Help scared -panicking

[gimpy2]

I've been waiting 2 months for a referral for and brain mri with and without contrast. Today the doctors office called and said that the only way it can be done is in a closed mri. Which no one told me before. I'm severely claustrophobic. Plus the closed mri machine that they are the first one ever made. Its like being stuck in a water pipe. I've recently tried Ativan and Valium (not together of course) and they could help me in an open mri but I feel like i'd have a heart attack in the closed if I wasn't knocked out (which they won't do there). My neurologist did reluctantly agree to the closed mri without contrast but is concerned that it won't show active lesions. My last closed mri (in oct) only showed a gray area behind my left eye and swelling around my eyes.

Right now in dx'd probable ms and doctor believes that it is either SPMS or PPMS base on other test and clinical findings. I scared that if I do the open mri it won't show enough and i would not get an accurate diagnosis .But this seems to be my only recourse. It makes me so angry that because i'm low income I am not allowed to use the newer closed mri's . its not fair.

Have any of you gotten a good result from an open mri??? I'm so scared right now I'm rashing out.

[CasinoKathy]

Hi gimpy2, yes I agree, closed MRIs are no fun! I keep my eyes closed and have them play my favorite radio station. That keeps my mind off of the tightness of the tube.

My neuro said he doesn't think that the open ones give as good a picture and reading as the closed ones.

I don't know anything about low income and MRI machines being newer and older ones. I would think that you would be getting the best one possible no matter who is paying for it. That just isn't fair to you!

I have heard that they do have really good pills you can get before the MRI when your claustrophobic.Wishing you good luck and hope when you get your results, that they are good.!Kathy

[gimpy2]

Thanks Kathy
I would do the closed mri if it was open ended and if they'd let me use ear phone but its not that way there.
This mri is so small that it pins my arms down. I tried to do this mri back in oct but couldn't. I've taken 10mg of Valium before at it made me sleepy but didn't help the anxiety much ,and ativan works slower helps with anxiety better for me but doesn't make me sleepy and I'd need both.
I did call my primary doctor and said that my neuro ok'd the open mri without contrast but my primary doc. said that they may not be able to the open mri because I just had one done last October.

When I was told that I needed an mri I was thinking that I was able to get a open mri with contrast. No one had said at the time (2 months ago) that it has to be a closed mri for contrast. Which doesn't make much sense to me.
I understand that closed is better but where I live they only have a dinosaur of closed mri's and it not fair.
I'm so close to knowing what kind of MS that I have and now this happens.
Any one over 160lbs would have the same problem as I do with this mri , its just to small. Its pins your arms to your chest.
Hopefully my doctor will call me back with a better idea. Panicking and worry its helping me. I wish that we lived near a better hospital but in the desert you have to take what is given or do without.

[gram21]

I've had several OPEN MRI's with contrast. I am severely claustrauphobic also so the closed MRI is out of the question for me. The only open MRI I can tolerate is one that you can actually sit in and is totally open in the front. I've been going to this facility for the past 6 years for my MRI's...my neuro actually found it for me.

[Kj]

Might help you...

Ask about a drug for anxiety called Haldol (Haloperidol is the generic I think). It's actually an antipsychotic in high doses, but it's often used in low doses (like 1-4 mg) as a PRN for severe anxiety. I find that it works faster and better than the benzo drugs like ativan and klonopin, but because it's an antipsychotic, I wouldn't want to take it as a daily med. It might be another option for you. Good luck.

Kj

[MaggieMoon]

The closed MRI machine is much stronger than the open machine, and will show better details, and much more of your brain than the open one. its the preffered method of obtaining info about the brain.

My MS center is very pro active about knocking me down when I cant tolerate the anxiety of the machine. They dont give haldol much anymore, since it can cause so many side effects, but they are liberal with the ativan, and other meds. They have a whole IV arsenol to get me thru. Make sure you bring someone to drive you home.

MRI is horrible for me, and I panic like there is no tomorrow. Good self talk, and good support from the team is essential to making it thru. I once made an appointment when I wasnt due for an MRI to actually look at the machine. I was impressed with how short it is, and how open the head end was. I always closed my eyes when close, and then gritted my teeth all the way thru it. To see it when I wasnt due for it, was a surprise to me.

Make sure you have meds available for the ride to the place, and that they are ready for a big ol baby when you arrive. I cry, and shake, and they plant an IV and knock me down.

btw, once contast goes in, its only 10 minutes more added to the MRI. I am wondering why you want to do it without.

[cthomp2]

Open vs Closed MRIs

I've had three full sets (cranial, cervical and thoracic) of MRIs with / without contrast ALL in an open MRI.
Enough evidence was gathered to be able to identify many lesions in all areas.

My doctors never suggested that a closed MRI would be any better than the open one for my condition.

[Rich Marcell]

An idea

My wife was very claustaphobic and when she needed to have an MRI, I'd go with her and keep my hand on her leg the entire time she was in the machine so she'd know someone was right there (which seemed to help). If you have someone who can accompany you, I'm sure any MRI center would allow that and it might help.

[gimpy2]

sorry its taken me so long to write back . You all are so sweet. My husband is going to talk to the doctors office on monday to ask why I can't just do the contrast mri in the open mri. Hopefully we can just do that.

[DianeD]

The first MRI I had was 15 yrs ago. I don't see much difference in them now. I've had many more since. I am claustrophobic also, but I'm so over it. Ask your doc for Valium or something like it. That will help.

I'll tell you what to expect. You don't wear anything metal. Usually you can wear your clothing; I wear a sports bra as they have no metal hooks, etc.

Fillings in your teeth don't matter; sometimes people who have had certain kinds of surgery will have staples, but they probably have a solution for that.

You will lie down on a typical table like in the docs office. They put a helmet type appliance on your head...some are full with openings for your eyes. You can breathe just fine. The helmet lifts up easily; you aren't locked in.

The idea is to hold you head in one place. Movement causes the picture to be blurred. Not so good.

Some of the newer 'helmets' are not like the full ones; no big deal.

The room is bright and only your head goes in for a brain MRI. If it's Brain and Spine you go in to about your tailbone. The machine is open on each end. There is a mirror which allows you to see the technician.

They usually give you a panic button if you need to stop.

There is also air which is piped in and keeps you cool. They usually give you something to put under your knees to take pressure off your spine.

Most give you earphones and you can listen to music. One time I even brought my own tape.

The older ones are kind of clunky, but reliable. I had an older one this last time. No music....oh well.

Part way through they slide you forward and inject the dye into you.

Then back in and it's almost over.

I choose to do my brain and spine MRI's separately as they are (in my opinion) too long.

Oh yes, you can talk to the technician and they to you.

It is noisy; you can wear ear plugs.

Really, they are no big deal. I even fall asleep sometimes. Mostly I feel bored. I go over things to test my memory (memorized the aeronautic alphabet when in there)...alpha, bravo, charlie, delta, echo...and so on

Knowledge is power, so I hope this helps. It is very controlled and don't forget to make them aware of your feeling about it. Some tech will let you try it out...ride in and out a couple times.

Diane

[Shashi]

Xanax. Whenever I have to have an MRI, I take about 1 1/4 Xanex, and I don't know a thing that is going on. I'm very claustrophobic too. (What's ironic is that I never was until after my first MRI, which didn't bother me at all. It wasn't until the next MRI that I started panicking.) See if your doctor can give you a prescription for Xanex. It should work.