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

[claustrophobe]

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

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.

Hi Claustrophobe, I'm back!! Feel free to message me, I know exactly what you're going through!

There are only two scanners locally that will accept ventilated patients. If your ICU patient needs a GA scan they get transferred there. So yes, we do transfer patients to get scans.

Only one adult MRI GA list is currently running locally (to my knowledge). We have to get all our MRI training doing kids.

I would prefer to say that my response was more like "prepare yourself and give it a bash before you totally discount it as impossible"

People can surprise themselves you know and if regular scans are needed then surely having a good coping strategy is much better than relying on drugs............

I had an MRI recently and I am very claustrophobic. They were very sympathetic and one of the nurses sat in with me and read out loud from a newspaper. It was great, no problem at all. Just knowing somebody is with you makes all the difference!!

I had an MRI when suffering from severe dizziness - and I was claustraphobic and prone to panic attacks.
I just shut my eyes and started counting to myself as I knew I had to stay in. Wasn't so bad- you have the buzzer in your hand so it's not like you're stuck in there. Good luck.