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Original poster

MRI scan this week - am petrified

14 replies

tak1ngchances · 04/03/2013 12:59

I had an MRI scan in 2009 to assess cause of dizziness and didn't mind it at all. I was diagnosed with vestibular neuritis.

The dizziness lasted 18 months and the recurring attacks left me very anxious and I now have agoraphobia and panic disorder.

I have recently been having very bad migraine type headaches lasting more than 24 hours and have to go for another MRI scan this week. It will take 1 hour and I am absolutely dreading it. Even though I had the same procedure 4 years ago with no issues at all, I am worried now that I will have a panic attack, freak out, make a holy show of myself and mess up the scan (and waste everybody's time).

My consultant is very kind and understanding and has prescribed me one valium tablet to take an hour before the procedure.

My questions are:

  • How does the valium make you feel
  • Will it last the whole hour?
  • If I need to get out of the scanner for any reason, can I get back in

If anyone has experience please please please let me know...

Thanks so much

TC x

OP posts:
Poppyhat · 04/03/2013 21:20

Tak1ngchances
I know exactly how you feel.
I managed my first MRI lasting 90mns(I think) ,it was hard and it used every bit of willpower I had to keep calm.
But I had to have another a year later and that was completely different,it was worse because I knew what it was going to be like.i had actual nightmares for weeks before hand.
I thought I was going to be able to do it right up until the moment they put me in the machine then I freaked out[ blush]
The staff were fantastic,they reassured me that they see that every day, then they asked if I thought I could try a different machine?
Turns out there are bigger,brighter ,better lit and better ventilated MRI machines and luckily my hospital has one.
I managed that one with no problems at all.
Good luck with yours,I am sure it will be fine,especially with the Valium.
But if its not ok.ask to be sent to the nearest hospital that has the bigger machine.it is so much easier.

buildingmycorestrength · 05/03/2013 19:12

I had lorazepam (same drug family, I think?) before an MRI last year and it was looooovely.

Honestly. I found the drug really really relaxing to the point where I could understand why people get addicted.

The MRI was weirdly relaxing too...lots of funny whirry noises to listen to....I sort of drifted off. That was probably the drug, in retrospect. Smile.

I had a trial with the lorazepam a week before (in the evening), just to check I didn't have any adverse effects.

Original poster
tak1ngchances · 06/03/2013 21:22

Thank you both so much for writing back. I am going to the queen's hospital Wink so hopefully they'll have all the latest equipment.
Am hoping my Valium makes me feel all happy & relaxed! Fingers crossed.
It's tomorrow...will let you know how I get on

OP posts:
digerd · 07/03/2013 09:28

What is the dosage of your Valium?

Original poster
tak1ngchances · 07/03/2013 14:01

5mg...am home now. It went ok, I would not say it was a nice experience and I had to get out of the machine once. But it's done!
The Valium is just making me feel dopey, not particularly happy or positive

OP posts:
buildingmycorestrength · 07/03/2013 14:46

Glad it wasn't too bad. Well done.

Poppyhat · 07/03/2013 15:27

Well done ,take it easy for the rest of the day if you can.i was left feeling "washed out". And that was without Valium. You might feel a bit strange till the Valium wears off. Brew

chimchar · 07/03/2013 15:32

I have only seen this for the first time now...I would happily have replied...I have had two MRIs nad both times I was awful, but sorted myself out and managed to get it done.

I had valium too....I took one the night before, one the morning of the scan and one just before...I was wasted!! lol

Slept it off and felt emotionally drained the day after...put it down to it being a traumatic experience.

Well done for getting it done...have a hug! (())

Hope your results are good news x

poozlepants · 07/03/2013 15:47

I have jsut seen this as well. I had the same thing as you - some sort of vestibular problem causing bad dizziness. It was diagnosed about 12 years ago. Despite MRI's and seeing specialists I never got anything other than a vague diagnosis of vestibular damage. I too developed panic disorder and agrophobia but wasn't treated for this as my Gp at the time just told me to pull myself. I From what I've read panic attacks are really common when you have longterm dizziness and often harder to treat as its the physical symptoms of the dizziness that set off the panic rather than a pyschological issue. The worst thing I found was the panic attack made the dizziness so much worse. I too get migraines and often wondered wether the two things were linked.
I got much better but it was a very slow process and I still get dizzy now on and off. I hope you are feeling better soon and the results come back fine.

poozlepants · 07/03/2013 15:48

That should read pull myself together- Doh!

digerd · 07/03/2013 15:48

I've had one MRI scan on my knee. I wasn't scared, but would have been if I'd had to put my head in there as am terribly claustraphobic.

They said I had to keep still for 20 minutes, but my muscles reacted to the magnets and kept twitching involuntarily, quite violently at times. I didn't need a Valium for that.

5mg is quite mild, the lowest being 2, then 10. I used to take 10 just at night time to sleep. But it all depends on how much you are terrified, as adrenalin overpowers the sedative if high amounts in your blood and renders it ineffectual to various extents.
I was always OK in the mornings after 8 hours sleep

Good luck with your results.

Original poster
tak1ngchances · 07/03/2013 16:01

poozle I have agoraphobia too. The neurologist last week told me two things - firstly, that a very high percentage of people with dizziness develop panic disorder, and secondly that migraines and dizziness go hand in hand.
I am having CBT for the agoraphobia and panic disorder, and had 3 months off work last year. I am doing much better but it is so hard isn't it?

OP posts:
poozlepants · 07/03/2013 16:24

It is entirely rubbish. I found people thought I was just putting it on because they couldn't actually see anything wrong with me. I basically got 'better' after I read an article about retraining your brain and that if you ignored the dizziness, tired to push it to the back of your mind and carried on no matter how shit you felt basically your brain would start to see that as the norm and not react to the dizziness in the way it is normally designed to do. I found it worked but very slowly. I am basically fine now but I find if my body has to deal with something outside the norm like too hot, too cold, getting ill etc the first thing to go is my balance.

Original poster
tak1ngchances · 07/03/2013 16:41

You did CBT all on your own then! Hats off, that's amazing. I think the key thing is to treat yourself well and not get run down (if at all possible)

OP posts:
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