Posted on 03/14/2018 9:28:41 PM PDT by Kevin in California
So I've been having very bad sinus issues for the longest time and finally got my Dr to schedule me for a cat scan which resulted in mild mucosal thickening within the floor of the maxillary sinuses. Also, it found I had a non specific boney loss/defect at the right skull base as well as TMJ degenerative changes. This scan ultimately led to my Dr ordering an MRI. Well, this past Monday I went in to do the MRI. I was all prepped up and asked the tech how long it was gonna take...45 mins he said. I go, YIKES! Well, I then get this contraption attached to my head, a pair of ear plugs, and the squeeze ball to alert the tech in the event I want out. Into the tube/machine I go and I hear the tech leave the room. It was then, I start to sweat and feel I cannot breath. This, before the MRI has even begun. I'm in panic/anxiety mode now so I squeeze the hell out of the ball. It seemed like an eternity before the tech comes back in the room and gets me the hell out of that thing. I felt like I was about to be buried alive. Long story short, I went home and was a wreck. Now, my Dr wants to give me a sedative and do the MRI in a bigger and open MRI machine and now I'm terrified to get into one.
Ever have an MRI? If so, your thoughts?
I’ve never had an MRI, but have had a sedative before a dental procedure, and let me tell you, I went from Scared to Death to Do What You Will With Me in about 15 minutes. It was awesome.
I love being in the MRI.
Puts me to sleep.
Don’t know why.
And don’t worry about your Brain Stem.
They can usually reconnect it.
have them give you valium or equivalent- works wonders to calm down the panic-
open MRI are no sweat- but they take almost twice as long.
I’m gonna play that for my sleep music.
Every time I get in an MRI I dose off hard...
Once had a nurse come and shake me as I wasn’t responding to her voice that it was over...
I hope your condition is not terrible everything is ok.
That said, I’ve had over a dozen MRI’s in since 1990, due to having had a pituitary tumor. I was ALWAYS fine, I kinda liked them. Put on earphones and spend an hour in silence.
Well, last fall was time for another and it was all good. For about 3 minutes. Out of nowhere I got panicked, felt like I couldn’t breathe and had the awful feeling I was going to swallow my tongue.
The tech got me out and I left, and for about 1/2 an hour I had to bite my tongue because I still felt like I was going to swallow it.
I had an open MRI done a few weeks later, and it was ok, sat between 2 giant things - hardest thing was to keep perfectly still sitting up.
Anyway, good luck - for accuracy and comfort I would say get some xanax or the like and have the regular one done again.
Had a couple of them for my neck. It was a sliding table that passed through the doughnut shaped apparatus. Lots of clicking type noises with a mechanical clank associated with the movement of the table. Cover your eyes , do some relaxing breathing. Nothing to be afraid of. It did take awhile perhaps 30-40 minutes. It’s a solid machine, has a stable platform. If anything it’s boring, not terrifying.
I have had many MRIs & CT Scans. They are better than they used to be, decades ago. They are quieter.
Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger.
I’ve had a dozen or so MRI in closed units with no problems, until the last 2.
Felt safe but the Clostrofobia over whelmed Me.
Had to reschedule and got an RX for Valium. Took 2, 5mg and drank a Foster’s on the way.
Piece of cake after that;)
Many People have the same problem.
I fell asleep. Asked the tech if I was snoring. She just chuckled. It wasn’t a big deal. No worries as it won’t hurt you.
Yes. I did the regular MRI. I am mildly claustrophobic. It was awful, and the noise was horrible.
I recently had an open MRI - much better. Don’t be afraid of it.
What are you scared of?
I just focused on how amazing the machine is and tried to make a song from the noise it made. Find a focus outside of your fear.
I had a bad room spinning dizzy spell in August 2016. Had a cat scan and MRI when in the ER. I think it was the MRI where during the last few minutes I wanted to scream to get me out of it but somehow I finished it without saying a word out loud, but in my mind I felt like I was losing it. I wish there had been music to occupy my mind during it. I kept my eyes shut the entire time through both.
Unrelated to the dizziness, 2 tiny aneurysms were found near or on an optic nerve so I have to get yearly MRI’s or MRA’s. I had an MRI in 2017, again kept my eyes shut through it and talked and sang to myself, I forget how long it was but longer than the MRA I just had this past January. Had the thing over my face for the MRA, ear plugs too because they said it would be loud, for the MRI there were wedge things placed on the sides of my head, but nothing was over my face that I recall. The MRA was still pretty loud with the ear plugs. The ladies, 2 of them, said it would only be about 10 minutes. So I figured I can do 10 minutes. I felt like freaking out as soon as it started but calmed myself somehow. I didn’t like the wedge thing they put under your knees. I’m short so not sure if it’s too big for me or what. So I starting counting, counting off seconds to add up the minutes..I only got to 8 minutes with my counting and it was over. Again no music.
My husband has to get a pill to have MRI’s and CT scans done, he gets severe anxiety otherwise. But the thought of my next one, next January, has me freaking out already. I think about it when I go to bed for some reason and don’t look forward to it. Neurosurgeon wants the next one to be the MRI, the longer one. I didn’t have to change into a gown for the MRI but did for the MRA..the only plus to the MRI.
But yes, as others have said, you have to keep your eyes shut the whole time. If I had opened mine I know I would have started all out screaming. And I had to keep telling myself to keep them shut after a while. It is a traumatic thing to go through for many, you would think it would be easy enough to just lay still but it’s not that easy for some reason.
Yeah, just had one. The noise and enclosure is a little unsettling. It’s a little like being at the dentist. I just try to cope with the discomfort until the procedure is done. You will not get hurt, and surely won’t die. Best wishes.
I always more or less pretended I was training for space flight.
I had no problems at all with the open MRI so you'll be fine. It was like crawling under a sports car that wasn't very far off the ground is how I would describe it. It's noisy when the test is going but you know you can get out on your own if you absolutely positively have to so that helps a lot. Best of luck!
Being inside an MRI is like being inside a washing machine. I find the bangs it makes very similar to those of a washing machine. I am small, so I don’t feel so cramped, but your average man would likely feel cramped in an enclosed MRI. They give you stereo headphones to mask the noise, Just relax and listen to the music, don’t move or thrash around, and it will be over before you know. BTW, hope you feel better.
If the size of the machine they’re sliding you into doesn’t get you, the price of it will surely do it. Last time I had one done, checking my head for discrepancies, it cost over $5000 for 15 minutes of testing!
I am not afraid of the MRI experience, like physics and electronics so would probably find it fascinating, but am deathly afraid of the invasive, traumatic procedures that might follow it depending on the findings, so would end everything with a small howitzer immediately after the results came back.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.