MRI first one bit nervous!

miss choc

I am going into Beaumont next week for my first MRI I am not claustrophobic too much but am getting a brain scan for Epilepsy and am nervous of moving me all the way into the tube, the darkness not moving and the loud noises etc anyone had one before esp at the head or anyone have one in Beaumont I guess in Ireland all the MRI machines are the closed ones I think they give a better reading than the open ones. Dont know if Beaumont would have the fancy open ones would cost loads I'd say.

CathyMoran

I have had 2 MRI's (one for the brain as my mother had had a brain haemorage and I paid for private screening) and I was nervous about the first one. Yes you are in a confined space but I found that as long as you keep your eyes shut it is not that bad.

deman

Don't worry about it. It's a doddle. Just close your eyes and relax. I almost fell asleep during mine. Granted, it wasn't a brain scan but on my neck.

Conchir

I've had 2 MRIs, both on my head. I found I was a bit nervous for the first one, but they both turned out to be fine, there's nothing to them. They give you headphones or earplugs for the noise (I had one of each, they both do the job ). Also, as Cathy said, closing your eyes really helps.

Also, you have a call button for the radiologist, and he/she will talk to you throughout the exam, and you can talk back. If you do have a problem, they will know about it as soon as you do.

crazygeryy

I've had 2 done but not on the brain.when I had them done, the tunnels were both open ended so you could tilt your head back and look out into the room and they gave me earphone s to listen to.they also give you a panic button to press if you get to nervous or panicky.it might be different for the brain scan as regards the earphones I don't know.
Ring them and tell them you are very nervous and ask them if its ok to take a small dose of xanax or valium to relax you.if it is, ask your gp for some and take it an hour before your getting it done.
Best of luck.

bizmark

Iv had 3 so far

If your very scared of closed in spaces you might be best to close your eyes as basically they will lay you on a table and restrict your head movements with a sort of cage around your head if needed they will inject a dye into your arm which doesn't hurt then you and the table will be slid into the mri machine its fairly cramped in there you will spend around 10-15 mins starring at a white wall a couple of inches from your face once the scan starts it will sound like there's a war going on around you but that's normal thankfuly you will have a headset on to help with the noise and a little buzzer you can use if you get to freaked out by it all.

Nyberg

I'm an old pro at the MRI's at least 3 a year for the last 12 years.
They were all taken in beaumont, apart from the last 2 years, i now go to the Uk

Your head will be propped into place with foam cushions, to keep it aligned for the length of the scan. It is actually quite comfortable, a frame will be slid in place over your head, i this frame is a mirror that will allow you to see out, you will see your feet and the viewing window.
When they scan your brain, you do not go the whole way into the scanner, i'd say just from your waist up. The tunnel is not dark, there are lights inside. I would recommend that you take the blanket that will be offered to you. It gets a little cold in the scanner.
It does get noisy inside when the scans are being taken, i would recommend taking the ear-plugs and not the earphones. The music sounds like it's coming through a wind tunnel and is difficult to hear.
You will be handed a buzzer when going into the scanner, this is just incase you want out of the scanner.

If you just relax, it will be fine, i find that i now doze off when being scanned.
My scans in the UK are more thorough than here and i'm usually in the scanner for 2 hours.

You may also need contrast injected into your vein, they usually take a few scans first, slide the table out (try not to move your head, just ure arm) they inject the contrast and slide you back in.

There is nothing to be scared or frightened of, there is nothing painful about it.

Hope this helps and hope you scan results are good :-)

miss choc

Thanks guys that is reassuring I was hoping my whole body wasnt going to be slid all the way in if it's only to the waist it doesnt sound that bad. I didnt know about the dye being injected they didnt mention it in the reminder letter. Think I'll close the eyes as I'm sliding in will try and think happy thoughts and go to sleep . Will remember to take the blanket can you have someone sitting with you our would staff and hubby be in the other room. I may be making a big deal of it but I want to know what I'm preparing for so I wont be as frightened

zero19

It's not too bad at all, I remember trying to relax and trick myself into thinking I was at the beach but they gave me headphones which had some crazy bagpipe music playing for some reason so I thought I was in a walkers biscuit ad or something.

miss choc

no chance then of soothing classical music esp if there's all that banging noise going on dont know what Beaumont's music collection is like for MRI's around me dont seem as nervous now that I know what to expect

barrackali

I wouldn't worry about the MRI's to be honest, I've had about 20 plus of them in Beaumont and a few more down in Vincents. The trick is to close your eyes and relax....simples!

It is not bad at all.

padi89

I've had 4-5 in the past few years, the worst one was when i had to listen to Ray Darcys morning show on the headphones. You'll be grand no worries, just relax.

ollie vokenz

I had an Mri for the 1st time on wed. I was a bit nervous like yourself. I don't particuarly like enclosed spaces but to be honest it was fine. The radiographer will reassure you, they are used to people being nervous. I was told it would just take 15 mins and i thought it would seem like an hour in there as i was told to keep still but it actually went by quick. Your legs will be outside, just from your waist up is enclosed. It is bright inside, but can get noisy at times. I had the headphones on, couldn't really hear the music too good but it's more just for a distraction. There will be someone in the scanner before you and after you and they must likely will feel the same as you. It's normal, but i guarantee you, you will agree that it wasn't as bad as you expected it to be. Best of luck, you will be fine!:)

byhookorbycrook

Am claustrophobic, panicked going into Newgrange for example.I have had a good number of brain MRIs ,my tip is close your eyes before you go in and keep them closed. They give you a panic button too, if you need to come out. Keep your arms tucked in tight and you won't touch the sides so won't be feeling boxed in.

Last time, after they brought me out to inject the dye, they sent me back in without the button and I was getting into a knot when it occured to me,that,as you need to stay fairly still, if I kicked my legs a few times they'd whip me out!!

They also blow cool air over your face so it's not stuffy or airless.

Richard Dower

The machine is very noisy, whizzing....just close your eyes and bite the bullet.

Cedrus

The noise really surprised me the first time! But it's a doddle, by far the worst experience was being wheelchaired through the corridors worrying about having my feet lopped off on every corner, and the sitting waiting in a cold corridor with a dye drip stuck in me. Take a good book for the waiting.

miss choc

Well had my MRI this morning a mix of feelings about them I was in for a head one so only lasted about 15/20 mins The unnerving bit I found was when you are up on the table and he starts to feed you into the tunnel I closed my eyes tightly. I was holding his hand and didnt really want him to go as I thought I'd panic. I was shaking but that was pure nerves I got spongy earplugs which I thought at the start would fall out and I'd be deaf with the noise. I was so organised beforehand wore leggings and top, no jewellery, make up, nail varnish and 10 mins in the tunnel realised my bloody leather watch was on was gonna tell the guy but didnt want to ruin the images so was hoping the watch wouldnt affect the images or me :eek . I kept counting and keeping my eyes shut it was boring without music the noises were a mixture of road drills and the start of that song from Martin Solvig "Hello" Da da da da da etc noise was whirring around me for 5 mins. When I came out I apologised about the watch and thought I might have to do another but seemingly it doesnt affect the images just the watch sure enough my watch had stopped for 20 minutes but is working away now. Now I know what to expect I wont be as nervous again

azezil

They must have put you in the old one, I haven't been in that one in a while. The other one you get the head phones playing radio channels you can hardly hear but I find it to be quieter than the one you were in and not as cold either

I get a minimum of 2 MRIs per year, one of them generally with contrast but I get that injected before I enter the machine and thankfully my brain scans never last 2hrs!! Just up to 20 mins each time for me.

Delphi91

I've had two so far.

Last year I got one for a leg injury which was a lower body one. Didn't take too long (~30 mins), and I got headphones with music to drown out the noise of the machine.

Had a cardiac one two weeks ago in Blackrock Clinic - the new MRI machine that they recently installed. That lasted at least 2 hours or more - got there at 2pm and I was dressing myself after the scan at 5pm. And there was no bloody music either! I did get headphones but only so I could hear the automatic voice telling me to "Breathe in, breathe out, now hold your breath"! Try doing that for a count of 20-30 seconds! I have to say that apart from all that breathing lark, it was very relaxing in there - I think I even nodded off only to be woken up by that voice in my ears!

flynnke

miss choc wrote: »

the noises were a mixture of road drills and the start of that song from Martin Solvig "Hello" Da da da da da etc noise was whirring around me for 5 mins.

I had my first ever MRI scan today and it reminded me of that song too when the noises started!

aynneone

I see no one has mentioned my trick....!!.. Ive had 5 over the last few years both in Euromedics, and last one in the Mater, I always bring in my own CD.. dont laugh, but find Mary Byrne very soothing, had a dual effect, both in finding music I like being very soothing, and also, an average tracks lasts 3/4 minutes.. you can keep a mental tab on the time.. Clever huh??!!.. Hope everyone is well.. Anne x

byhookorbycrook

I LOATHE country and western. The first few I had ,I was given a choice of genre.I blurted out C and W in the nerves of the moment and as it happens, it worked really well. I was so taken with being irritated by the music that the time flew by!!!

RUCKING FETARD

What ya don't want to get is a CT

Jaysus, that's fast. A bearing could go and you'd get chopped in half in one of them*.


















*:pac:

Rodin

miss choc wrote: »

I am going into Beaumont next week for my first MRI I am not claustrophobic too much but am getting a brain scan for Epilepsy and am nervous of moving me all the way into the tube, the darkness not moving and the loud noises etc anyone had one before esp at the head or anyone have one in Beaumont I guess in Ireland all the MRI machines are the closed ones I think they give a better reading than the open ones. Dont know if Beaumont would have the fancy open ones would cost loads I'd say.

Bring ear plugs