Originally Posted By JazzCat I had one this morning, but just for my wrist that needs carpel tunnel surgery. I hated it! I've got a bit of claustrophobia and being just a foot in that tube was almost more than I could handle. I had a panic attack at one point and kept thinking of TDG's words to mousegrl "it's just temporary feelings; you're going to be okay." So thanks TDG~you helped! I think it was almost worse being only a foot in as all I had to look at was a long tube and a blank wall. I had to lay on my stomach with my arm outstretched so I didn't get to listen to any music to keep my mind occupied. (I kept thinking "is this what it looks like being born?" lol I know. I'm wierd.)
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I've never had an MRI. I've had CT-Scans a couple of times, but I've heard they are nowhere near as claustrophobic as MRI's.
Originally Posted By -em Whatever helps... My fav phrase for things like that is from Power of One (the accent helps)is "try not to be afraid" -em
Originally Posted By MomofPrincess They're horrible! Interestingly enough, I had one a few years ago when I was having numbness in my face and down my arm. Guess what the diagnosis was? ANXIETY ATTACK! ... Um, I'm thinking the MRI didn't help with that much! LOL Anyway. I hope your poor little wrist feels better with surgery! Carpal Tunnel is AWFUL! (I had it just as a weird pregnancy side effect, and that was bad enough!)
Originally Posted By DyGDisney I had an anxiety attack on StarTours last time we went to Disneyland because of claustrophobia. I can't imagine an MRI. I'd have to take something before I could do it.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 I had one years ago when you had to wear a "football helmet" I don't know if they still have those. I lost my sense of smell so maybe the helmet had something to do with that. Anyway, they gave me a prescription for anxiety incase I wanted it. I'm thinking it was halcion which I think is illegal or something like that now. I took it while I was in the changing room getting ready. I remember walking into the MRI room a little about going into the tube and NOTHING else for about 4 hours after. Evidently after the test, I walked into my parents house (my husband drove) to pick up our daughter and I was casually holding my bra, like it was a purse or something. If you knew me, it's not something I'd typically do Anyway, I was then on hyperdrive the rest of the day. My kids thought I was nuts, cooking, cleaning etc. which I remembered very little of doing. If I had to do it again, I might see if they'd let me try out the meds first, under supervision of course
Originally Posted By LVBelle I had one about five years ago, when they were trying to figure out why I was having seizures. It was AWFUL, I didn't realize it beforehand but I had a slight cold or something and my sinuses were all plugged up. Somehow it messed with my equilibrium and I felt as though the whole machine was swaying while I was in it. By the time they pulled me out, I was miserable and thisclose to crying. Luckily the doctor was cute so I was able to pull myself together without crying!
Originally Posted By idleHands I feel for you, JazzCat. Truly. I've had several MRIs, for my head, shoulder, and knee, twice each. The knee was OK, because only the legs go into the abyss, not the torso. But for the head and the shoulder, yucko! I cannot do it without tranquilizers like Xanax. Panic attacks inside the crypt of a G.E. Signa is not fun. At all. (The last time my shoulder was scanned, the Xanax basically knocked me out. The radiology tech said I was snoring so loudly, he could hear me through the microphone over the noise of the machine. LOL!) One of my head MRIs was done on a new "short bore" high field MRI machine, which is open on both ends. Looks like a regular MRI machine, but the "tube" is only about five feet long, instead of the older seven foot long machines. Really nice; no claustrophobic panic attacks. And much faster scans, too. Technology rocks!
Originally Posted By Ursula I just couldn't do that without a drug of some sort. I am so sorry you have the carpal tunnel. My mom had it and it was badly painful.
Originally Posted By jasmine7 I had a couple of them on my shoulder when I tore my rotator cuff. The first one wasn't too bad, but the second one hit me hard and I got very claustrophobic. They had even given me a drug to relax me, and I still freaked out. I kept moving and twitching (didn't help that the position hurt my shoulder), and they had to keep telling me to stay still. I hope I never have to have another!
Originally Posted By beamerdog Yup, several. I can't do the closed ones without valium. The open ones are okay. I understand that the closed give a better readings on the head/neck areas. I had two wrist/hand surgeries. If you want more information on the recovery, let me know.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I had one done. I didn't have a problem with it. Except that they had me wearing headphones and I got plugged ears from the experience.
Originally Posted By dsnyredhead I had one for back problems a few years ago. It was awful. I tend to be claustrophic as well. I just kept my neck craned to where I could still see outside of the tube and kept talking. I had thought about getting an open MRI one but then there was a news article about them that changed my mind.
Originally Posted By dsnyredhead Oh, one thing I forgot. They told me I had to lie still. My back was having really bad spasms that morning and was twitching like crazy....um yeah, you want me to lie still?
Originally Posted By idleHands Just an FYI... the latest MRI I had done for my head/neck region, was not in an "open" MRI, but a newer technology called "high field short bore." It's still considered a traditional "closed" MRI machine, but the higher field of the Tesla allows the bore you're slid into to be shorter in length (five feet versus seven feet). So when you're placed inside, head first, you can see daylight streaming in from the opening just beyond your head. I was in the machine for about 25 minutes, and didn't need tranquilizers at all. No panic attacks, no problems. Highly recommended.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad I have had three MRI's all on my Head so I was WAAAAAAAY up in there. Two were closed and one was "open" which is like sliding through a giant doughnut. They did manage to find my brain in all three, and although very small it was normal otherwise! For other readers, when your doc orders an MRI you can seek out WHERE you want it done. You don't HAVE to go where the doc refers you. So if you just can't do the closed MRI, eventhough they are higher resolution, open MRI's can be found pretty easily.
Originally Posted By smeeeko ^^unless you have to have yours done at Charity hospital New Orleans.. (meeko used to suffer from really bad disabling migraines and no insurance in the 90s)
Originally Posted By Kala I was out. I really don't remember a thing. DH kept telling the Dr. "I hope she doesn't pick now to wake up." DH said I had several over a course of 3 days.
Originally Posted By Kala oops hit the submit button too soon. I only read I had 2 all on my head. I'm very claustrophobic and would have freaked! I can barely stand riding in elevators and crowded back seats of cars. Idle hands thanks for the info. filing it away for future reference.
