If you are claustrophobic - how you handle an MRI?

[Gastropod]

Just had an MRI - not my first but definitely the worst. I'm guessing I'm claustrophobic - maybe there's a more specialised term, but in general I hate being anywhere with no escape route, low ceilings, restricted space to move, having my face covered.

Was for the hip so had to lie with my legs tied together, facemask on, immobile for about 25 minutes, and it was absolute hell! My rational brain was telling me it was fine, but the panic button was definitely pressed in my head and it took every bit of inner strength I had not to start yelling at them to let me out!

Unfortunately, I have to go back for another one next week and I'm really quite concerned I'm going to have a full blown panic when I get there.

Surely lots of other people feel this way, and MRIs are a common enough thing so... what are your tips? I'm not an anxious person generally, pretty cool about most medical procedures but this just has me shuddering at the thought of going back!

I’m so claustrophobic I had a panic when they were going to do one on my lower back. It’s the lack of being able to escape, they told me there is quite a bit of room in the main bit but it’s the thought of not being able to sit up and get out because of the tunnel terrifies me. They put me in backwards in the end-so feet first- and did the imaging that way so my head was just at the entrance of the tunnel as the tunnel but can do images too.

I’ve had one since on my head and, as far as I’m aware, they just put me slightly in the tunnel rather than in the main chamber. I kept my eyes tightly closed and took a propranolol before going to keep me a bit calmer.

just ask them to do it feet first in the tunnel. You were very brave going in!

Yes, it's exactly that!
I thought it would help if went in feet first too, but my head was still in the tunnel. Just as it started moving the technician said "right, off you go, just lie there completely immobile for 15 minutes" and my brain just lit up in a panic thinking "15 MINUTES??? 15 MINUTES??" and then that was me really! And then ended up in there for even longer as apparently I was moving too much. In fact, I didn't think I'd moved a muscle, but was focusing on deep breathing and I guess that made my torso move. So I had to stay in even longer.

I have regular MRI’s and absolutely hate it, sometimes they play the radio through the headphones and I keep my eyes tightly shut and sing along to the music to keep my mind off where I actually am and I plan exactly what I’m going to do when it’s finished….
get off this table
find car keys
walk to car

i don’t know why but it sort of helps

Valium or similar. There is no need to suffer more than necessary. Take the pill and chill. I don't believe in martyrdom so if you can take a benzo, take one and wear an eye mask too.

Speaking from experience here, I would not have an mri without one. Makes it easy for both you and the technicians. Relaxation methods like deep breathing etc. don't work for me. Best of luck.

I was unable to do the MRI,had a panic attack before it even got started..technician told me they have at lease one patient unable to get test done daily…there are larger scanners with maybe an additional 10cm,,that won’t help me…medicating me won’t help me either as I know what it’s like now…

I'm not claustrophobic but when I had one I definitely felt pretty uncomfortable. I put my head back so I could see the light at the end and that helped a lot.

Lots of diazepam to be honest, unfortunately my fears got worse the more I had.

My mum has had to have loads in the last 5 years - hypnotherapy seemed to REALLY help. Also diazepam.

I am severely claustrophobic, I won't go in a lift,3 years ago,it was thought I might have a tumour, consultant said MRI I said I would have to be sedated,he said they couldn't do it because they didn't know how much I would need. GPs in our area will not prescribe diazepam or similar,beta blockers at best. I said how about a CT,and we take it from there. I had a CT with contrast and the radiographer said it was actually better to show internal meatus at back of ear. Thankfully NAD.

I have had loads as well as pet scans every 3 months-just ask gp for diazepam -I just have 5mg tablet about half hour beforehand.Then I have no problem at all -you will need someone to drive you home after though as it’ll make you sleepy.

I'm not claustrophobic but it's still very unpleasant. I don't even look at the machine and I keep my eyes shut the whole time. I don't peek for a second. I then keep picturing a normal open room.

This is me. I tried an MRI a couple of years ago and had a melt down, I barely made it into the tunnel. I think it was the cage over my head, I may have fared better without it. They've offered it me again with sedation, and if that doesn't work, then they can offer the open-face version.

But it genuinely terrifies me.

Tranquillisers. All the tranquillisers. And try to go in feet first if you can.

Horrible things, but amazingly clever that someone invented them.

Hope it goes well, OP!

I had to be in one for 40 minutes. After 20 I panicked and had to come out. For the next half they gave me a mirror that goes over your eyes and you can see down into the room rather than up at the MRI machine. It wasn't a nice experience and I'm not even particularly claustrophobic. Definitely ask for the mirror.

My gp prescribed me Valium. It's only roughly once a year so doesn't mind. Really helps me get through it

If you can afford it, you can go private as they have "open" scanners rather than tubes.

Thanks all, I have always resisted the tranquiliser route because I don't like that woozy feeling, but maybe it's the lesser of two evils...

I like the look of those big open scanners, am not in the UK so private/public options slightly different here - but certainly could be possible so will investigate!

@DMCWelshcakes it's funny, while I was lying there panicking, my rational brain was thinking exactly that - how wonderful is modern medicine! All the while my irrational brain was trying to convince me to run like the wind and never look back...

I also keep my eyes tightly shut and imagine I’m on a beach in the warm listening to music. The only time I nearly freaked is when I opened my eyes.

I don’t mind them too much and tend to “zone out”. However, the one which did me in was when I “had” to wear a bloody mask - that was too much and I was extremely uncomfortable. So maybe you’d be ok without the mask?

I believe there are different types of machine with newer ones being more like a "polo" that you pass through so less enclosed and more comfortable for people with claustrophobia, and older ones enclosed at one end, aren't there? Or did I get that wrong?

I hated how my shoulders felt tight in to the sides and the thought kept going through my head that I can’t move even if I want to. I made it through but nearly pressed the button. Kept thinking of things in the present in an observational way like “ oh that’s a loud noise etc” to try to take myself out of my feelings and how trapped I felt

I'm claustrophobic too (very) and it really helped by asking them how I could escape if I needed to. You can actually wriggle out. But you might damage the equipment. Just knowing I could escape was enough for me. I had no intention of wriggling out but actually could relax a bit knowing that the option was there. Good luck.

i was told by the mri radiographer that almost half of all mri’s fail as people just can’t tolerate them.

I was going to say exactly what @RoxieLoxy said, the thought that I could wriggle out if I wanted to kept me going.

I freaked out and had to be brought out, got GP to prescribe me diazepam, just one and managed it. But really do hate it, I'm very claustrophobic. Definitely ask for a sedative.