MRI scan date through...I'm terrified!

[hotcrossbunny]

Hi

My MRI appointment has just arrived for October 3rd. I'm really claustrophobic and can feel myself getting in a state already.

I've got problems with my ears. Does that mean it's just my head that'll go in, or will it be my whole body?

I'm wondering if some sort of hypnotherapy might help. Has anyone experience of that, or got any other ideas as to how I'll make myself go to the hospital???? Should I take someone with me?

All advice gratefully received!

It'll just be your head, but it will be held by a device. Ring the scan department and tell them that you are claustrophobic - they should be able to arrange some sedatives for you to take to make it better. Take some music you like, and practice shutting your eyes and relaxing to it. Tell a friend about it all now, and get them to arrange to take you to the hospital.

The best thing is to shut your eyes as soon as you lie down, and keep them shut the whole time that you are being scanned. That way you won't get the feeling of being in the scanner at all.

Thank you that all makes sense. Am very relieved it'll only be my head, although would prefer just feet I would prefer to manage without a sedative if possible as I have a history of reacting badly to anaesthetics etc

i had one for my ears too HCB. like you, I can be a bit claustrophobic but I wasn't all the way in and it helped seeing my feet were in the fresh air, so to speak! I just closed my eyes as soon as they moved me in and concentrated on listening to the music and the person talking over the speaker. it doesnt take too long. good luck.

Thanks Olivo - am beginning to breathe

Felt claustrophobic just reading your post. I suffer really badly and have to have lots of MRIs where I go right in.

The best thing that works (the only thing actually) are the funny glasses that some places supply. Don't know how they work - bit like a periscope I suppose but basically they have a mirror in them somewhere and reflect back to you the view of outside so you can't see that tunnel thingy just above you..............

Ring to see if they supply them.

YOU'll be fine HCB. I also had one for something else when I was in my teens and MRI machines weren't very widespread - ihad to travel to london. IIRC, it had little stars on the roof!
last time, I seem to remember expending so much energy thinking ' this music is crap, why couldn't I choose' that it passed really quickly! on a serious note, if you are the sort of person who might respond to hypnotherapy, give it a go.

HCB - I had a to go for a head MRI scan recently and really envisaged it like being stuck in something the size of a smartie tube!

It wasn't like that at all. The machine is small but it's not skin tight and there was a periscope so I could see out into the room which made the difference for me.

The staff talked to me the whole time and I could have had music if I'd wanted it. The only thing I would say is that I was taken aback by how damn noisy the thing is - that was actually the worst thing.

By the way, my head scan only took 20 mins (5 runs of 4 mins each).

Hope you feel reassured, it really isn't as bad as you might think.

I had valium last time. Go to your GP in advance and ask her to prescribe you some for this purpose. Mine was very happy to do so. She gave me a grand total of ten! I had to experiment beforehand to see whether I needed one or two. So I now have five or six sitting upstairs for an emergency if I choose to avoid the giant warning saying "addictive" .

Thank you all so much. I'm still scared but there is an outside chance I may actually manage to get myself there

Thank you.