MRI bad experience

Larry: There should be cool, curculating air in that tube and they are supposed to offer you ear plugs. Tell them that closterphobia is an issue and they will prescribe a happy pill in advance.

Larry,

I had the same MRI 3 hours in the machine. As noted you should have been given ear plugs and cool air should be circulating. You should also ask for a "chill pill" before if you are claustrophobic as am I. I took a Xannax and wound up sleeping for the first two hours. The tech also kept updating me on time left in the machine. When she said times up I almost leapt out of the darn thing.

Don

I think you have to use their headphones because ordinary headphones may have metal parts that might interfere with the scan. I think most MRI facilities have them.

Other commenters have suggested you ask for medication to take the edge off of your anxiety in the machine. That's a good suggestion. Lots of guys get claustrophobic in MRI machines and a bit of pharmaceutical calmness during the scan is sensible if you are one of those guys. You could also see if there is a facility in your area that offers an "open" MRI machine. The open machines don't have quite the field density of the traditional MRIs and they don't get quite the same image quality but they are much easier to tolerate for patients who are bothered by the closeness of the bore of a traditional machine.

What kind of MRI takes that long?
Bob

Because of serious spine issues I had my first MRI over 20 years ago. It was in a mobile trailer in a parking lot. I crawled out and left quickly without finishing. My doctor found an open MrI that I tolerated with valium and my wife sitting next to me holding my hand. Yes, I am extremly claustrophobic.

Years later. I still need an occasional MRI. I now use a blindfold, music ear buds, valium and of course my wife.

I don't think I could lay still for 3 hrs anywhere .

It is claustrophobic. It's a mind game.

What helps is to get a really good "lay of the land" before going in. Look around the room. Notice how big it is. Take it all in. Know where the machine is in relation to everything else in the room. Know where the people are. How far away? Notice what the ceiling looks like above the machine. Where's the lights? It gives the mind a frame of reference beyond...

Move your eyes to the most open space as the machine moves you in. "Is the nearest way out feet or head first?" Remember too, that you can get out without help. If given a choice...place your arms above your head. (Don't lay them beside your body). That way...you know all you have to do is grab the thing with your hands and pull yourself out. You'll begin to realize that a large part of the anxiety is just the concept...not the event.

Plus Xanax.

I used to have touches of it when flying jets in the Air Force. There were times when that ejection seat handle would cross one's mind. One just doesn't wanna have to find himself in a position of having to explain to the boss why he punched out of a perfectly good airplane.

Post Edited (island time) : 7/22/2016 5:49:40 PM (GMT-6)

Larry, 3 hours sounds really brutal. 2 times I had the endo-rectal MRI which I found to be quite challenging. Both lasted over an hour, the second one around 1.5 hours.

The first one the big issue was having the thing inserted in my ass and expanded. That was more uncomfortable then the MRI itself by far. But they had good music that I got to choose and the air ventilation system was working very well and I had a warm blanket over me which was great. Just laying there totally still for so long with that up my butt was something I did not want to relive. But relive it I had to do.

The second time I made sure they used more lube both on me and the tool getting inserted. I made sure they were more careful pulling it out also. However, the music was crap that they picked and the air ventilation did not seem to be working as good so I had some moments where I could almost freak out from being in the machine itself. I was able to contain myself but I did have the thoughts that this was on the edge of me not being able to handle it. Lesson learned for me, next time I speak up and pick the music. For something that long it really is a help to keep my mind off of the whole process. The first time I just counted the songs to give me an idea of where we were at time wise and it helped a lot. But the fresh cool air that they pump in is so important for such a long MRI. The first time the music and air was so right I was dozing off even though I tried not to.

Good luck next time. I am really surprised that they did not offer you some type of break in between, sounds a little unprofessional to me. But I guess sometimes we are just a job that they need to get done....Jim

I've heard guys mention some of the meds for the MRI but I've never had to use any and am not familiar with them. I think if I had to ever do over an hour again I would request some.

Funny you should mention the lupron and hot flashes possibly contributing to the discomfort, I forgot that for my second long MRI I was on HT also and had hot flashes. I thought the air cooling system was not working as well but it was probably the HT. I guess the stress of the whole long up the butt MRI experience had me off a bit and I did not make that connection.

I just think it is a little silly that they gave you breaks but would not allow you to get up. Obviously they did not want to go through positioning you again but in the long run you could not complete it and they have to re-position you again anyway. 3 hours is just a crazy amount of time for anyone. Hopefully the meds work well for you and you are halfway there.

Be well Larry.....Jim

I posted a couple of years ago about my experience, and it was only 55 minutes.

I'm here now looking for somewhere that does prostate cancer screening using the open or large mri.