Mri Today- Yikes!

[livelifelarge24]

I have to have an MRI today and I'm pretty freaked out. This will be my third attempt. The first time, I had too much anxiety and couldn't go through with it. They pulled me out and let me leave before they even started the scan. I got scheduled for an open MRI which is supposed to be better but I was too scared to go to the next appointment. I really need to go to today's appointment but I am not feeling well! Not sure if its a coincidence or if the stress of it is giving me a stomach ache. I have terrible anxiety and panic attack issues so this is really freaking me out. They are going to put an IV with the dye in me and its supposed to be 45 minutes. I am also not able to take the sedatives.

[shadowicewolf]

Dear, its the stress getting to you. Calm down, take a deep breath. Tell yourself you are going to do it and nothing bad is going to happen (coping thoughts). You are strong! don't let this get to ya.

I'm willing to bet they'll let ya nap in there.

[livelifelarge24]

I so wish that I was a napper. My husband can fall asleep anytime, anywhere but I have such a hard time with it. This particular location doesn't allow headphones which would have helped me a lot. I know that people go through worse things every day but I'm terrified! I don't think it would bother me as much without the IV but I've had that stuff with a CT scan before and I hate the way it makes me feel.

[shadowicewolf]

Oh i understand that fully. I've had mri's with dye before but i'd rather do a HIDA scan over that again (1.5 hour scan).

[tarnalberry]

Something to cover your eyes, music to distract you, and focus on your breath. I have to have the seditives for MRI's (even the one that was a series over the course of three hours with contrast), though I can just manage open MRI's without it. Good luck!

Why can't you do the sedatives? There are a variety of things that can help you out in there (I think they gave me valium? with one MRI it was a pill, with the other it was in my IV).

[livelifelarge24]

It is sort of a personal reason but I am not able to take anything narcotic at all. Coming up on 7 years clean January 1st and that is not a road that I will ever be going back down.

[livelifelarge24]

Stressful times are very difficult for me though because I can't drink, pop a xanax or smoke a cigarette like many others do! I suppose I COULD take up smoking but watching both of my grandparents die from smoking cured me from ever even trying the nasty things.

[mushroom]

It is sort of a personal reason but I am not able to take anything narcotic at all. Coming up on 7 years clean January 1st and that is not a road that I will ever be going back down.

Congratulations, well done, you!! I am so sorry about your anxiety though. Some MRI machines actually play music for you while you are in them which does help. And the open MRI's are ever so much easier to cope with. I would suggest just playing over and over in your head your favorite piece of music or making up variations to it, anything to keep your brain engaged in some other activity. Because it's not the actual being there that's the problem - it's the thinking about being there.

[tarnalberry]

I totally understand that choice, and congrats!

The other things can help - meditation too, but a day is not enough time to learn how to meditate enough for an MRI.

[shadowicewolf]

I don't take the axiety meds (do not like them) so i use what i've learned through therapy. Coping thoughts really do help

[Jestgar]

Or hypnosis. Again, not enough time, but these may be things you'd want to start working on now to get you started for future procedures.

[mommida]

It is probably too late but that dye going in the IV has a hot sensation. It felt like I peed my pants. I didn't, it just really felt like I did cause everything in the groin area just got hot.

Hope the procedure went well.

[kristenloeh]

I had an MRI done yesterday and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I just closed my eyes and ended up falling asleep during it lol. When they put the contrast in my IV it just made my arm cold and my mouth taste kind of metallic like the saline does. Hope it went well for you as well