Question about enduring an MRI.

Poststructural Pub
1

I know we have a lot of people here with different skills and life experiences. I need to ask how to handle something strange.

I was scheduled for an open MRI for my torn rotator cuff today. The differnenc between an open MRI and a traditional MRI is that the open is not a tiny tunnel, but is more like being the meat in a sandwich betrween two huge metal pieces - more like a tiny crawl space than a tunnel. I am NOT given to claustrophobia but they were unable to complete the test when I went into full panic mode. I wasn’t quite screaming, but I was freaking, hyperventilating, unable to stop moving my free arm or head and generally spooked. The ONLY time anything this ever happened to me before was years ago in a tight crowd, where I had to be escorted out of it for fear I was going to start throwing indiscriminat punches.

FWIW, I have been struggling with respiratory illness and sore ribs on the opposite side and was terrified that I’d go into a coughing fit that would be both horribly painful and unstoppable. We’re going to tryn again in three weeks and premeditate wiith a sedative. Has anyoe else any experience with something like this? Is there anything else I can do? Among other things, it was very embarrasing since I’m usually the great stone face with regard to medical tests.

2

I’ve had 3 MRIs. The first one was a piece of cake and made me feel sorry for “those” who can’t deal with it easily. The second began to bother me and I had to close my eyes (it was the tunnel kind, and the top of the tunnel was half an inch from my nose) and pretend I was somewhere else, but basically I was all right. The third one really, really bothered me and it was a major relief to get it done and get out of there. Now I know why it bothers people. I’ve known really tough guys who had to be sedated. And I’ve heard doctors say that almost half the folks who get MRIs need sedation. You’re normal, Chuck.

3

Medication. Better living through chemistry.

Seriously, what you describe is REALLY common. Open MRI scanners aren’t all that much more wonderful than the tubes, I don’t think. Of course, I give anesthetics for a living, so I’ve knocked out a ton of folks to have MRIs.

You wouldn’t need a general anesthetic, but I think some pre-procedure anxiolysis would be key. See if you can get the doc who ordered the MRI to write you for some Xanax (like 0.5 mg ish), or Ativan (2 mg), or Valium (5-10mg) you can take the morning of the test. You’d have to have someone drive you to the scanner, and take you home, but you’d be amazed at what a small dose of one of these types of drugs will do for you.

They’re all cheap and quite safe. Blah blah blah, disclaimer disclaimer, etc., but if you talk to either the shoulder-scan ordering person, or your family doctor, see if you can get a little dose for the test. It’ll help.

Stuart

4

I had an MRI about fifteen years ago. I was in the torpedo tube for an hour and a half. After a minute or two in the torpedo tube I started to feel claustrophobic. I forced myself to breathe deeply and regularly. Then I closed my eyes and started playing, in my head, every classical piece I knew on the guitar, visualizing the notation and both hands. At the time I had about 45 minutes of repetoire memorized so I went through all of it and then went through it again. I made it through without hitting the panic button but I don’t think I want to do it again.
Mike

5

Thanks, Stuart. They already gave me a prescription for one (1) 10mg Valium to be taken an hour before the test. Given that in my migraine days two 5mg Valium were enough to render me unconscious and break the migraine, I assume that a ten will probably turn me into the equivalent of Gumby on a very hot day.

6

LOL! Does that mean you’ll be changing your avatar? :wink:

Seriously, I’ve had two MRIs and they’re they tunnel type. They played classical music really loud and I shut my eyes and did the whole deep breathing thing. I’m a bit claustrophobic when my sugar goes goofy, so I was afraid of that. Everytime I started to wig out I just took a deeep, deeep breath. Hope that helps.

Little John

7

Interesting, I’m having my first MRI next week and just had my eyes x-rayed for metal filings this morning. I’m getting severe head pain, headache is a mild word, but a CT scan, and Doppler Ultrasound haven’t shown anything “physically” wrong with my brain or nervous system. But the pain has sent me to the hospital emergency three times in the middle of the night, where an injection of Demeral was the only answer.

I’m not having migraines, of sinuitis NOR hangovers, nor is it stress. Haven’t had any alcohol at all in four months.

And yes I have heard all the stories and the troubles that people have had with MRI’s. I don’t think that I am claustrophobic, not after the years of riding around in army tanks, and armoured personnel vehicles.

Interesting post! Ah… what kind of drugs do they offer to supposedly to subdue you…anything interesting…hummmmmm

MarkB

8

I had a similar eyeball x-ray and scan for some recurring headaches. I was pretty tired the day I went in and nearly fell asleep during the scan, so I wasn’t paying much attention to the claustrophobia that day. I found out later that the whole thing was due to eyeglasses with too strong of a perscription.

9

I had an MRI early march. The tunnel one, I dealt with it by closing my eyes and concentrate on regular deep breathing and relaxing as well as I could. Which was hard enough considering the terrible racket the machine was making. I was glad I was out of it after twenty minutes.
Ofcourse at that point I didn’t realise the ambulance crew who drove me from Ennis to Limerick (‘sure we’ll wait and take you back’) had left and I would be left sitting in a coridor for the next four hours, not knowing what was going to happen, hoping some other ambulance would take me back. The joys of irish health care. it was not all in all a very memorable day :roll: (though for those in the diet club: I did loose over 15 lbs that week :smiley: )

10

MarkB,
I had laser surgery for Acute Closed Angle Glaucoma a couple of years ago. It was caught before I had any symptons at all. I was very lucky. But my Doctor did say that it could cause very serious head pain. She said if I did get one and went to the emergency room that they wouldn’t know what to do or what the cause was. Anyway, something to check out.

11

Chuck,

Sorry for your troubles.

I had a closed MRI not long ago and I scheduled it–just because it was the first available time–at 11:40 pm. I was just wondering now if maybe being tired from a long day made it easier for me to surrender to the experience–maybe it’s something for you to consider.

I was mainly okay. The worst part was that the technician said, at the end, “Okay, we’ll be getting you out of there now.” And then NOTHING HAPPENED. I was sure that the mechanism that slides me in and out must have broken. She was so foolish to say that at any time except IMMEDIATELY before getting me out. It was easily another three or four minutes and the only time I felt the panic rise.

Good luck this time.

Carol

12

I have had two MRI’s never had a problem with small places. But I find as others have said concentrate on slow breathing and let your mind wonder. If you can just try to picture something in no time it will be over, Irelands country side worked for me .

13

I am probably no help at all. I have had anywhere from 1 to 4 MRIs every year for the last 7 years. I use a regular tube type MRI. It is for my brain so my head must be in the center of the tube. I have no problem at all. In fact I often fall asleep. If you close your eyes and relax you will not be aware of how close it is. BTW did I mention I used to sail on submarines.

I hope you make out OK.

Ron

14

Here’s my MRI story. About two years ago, I was scheduled for a torpedo-tube MRI. So, I’m unloading my pants pockets and the tech says to me “Dr. Wisely, are you claustrophic?” and I answered no because I had never had any trouble whatever with claustrophobia.

So, she puts me on the slab, so to speak, and with really no warning puts a cage over my head. I…uh…discovered that I don’t like cages over my head. Reminded me of the thing in 1984. You know what I’m talking about. But, I get past that. Then I start to roll into the tube and I’m a kinda fat guy and so there’s no place to put my arms, really, except to cross them over my chest. Get that image. It didn’t exactly help.

So, almost immediately, I start to have a full-blown panic episode. I’m thinking, ok, you’re having a bit of an anxiety attack. It ain’t gonna kill you. And then I feel my heart is beating, oh, I don’t know, 450 beats a minute and I’m thinking, hey, maybe it WILL kill you. So, I speak to the tech on the intercom and she doesn’t answer for either 15 seconds (real time) or 2 hours (psychological time). When she finally responded I said “I’m sorry but I have to come out of here RIGHT NOW” and she had me out of there in a flash. Got the cage off of my head and sat me up. Invited me to try again which I declined.

I was angry, quite honestly. I’ve worked in hospitals and been involved in preparing people for medical procedures. Information is REALLY helpful. I think if I had some time to prepare for what was going to happen, I would have found a way to made it through.

I scheduled an open MRI and, as Chuck has suggested, it’s not a walk in the park either. You have this big slab of machinery bearing down on you. It’s open on the sides. I made it ok through that, but someone who had severe claustrophobia I could see needing serious chemicals, or other preparation, to get through it.

Incidentally, the whole experience has precipitated some claustrophobia in me. I had a little trouble on the plane to England last year. I kept the bathroom visits to the minimum and couldn’t tolerate anything other than an aisle seat.

Before someone throws a “you’re a psychologist” thing on me…a gentle reminder that psychologists are human beings with no fewer vulnerabilities to all kinds of psychological phenomenon. In fact, there is some truth to the idea that mental health workers have somewhat higher incidences of psychological illnesses of various kinds. Really shouldn’t be a surprise, but a lot of people take a kind of perverse, ironic pleasure in it.

Take home lesson: For the most part, the medical profession communicates poorly and prepares people poorly.

Thanks!

Dale

15

Oh, and another claustrophobia story. Years ago I took the girls & the missus to DisneyWorld. Rode in a submarine ride. Kind of a Jules Verne deal. You rode in these simulated subs that rode on a an underwater track and, of course, you never really were fully submerged. We’re getting ready for the ride to start and I’m sitting in the little sub thing, which seats maybe, I don’t know, 20 people. Coincidentally, I’m seated right under the hatch, which was over my head. I can feel the guy next to me start to vibrate and emit heat. Just before they closed the hatch, he jumped up and yelled “I gotta get out of here!!” and, somewhere in the process of climbing out of the thing, he literally stepped on my head. I felt for the poor guy and do so now even more after having my little MRI experience.

Dale

16

I’ve done that but now there’s no pleasure in it for me. I’ve been at the receiving end of that syndrome. It’s all too true. Watch the French film “King of Hearts” sometime.

Never had an MRI but probably will some day and my best wishes to both of you.

17

Hi folks,
I had the tube MRI for a rotator cuff injury, a while back and never had a problem with claustrophobia. They asked me what kind of music I liked, and gave me a set of headphones, I closed my eyes, and I listened to classical music through it all. I was glad for the music though, and wished the banging would stop from the machine, because it was interfering with the music!
I can’t say I wasn’t sad when the test was over, but I was a little sleepy(I used to get up really early to deliver milk). So, go in sleepy and ask about the music, before you go-maybe you can bring your own now.

18

I’ve only been through one MRI session (2 images) and the ‘machine’ was in a trailer outside the medical center. It seems things on wheels are exempt from certain government regulations. Bored from the noisy jack-hammer like process they had to wake me when it was over.

19

sbruyette said


I had laser surgery for Acute Closed Angle Glaucoma a couple of years ago. It was caught before I had any symptons at all. I was very lucky. But my Doctor did say that it could cause very serious head pain. She said if I did get one and went to the emergency room that they wouldn’t know what to do or what the cause was. Anyway, something to check out

I had my two year checkup at the optomologist a month ago and he is aware of my headpain situation and gave me a very thorough examination including one for Acute Closed Angle Glaucoma.

Except for getting older, nothing else was found.

Thanks again Susan for your help.

MarkB

20

I had an enclosed MRI a couple of years ago, and could have went to sleep inside the tube if not for that clanging and banging! :stuck_out_tongue:
I’ve never been claustrophobic, and used to frequently go spelunking with my friends… who’ve all ‘grown up’ now, and no longer have time for such things. :roll:
Sorry to hear that it bothered you, and I know just how you feel because I have had acrophobia all my life… though it’s significantly lessened as I’ve grown older.
My dad used to tease me when I worked construction with him after I graduated high school… his nickname for me was ‘ground squirrel’.
Coming through the enclosed MRI with no problem gave me the ammunition to pay him back for his teasing, because he couldn’t stay inside long enough without being sedated… and even then he barely made it!
For me, it’s a matter of reasoning with phobias… I’m afraid of heights because I know there’s a very real possibility of falling, but enclosed spaces don’t bother me as long as I know I’m not actually trapped.
It might be a different story if I really were trapped in an enclosed space, but fortunately I’ve never been in that situation to find out! :laughing:
I don’t know if that story or my reasoning will be helpful, because I know that phobias are often very unreasonable… but I wish you luck, and I hope you can get through it next time.