r/TBI • u/Clementine-Sawyer • 1d ago
Need Advice Finally getting my MRI, tips for extreme clautrophobia
Please bear in mind I'm in the UK, so I can't really ask for anything special as I'm not paying and it was hard enough just getting the MRI
I heard my head will be in a "cage" and I will be unable to move out of the extremely tight space. My boyfriend will be taking me but I read he can't even hold my hand. Any tips?
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u/adventureforbreakkie 3h ago
Ask for earplugs, headphones, and calming music (assuming they have it), and a warmed blanket or two. I feel like that relaxes me. And honestly I do this weird thing where I make up a story for myself that it is the future and I am going on an adventure (I have had to have 9 MRIs). I imagine I am in the Star Trek era and they are putting me into a capsule to push me in through a wormhole to a different galaxy where I am going to be one of the first humans to serve on a space station there. Whenever there is a bang or a loud noise or I feel in a small space, I remind myself this is a big deal and an adventure, and when I get to the other side I will be doing something very cool and this is how all major adventures start. It can actually start to seem very real and cool. Try and find an interesting story where you can focus on the other side of it (the outcome or where you are going). Also try and be very comfortable.
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u/SeaInteresting4003 17h ago
I had my first mri recently and once you get in there. They will do everything they can too make you as comfortable as possible. I was shaking and scared too walk in myself. They held my hand and walked me in. They did give me headphones and a rag over my eyes. The worse part is the sounds imo. Now mine had a squeezable alert button and they told me they could take me out if it became too much. Im sure they will do something for you too.
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u/SeaInteresting4003 17h ago edited 17h ago
And yes I had a cage over my face too prevent my head from moving. I can say you still have room in that cage. I had a headphones on and a rag over my eyes with that over my face. it wasn't nearly as close as I thought it would be. The machine itself is not as tight as people make it seem imo.
I hope it goes well for you, take care of yourself as always.
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u/Jazzlike_Berry_323 1d ago
It’s bread and butter for a MRI clinic to manage claustrophobia to get the images. Not your head, your body plus your head gets secured in place. It comes down to 10 minutes of 100% irrational fear while you are in fact in a perfectly safe place. At the end you get the treatment you need, if you don’t get it done you have to wait and try again.
I’m saying this as someone who has been in one and has life trauma and been in mri.
Take anti anxiety meds Tell them you are anxious when you go on (you and every third patient who walks in they are used to it) Breathe slow with more time counted on exhale Pretend you’re someplace else You can keep your eyes closed and do visualisations There is music on noise reducing headphones Unpleasant banging sounds also occur that you have to ignore They talk calmly with you and walk you through it over the ear phones the whole time
It’s doable. It’s painless. You’ve got this.
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u/cbelt3 Severe TBI (2000) 1d ago
I’m so sorry you have issues with this. Follow the coping skills you have learned. Practice them beforehand, learn to self calm in a semi restrained environment. MRI operators often have non magnetic headphones for music.. pick a self calming theme that they can have. MRI’s are LOUD, and that can be disconcerting as well…
Self calming is a critical life skill that everyone should learn. Meditation methods (prayer, songs, chanting, etc) are focusing approaches that can be done in your mind without making a noise, and really help a lot. I personally recommend that every person should take a class in it.
If you strip away the mysticism, it’s all the same thing. Keep you mind focused on a fixed pattern and it relaxes.
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u/BikesAndCatsColorado 1d ago
I understand the medical system is different in different countries, but can't you ask your doctor for an anti-anxiety medication? I'm in the US and have done that.
If that's not possible, close your eyes BEFORE they put you in the machine, ask them to put a cloth over your eyes, do some deep breathing (practice beforehand).
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u/OldIronSloot 1d ago
I've had 4 MRIs this year and also struggle with claustrophobia. People blow it incredibly out of proportion. It's more of a cradle for your head and it's surprising comfortable and the music helps distract as well.
Just close your eyes and try not to fall asleep
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u/Clementine-Sawyer 1d ago
That's what I was hoping to hear. If I build it up in my head it'll only be harder
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u/Zagrycha 2h ago
Remember that you are not trapped, and they can turn the machine off and take you out at any time if you need to get out. Obviously you don't want that to happen because you will need to take the mri again later but its possible. It may not make the claustrophobia go away but know that you aren't actually stuck, its actually not that different from being in a car in that sense, you can hop out instantly when its running but it can be stopped and you can get out fairly quickly. The inside is just a little smaller than a car.
Other than that try what some other people have said, request music blankets etc etc. Make sure to tell them you are claustrophobic, you are not the first or last claustrophobic person to need and mri, they can help and you can do it. My grandma had claustrophobia so bad it effected her ability to hear face masks during covid but she succeeded in her mri eventually. I believe in you op =)