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    question about ativan or valium before MRI

    I should be getting the approval for my mri soon and I all ready use ativan but doc gave me 2pills of Valium. Which is better before mri 1mg ativan or 10 mg Valium? I've never taken valium before and am concerned about been to sleepy.
    Its only a 30 min brain mri with contrast. Oh an I'm very claustrophobic and its an open mri. I freak out when it come to any close quarters.
    dx. June 2010 RRMS ,May 2010 SLE
    dx.2007 RA
    my main are meds:Meds:gabapentin,baclofen,norco,copaxone,

    #2
    the 10mg valium should do the trick. they have a mirror to look in and head phones with music. have a nice nap in the MRI. if you feel bad, you have a button to push. trust me, you will be good to go.

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      #3
      i too have to take valium, i actually take 1/2 of pill (5mg), so i don't actually fall sound asleep because i have done that before and moved and had to do the MRI over. yep, the mirror is great...

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        #4
        meds for mri

        Dear Gimpy2,
        I worked at a facility that does mri before ms got the best of me. I think you should ask your doctor and explain your concerns, then go with what he says. Have you had open MRI before? I worked at a place with closed MRI, but went with my husband when he had an open mri Instead of the MRI being a tube it is a flat plate that sets just above your body. I was able to hold my husbands hands while he had the procedure. He did use adavan. He also had one where I work and with adavan managed OK there as well. Of course, with either adavan or valium you need to have someone drive you there. I hope you do OK with the test and have favorable results

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          #5
          Originally posted by dutchtreat View Post
          the 10mg valium should do the trick. they have a mirror to look in and head phones with music. have a nice nap in the MRI. if you feel bad, you have a button to push. trust me, you will be good to go.
          Actually, you don't want to sleep. Sleeping can cause movement which is bad for MRIs. Its better to concentrate on staying still. I usually work on lists during tube time (any kind of list, groceries, xmas presents, who's getting written out of my will, etc.).
          Also, all MRI machines seem to be different. You might get the bells and whistles or you might not.

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            #6
            I recently used Ativan for my EMG and one didn't zonk me in the least so I did take a second. It really didn't make me sleep just more relaxed although when I got home I did take a long nap. I am very sensitive to meds but Ativan did what it was supposed to do which was just even my anxiety out a bit. I'd take it again for any procedure it's approved for.

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              #7
              yes, movement is not good in the MRI. I was trying to reassure there. You will feel good and relaxed.

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                #8
                Thank yo all for the advice, I think that I'll just try 1 and 1/2 ativan . Sound like the Valium may knock my out and we don't want to repeat this test. I am having it done in a open mri because closed really freak me out . But open still freaks my some. Last time I had one done my husband held my hand but I was still really scared. The top part of the mri machine is really close to your face and I have to remember to breath in them . I'll be ok . Just anxious to have it all over with.
                dx. June 2010 RRMS ,May 2010 SLE
                dx.2007 RA
                my main are meds:Meds:gabapentin,baclofen,norco,copaxone,

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                  #9
                  I love my happy pill

                  My doctor already had me on Valium for muscle spasticity which I took at night because I cannot take Baclofen. He prescribed Ativan. It relaxes me so well that when I leave and go to have my infusion afterward, I sleep through the 2 hours in the infusion center. I love it but my dh has to go with me because I need to be led where I need to go when I am so relaxed. The techs doing the MRI have never minded if I fall asleep.
                  "...the joy of the Lord is your (my) strength." Nehemiah 8:10

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                    #10
                    I took ativan before my mri due to it being a closed tube and having claustriphobia. The ativan worked. However my body was jerking uncontrollably. I couldn't stop it. It started when the machine got to the area where the lesions were.

                    So, the next time they gave me valium and it worked. My uncontrolled jerking spasms stopped and they were able to read the MRI.

                    I had a couple of open MRI's but they were not able to see the lesions that showed up on the closed system. It took nine years before someone was knowledgeable enough to diagnoise me. I would recommend the closed tube mri. It works better.

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                      #11
                      I almost always fall asleep during my MRI's and have only had movement issues once. I have tried with and without Valium and the result are about the same. I prefer with Valium because I stress less, however I'm not claustrophobic so I don't stress that much anyway.

                      Personally Valium does not knock me out I can take 10mg before the MRI and drive the 45 min back home after. Of course my MRI's are head and spine with and without contrast so it can take 45min to an hour to finish, so I have usually slept off some of the Valium by the time I drive home.
                      Rise up this mornin, Smiled with the risin sun, Three little birds Pitch by my doorstep Singin sweet songs Of melodies pure and true, Sayin, (this is my message to you-ou-ou

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                        #12
                        For me Ive used both, the Ativan 1 mg worked the best for me. The valium just makes me feel droopy but doesnt take care of the anxiety like the Ativan. Ive done closed and open ( I felt the open one caused me more anxiety because it was right down on my face.) My sister stayed in the room in the chair next to me, and it only took about 45 minutes. She told me I dozed off, I say no, haha. The thing I do in the open is get the music, start listening to my favorite songs, time them and concentrate on how many songs there are at 3 minutes a piece, allow time for commercials (thats when I pray) and by the time 7 songs and 6 commercials are over Im outta there. And if you have ear issues like menieres make sure to get something for your ears so the noises wont be so loud and set your ear off!

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                          #13
                          I'm the opposite, I have no issues with claustrophobia but my legs will twitch when I'm laying flat on my back for a long time.
                          For a cranial MRI its no big deal but I might try getting looped-up the next time they want to do a spinal.

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