MRI Scan & Claustrophobia

SandyH

Went for a scan on my neck yesterday and had a major panic attack. I screamed for them to get me out and was crying and shaking, I couldn't go through with the scan. I had a scan on my lower back a year or so ago and barely got through that and that machine was more open, they don't have that machine any more but I don't think I could cope with it again anyhow. As it turned out there was nothing they could do for my back other than try to manage the pain with meds, but I live in the hope that there might be something they can do for my neck. I really, really want to get my neck sorted out but I know for a fact that unless I'm actually knocked out, I will never be able to go through being put in one of those machines again. Has anyone else had this problem and is there any other way of finding out what is going on with my neck? I've looked online and some of the advice suggests putting a cloth over eyes/face, but that would freak me out on it's own lol, I'm such a coward.

Thanks Sandy x

barbara12

Hi Sandy
You are not a coward, I dont suffer from claustrophobia, but when I had my last MRI it went on quite a bit longer than my first one, and I started to panic..I did get through it...but I understand how you must have felt.
The only way I got through it was by closing my eyes and listening to the very loud music, I just wish I could offer more help...but hopefully someone will come along with some more advice.
You take care x

deedeeitsme

Hi there....I too had an mri which lasted longer than expected and believe me the button nearly got pressed a couple of times . I am not claustraphobic so cannot even comprahend what it feels like for you. My mum is claustraphobic though and is due a scan any time now but the consultant said she can be sedated for this, have you asked about sedation hun? xxx

stickywicket

It's not cowardice, SandyH. It is, as you say in your header, claustrophobia and that can be every bit as limiting as arthritis.

What can you do? Well, if you want to try scans again, you could ask your GP or consultant about hypnosis first. It's not something I've ever done but I think the medical establishment do use it. Or, as you said, you could ask to be put under. Again, I don't know if they do that with adults (I think they have to with small children). Or maybe just a dose of tranquilliser first. (They used to use them for pre-meds during my earlier ops)

I suppose X-rays will show some things. I've never had more than X-rays on my neck. It doesn't move a lot now but I don't usually get pain there. All I ever did for it was exercises when I could and a neck brace when I couldn't.

SandyH

Thanks everyone. It could be weeks before I can visit my GP, but I will definitely mention the sedation and hypnosis suggestions to her. I might request an x ray for now and see what that shows then take it from there. I do have cervical sponylosis but it's getting worse and I'm pretty sure some of the worn discs are causing problems, so I don't think an x ray will actually be that useful. I feel better for getting my concerns out on here as I was really worked up about it, hopefully now I've calmed down a bit, waiting to see my GP won't be as stressful. xxx

earthspirit

omg i really feel for you. i had in iv during mine and the stupid woman skin popped my arm & when they put the cage thing over my face as well as strapping my neck down with foam, i actually had to stop them in their tracks.

necks like ours are very difficult to do anything about. ive been dealing with mine since 1998 & got some very serious advice from medical people. their clinics are full of people pleading for help with pain etc and they said to me that most ops on necks are not particularly successful. i have a very badly damaged neck as a result of an accidnet as well as arthur trotting around in there. i have arthur everywhere and its in my neck he is the worst.

you need to have a good long talk with consultant about the risks even if they did suggest any surgery. its taken me a long long time to deal with my neck and the pain and the vertigo and other stuff but i would rather suffer this than take the chance of serious damage to the rest of my body. they only operate because people demand treatment. almost all surgery on neck is an experiment.

hope you are not suffering too much - if its any help i know numerous people who have completed the fusions of spondylitis and they reckon the pain drastically subsides when it reaches the point of total fusion

suzygirl

Hi, I am claustrophobic and hate mris's. I had sedation and it really helped. You can be completely anaesthised but it is a much longer wait.

I wish you well. Sometimes, the nurse will talk to you through the san telling you how long is left which can be useful.

tillytop

Hello Sandy

I am so sorry your MRI was such a nightmare for you. I have had a couple of MRIs (brain and neck) and, athough I am not claustrophobic, it is not an experience I am keen to repeat in a hurry. Sedation might be an option as the others have suggested. Also you could ask if someone could come into the scanning room with you. When I had my second scan I panicked and they said my husband could come into the room with me. Although, like you, I was all the way inside the scanner with only my feet sticking out, he was able to hold my feet which, daft though it sounds, really helped me because I could feel he was there. I think you would ideally need to ask them beforehand though because my scan was delayed a good few minutes while he had to fill in all the health and safety forms and remove anything metal etc. I know you are not alone in your panic though - the lady doing my last scan told me she had lost count of the number of people who panicked and had to be brought out of the scanner. One other thought - I wonder if they would be able to see what they need to see with a CT scanner instead because they are more open and I certainly don't find those anything like so frightening.

Thinking of you.

Tillyxxx

dachshund

Hello Sandy.
i've only had one mri scan and i did not know what to expect i was worried when i got in to it so i closed my eyes and
thought this will help me it lasted for about 20 mins.
good luck you might not be in there too long.
joan xx

SandyH

Thanks everyone for the support, you have certainly helped and given good advice. Just got to wait until I can go and see my GP now and hope some of your suggestions are a possibility for me, especially the CT Scan (as long as they don't try and fasten me down). Sorry to say though that things like closing eyes or having someone with me etc will not help me at all, what if the machine broke down and I got stuck in that tiny tunnel aargh, I panic if my feet get stuck in my quilt cover and I can't free them straight away lol.

Sounds like you had a nightmare of a time earthspirit, they tried to put something over my throat, but I freaked out before they even got it fastened. I know there's probably very little they can do for my neck, it's just that I've suffered with my neck problems for at least 15 years and it's getting so much worse, yet I have never had any serious investigation done on it. I would feel better about it if I knew exactly what was going on with it, if you know what I mean. xxx