Shit scared about MRI when sedative not allowed.

[ShitScared1234]

I need to have an MRI and Consultant advised me to speak to GP about a sedative.
Ive had various bad experiences in the past, including with MRI and am intensely claustrophobic.
GP won’t prescribe and now admin team don’t think consultant will either.

anyone got any tips before I spend £800+ and a load of travel on an private open MRI scan???

suggestions I was given were ‘holistic’ anti anxiety pills and deep breathing. Unfortunately that’s not going to cut it, unless someone will holistically bash me on the head in order to get me in that damn machine.

Open MRI = shit images that wont answer the question.
If this is a cancer scan I'd go back to your GP and insist. It will make a difference to your diagnosis.
Sedatives are now only managed through your gp not hospital. Id probably try a different GP in the same practice. Have they tried a CT scan first? This may not be indicated as it might not answer the clinical questions. But it might help to gather a bit more info.
Sorry you're scared. I hope you get the outcome you're hoping for

I sympathise- I have had one MRI and would definitely need sedation to get me in the machine again. Fortunately the consultant agreed I could have CT scans instead, but of course sometimes that isn't suitable. I think I would have a complete meltdown if I had to have another MRI without sedation.
Please go back to your GP and tell him/her exactly how you are feeling.

Ask you go to refer you to an open mri scan? May take longer but it is possible.

i used the ‘Calm’ app and learnt breathing exercises, listened to it etc. During the scan, I closed my eyes, and then I could be anywhere - at home in bed etc. I just tried to doze or think about my next holiday. This sounds bizarre, but you hear a lot of clunking and clanging during the process, so I also tried to image what was making the noise - road works, aliens, a builder etc. kept me distracted.

Also, how many parts do you need scanning? £800 seems alot.

I have to have head scans almost yearly and am claustrophobic. I didn't know you could be sedated. I wear a neck band over my eyes and get the nurse to lead me to the machine I find this helps. The I pretend I am still in my office and all that noise is workman outside. The staff play me my preferred radio station. I keep the band on until they slide me out.I am quite used to it now, had about 12 I think,

Was there a clinical reason that the GP wouldn’t prescribe? It seems odd.
If there was no clinical reason that a low dose of diazepam or similar couldn’t be prescribed I would maybe try a different GP. (Or a private GP and prescription would be cheaper than private scan!)

This is 100% not a GP issue - it needs to be managed by the Trust. The issue with sedation in the scanner is monitoring and the risk of airway obstruction. Unless it’s a Trust that does GA MRI they may not have the capacity to monitor in the scanner. If you take benzos, disappear into the tunnel and obstruct your airway/become hypoxic it may be sometime before time before they notice. It needs bouncing back to the referring clinician to discuss options within the Trust or referral to another department that can facilitate sedation/GA. (Doi: anaesthetist)

This is 100% for the consultant to sort.

IT IS NOT A GP ISSUE TO SORT!!!!

there is very clear guidelines on the rules re this. Historically GPs did it for an easy life but are now rightly saying it’s lazy, inappropriate buck passing. It’s also dangerous as pointed out above to be unmonitored following sedation.
You wouldn’t be the first patient to take diazepam and decide to drive home.

I am extremely claustrophobic and have to have annual MRI scans, so I feel your pain.

If there's two radiographers/technicians, I would recommend asking if one would mind holding your hand or leg during. I feel like a right baby asking for this but it honestly helps a surprising amount.

There are things they can do to improve things for a claustrophobic person, like using a little mirror to look out or playing music. Make sure you make them aware of your fears and ask for anything they can do to help. If you don't plan to use the mirror to look out, then closing your eyes before you go in and keeping them closed can help.

I find going in a bit sleep deprived helps me as I just succumb to it all a bit better if I'm tired.

I think it's helpful to ask them to talk to you as much as they can in between sequences, and ask them ahead of time how long the whole thing and individual sequences will take. That helps break it down mentally into easier chunks to deal with.

Good luck! I promise you'll be able to do it. I am so claustrophobic that even things like cinemas and car washes freak me out, but it is possible to control your brain and put things in place to make it more manageable.

What also helped was I once, sadly. Saw a very frail looking child with no hair going in one with no fuss. Really affected me 🙁

My DH is exactly the same, he had to have an open MRI, privately though, so he didn't have to pay, and it was for his head. He would be OK for a lower body, you can go in feet wise, depending on what they are looking at.

I don't particularly like them, but my last one I actually fell asleep! I did the really slow, deep, breathing, only taking breaths when they ask you to breath in. They were really impressed, lol. I just pretended I was floating underwater, which I love, but then that doesn't suit many people either.

I had a pituitary MRI. I actually found it suprisingly relaxing, as a mother of a then 5 year old i realised it was the first time in a long time someone had told be just to lie down, stay still and then left me alone for 30 minutes, other than when asleep i hadn't had that long of guilt free chill time for years. The ear plugs work well against the noise, they are very good at padding you out so that it is comfy and easy to stay still.

You may find it isn't as bad as you think it will be.

Thanks all for the responses. I’ll answer the questions below

GP practice policy, won’t prescribe for dental visits either. Or flying. Googling private GPs also won’t prescribe.
I do get it, the upset earlier was the coping mechanism/option I thought I had was taken away.

It’s not for cancer, thankfully, but is neck, upper back and shoulders/arms. I think I’ll be head first.

I have had 3 before over the years.
head which was horrendous, pelvis that I cried through but the team were good.
Another pelvis which was most recent and traumatic. Team were awful, uncaring and didn’t listen to the panic button when I pressed it. I was crying so much they had to pause the scan to tell me to stop crying so they could get it done and I needed to get on with it.

The loud noises are fine, I know about the earplugs/headphones/mirrors.

Closing my eyes is worse - I am very anxious and like to know what’s going on, what’s around me. I have an abuse history and that’s part of that, as well as confined spaces and being out of control.

good info about open scan being not as good quality. I’m going to email the consultant with details and ask if it might be suitable or not.

ultimately I am probably going to have to just do it and cry my way through and deal with the brain shutdown afterwards.
last time I lost days afterwards with flashbacks.