MRI - anxiety, couldn't go through with it.

[fingersandthumbs]

I was supposed to have an MRI scan today on my brain, but I panicked. I opened by eyes and there was a white frame right in front of my eyes and I needed to get out.

I felt too enclosed, claustrophobic and had to be taken out before they even started the scanner. The staff were lovely even though I wasted their time and told me to speak to the consultant who ordered the scan. His secretary has just told me it will be rearranged but despite me asking for support to get me through the scan she said I needed to get on with it.

I need to have this scan done and if it was as simple as just getting on with it I would have lay back on the bed and told them to try again. I've never experienced panic like this before. The thought of trying to do this again terrifies me. My hands are shaking as I type this and I'm nearly crying.

But I'm also so cross with myself, FFS, I'm 48 years old, I've been through things more scary than lying still on a bed for an hour! How can I get through this. Does anyone have any experience they can share.

I agree re not opening eyes for a second! I put my hand over my eyes but sleep mask much better idea.

It's so not ridiculous, I opened my eyes in my first one and was terrified. Hence me now using diazepam and a sleep mask.

I had a neck MRI recently and also had a white frame over my face which I think must be the one you're talking about. Mine had a mirror on it, or I suppose two mirrors in a configuration which allowed me to see out. I could see the radiographer in the next room through my mirrors, so I felt fine, even though I'd been claustrophobic when I was in without the mirror.

So I'd say ask for the mirror frame - maybe you even had it this time but weren't in a position to see if using it made you feel better?

I have experiences, oh so many experiences!

MRI, CT, PET scans, more than I can count.

The first time I refused to let them put me in the tube, they ended up taking an hour and I went in backwards. I also refused to breathe when they tried to give me an anaesthetic with gas:) I'm laughing now because really, it's so easy.

You are not being ridiculous!

Firstly, yes, valium. Plenty of it. Just calms down the panic a bit.

Secondly, realise that it's not always so claustrophobic, the ones I've had are mostly open at the other end, donut style. So as they move you around and you are mostly out of it the whole time. That thought scared me until someone said "look, thats the other side, it's open".

Thirdly, genius tip from a nurse one. She said "close your eye" just as you start to move. The ones I've had scans with have the part you lie on (they tuck you up, it's cosy), they raise this up and move it into the scanner. The lifting up gives you the feeling of less space, so close your eyes for that bit. I thought that made a huge difference. Keep your eyes closed and think of something else. The time goes quickly.

At any time you can say, "Stop" and they will immediately take you out.

Take that valium and if that doesn't work, get a stronger medication from the same group for a one off, it's not unreasonable at all

(I'm a bit panicky writing about it, but it's the results that always terrified me, the scan part is easy).

Oh, I get an IV for mine, PET/CT, once the IV tube disconnected flew off my arm inside the scanner and warm liquid flew everywhere, all over my face, I thought it was blood. I was fine because in my mind I was imagining I was at the beach, even with that I was still relaxed. It was just saline:)

Definitely get valium, or lorazepam, or temazepam, something strong to help you really chill out. Someone will have to drive you home for the stronger ones, but I'd go for that to chill out as much as possible.

I refused to breathe and had an MRI upside down, now I'm chilled out with PET/CTs. Sedatives and close your eyes.

You'll be fine

Okay, MRI radiographer here: be aware that if you announced to us that you'd taken Valium prior to your scan - we wouldn't scan you.

Why? Because we can't monitor you and the fact is, people not accustomed to sedation, or even those on regular sedation but with sufficient anxiety that they 'dose up' are at risk of over-dosing, and potentially passing out, flat on their backs.

Now, of course we know that plenty of people are permanently on sedatives, and most people would use a single dose of it sensibly, but we don't necessarily know who you are, so my advice would be to get two doses, try one at home with observation, then use the other for your scan, but don't tell the staff. What they don't know the can't act on wink.

But don't take 'strong ones' willy-nilly and untested.

You may be lucky enough to have a Trust that is laxer about sedation, but it really isn't that safe, unless you have an anaesthetist monitoring you with all the gear on you.

Not all scans can be done on an open scanner, ftr.

I hope you can find away to have your scan because an MRI really is tgecfog's under-carriage of diagnostics!

The dog's b-s of diagnostics! 😀

Ooooo @Tansie1 can I ask - what is the chances of me being allergic to the contrast in an MRI - if I have multiple metal sensitivities/contact allergies?

& do you reckon an allergy clinic could check for me being allergic to it?

Full thread here

Tansie I rang the department before asking for mine to see what they said and was told it was fine to take diazepam. But I did a trial at home beforehand to see how wooo it made me.

That's kind advice Tansie. OP, what's triggered the panic attack, the thing to block your head from moving, on going under the scanner? For me, it was the former. I had two MRI and I found that part putting me at the limit of having a panic attack and asking them to take it off. Both times I started to feel lightheaded and really thought I wouldn't be able to get through it.

I did manage it by concentrating on each breath I took and then telling myself over and over that I had the button in my hand to ring for them to come if I really couldn't cope and told myself to give it a few seconds.

Strangely, the moment I got under the tube, I felt better and after about 5 minutes I could relax to the point of actually almost enjoying it. I found the weird noise distracting rather than frightening.

I'm with slutty !

Minutes before I even walked into the room I took 2mg of diazepam and put an eye mask on. Make sure the eye mask is the cheap type you get on an aeroplane (as they don't have any metal on them).

They led me into the room and laid me down. Make sure you have ear plugs and request music is played through the ear phones. Pratice some meditation/relaxation techniques before you go and do them during the MRI.

Worked for me and I've had medicated anxiety for 35 years.

Tansie1 and everyone else who’ve come up with suggestions and shared their experiences, thank you. It’s helped knowing others have felt like this and that there are things I can try.
I want to have the scan, I need to have the scan, I’m so grateful for all the NHS has done for me but the thought of being enclosed in that metal coffin is scary.
I’ll ring the GP in the morning and see what he suggests.

Thank you all

I panicked and I was only having a pelvic mri. My head didn’t quite go into the scanner, but it kept moving slightly and I nearly climbed off the bed each time they kept saying ‘keep still please’ they were very kind though and suggested if I needed another one to get some diazepam from my GP.

Op, I sympathize with you. I hate the blooming things and after being in one for a few minutes receny I can no longer even sit in the back of a car. It was so bad I can’t even go in an open MRI and I ended up traveling 400 miles to go in an upright one.

Hello all, esp fingers and Tansie1. MRI physicist and safety bod here.

Fingers my first suggestion would be to see whether you can get imaged in a wide bore scanner if you aren't already. These are rather wider than the older ones. I wouldn't recommend an open system - better doing suggestion 2 because of image quality.

My second would be to ask if you could be put in without the head coil. It won't give as good images (but still better than an open) and Tansie1 is probably wincing like crazy, but if they think they can get the information they need without the cyberman helmet which is what picks up the information from your head, then that will help no end.

Third, ask if they have prism specs which allow you to see out and not look at the magnet casing if you do inadvertently open your eyes.

Fourth, ask the radiographers if they can talk to you constantly when the noise isn't going. That helps most folk - just hearing a human voice. We used to be able to hold nervous patients' hands but we're restricted in that these days because of changed safety laws eg for multiple exposures to high acoustic sound levels and the like.

Fifth, did you have music played? Most people go for something they find relaxing. I go for the LOUDEST I can find (usually Queen's Greatest Hits or similar) as it is best for drowning out the thumping sounds.

Sixth, pm me. I'd be happy to talk to you and help offset any worries.

I've had 5 MRIs and it doesn't get any better. Especially as I have metal in my body and they have to keep reminding me it's MRI safe but there's always a niggling doubt in my mind.

Anyway, things I've found that helped. If they can give you headphones and earplugs and play music through the headphones.
Get them to put a fan or ask for the air to be put on (the last one I had had almost like Aircon in it, it was much better)
A mirror above your eyes pointing towards the end of the scanner so you can see out.
They can in some hospitals also put a film or TV on and you can watch that via the mirror.

When I went they asked me which radio station I wanted on. They were surprised when I said 6 music as they’d never heard of it, but they found it and put it on.

Full disclosure.

I was put into the machine and it was almost touching my nose. I felt as if I was being buried alive and started yelling. There was no comfort from the staff as I live abroad and was paying for the MRI. They started to slide me out but I felt as if I was stuck because my belly then ended up against the ceiling of the machine. I started to scrape the ceiling of the machine and it was only then someone pressed on my tummy and I got out. Not that I was ever stuck but in my mind I was wedged in their. It was horrific. I then travelled to a neighbouring country for an upright MRI but I’m not sure if can be used for everyone.

Prior to the open MRI I was going out one evening and I sat in the back of a friends car. My head touched the ceiling and I hyperventilated. I then had to sit in the front.

I’ve told my children they have to hold a mirror up to my lips before they bury me.

Prior to the open MRI

Sorry. Prior to the upright MRI.

I've had lots of MRIs and there's no way I would do another without sedation. They're awful machines, so loud and claustrophobic. Sedation, eyes closed & get them to play you a CD through the headphones. Oh and whenever I'm having some crappy medical procedure I like to picture the giant piece of cake I will be having afterwards

Just to say that open MRI scanners are few and far between IME! I've only heard of one upright scanner in London but I'm no expert by any means.

I quite like the head cage, stops the twitching I do whenever I'm told to stay still!

I have been in the room with someone having an MRI scan, with headphones on and leaning in holding their hand. I've also had contrast dye without any problems and I often suffer from side effects with meds - no problems with the dye though (and it did the job it was there to do splendidly during my brain scan).

I like to picture the giant piece of cake I will be having afterwards

It’s cake that got my belly wedged against the ceiling of the machine. 😂😂😂

I had one that had an image projected in from of you (with mirrors I think). It was a sort of cartoon with clouds and hot air balloons floating by. It also had a bar along the bottom to tell you how far along you were. It was great. I'm not sure I'd have managed otherwise. This was in a private hospital in Ireland.

I had one recently and bought my own CD with some music I find really relaxing - but it's not too quiet either. I tried to really focus on the music. I also kept my eyes firmly shut. They told me that this was the wider type of scanner but to be honest it felt pretty enclosed and I wasn't having my head scanned.

They are a weird thing aren't they - in terms of the different types of noises they make as they are scanning.

The noises are caused by pulsed electrical currents running through wiring. The different patterns are because different sequences of pulses cause the images to emphasise different parts of the body, eg some will show water as bright, some show fat as bright, some will show up anatomy better. Several of these pulse sequences are run to get all the information possible, and often at any angle, so sometimes you repeat a sequence to get different views.
The one thing that does cause problems is moving - if you move, it blurs or obscures the images so the sequences have to be repeated - not what you want if you're fidgety and want out! So stay as still as you can if you have an MRI.

open scanner's are not as good as the conventional ones in terms of detail in general. would you be happier if someone was with you holding your hand? I think that is the most reassuring. I am extremely claustrophobic, and an MRI radiographer :) and i find knowing they will take me out immediately if i squeeze the buzzer is very reassuring.