MRI Coping Mechanisms

[iwentjasonwaterfalls]

I genuinely think I may have started an almost identical thread 6 months ago, but I can't find it nor can I remember the tips given.

MRI tomorrow. Head in a cage, they don't do music or anything and can't wear headphones, worrying about the results as I think it's possible the situation has changed. They give me earplugs but they fall out within seconds every time 😅

What are your coping mechanisms? I do theatre and in the past I've run through my lines for an upcoming show, but I don't have an upcoming show at the moment so can't do that. Tried just letting my mind go blank and doing breathing exercises but I ended up thinking "what if the rapture happens while I'm in here and the radiographer gets raptured and no one realises and I'm stuck in here forever?" (I'm neither paranoid nor religious but once the idea was in my head I was stuck).

I have quite a lot of these, head in cage and contrast dye. I keep my eyes closed the entire time, it's the cage I can't stand but if I don't look then I can pretend it isn't there!

My hospital put sandbags next to my ears, which helps keep the earplugs in. Could you take your own earplugs and find some which stay in?

All my MRIs are over an hour, so my issue is trying not to fall asleep!

I would try some wax or silicone mouldable earplugs as they don’t fall out . I’m very claustrophobic but coped by shutting my eyes and singing in my head not out loud

I've had a couple recently. What worked for me was taking a mental walk through of somewhere really nice I'd been on holiday. I started in my hotel room and walked through the hotel, down to the beach and lay on a lounger! Tried to remember all the tiny details along the way. My mind wandered a bit but nothing panic inducing!

Oh and yes eyes definitely closed

Interesting you say about theatre, as I found mentally reciting Shakespeare helpful. Oh, and if the operator dropped dead, it really wouldn’t be long before someone came to see why they weren’t answering the phone to the clinicians begging them to squeeze in an urgent patient, so I wouldn’t worry about the rapture!

My dad was given 10mg diazepam. That sorted out any anxiety.

I’d take my own earplugs. Music is no use at all. Loud music competing with the MRI noise does nothing for me. Makes me anxious tbh

I use an eye mask. So when I open my eyes (my anxiety takes over and I peep) I don’t see that cage and feel claustrophobic.
Works really well.

I wear an eye mask (I take my own). It means that even when I’m tempted to open my eyes I still can’t see anything. And deep breathing exercises.

Thanks all! Going to try reciting Shakespeare, ex English teacher so may as well put that to use 🤣

I always close my eyes in the hope that I'll fall asleep but never manage to. I'm hoping I'm in the little MRI lorry as opposed to the one in the hospital as the lorry one is much nicer.

Then once that's done, it's just the results to worry about, and I don't think there's a coping mechanism in the world strong enough to deal with that 😅

I had one this week and honestly it was the best 30 mins of my day. Previously I hated it.
This time- I had ear plugs in , they didn’t fall out. They can play the radio through their microphone .
I had a wedge under my knees which was quite comfortable. My back was lovely and warm . Don’t bend your elbows too much .

Ask them to give you a count down -so ‘half way there’ , 5 mins left… I closed my eyes and was lost in my thoughts - was jolted into consciousness at 15 mins left!

I had been so worried too!

If the rapture happens there will be plenty of us lovely pagans to come rescue you, I promise.

Perfect, thank you 😂

I’ve had 6 now, 3 with my head in a cage, I’ve had headphones for the most recent one so it may have changed.

however personally I just keep my eyes shut from the second I lay down, and keep them shut! I tend to imagine myself bathed in gold light, keel my breathing steady, tell myself I’m safe, sing songs in my head, plan meals, a shopping list. It’s over before you know it.

My last one was 6 months ago and no headphones then, I think it can be done it's just that my hospital won't do them 😒

I like the idea of planning the shopping list, that's a good shout