How bad is an mri scan if you are claustrophobic?

[JadeVS72]

I have been offered an mri of my heart as part of some research due to me having an inflammatory auto immune condition. I would be interested in understanding my heart health but I am quite claustrophobic. As it is for research purposes, they would not offer any sedation. Does anyone have any experiences they could share about how bad it actually is? I wouldn't mind the noise it's just not being able to see an open room. How close to your face is the roof of the tube? Thanks!

Not to be a scaremonger, but I hated it.

I was offered an MRI recently (high risk for BC) and I said no thanks after my last experience.

My DD takes naps in MRI machines and my DH is also not even slightly bothered, so we’re all different!

I will add that the noise was the worst part for me.

It's noisy! I hate being in lifts, prefer to take the stairs if at all possible. But think of the potential good that will come of you doing it. I find it helpful to just keep my eyes closed and try to daydream throughout.

My DH is claustrophobic and gets valium from his GP before he needs to go for an MRI.

He takes just enough to chill him out and stop him from climbing out of the MRI machine which happened the first time he had one!

Your face is very close to the tube in my experience. I found it even worse if I closed my eyes, I felt like the tube was closing in on me. If I ever need another one, I'm going to Valium myself up to the hilt.

Find out how long you would be in there. 15 mins might be doable for your, but the chap before me was in for 2hours!

I had a lumber spine and 'feet first' had my head just in the tube so I could see the room behind me but I guess for the heart you'd have to go head first so I don't know if how far that would take you in.

I'm a bit claustrophobic and found it o.k. Kept my eyes shut and thought about things I liked. It is noisy though.

I am claustrophobic, but was fine in one. I did have loud music playing in headphones they put on you, and I chose to wear an eye mask. (What I can't see or hear doesn't scare me so much)

There are different types so it would be best to ask the actual department where you will be having it. Mine was a full body scanner and you went in very slowly head first. I'm not normally claustrophobic and I'm fine with closing my eyes so I can't see anything but my problem is I have difficulty swallowing saliva if I'm flat on my back. Even in the dentist chair I have to make sure my head is very slightly tilted to one side otherwise I choke. That meant I had several panic attacks during my scan, to the point I was still having them several days later (I was in it for 50 minutes though).

If it's "just" claustrophobia are you able to breathe/meditate through those situations? It is very noisy/loud but the noise is regular/repetitive and quite soothing if you concentrate on it. It also gives a sort of countdown in minutes so you aren't wondering if only one minute or 15 have passed which is very useful for breathing through the panics.

I have one a year, MS patient, on disease modifying therapy. I find them fine, if I keep my eyes closed, take the offer of music. If they are just scanning my head, only takes 15mins, if it’s the full job cervical and whole spine, about an hour or so. But they keep talking to you, it will be ok OP. Try not to stress and work yourself up, as that will make it worse. Wishing you all the best for your results. Just bear in mind it is very noisy. A bit like standing in roadworks.

Do you know how long you'll be in there?

I've had a few MRIs of my head and for those they put your head in a little cage, and then stuff the sides with foam so you cannot move at all. I didn't like it at all, but I tried to reframe it in my mind as "cosy" rather than cramped.. which helped a bit.
I had a little buzzer in my hand to press if I wanted out. And I tried singing songs in my head, telling myself "well I can just press the buzzer after this song if I want". Giving myself permission to press the button and get out made it easier to stay in actually, as I didn't feel as trapped, if that makes sense

I have to have 2-3 MRIs a year for an inflammatory auto-immune issue and I'm moderately claustrophobic. Mine are of my head and my spine so right inside the machine and it is pretty claustrophobic although it depends on the machine as some have more space than others. One of the machines I use has a screen with images on right above your eyes which apparently helps a lot with claustrophobia but as I'm basically a mole without my glasses on, it doesn't do anything for me 😂
Honestly, it's bearable and I've never been given any sedation to have one, the trick is just to think about something else and keep your eyes closed as much as you can. Also they will give you a panic button to keep in your hand so if the worst comes to the worst, you can always ask them to bring you out, good luck, I hope it goes well!

some radiography departments have special glasses that have mirrors on them positioned so that when your eyes are open you can actually see down your feet and out of the scanner facing the window the staff sit behind. They are amazing! Saying that, I have to get diazepam when I have an MRI just in case the glasses aren’t available. I’m normally a very calm person, but the only place I’ve had a panic attack was in a scanning machine!

It depends on the machine. I had one MRI that was very claustrophobic and another that was fine.

For my last one, I called the department and explained that I'm claustrophobic. The person I spoke to was great and said she'd schedule me for a particular machine which was easier to manage. And it was.

I had one for my lumbar spine and hip and my head was just outside. Because it was quite long I think at one point I feel asleep and then when I woke up I was a bit disoriented and tbst made me panic a tiny bit and feel trapped. The fact you csnt even move doesn't help that claustrophobic feeling. Maybe if they are doing you bead you can wriggle your toes but as mine was hip and spine I wasn't allowed to.

I didnt know about the music as I would of done that

The roof is very close. What helped me is pretending that I was actually standing up and just facing a wall. The noise is like someone is drilling/doing DIY. So for me I pictured myself standing and holding something up for my partner while he was building it. Got me through the 30 minute scan with minimal heart pounding!

I found it okay. I chose music to listen to, closed my eyes and didn't open them until they came to tell me it was done.

I've had three of the head, each lasting about 30-40 minutes. I shut my eyes when lying down before they put me in and didn't open them again until it was all completely done.
The music helped a little but they are very loud.
I found the discomfort in my lower back the worst tbh.

I really struggled. I had one during pregnancy and it was pretty tight to my head and body. I kept my eyes shut and tried to meditate but I was about to push the panic button when they came to get me out anyway. I’m not sure I would’ve lasted any longer than the 15mins I was in there! If I ever need one again I’ll ask for something to help relax me

Shut your eyes before you go in and don't open them again under any circumstances until you're out

Thanks everyone! The doctor said it would be for 20 minutes initially, then I would come out for 5 minute break then go back in for 40 minutes and part of that they would give me some iv medications- one to speed up heart rate for 3-4 minutes (mildly terrifying) and another just to help them see something better. I will have a think about whether I could manage. The glasses to see outside sound good I think that would help!!

I struggled until the really nice lady told me that it wasnt a cave but a tube with fresh air and daylight at both ends. She suggested i imagined being able to stretch my arms behind my head and swish my fingers back and forth in the light. Sounds mad but it really worked for me. Until then i was feeling quite panicked and didn't think i would be able to stay in. I had earphones and listened to quite a gripping football match which also helped.

My husband suggested wearing an eye mask but this might be a bit scary if I can't move my hands to adjust it?

I lasted about 6 seconds and considered going to a&e afterwards. I couldn’t stop panicking, screaming, and sobbing. It was a panic attack I feared would never end.

I found my cardiac MRI much more tolerable than my spinal one. Apart from the awkwardness of how much of the time they told me when to breathe.

I am horribly claustrophobic. I find MRIs really hard.

One thing that does help is to wear an eye mask so you cannot actually see how close your nose is to the ceiling or how little room you have. Even if you open your eyes.

Last time I had one, they gave me an eye mask after I totally panicked. It helped more than you’d imagine. I lay there concentrating on my breathing and imagining I was lying somewhere else as best I could for the 45 minutes I had to be in there.

They can play you music of your choice usually. You might be able to ask them to play you an audiobook and then you can concentrate on listening very hard to the story in the dark.

Your GP can prescribe you something to take beforehand too.