MRI for the Claustrophobic
 

I'm really needing some help here. I have to have a pelvic MRI and I'm extremely claustrophobic to the point of panicing. I tried the Open MRI today and completely freaked out. Has anyone ever had this experience? And has anyone ever tried an Open Bore MRI? It looks like a CT machine but pics can be deceiving.

I feel for you. I had an open MRI for a back problem and I was able to make it through that one mainly because I was not completely in for all of it and could turn my head to the side and look out. A few years later I went back to the same place for a neck/shoulder issue and I didn't even make it through the calibration of the machine.

I had not heard of the Open Bore MRI so I just looked it up. I'm so glad to see that option! It is especially good that for so many procedures you can have your head out. I've already told my husband if I ever need a regular MRI I absolutely have to be put completely out.

Is there an Open Bore MRI near you?

ETA: I just saw you are also in Michigan. It looked like there were a few Open Bore MRIs in the Detroit area and one in the UP. I didn't see one in West Michigan, but I am sure the Spectrum Health system will have one soon if they don't already have one.

ETA2: There is one in West Michigan - a new one in Greenville. Go figure. Glad to have that info! I hope I never need to use it, but I'm glad to know it is there! :-)

Yes I'm in a southern suburb of Detroit. The Oakwood Health System has both MRIs, open and open bore. I'm going to take a ride to the one with the open bore and take a look before I make another appointment. If I could keep my head out, I'm golden! Thank you for the help!

They don't want you to have an anxiety attack any more than you do. My husband has to get MRIs of his brain yearly and they give him a sedative to do it, and without any comments or questions. "I have anxiety" is all he has to say and they give him something. In his case though, it can have drawbacks. On one of his more recent ones we got him all set up in the machine and I went off to get a coffee. I came back about 20 minutes later to check on him and the radiologist (or whoever it is that runs the machine) said he's sleeping. Oh, that's good. He's SNORING. Not a good thing. They couldn't wake him and had to wait for the drugs to start to wear off and start all over since his head was moving with each snore. The process took like 3 hours instead of 30 minutes! And if you get claustrophobia, I won't even tell you about the contraption he has to get into. It would be unbearable for the calmest among us.

Wouldn't they put you in feet first for a pelvic MRI? If not, request it since it would be less tramatic. I have had several MRIs. The three that were below the hip were feet first.

Also, did you take anything to help with your anxiety? A little medicine may help take the edge off. The problem with these open MRIs is that you sacrifice quality. In order to cut the magnet in half to spread it apart, it can't be anymore than 1 Tesla (T). (Larger magnets would pull the two parts together.) Just to give you an idea, the state of the art magnets in private practice right now are 3T machines (a huge difference) which increases the signal generated, making it easier to tell what is going on in your pelvis. Generally when reading open scans, subtle findings and details cannot be evaluated. If it's ALL you can tolerate, fine, but if you can drug yourself, go feet first and talk yourself to it, you'll end up with a much more useful exam on a real MRI machine.

Those 3T machines are amazing. I had a key in my front jeans pocket when I entered the room with my husband. It pulled the key out of my pocket and shot it across the room! I'm lucky nobody got hurt.

And his first result with that machine I thought his MS had gotten much worse since it was visible in his spinal cord but the doctor said no, it likely was just never before visible.

Xanax...seriously....one...only. I relate. And deep slow breathing.

I took a ride to our local hospital that does the open bore. Their truck is only there Fridays and Saturdays but they did have a picture of it and the patient's head was out. It mentioned that there is a foot of room too. I take xanax once in a while when I have trouble sleeping. Sometimes it kicks in right away and sometimes it takes a while.

Just make sure you have a driver!

Excellent point.

A plus to still living with the parents :/

I have had many an MRI and CT (mostly for sinus) and at every hospital or center the policy is to have you change into a gown to avoid your experience.

I was going to suggest Valium but you've already got Xanax going on :) I'm not claustrophobic at all, but the noise of the machines always drives me up the wall. I tried ear plugs but I could still "feel" the noise and it was irritating.

I went and saw the machine at another clinic tonight and I feel TONS better. He told me because I'm shorter my head would be a little in but enough to look up and outside of the machine. He said that Open MRI doesn't give a great picture because of the open sides. This looked exactly like a CT machine except a little longer. I actually almost teared up in relief that I'll finally be getting some answers. They do offer sedation or valium, instead of me having to fill my own prescription. I'm not sure if I should take a xanny or valium. Suggestions?

Xanax