Mri

[Battis]

Ever have an MRI? I've had well over 30 but I still can't do them without drugs. A few years ago, I had one, and I was drugged, but not enough, so I started panicking while inside and pumping that stupid little ball they give you but guess what? The two attending techs had let the building and didn't hear the alarm, or my screaming, so I pulled myself out and dropped to the floor, quite a feat for even a healthy guy, never mind someone who needs an MRI.
Anyways, I had one last night. I took two Xanax, then a half of another, which was enough, but when I got home, I was so messed up that my wife actually called the Poison Control hot line. They told me to sleep it off, which I did.
When I was a kid, we used to crawl through drainage pipes at a construction site, and one time while I was inside the pipes, the crew started backfilling the pipes. The crew freaked when I came out and chased me into the woods, throwing rocks at me. Well, that started the whole claustrophobia thing for me.
I envy anyone who can do MRIs undrugged. Anyone here able to do them?

[GhostHawk]

My wife does, she's had 4 in the last 2 months.

[frkelly74]

My wife would not even sleep in the bunk over the cab in a truck camper we had. I have no real experience but did not like sleeping in a hammock , doesn't sound pleasant.

[Texas by God]

Not a pleasant experience for anyone, much less a claustrophobic. I've always been able to "zone out" mentally and I actually fell asleep in one one time. If available, an "open" MRI- no tube- is much preferable. Of many, that was the easiest. Just lay there with headphones and listen to music. My wife wouldn't do one unless I held her hand- so I got the hammer noise free that time. Bless her heart, she was freaking out.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Poygan]

I had an MRI a few years ago. Not a pleasant experience but mostly it was the LOUD noise of the MRI. I would not look foreward to having another!

[DocSavage]

Last 2 I had were open but still needed some help. Last one though was pretty open so no drugs needed. Tried the one that looks like a torpedo tube,got 1/3 in and wanted out. Wasn't "GET ME OUT NOW" moment just this isn't going to work what else you got.

[NyFirefighter357]

When I was a kid I had the torpedo tube style it didn't bother me. The last one I had was more open, I think I fell asleep. I've never had a problem going into closed spaces. I'm glad I'm not claustrophobic, I had a good friend that was and it wound up killing him. He woke up after an operation and was tied down because he was a known combative out of anesthesia. He awoke and ripped the tubes out and did so much damage he coded and died.

[Three44s]

I have to crawl inside hay baler chambers and arc weld now and then, does that count?

The cross section on my two tie machines is 16” x18”. Our three tie is spacious by comparison. It is 16”x23”!

It takes two people, me the “dummy” doing the crawl and the outside guy you gotta trust who turns the welder on after you think you are situated. Oh ya, he also mans the “fire dept.”

..... ‘cause the dummy might catch fire!

What would I do in an MRI!

I do not know as I have not been in one yet. But I won’t know the dude running the contraption very well ......

Three44s

[DCP]

Well I was a scuba diver and the tech asks if I was claustrophobic. I told her I will be fine that I was a diver never had a problem. I am suck in this thing like a sardine. She says she had to step out for a moment. When she came back 3 weeks later. I was never the same

[lightman]

I have to do at least 2 a year. Thats the way they check to see if my MS treatments are working. The confinement and the noise doesn't bother me but it seems like as soon as I get rolled up inside the machine that I develop an itch that I can't reach!

They're doing 3 of them at 20 minutes each, head, upper back and middle back. Now they only do my head. Thats OK by me!

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I have a few always seem to have to itch my nose when I'm in that tube

[gwrench]

I've had several without sedation, no problem for me. My wife couldn't stand watching though. She had to go back to a waiting room.

[DocSavage]

I was told by the techs a good number of people don't do well in MRI machines. Not panic stricken but uncomfortable. My mother had to be given a serious dose of valium to get her in an MRI she's terrified of elevators and escalators.

[Biggin]

Never been in one but probably not gonna like it if I ever have to. I'm a big guy that doesn't like small spaces! Lol!

[Battis]

Back in the 90s, when I first had a back problem, the DR that I was seeing did 11 of them. Come to find out, he was getting a financial kickback from each one he prescribed. And, they were done in a portable unit, the ones that are towed to the location. Come to find out, the portable units are not the best - the images are kinda blurry. Anyways, he did surgery on my back and guess what? He took out the wrong disk. I ended up in Boston and the DR there did an MRI in a nice, new, solid unit and pinpointed the correct "bad' disk, which he repaired. The first botched surgery based on a bad MRI (and an incompetent DR) cost me my career. I still use the first DRs face on my targets.
And, yeah, I got a lawyer, a good one, but...that's another story.

[country gent]

I am in the same as lightman for my MS only I get spine neck head orbs both with and with out dye. Some of mine have went 3 hours. The tube dosnt bother me and they pipe music in thru headphones to deaden the noise. My last few have been open machines. The dyes are a bigger issue for me.

My trade also creates some issues for me, Being a tool and die maker my MRIs are usually preceded by a battery of X rays looking for metals embedded.

[bedbugbilly]

I had one three weeks ago on my left foot and ankle so fortunately, I was not in the machine very far. /tge fallow who did mine was very good - and he was "there" all the time - it took an hour. Yep, loud noise but with earplugs and ear muffs along with music it was fine. I had surgery the next day to "rebuild" my foot and ankle - due to breakdown caused by Sharko foot/ankle as a result of 53 years of diabetes and associated neuropathy.

When they took me down for it, I was glad that I didn't have to go all the way in as I don't know how I would have reacted. Like many of you, I have always been a bit clausterphobic. Years ago when I was on the fire department. I had several "close calls". One time, while crawling down a hallway. I was on the tip of the hose with my partner right behind me. For some reason, my partner panicked and I didn't realize he was no longer with me as I couldn't feel his grip on my leg due to my boots and night pants. (Had it not been that we suspected someone was in the house, I would have not been there). It was a two story house with the upper floor involved and part of the lower floor ahead of me. All of a sudden, a cast iron bathtub came through the floor behind me along with debris and some wiring. As I attempted to pull out, wires got entangled with my airpack and they had to come in and cut the wiring to get me out. I still have nightmares about that as well as several other times when I felt fully enveloped by the situation and all the gear I was wearing. I doubt very much that I would last very long in a MRI tube all the way in without going bonkers.

[MrWolf]

I have had quite a few over the years. A year or so ago had all three images of the spine done (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar). I wear my custom molded ear plugs and have fallen asleep in there. My problem is finally getting into a position that I can tolerate for the extended time. Sometimes it is just to painful. I can see it in the tech's eyes when I have to repeatedly switch positions. Try explaining but they dont want to hear it. I explain just let me find the right spot and we can do all three with no probs.

[Alstep]

I get claustrophobic just reading all your experiences. I've been through it by just gritting my teeth & mental determination. Certainly not a pleasant experience at all for me. It doesn't hurt a bit, just a mental thing.

[Scrounge]

Ever have an MRI? I've had well over 30 but I still can't do them without drugs. A few years ago, I had one, and I was drugged, but not enough, so I started panicking while inside and pumping that stupid little ball they give you but guess what? The two attending techs had let the building and didn't hear the alarm, or my screaming, so I pulled myself out and dropped to the floor, quite a feat for even a healthy guy, never mind someone who needs an MRI.
Anyways, I had one last night. I took two Xanax, then a half of another, which was enough, but when I got home, I was so messed up that my wife actually called the Poison Control hot line. They told me to sleep it off, which I did.
When I was a kid, we used to crawl through drainage pipes at a construction site, and one time while I was inside the pipes, the crew started backfilling the pipes. The crew freaked when I came out and chased me into the woods, throwing rocks at me. Well, that started the whole claustrophobia thing for me.
I envy anyone who can do MRIs undrugged. Anyone here able to do them?

I had to stop doing them because I have had both hips replaced, but the newer ones aren't as powerful so in some places, I can still do them. Don't do claustrophobia. I started my professional life as a mechanic working on fighter jets, and was mildly claustrophobic, but got over it as crawling intakes was a daily occurrence. FYI, they do make Open MRI machines, which don't enclose you as much. That might be a viable option for you if you check with your local diagnostic imaging providers AND your insurance. My wife, OTH, has terrible problems with it. She's a lot heavier than she used to be, and has actually gotten stuck in an MRI machine. Lots of spinal problems, so they try to have her do MRI's pretty often. Almost never works.