Guest M Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 i suffer from extreme claustrophobia and hospitalphobia, if there is a name for it, among others. but these two are currently messing me up big time. if anyone has any experience with these, and specifically if anyone knows how to get through a brain scan with extreme claustrophobia, other than meds, because meds aren't enough, please please do tell. i am all ears. or. eyes. thank you in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breeze Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Hi: Have we met? I recently had an MRI. When I was put into the machine, the "ceiling" was right there. So I closed my eyes and went to my safe place. I was on a beach, warm winds, my favorite animals were there and we played. There was a lot of noise from the machine, but we didn't care. I just threw the stick for my dog, and played with my cat. The test took 45 minutes. It felt like 5. I am not joking. If you can practice finding a nice beach, or a forest that you like, or a warm room with friends there, perhaps you can imagine yourself talking with them. That would be cool! I bet there are others who have done this same thing. The trick is to take yourself out of the situation, and keep your eyes closed. I think that some places let you bring in music. You could ask about that. Breeze (LOVE) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croix Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Some places let you bring music. When I had mine, they gave me a little button that I could push at any time if I was feeling too anxious. They said they would stop immediately and let me out to take a brief (1min) break. Meditate beforehand. If you can't bring music, at least bring earplugs, that helped me. I could hum to the songs in my own head. It took about 25 min. Wasn't that bad. I've had worse dentist appts. Croix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncc1701 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Heya ML and other claustrophobics, I like the techniques you're talking about for staying calm in the MRI. Depending where you live, you might be able to get an open MRI. (Yes, depends on geography, it's not available everywhere yet. ) You're in more of a sandwich than a tunnel and can see and breathe. There's an open MRI in Calgary: http://www.openmriofcanada.com/index.html (that website has a picture of the machine too, and useful FAQs) and a bunch of them in the States. Not sure if they're in all the states but on my quickie search there seems to be a bunch of them. Might be one within reasonable distance for you?? Ask your doc about the possibility of a referral. I don't know if this helps you but I've sent some patients to Buffalo for open MRI. OHIP paid for it b/c it was for legit medical reasons (like yours). Don't know about private insurance coverage though, I guess that's up to the companies. Best of luck. --ncc-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luli2 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Hi ML, Have you had one before? There's a real short acting drug that kind of put me in la la land, very wonderful feeling...watching my own colon get little thingies taken out. Joking around and feeling warm and cozy. Then it was over, fifteen minutes on a bed letting the drug wear off. I wasn't out totally but fer sure feelin no pain! It's very short acting...maybe they could us it? It was IV for colonoscopy...just great. Except after I felt like I'd never had the drug, darnit. I like the good ones, I guess. Think it was versed & ???(condeine?) but lasted ONLY 45 minutes. How did they do that? I have some memorized poems and stuff but I have forgotten some, so I'd have a note card with the first lines of the stuff I have memorized. Some of it is nonsense but it works. Sort of like when my son disappeared and I just did the Lord's prayer over and over so my brain couldn't think. (I'm not a natural Lord's Prayer kind of person but it was the only one I learned from those 12 step meetings....it's long enough to have to concentrate on it.) Well I am just writing here, not so much that anything I suggest is actually workable for anyone else, more just to say, hello girl, I am listening and I get it. So just know that I'm thinking about you and holding out my arms for you anytime. Luli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 It might help to just go to a hospital sometime when you're not a patient. Maybe one of your docs could arrange a tour or something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest M Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 i am so sorry i haven't come back to this. am in a very bad place right now. so it's one of those things where i guess at the time i thought it might help to get feedback on these phobias, and it is, but now i'm too far gone to even think about addressing them right now. thank you all for your help input and support. if i get through this current crisis i am sure i will come back to this. i do really appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~nestling~ Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 ..thinking of you and sending caring thoughts.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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