Couldn't even last 10 seconds, I freaked out. *content warning regarding MRI scans* title edited by MNHQ

[MammaKel]

Hi All,

I had an MRI scan today and I've never had one before but didn't consider myself claustrophobic so thought I'd be okay..

Led down on the bed, fine, put headphones on, fine, put cage thing over my head, fine ... got put into the MRI machine, made the mistake of opening my eyes and it was not fine I was shouting to be let out, crying, squeezing the thing they give you over and over and just I don't know what happened, complete and utter terror took over.

They let me out, weren't particularly nice about it but I just put my shoes on and left crying.

I feel like a utter idiot now, whilst still crying but I genuinely couldn't do it, panic and fear just took over.

It was needed for my head but does anyone know what happens now? Do I just hope I don't have anything wrong with me or will I eventually have to do it?

Oh - mine was quite a wide tunnel - in fact I’d have called it an arch rather than a tunnel. Maybe that was why it was ok?

Ugh I was the same and hated it
i did a second attempt and just about managed, it really helped me when they told me I could slide myself out if I needed to as I had felt trapped and thought they had to get me out

I’ve had a mild sedative each time I have had an MRI and it really helps. You need to request a sedative from the doctor who booked your scan.

I had one when I was 15, it was awful. I also pressed the little button, crying and the nurse was not very sympathic at all. I managed to get through it but it was a really, really unpleasant experience.

Ask about taking something op

I really empathise with you. The only time I have made any fuss or panicked in medical setting was when I had an MRI. I felt overwhelming terror as they slid me into the very narrow enclosed scanner. The staff weren't sympathetic and I could tell they were irritated. Managed to get through it by keeping head out but I don't know how I could ever do it again.

I am not someone who makes a fuss generally. I am pretty stoical. Have given birth four times with no pain relief, had several hysteroscopies, go to the dentist no problem. But being trapped in an MRI scanner was simply unbearable.

I hope you can speak to someone sympathetic and get some support to have another scan. Or maybe see if there's an alternative method of checking whatever you needed the scan for.

Never open your eyes.

Absolutely that, if you have a normal scanner. I wish someone had given me that advice the first time. Once the radiologist told me to keep my eyes closed, I managed to get to the end of it. But I'd gone in with my eyes open, and I had to ask her to get me out within seconds. I forced myself to go in again, but only the eyes closed thing got me through it.

I had a similar experience the first time I tried. Part of my problem was that I was getting over a cold and couldn't breathe through my nose, and my mouth got incredibly dry, couldn't swallow - not nice.

I rescheduled and got a prescription for one lorazepam tablet, which I took before the session. It did the trick.

If you tilt your head back and look up it is easier to manage (unless your head needs scanning I guess). I had one for pelvis and that was the way I managed.

I had a CT scan which was nothing on an MRI but I was kind of annoyed the Dr said you can open your eyes

I should have kept them shut and had up deep breathe through it

If it has the same effect - a sense of panic, terror, or needing to get out immediately - then a quibble about whether it's claustrophobia or something else isn't really relevant.

It's completely normal, they even have a big pile of ready-made slips to hand to people who chicken out as it's such a common occurrence! I'm the exact same - and I have an bloody annoying condition which means I now need them every year or so 😭 The first operators I had were pretty mean to me, which didn't much help. I now mention that I'm a scaredy-cat and that I've had people be mean and ever since they've always been really kind and patient. Even had one stroke my leg the whole time, which was oddly comforting.

For future reference, get drugs. Your GP or consultant will happily give you a couple of diazepam, they are really used to people panicking. My neurologist asked if I'd had a sibling who'd sat on my head, turns out my brother did exactly that so now I blame him! Second, ask for a large machine - I still can't do the small ones at all, even doped up. Third, they can talk you through it which I find helpful - so they'll tell me when you can wiggle, how long the next scan will last, how many you have left etc. They're horrid, but you can get through it.

Tip your head back, it means you can see out the top and makes it much easier to manage

This is the trick. Do not open your eyes.

I had that, it was really traumatic. I thought it must be how you feel when you have a heart attack

Even reading that is making me feel anxious.

My GP prescribed 2 Diazepam, I only took one but it helped … and as others have said - never open your eyes!

@MammaKel I’ve just had one on my head too. As I was going in I could feel myself panicking as I was going in and was so close to pressing the thing, but I had to really focus on not swallowing (I had to try not to while it was scanning) and it completed distracted me. For me it was the cage over my head that i didn’t like, did it have a mirror in it so you could see the people doing it, it was slightly weird but reassuring I could see them

Sedation wore off and I 'came to' mid Gastroscopy completely freaking out and yanked the machine trying to get it out of me, they had to have a whole team hold me down while they tried to extract it. A few minutes later when my brain caught up with reality I felt really stupid.

It happens... A LOT.

Lots of medical procedures are very unnatural and go against every basic survival instinct, its not as easy to override instinct as we all 'think' it will be.

@Tristar15 this is what I did, they put me in, I freaked a bit they pulled me out to abort but I managed to go back in tilting my head back into the room and I was fine. Weirdly I’d been in mri lots of times with kids as a nurse, they are usually sedated. Gp said I could have sedation if I needed another one

Never open your eyes.
Practice deep breathing and focus only on that.
Keep telling yourself it's only another 3 minutes, it's fine, you can do it, and picture cheerleaders and their pompoms. And repeat.

I had panic attacks for several weeks afterwards so be prepared in case you do but I hope you don't. I had to stay in for 45 minutes 😩

I have them all the time so if you struggle there is somethings you can do, diazepam, keep your eyes closed, listen to youtube of mri noises so you know what to expect. Some hospitals not all will let you pick your own music. Do tell the staff ahead of time your fears as they will talk to you more during it.

I can completely understand! I had one for the first time a few months ago and it was the most horrible experience of my life. I was never told what it was so went in literally blind 😂 I hated every second of it and was so ill afterwards. I was in it for over 45 minutes! I don’t know how I coped but I made myself ill 🤣

I thought it was the same poster who posted earlier tonight's the night 🤣🤣