MRI anxiety

[tellnhelen]

the mirror helps me. When they put the cage on your head they can mount a mirror which allows you to see what's happening outside of the machine. Helps me with the claustropbia.

[KSeraSera]

Maybe a change in the meds would be the ticket. I've never taken Valium, so I don't know it's effects, but my neuro has always given me Ativan 1-2 mg. I take one about an hour before, one about 30 minutes before. I'm extremely claustrophobic, I panic just thinking about covering my face. But this stuff does the trick. I know everything's that's happening, I just don't care! Feels like I'm watching it from outside myself, dreamy like. I go to sleep the minute I close my eyes, but I'm not really sleeping, I can hear the tech, answer the questions. It always amazes me when they say "done", feels like it's only been seconds, but I'm in there about 45 minutes. My brother who takes me for my MRI calls them the goofy pills, because I'm so relaxed and happy! The only drawback, I have to be prepared to sleep for about 16 hours once I get home, so I try to do the MRI late in the evening. But the next morning, never felt so good!

[marti]

The MRI is the ONE test I don't mind. I just go to my Happy Place and keep as still as I can. I've been through a lot of awful testing, especially the gastric stuff. At least the MRI does not hurt or make me sick in any way.