MRI Claustrophobia

[Traken82]

My name is Sion Emlyn Rogers,

I am currently a student at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. I am currently doing a news piece on MRI claustrophobia.

I was looking for people to interview on this topic that have personally experienced this anxiety during MRI. How did it affect you? Did it make you reluctant to be scanned in future?

I realise that this is is a discussion forum, and I do apologise for using it for this reason, but I am very eager to discuss this matter with anyone who has gone through such an experience.

Many thanks

Sion Rogers

[LIZZIE LOU]

I know this is probably not what you are looking for but i will tell you my experience.

All of my anxiety came BEFORE the test.  I had myself extremely worked up since I had had a few bouts with claustrophobia in the past.  I had a very understanding doctor who gave me a Xanax to take before I got there.  That helped take the edge off but I was still afraid.  I talked to the technicians before the test and told of my fears...
There were four things that made the test go smoothly:
1.  I closed my eyes BEFORE I even got close to being closed in
2.  There was music playing.
3.  The forced air blowing into the "tunnel" made me feel like I could breathe.
4.  My techs were very understanding and talked to me whenever possible.
All in all I had an OK experience but the next time I have to have one, I hope the open version will be an option.

[Traken82]

Thanks for your response. Would you be willing to be interviewed on this matter? If so, my email address is:

***@****

Many thanks

Sion Rogers

[ManOverBoard]

About two years ago I had five MRI's. I am not a samll man and I never thought I would be claustrophobic. Boy was I wrong. I felt very uncomforatble. It was almost to the point where I was going to push the button to get me out. All the subsequent MRI's I had I asked for something to help me relax. It helped some, but there was still a very uncomforatble feeling that I couldn't shake. I was actually supposed to have one more done that I never went back for due to the feelings I experienced.

[Mozartcowgirl]

it was scary for me as well.. just KNOWING i couldnt get out when I wanted freaked me out so bad that I went into what I can only describe as a totally out of body nightmare.  the hocky mask thing they put over my head made me feel like i was in two prisons.  i kept asking.. is it over yet??

i have no idea what I will do if i ever have to go through that again.

[Duvell]

I have claustrophobia and panic disorder. In 2001, I had an MRI and had absolutely no problem.  I actually found the down time relaxing and I fell asleep. At that time, I was being treated for panic disorder and was prescribed both Zoloft and Klonapin, but I stopped taking any panic disorder meds a few years ago.  Just today, I was put into an MRI and in less than a few minutes I had to be let out.  I suppose the meds did make a difference in 2001. However, I have to say that the staff at the 2001 imaging center made me more comfortable than the most recent staff. I didn't have music at the first scan, and the headphones at the 2nd scan actually increased my feeling of movement restriction, as did the blanket by which I was covered.  My recent scan was followed by a simple CAT scan, and I almost panicked during it! I was very embarrassed by the whole ordeal.

[worried_007]

I recently started dating a guy...a very sweet guy...we are still dating at this time...he confessed to me recently that he was claustrophobic.I didn't understand what it is... But i'm glad now that i went to this website to learn a little more about it,and understand what he is going through.I will never leave him.One strange thing i noticed about him was he has no pictures on his walls ...and i always wondered why.His excuse was ....the pictures are bad memories...to top it off he said he had schzophrenia ...but he just says its depression. He seems hyped up all the time, jittery,always wanting to do something..he seems a liitle moody and can change his personality really fast...we had a talk and i told him to talk to his doctor about some anti-depressent meds...he was on AD before but stopped taking them because of bad side effects..but i'm glad he's getting help now  !! :)

[striker3504]

I am an experienced SCUBA diver with many many dives (caves included). Former US Marine...Currently a Detective with a Police Dept. I go to, in the course of my duties to autopsies on a fairly regular basis. I had an MRI 6 months ago and if FREAKED me out. I could not finish it. I have been embarrassed and ashamed that i could not finish this test. It has totally changed my perspective on many many level. Up to and including (should I die any time soon!) burial. I now want to be cremated and spread...etc etc. Since this MRI I have had claustrophobic nightmares, and just todya had to SCUBA dive in a relatively small confined space...and I almost lost it.(I didnt lose it..but it was bad). This MRI messed me up a bit. I think it is all psychological...well i am sure it is....but it has changed me. Please contact me if you would like to speak more. ***@****

[pip2300]

i had an mri scan to look at my arm. I knew i had mild claustrophobia so i warned the nurses when i arrived but unfortunately they didn't take me seriously. I had a hideous time because the nurse only stayed with me for a few minutes and she didn't warn me to close my eyes. as a result i had a massive panic attack when i saw how close my face was to the tunnel and in the end i freaked out and had to eject. I found the whole thing incredibly stressful. I have never had a panic attack before and am a very down to earth sort of person. I was exhausted for nearly a week aferwards and still get very agitated if i think about it. there's no way I could go in one again. they were unable to get any proper results from the scan so it was a waste of time and money.

[Joeblow108]

Wow.  I had an MRI done to me YESTERDAY, and boy did I freak out.  Ok, let me give you my version of FREAKING OUT.  First of all, I have had panic attacks before.  First time, on board a ship many years ago when I thought I was going crazy.  I saw a shrink about this attack after I got off the ships because this really bothered me.  I am a former USMC military man and I never experienced a panic attack in all of my life, well....surprise surprise.  I was tought by the shrink to control my breathing and hold my breath, and breath into a bag if need be so as to not HYPERVENTILATE.  Ok, so flash foward 21 years later, and suddenly, inside this tube of an MRI machine I freak out.  I hollered out to be let out but I know the guy wasn't listening, so just let my heart race for a good minute, I thought I was going into cardiac arrest, but I recognized I was going through a panic attack, and slowly but surely, I regained control of my breathing after letting the attack pass.   I went through the whole ordeal and at one point, I new I had it licked, but I still wanted to get out.  It's a f___ked up feeling because all you do is look at this 2 by 2 inch square hockey mask at a plastic tube with light.  I closed my eyes and tried to think of anything, but unfortunately, I was thinking about the poor Hatians that got buried alive in deep concrete recently during their earthquake.  Then I realized I was actually lucky.  
I think the MRI technician could have been more accomodating, but he's just working there and sees this crap every day.  Finally, when the scan was over with, he let me out, and my first instinct was to grab the hockey mask, but he told me to stay still to inject me with fluid to get a "CONTRAST" MRI.  I asked him how long that would take, he said 5 minutes, I said "********" and he insisted it only took five minutes but that I didn't really have to have the "CONTRAST".  I asked him if I could get out and stretch, but he said that it would screw up the test.  I then asked him if the doctors would have me do this test again, and he said, that they could read the MRI but the contrast part they just wouldn't get, that it was my call.   I said "GET ME THE FU----k outa here, and he did.  I then said, "Sorry about that"  He said...."Sorry for what?  People bail all the time".  I LMAO on that one.  So I won the battle.  Next MRI I'll handle it better now that I know what I'm up against.  USMC....>GET SOME...OOOHHHRAAAA>.......