Hi I have been suffering pulsatile tinnitus and my ent is now sending me to have a MRI MRA brain and iams in two weeks. I am very nervous about the mri. I also suffer anxiety. I don't know how I will cope with the MRI. Can anyone who has had a MRI please give me some advice. Also my ent doctor prescribed me diazepam for the MRI but I really don't want to take it as I don't like to take pills
Hi I have been suffering pulsatile tinnitus and my ent is now sending me to have a MRI MRA brain and iams in two weeks. I am very nervous about the mri. I also suffer anxiety. I don't know how I will cope with the MRI. Can anyone who has had a MRI please give me some advice. Also my ent doctor prescribed me diazepam for the MRI but I really don't want to take it as I don't like to take pills
I have had several MRI's and I also suffer from anxiety and claustraphobia. take the diazepam, it seriously helps because you must remain still for the test to be accurate. You will do fine, the newer MRI machines are more open than they used to be but can still invoke anxiety. The tests are worth the time and the possible anxiety as they can definately help with diagnosing different things.
Hi, try not to worry the tests aren't too bad. The MRI is open, your in a round machine, but it's open around you, so you can move and have space, your not closed in. Although your supposed to stay very still. There will be a technician that talks to you throughout the test. The machine itself makes alot of noise, so they will offer you earplugs. I've had over 20 various kinds of MRI's in the last 15 years most of them I fall asleep in, the throbbing noises that the machines make can be very "relaxing".
Depending on where you are they also offer Image Eyeware so you see pictures of relaxing images while your doing your testing.
Brain MRI's and MRA's are different if you have anxiety or are claustrophoebic, which I am, you will need to take the medication. For a Brain MRI, they place a Plastic Cage over your head. You will be laying on your back, looking face up, and the Cage has bars on the top of it so you can see out, but with the Cage on, when they slide you into the MRI, it feels very confined and claustrophobic. You need to take the medication, because if you get there for the test and can't do it because you freak out, they won't wait for you to take the meds and for them to kick in, they'll reschedule you. They have those tests scheduled back to back and someone will be waiting right after you, they don't let anything throw off that schedule. When I did my last brain MRI, they knocked me out as they wheeled me in the room, I don't remember any of it, when I woke up I was back in my hospital room.
And if your concerned about scars or someone seeing your scars, you'll be in a hospital gown and you change in a private area by yourself. So, nodody should have to see anything that you don't want them to see. If they do, just ignore it and don't say anything, odds are they will too.
Kat
Last edited by katlin09; 06-10-2012 at 12:24 PM.
Reason: spelling
Thank you both for the reply. Im still not sure if I will take the diazepam as I really don't like to take pills. I'm not sure if it will make me feel dizzy and more ill. Years ago I was put on anti-depressant tablets and after a week I had terrible dizziness and came off the pills. Since then the thought of taking tablets scares me.
I really need this MRI though as I am constantly worrying about what is wrong with me. It has consumed me. I constantly feel sick and in tears. However, I try not to cry as I know this makes the tinnitus worse.
I am just new on here and at least reading other peoples stories makes me feel as though I am not alone. So thank you.
I had an MRI on my brain and spine about 3 months ago. You arent allowed to move while images are being taken but there is a little mirror at the top where you can see the people that are taking the images. You have head phones on and between photos they ask if your okay, tell you how much longer and so on. You can clearly hear and see them and they can hear you if you have any problems. I found I was just thinking a lot through the whole thing and made songs out of the noises haha :P
One thing to consider, you'll only take the diazapan once for the MRI and then no more...it can't have very much of a side effect for one dose. Another thing that helped me when I was nervous during an MRI was a tech would stand at the end of the MRI table and put their hand on my ankle so I could feel someone there....just knowing some was right there with me, helped me stay calm.
