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I am not claustrophobic. But, the tube is small. It really is not bad. Just keep your eyes closed the entire time. It's not bad. The time goes by fast, and it never seems to be as long as they claim it will be.
I've had probably 10 MRIs over the years.
at my last MRI - I called around and paid cash - because it was taking too much time to have my insurance give the approval. However, I was told by 2 doctors that the open MRIs do not give as good of an image. My primary doctor told me that she had to send someone back recently, because of the quality loss.
I would urge you try try and hang in there for a regular MRI, if you do not want to have to maybe pay for it 2x, possibly. Also, I have had 2 MRIs for my knee - not show anything significant. And, I just had to have surgery to look inside and see the problems with the cartilage. And that was with a regular MRI. If you want to have the test done - get the best image you possibly can
As I understand it, the open MRI that I would drive to will produce a good image. I was cautioned that other, more local open MRI sites could NOT produce clear images. At this moment, I think I can somehow get through this. I have a few more questions about managing pain and possible sneezing. With me sneezing is always a possibility!
I had a brain MRI. I just hate my head feeling confined, which it obviously had to be for this. I didn't like it, but looking back it wasn't a big deal. I was anxious but I got through it fine.
Mine had a mirror thing so you could see the opening at your feet and that's what I focused on. They also let me listen to music. It didn't take nearly as long as they quoted. They also give you an emergency button, which helped me not feel as "stuck".
If you can get a driver, request the valium. I had to go to work after mine, so I couldn't take anything.
As I understand it, the open MRI that I would drive to will produce a good image. I was cautioned that other, more local open MRI sites could NOT produce clear images. At this moment, I think I can somehow get through this. I have a few more questions about managing pain and possible sneezing. With me sneezing is always a possibility!
But I don’t even like elevators!
My husband is an Orthopedic Surgeon, and, as a rule, is not a fan of Open MRI's (or really, free standing MRI Centers in general). On more than one occasion, he has told patients their images were of such poor quality that they would have to have them repeated elsewhere. I think a lot of it depends on the quality of the magnet being used, though.
With regards to the bolded, with mine, I had breaks in between each "slice" being taken, in other words, it wasn't one continuous image being made. They told me to hold still a few minutes, then I was able to move and stretch (a little bit anyway), then they continued. Each time, they described how long it would take, which seemed to average between 2-6 minutes.
I had a MRI of my Lumbar spine in October. This was after a X-ray a month earlier that looked normal. My symptoms persisted, so we got a MRI, which very clearly showed a disk herniation at L5-S1 with compression of the S1 nerve, which absolutely aligned with the symptoms I had (and still have, but I'm working on that).
Get the MRI if your doctor has suggested it would be helpful for accurate diagnosis. Hope everything works out.
Last edited by Texas Ag 93; 01-29-2019 at 07:48 PM..
If you have any experience with this, I'd appreciate hearing about your experience. I am resigned to doing it, but I am anxious about not freaking out inside that thing, and about the pain I might experience. I can call to schedule, and I can ask more questions about the procedure then.
I've had a bunch of MRIs, including a head scan, which was not as much fun as it sounds. The others were easy-peasy.
For chest or torso scans, I close my eyes before I go inside the "tube". I keep them shut until it's all over. With my eyes closed, I can daydream and pretend I'm somewhere else. I usually nap after a while and wake up when it's done. The magnets make loud banging noises but I'm used to that.
It's interesting that so many other people came up with the same solution I did.
They put a heavy blanket over you so you're not inclined to move accidentally.
I had a few done. If it was going to be 45 minutes straight, I'd have to have a valium or a Mojito or something.
They gave me a cushion for under my knees, so I could keep them bent. That was helpful.
I requested rock music. The songs are generally 3.5 minutes long so I kept track on my fingers and did the math to figure out how much longer it would be.
One of the times I opened my eyes as they slid me in and started going into a panic before they started. I pushed the emergency button. They pulled me right out, sat me up, gave me some water and talked about things for a minute or two and then I was able to go back in. I kept my eyes closed and concentrated on the music.
DH had a rough time with his. One of the things we discussed was that he is a big guy at 6'4 and he is very aware of how close the walls are because they are right next to him. Me, I'm only 5'4" and very compact so we were thinking that maybe smaller people have an easier time because there is less reminding you of how closed in it is.
The first time I had an MRI, I fell asleep, despite the banging. They panicked and stopped the test because they thought I had lost consciousness, LOL!
However the LAST time I had an MRI (for frozen shoulder) the guy put me in a position that became increasingly painful as time passed until I was weeping with pain and unable to speak. The whole time he kept admonishing me in increasingly impatient tones to STOP MOVING. I kept trying to tell him I was in pain. When it was finally over, and he rolled me out of the thing, I fell off the table, I was so knotted up.
It turned out that he had failed to turn on the mike pickup in the room with me. He couldn't hear me. Trust me, this was ridiculously incompetent. I'm not trying to scare you. Just make sure your end of the mike is on. It'll be fine. Especially if you're doped up on Valium, hopefully you'll just fall asleep in there too.
I'd have screamed myself hoarse if they'd actually compounded the whole thing by forcing me to listen to Faux news on top of the rest.
Stop and think! If an Ortho was operating in, say Africa, where there were no advanced imaging, or perhaps, no electricity, what would these Ortho's do without their "crutches"?
When I had a Baker's Cyst, first the Ultrasound, then the X-ray, then the MRI, and then the Ortho wanted me to get an MRI with Contrast. I didn't! I made a beeline to Tijuana to the Angeles Hospital (a medical tourism hospital where everyone there must be fluent in English) and I lucked out and had an Ortho who had just relocated there from Kansas. Yes, an American Dr.! This is what he told me:
"Dr.'s own and operate a number of these "imaging factories" in the U.S. and they'll try and get you to have as many images as possible, providing the insurance will pay for it! For a Baker's Cyst, I only require an X-ray!"
This was one of the reasons for my moving to Tucson, more proximity to the medical sanity in Mexico! I worry, worry the day comes when they accept Medicare in Mexico!
If you have some degree of claustrophobia an MRI session will not be pleasant, you will be in two way communication with the MRI tech the whole time you are in the machine,you also have an emergency button you can press to pop you out if you feel distressed,you also have the option of a blindfold that i would highly recommend putting on.
When it comes to unpleasant medical procedures sometimes you just dont have a choice.
OP: Just wondering what is your goal. Planning on a surgery or just want a reading from an MRI.
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