MRI scan

Gran there are some really useful threads on MN about young children having MRIs - worth popping over.

my 7 yr old DGD is about to have one - we have explained what will happen and she says she is happy to do it without a general anaethestic (which they usually do for children). Maybe children don't get claustrophobic! We will see.

My husband has a brain tumour
In 2015 he had numerous MRIs for it. Subsequent to his surgery in 2015 he has MRIs with contrast inject at least every six months. They couldn't get all the tumour and they are watching the regrowth
He does get a bit tired for the day after it. Also it can be noisy..
I hope it all goes calmly for you OP

I'm very claustophobic but had no problems at all with scans. I just kept my eyes shut and concentrated on listening to the music. In my mind, I was lying on the beach!

Quite surprising, as I have a lot of trouble waiting (indoors) at appointments or staying in hospital - even visiting people. I'm uneasy on buses and trains, don't like being deep inside buildings with no easy exit etc. - yet being inside a tube was perfectly OK.

I think the fact that something was happening (there was a purpose in having my spine examined) helped a lot. It's waiting/delays/queues I can't tolerate!

in MRI scan process to all inside the body system are see that easily by MRI.
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I found it very loud as the machine clunked round my head and it seemed to go on for a long time. I would have to be feeling very brave to have another one.

Had 3 to monitor growth or not of cyst.

Noisy as others have said. Always use the headphones and I had ear plugs as well as I have thin eardrums.

I have had the contrast and no problems. You will know if you are having it as you will need to do a blood test a week or so before.

I manage to close my eyes for a good part of it. They tell you how much longer to go. Mine last about 40 mins as it was my full torso. Head one should be a lot shorter.

Worse part is waiting for the result. !

Thinking of you.

Well we’ll agree to disagree- I know what I read and know what it meant. I was the only one at that stage who had mentioned a sedative. Well at least anyone who reads this thread now for advice will know that there’s plenty of us how feel it’s fine to want a sedative. That’s it really. Although frankly if I want advice like this in the future, I’d go to MN and not risk snide comments on here.

I’ve had several over the years and I can easily understand why people can be apprehensive of going into them, especially if claustrophobic, but I found if you wear a eye mask it’s much better, when I go in I put eye mask on and although there’s lots of banging n clanging, I try and imagine it’s a song lol

suziewoozie, sometimes posters are so keen to give their take on things, that they post without thinking things through, (me included).

I don't think that post which upset you was directed at you personally. It is a pity that you had such an awful experience, when there are people (like myself) saying it wasn't as bad as they feared. It doesn't in any way denigrate your experience.
It's a bit like childbirth, some people sail through it, smugly say it was so easy and get the backs up of the people like me, who have had traumatic childbirth experiences.

I have had so many different types of scans and unpleasant procedures (more to come) that I think I may have become quite stoic and accepting of it all. There is nothing I can do to change things, so I just have to get on with it, whether I want to or not, with no hope of sedation at all!
It doesn't mean I can empathise with those who are afraid.

1 hour to wait for an injected solution to go around the body, then another hour x-raying every organ/ bloodflow/kidney flow etc----with arms above your head all the while.

Allied Medical had rang me one evening at the request of a consultant----to rule out cancer due to the tiniest " mark " between the wall of the chest. MOST fortunate, there was no cancer in my body. Best Christmas present that year !

No fortunately - just useful to know if it ever happens.

It's a lengthy session too if it happens to be a " full body " scan.
Thinking back I honestly don't know how I endured it except that I hadn't known what to expect beforehand and a rushed appointment left little choice to refuse the phoned request.

Are you having one suziewoozie ?

Thanks for the warning Ellen

Has anyone had a PET scan? Now that is claustrophobic !

‘ There is no way on earth I would ask for a sedative when I need to have the next one. ’

I found this smug and nasty as it was posted just after I’d said I would have a sedative next time. What could have been posted was’ I’m sorry you found it awful sw. I’m lucky that I can manage and hope a sedative works for you if there’s a next
time’

You are correct suziewoozie, in saying that everyone will have a different experience and the OP needs to make up her own mind.
However, I do not believe that any poster came on the thread to be intentionally smug or nasty.

Marydoll I came on this thread to share the fact I’d found the experience awful and mentioned that I’d take a sedative next time. There was a nasty response to that but since then, other posters have said the same.:Too many posters gave assurances like ‘you’ll be fine’. No one can say that, no one. All anyone can say is how they found it, not how someone else will be in the scanner. That’s just not fair or rational

I have had several. The older style ones are not pleasant but the headphones help and I found keeping my eyes closed helps as well. I am claustrophobic so was dreading it the first time but I coped and now it is fine. They will give you a valium if you ask so do not worry.

The newer, more open ones are great but very few around. However you may be lucky.

I have had several, including one for research into migraines. The banging noises were disconcerting the first time but once I was assured that the machine was meant to do that it was fine. You feel nothing. I dozed. It was a rare opportunity to do nothing,

I meant not sympathetic !!!

We all have had different experiences of an MRI. I can't have sedation, whether I need it or not, so I have no choice in the matter, when I undergo procedures.

Just because an MRI is not as scary for some of us and we state that, doesn't mean we are either smug or nasty.
The OP asked for our experiences, I gave an honest account of how I feel about them.
That doesn't mean, I'm not unsympathetic, quite the opposite, as I've had other procedures, I wouldn't want to repeat.

The best advice given here is that if you are in any way anxious, talk to some one about it , get support in advance to save yourself unnecessary distress. The anxiety and imagining beforehand is probably as distressing as the actual procedure itself and must surely impact on wellbeing.

granny rebel, I do hope you are able to get some kind of long term relief.

Prior to my second mri, my gp prescribed me a valium to take 30 minutes before my appointment. I had contacted the mri department but they weren't able to supply/prescribe them.
Whilst I was in the scanner, they did allow my daughter to stand at the end and, with my head slightly tilted, I could see and hear her. I found that very comforting

Thanks for that Green. I felt some of the early posts in this thread were at best unthinking and overly optimistic and at worst quite nasty and smug. I’m someone who takes root canal treatment in her stride but if someone asked for advice on it, I’d never say oh it’s nothing

The worst thing for me was listening to the woman having the meltdown ( we could hear her in the waiting room) and then consequently having to wait even longer for my scan.
I felt so sorry for her.
Staff kept coming out to apologise for the delay.
However, if she had told someone before hand of her fears, she may have avoided so much distress. No- one should be embarrassed or ashamed about dreading it.
I would rather have an MRI, than the worry of a serious condition being missed. My sister in law is unwell, but has refused an MRI and CT. So no diagnosis. Nothing can be done to persuade her.
I didn't like having the scans, but the alternative, not knowing, is worse.
It has got easier, the more I have had.

Try having a ninety minute coronary angiogram without sedation, that's a lot scarier!