How stressful is a head CT scan?

[mynameiscalypso]

I have a CT scan of my head/ear booked tomorrow as part of investigations into severe hearing loss on one side. I have PTSD and while it is not related to medical stuff, it is badly triggered in situations when I’m lying down and don’t feel that I can move/get up. I had to have a full body MRI a few an ago and it was absolutely horrendous. I’m hoping for some words of reassurance that a CT scan of my head won’t be so bad/difficult if anyone can provide any…it’s only supposed to take 15 mins so I’m hoping it will be better but my mental health has been pretty stable for a while and I’m keen not to destabilise that if I can. I do have diazepam and propranolol at home if I need it. Would it be worth taking one of them before I go?

Thank you!

It's much better than an MRI. You are less enclosed. Essentially your head is in a big halo rather than a tube. It's also far quicker than an MRI. I had to have an extensive CT recently which was listed for 45 mins. The actual scan was less than 10 minutes so I expect yours will be even quicker.

What time is your appointment?

Also the staying still bit was only maybe 20 seconds at a time with gaps in between. It is much less claustrophobic than an MRI.

@Tiptopflipflop Oh that’s excellent, thank you for sharing. That definitely sounds much more manageable and I really appreciate you sharing your experience.

@justasking111 It’s mid-morning.

It'll be done so quickly, compared to an MRI you'll be like "was that it?!".

It’s so so quick and easy. More like an x ray than an MRI. Genuinely nothing to worry about.

DH has had three on his head in the last month, focussing on an area of his brain above his ear (but essentially the whole brain). I wasn't around for the first one, but he was out within 2-7 mins (second a large hospital so got taken off to a sub-section). I asked him how he felt about having it done at the time and he said it really didn't bother him.

Much easier and quicker. No noise, quicker and less claustrophobic.
I can totally understand your worry and I feel very much the same about mri scans but I have had around 25 ct scans and can cope with them fine.

My top tip is tell the staff how you feel and then shut your eyes from the moment you sit on the bed until it is done and they come to sit you up again.

I echo what others said. It was over in a flash and about 1% as uncomfortable as an MRI.

Not the head, but my DH had an abdomen CT at A&E a couple of weeks ago and I was so shocked how quick he was gone! My son has regular brain MRI’s, so I’m used to him vanishing into a room to an hour or so so I expected similar

Sending you best wishes x

It’s fine, as others have said it’s over quickly, much better than MRI. I had to have head taped to blocks and a rock hard mattress but as soon as results were back it was all taken off. Sounds like yours is planned so they may not need to do that for you.

Just to echo the reassurance given here - I've had multiple CTs and don't mind them at all, you just don't feel enclosed in the same way. Sometimes done in 5 mins. My doctor described it to me, when I first looked terrified at the mention, as 'like a big friendly Polo mint!' that's how I think of it nowadays :)

CT scans are very, very much less bothersome than MRIs to those of us who tend to get a bit panicky at having to lie still. Good luck! I honestly think you'll find it fine.

(I've had just TWO head MRIs and beforehand thought I wouldn't be able to get through it. My onc. explained this to the team and they booked me into the bigger, more spacious machine and also he prescribed one (1! ) Lorazepam to take 45 minutes before, which made me go a little bit drifty, I didn't need any of those precautions for a CT.

Thank you everyone so much for the reassurance - you were all absolutely right! It was over in a couple of minutes and the fact that I was in my clothes, my body wasn’t enclosed at at all so I could have moved if needed and the machine wasn’t too close to my head/I could see out of it made all the difference. I did panic for the first minute or so but then remembered all the kind messages here and it was totally fine. Thank you all!

Honestly it's nothing like an MRI. I have to have sedation for an MRI and I can easily tolerate a CT
If you are worried about the lying down etc ask your doctor for some diazepam and take one half an hour before. It really does help