/01/2020 21:46

Do call them, it's really common to be nervous about it and they are used to it. Honestly, they deal with this every day.

Flip

1 2 3