Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

I need an MRI scan. I am MEGA clastrophobic...help!

29 replies

claustrophobe · 15/04/2011 10:18

have name changed (i hope!) so as not to out myself in rl [paranoid]Grin

i need an MRI scan to diagnose a tumour i have on my liver. i have had a ct scan which says one thing, a special contrast dye US scan which says another, and they are contradicting eachother.

i suffer anyway with moderate/severe anxiety. i am absolutely terrified already. i can't go in even a large lift, and get panicy in a small room. i'm sure i cannot do this, even though i know i have to. my consultant is great and is trying to refer me for an open coil MRI scan, but the wait will be LONG and i have been told that the quality of the images is not as good as a normal MRI.

anyone have any coping strategies for this? what drugs can i take before hand and how will they make me feel?

i'm almost in tears now just thinking about it.

OP posts:
moonbells · 15/04/2011 10:18

Am going to pm you...

Original poster
claustrophobe · 15/04/2011 10:20

oooh. thanks! my very first pm!! [excited]

thanks moon.

OP posts:
Albrecht · 15/04/2011 10:20

Does music help you relax? Can you practice deep breathing to particular track and then get them to play it on the day?

TitsalinaBumSquash · 15/04/2011 10:21

If you explain the situation they can give you some diazampam (sp?) to relax you.

CURLYMAMMA · 15/04/2011 10:22

paul mckennas downloadable claustraphobia hypnosis track? I've downloaded it but not used it yet. Good luck.

Original poster
claustrophobe · 15/04/2011 10:32

thanks curly. thats worth a try. where do i find it please?

tits (tee hee!) i have only ever taken diazies once and it didn't do anything.... what do they do? i mean will i be sleepy or relaxed or fuzzy???

albrecht, i'm ok at deep breathing..i use it to control panic attacks, but i think that this is beyond me.

the consultant said that if you panic, they will pull you out straight away, but that will be that..no further scanning done. i can't fuck it up...its really important i get the diagnosis...its the difference in being very carefully monitered over the next year or having half my liver removed.

OP posts:
moonbells · 15/04/2011 10:41

If the wait is longer than 2-3 weeks then you could do with being referred elsewhere. No use prolonging the agony!

(did the pm arrive?)

TotalChaos · 15/04/2011 10:45

agree with tits. enquire about sedation, ask consultant or GP

activate · 15/04/2011 10:50

I have only had one full-blown panic attack in an MRI machine (I have them relatively frequently) and I talked myself up into it - they did remove me quite quickly but not quickly enough for my liking.

I find meditation is very helpful - they can play music through headphones or you can watch a video (they have this for children) but tbh I find they make it worse and I just breathe my way through it and take the banging of the machine as part of my meditation - maybe you could find some meditation classes (it can be really useful)

However I think I would worry in your case if you are seriously claustrophobic it may not be enough - I would ask if they can sedate you but I've never known that to be offered yet

Your other option is of course exploratory surgery I suppose

Original poster
claustrophobe · 15/04/2011 11:12

thanks again everyone. i'm much better when i know what i'm dealing with. i appreciate your posts and experiences.

moonbells...your pm was fab. thank you. x

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 15/04/2011 11:14

I think you could definetly ask for some diazapam before you have the scan - could help make you feel more chilled out. I use it for flying and it helps a lot.

Also just keep your eyes closed the whole time and pretend you're sunbathing on a beach. Thats what I do when I have one. Hope it goes OK.

rockinhippy · 15/04/2011 12:05

Ditto here too, but I've had to have a few MRIs over the years & they haven't killed me yet -

I got through it using yogic breathing techniques & visualising lying on a beach etc & aromatherapy oil - a mix of jasmine & lavender, I would also recommend music too - though the radiographers were playing classical stuff at all of my scans, so that might be par for the course with MRI

& I surprised myself by managing the whole thing without pressing the button they give you to stop at any time, I'm sure if I can - you will be able to - too :)

pippop1 · 15/04/2011 12:20

I'm sure they sedate children that need MRI scans. I don't see why they can't do you. Maybe they can have a quick acting sedative on hand so that you can "prove" that you need it. You never know, you might be OK?

I had an MRI scan once and it wasn't nice and I'm not claustrophobic.

JohnStuartMills · 15/04/2011 14:06

I kept my eyes closed as if in bed and pretended I was in a meadow on a sunny day. It completely calmed me down. They place an alarm in your hand which you can press if you just have to get out. I thought I would have to press before they started but than closed my eyes. I was inside for around 25 mins.

tipsycat · 15/04/2011 17:54

I've had MRIs done on my liver, I have a number of benign tumours which they monitor quite regularly.

They give lots of instructions through the headphones to breathe in, hold breath, breathe out etc so don't think sedation or music will be work with this type of MRI.

But they do keep talking to you through the headphones, and following the instuctions keeps your mind off the claustrophobia. They also give you a panic button thing which you can press if you can't cope.

Mine take about 20 - 30 mins and whilst not enjoyable, they are bearable! Good luck, and let me know if you need any more info.

Original poster
claustrophobe · 15/04/2011 20:32

tipsy...i'd be really interested in "chatting" with you about it.... would it be ok if i pmd you over the weekend?

i know of no one else with liver tumours and am interested in gaining info/experiences etc...

Smile

rockin...i love the sound of your aromatherapy oils...mmmmm. lush!

OP posts:
TechnoKitten · 15/04/2011 20:44

We don't sedate children for MRI, we give them a full general anaesthetic.

If your scan is vital to your diagnosis and you are too panicky / claustrophobic to get through it then they can (should?) offer you a GA.

Withholding a vital diagnostic tool if you freak out in there seems vaguely punitive to me - makes me feel vaguely uncomfortable that they would threaten you with no scan if you don't sit still.

AppleHEAD · 15/04/2011 21:05

They have open MRI scanners they are like clams you go in sideways and they are open at the side. A lot are in private hospitals but you can be referred if you are really need to be

ThingOne · 15/04/2011 21:18

You poor thing. I had to get pulled out when I had my third MRI. I was given diazepam and seen between other patients. I now have valium at home (that was my GP's choice of drug) to take before any others. She told me to practise at home before I had my next scan to see if I needed one or two, as everyone was different.

Anyway, surely they need a scan of your liver before they operate? It sounds v odd to me. You can survive well losing half your liver (I just had to lose a quarter) as it regenerates quickly if you are well. But they absolutely need a scan before they contemplate carving. My liver surgeon was adamant about this.

gasman · 15/04/2011 21:26

There are very few faciliites for adults to get GA MRI. I don't want to get into an argument about whether or not this is a good thing. It is, however, the current state of play.

Setting up an MRI scanner to accomodate anaesthetised patients is time consuming and expensive (we need lots of special kit to do it safely).

Therefore there can be a pretty long waiting list to get one done under anaesthetic. TBH I would try to read a lot about the scan, choose some good music and go and do some deep breathing/ relaxation type exercises and try to get through it.

If that fails then pursue a GA/ open coil scan. GA/ sedated scans are only safe if done with appropriate monitoring and staff.

I've never been in the scanner but I've sat through them a lot supervising ventilated patients. They are reasonably noisy and you will be given ear defenders which is something else to put into your 'visualisation' scenario.

Original poster
claustrophobe · 15/04/2011 21:52

thingone...what i meant was if it is one of two types of tumour which the drs seem to think it is (haemangioma or focal nodular hyperplasia) then i may not have to have it removed, just watched regularly. the consultant is concerned that it may be a third type (can't remember the name..possibility of it becoming malignant)if it is then it needs to be removed. so no surgery until this has been diagnosed, hence the need for the MRI.

how does diazepam make you feel?

techno...maybe i misunderstood, but i'm sure my consultant said that if i couldn't stay in the scanner long enough to get scanned then that would be that.

he is referring me for an open mri, but apparently is is a visiting one?! my fear is that the wait will be forever, and the quality of the scan won't be as good as the normal one and i'll have to have a normal one in the end....or something.

again, thanks everyone.

OP posts:
kuckingfunt · 15/04/2011 21:52

I had one a couple of weeks ago and I was the same, I was really worried about being in a confined tube and I am also suffering severe dizziness so was dreading it.

I wasn't as bad as I imagined. They gave me ear phones with music on and also a pain button. They also told me that they could hear me if I shouted them.

It was fine really, just had to keep telling myself to relax and knowing I had a panic button helped me. They even forgot to switch the music on and I did around 10 minutes without it before they realised.

Just close your eyes and concentrate on the music and remind yourself that the scanner is open at both ends so nothing to worry about.

Hope it goes well for you.

MillsAndDoom · 15/04/2011 21:56

Stupid question - I've had a couple of MRIs on my back and the machine slides you in quite far, so why can't you go in feet first?

CURLYMAMMA · 15/04/2011 22:01

the paul mckenna site www.paulmckenna.com/product-claustrophobia-download-212.aspx

TechnoKitten · 16/04/2011 03:00

Gasman - not sure where you are in your training but even in rural nz we have a weekly GA scan list.

Also not sure if you really understand the terrifying feeling that being truly claustrophobic brings on - your comment of "choose some music and do some deep breathing" smacks somewhat of 'man up and get over yourself'. Not an untypical attitude from many medics so I apologise if this time I have misread it.

What do you do with your ventilated icu patients who need an urgent MRI - transfer them all out?

OP - if the scan shows a "watch and wait" picture you may need them regularly (yearly for example) so developing a good coping strategy now is important. Have a chat with your consultant or GP and see if they suggest anxiolytics, beta blockers or something else in addition to music and relaxation techniques. It's really not my field but would CBT help?

I still dislike the feeling of "no scan if you can't sit still" if the alternative is major surgery.

Swipe left for the next trending thread