Quix and friends

[frann]

I read your thread to Nurse re:MRI's and your experience with 1.5 T vs 3T  
I am so glad it came up, since i just contacted a radiology dept. to schedule an mri of the brain, cervical spine, lumbar spine and left thigh... all with contrast... they have to do the brain and cervical this week because i let the authorization lapse too long & it expires on thursday... long story...

anyway, they asked if i was claustrophobic... i am.. so they offered the open high intsensity 1.5 T... i asked about the 3T... they do have it there but it is closed mri... i will be in the machine for over
1 hour... i am terrified... i told her my neuro wrote on the script... r/o MS..
i need it to be as accurate as possible to pick up lesions... she was very kind.. spoke to the radiologist and he said the 1.5 high intensity open MRI was very accurate...

If i elect to do the 3T... i know it will be overwhelming... i too am heavy... so closed quarters will be tight as well as feeling like being in a coffin... i tried once before several years ago... passed out cold in the machine... so what do i do??

if i take a valium, will i be able to do it? i am now all worked up about letting my fear possibly ruin finding out if it is MS.
HELP...
Frann

[frann]

Thanks sooooo much for all the advice and kind words... i will investigate about the sedation... that sounds like a good idea to me...i am scheduled for the mri(s) on thursday so i have my work to do tomorrow...
Once again, thanks for the replies.

GOD bless,
Frann

[pennst8r]

I too am very claustrophobic. I took a valium - told some places will give you 2, and they let my hubby stand there and "pat" my head through the whole thing. Generally I'm pretty fearless, but not in tight spaces - I feel your pain.   La la land sounds even better, if they offer it. I wonder if CCF offers it.

Seriously Frann, you're not alone in this. We'll all think calm thoughts when you go in (whendo you go in?)

God bless and think wide open spaces

Penn

[Quixotic1]

Inquire about the hospital's ability to do sedation while in the MRI.  Many hospitals offer this.  An anesthesiologist or an anesthetist gives you sedation and sends you mostly to La -La land.  You might check around and see if this is available.  

The vast majority of the 400,000 or so people in the US and UK with MS were diagnosed on the older (1.5 and less) machines.  If this is your first MRI then I would say the open 1.5T is fine.  If you are struggling for the diagnosis, well ionvestigate the option of the sedation and if it is not feasible, you do what you have to.  To clinch my diagnosis I needed the 3T.  Most of my lesions are in my spine.  That is not the usual situation.

Quix

[sllowe]

Hey, no problem.
I remember some friends of mine in the past use to say I was "tough as nails." Ha! If they could only see me now. . .so, I can totally relate.  

I too wish mine were on a stronger one, but had no clue at the time.  I only had one closed and had no idea that - that was scheduled.  When I got there, I looked at the machine (only once - thought no way, I should of asked for open) and never looked at it again, I shut my eyes and never opened them until they pulled me out. Talk about using your imagination - all the while, my thumb was in a tremor, and it had never happened before.  My husband said... maybe you have metal in it! ha/ha. . .I thought that was funny.

Don't let them put any straps on you either, just tell them you'll be still.  Please don't be sorry, because now I'm rambling back before I close for the night.

BTW, they even picked up on a large herniated disc in my neck, a bone spur and bulging discs and degenerative.. something.  So, I do think they can see a lot on the 1.5T......

Many blessings back to you for a calm body and mind during. . .

SL

[frann]

Hi,
Thank you for your kind words.
I guess you can sense my anxiety... i have had mris before... only once did i try to go in the closed type... i shared what happened...since then i have 2 open & 1 stand up... i wasn't looking for MS at that time so now it is even more important to really know...

i also didn't know a darn thing about tesla... in fact i called about my stand up one was taken last year when my symptoms began, although i did not suspect MS then...it was a 0.6 tesla... probably worthless... and the others ... i am not sure about since they were years ago... so this one is sooooo important...

i feel i can do the open one... with a little help... keeping my eyes closed... and lots of prayer.... what i really want to do is the 3 tesla... but that is closed mri... i know that it may be nothing to others but i am soooo claustrophobic... i am defeating myself already... it makes me mad....
but... i always try to encourage others to be brave and here i am being a wimp.

If i could be assured that the 1.5 is going to pick up any lesions (if there are any) ....also, if it   comes up normal, will i keep questioning is it true or is it the machine didn't pick it up... i know i am rambling... so sorry... but this is what i am dealing with now...

thanks again for getting back to me and for your words of encouragement...

GOD BLESS YOU
Frann

[sllowe]

Hi Frann,

I wish I could take your fears away, but I know I can't.  I know you are panicked and the only thing I can think to say is that I had mine done on the 1.5 T (both closed and open) and they picked them up with it.  Three in the brain, and one of those was small, and one in the spine.

Taking the pills should help, unless they make you feel sick.  

You have to go for it Frann....you have to do at least the 1.5, just think of it that way. Tell yourself you are going to at least do the open, there should be music, etc.  Close your eyes and don't open them for a minute, even on the open.  Pretend you are in a really calm situation, and don't give it another thought.

You can do this, whichever you decide, you can do this.  It's an hour or so, but it will be worth it in the long run.  You need the info to establish some sort of baseline for future reference, so if it's w/the 1.5, then so be it, and know it's okay. No worries, just dive in.  Once you make the decision, you'll feel a little better.  Even if it creeps back up on you, knock it back down again. . .Durn fear, it is horrible, and I don't want to lessen what your feeling one bit. ....just giving you some of the pep I was fortuanate enough to receive myself. Hope it helps for you as it did for me.

Thinking of you and pulling for you all the way!

SL