MRI freakout

[juanbenae]

Originally Posted by matthewb0051

I am 60, but still feel like 30 in my mind.

The hip is a result of milage more than age, 22 years in the Army. I had a ski wreck in 2002 in Austria. It was an epic day and I fell out of bounds in some deep powder, ski didn't come off and leg was behind me and twisted. The result was a knee scope and torn hip labrum. Add to that, a natural fusion of S4 and S5, and the nearly fused S5 to S1. Plus a butt ton of arthritis in the SI joint. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the torn labrum in the other hip. Hard living...

So Doc #2 is interested in a clean up job vice straight replacement. He's done 3 other family members, to include my 91 yo FIL's knee about 4 years ago. Imagine being in your late 80s and your knee replacement blows up and you have to get a new one, that's exactly what happened.

Quit patching that old tire and get a new one. If your insurance is requiring an all out looksee, then do what you gotta do. At our age scoping a joint, that has seen trauma like you describe don't put it off another 3 years when you can get a new one now and recover once. We ain't getting younger and recovery at 60 is better than 66 IMO.


Don't get me started on the posterior vs. anterior methods....

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by speeder

The most difficult thing about a colonoscopy is the prep, drinking that stuff.

Yeah, I know. sadly I'm an expert. I've had two.

[onewhippedpuppy]

My only MRI was for appendicitis, I had to get an enema first. So, could be worse.

[berettafan]

Getting tense just reading OP's post.

Had an MRI for shoulder last year. I managed with the idea that I could wiggle my fingers and feel the outside of the tube. Incredibly difficult and not sure I could do it again. Any further in and I'd have had a panic attack they'd still be talking about. I would happily go through a colonoscopy, prep and procedure, in the middle of a Walmart on the Saturday before Super Bowl vs another head first MRI. And I'm not too wild about feet first either.

[berettafan]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

In my negative experience, having my head in wasn’t the problem, it was having my arms trapped by my side.

Absolutely distressing as well.

[gchappel]

Ok, this is going to get me in a bunch of hot water, but....

Suck it up. I am very sorry you have to lay still with loud banging noises for 30 min. Worse things have happened. No it is not comfortable. No it is not fun. Life isn't always fun.
No, we presently do not have an easier way to diagnose and see what we need to see.
If you are truly one of the 10-15% of the population with claustrophobia- we can work with it. Heck I can put you to sleep if you need it, but most patients are not in that group.

Your surgeon is actually trying to figure out what is going on before they slice you open.
MRI improves surgical outcomes.
MRI improves medical diagnoses. It answers questions that no other imaging can answer.

So, if you do not want an MRI just do not have one. Your choice. I am pretty sure you could find a surgeon somewhere that would operate based on a couple of Xrays. Good luck with the outcome.

Rant hat off. I am not always an AH, but this topic drives me crazy. I deal with it everyday.

gary

[Rapewta]

Had a MRI two weeks ago. First one. 1.5 hrs. Loud. Had to perform different breathing commands.

I agree with gchappel. Suck it up.

[URY914]

Everyone has a MRI story they want to share.

[DonDavis]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

In my negative experience, having my head in wasn’t the problem, it was having my arms trapped by my side.

Agreed, that feels weird. Unless the person is into that. But that’s for another thread.

Add being sick or injured and it’s tough for some.

Originally Posted by gchappel

…snip…
Rant hat off. I am not always an AH, but this topic drives me crazy. I deal with it everyday.

gary

Radiographer, I presume?
Boy howdy, I serviced MRI, CT, PET, and NM for 30 years. Techs are the best.

Originally Posted by URY914

Everyone has a MRI story they want to share.

The best stories, hands down, are from the Technologists.

My mother had to go in for an MRI and I was not able to go with her. I had a good long convo about what it was going to be like. All the banging, clicking and waiting is completely normal. Later she told me my explanation really helped her. Folks generally have no clue how images are made. For the Technologists to spend more time trying to blah blah blah to each and every single patient, would make their days just brutal.
I’ve seen it, over and over. There’s simply a gazillion ways to explain this stuff. To “hand hold” every patient is just not possible.

I’m with Gary.
Get in, get out, quit effing about.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by URY914

Everyone has a MRI story they want to share.

Mine is pretty boring. Yea, it is weird to be strapped down and immobile with weird sounds. I understood the machine on a very basic level. I had zero fear.

I would far far far prefer to have another 10 MRIs that one more digital prostate exam, or hernia check.

I have had CT scans and MRI. Just no big deal at all.

[MikeSid]

First time I started to understand claustrophobia was in high school. Four pretty big guys in a '65 Mustang coupe. I was one of two in the backseat. Just a very uncomfortable feeling for someone that likes a certain measure of control.

I've since had several MRIs and surprisingly didn't have any issues. I think I just convinced myself that I'm in a safe place where the people around me are basically there to take care of me. It's still uncomfortable to an extent. But I've managed a mental work around that makes it doable for me.

Worst case, ask for some sedation. Good luck with your next run at it.

[DonDavis]

Sadly, far too many boneheads over exaggerate their claustrophobia just to get high on the meds.
To the Radiology staff, it couldn’t be more obvious.

Makes it unfairly tough on the real sufferers.

I’ve seen both many, many times.

[berettafan]

Just get over it. Excellent advice.

Right up there with 'just stop smoking i mean what's so hard about it?'

I've been diagnosed with nothing related to it but don't really seek out such a thing. As incredibly uncomfortable as it is for me to be in one of those things i can imagine for others it might be full on debilitating. And i can tell you guys for fact doing it once does not necessarily make it easier the next time. In my case i'd say it would be harder to do it again.

I don't get the stress over the noise as that has nothing to do with being stuck in a very tight space. At least not for me anyways.

[speeder]

As for, "suck it up," Matthew is about as far from being a pussy as we have on this forum. Some people have legit phobias and when they kick in, the adrenaline flows like those cat videos where they step on tin foil and bounce off the ceiling.

[berettafan]

I remember touring that docked sub they have in NYC a few years back. 30 seconds into the tour all i could hear was a voice in my head screaming 'get me out get me out get me out!!!!'. It's totally irrational and I KNOW that. Doesn't change the reaction.

[rwest]

I have had a bunch of head MRIs and now get one every couple years. No problems at all, but show me a cave exploration video and I’m getting anxious as heck.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by URY914

Everyone has a MRI story they want to share.

Not me

All y'all having troubles, your doctor never heard of benzodiazepines?

[Rapewta]

Maybe when you know you are standing on the edge of death like I am then you "suck it up."
No dissing you but you need to understand even though it is cramped and you don't like it, this procedure is to help get you get better. Mind over matter if you have the gumption to overcome.
Good luck. They are trying to help. It is for just a moment in time so "suck it up."

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by gchappel

Ok, this is going to get me in a bunch of hot water, but....

Suck it up. I am very sorry you have to lay still with loud banging noises for 30 min. Worse things have happened. No it is not comfortable. No it is not fun. Life isn't always fun.
gary

No, your post will not be getting you in hot water. It does reveal your ignorance of the phenomenon of claustrophobia though.

[URY914]

Originally Posted by URY914

Everyone has a MRI story they want to share.

I work at a hospital system and we have about a dozen spread out over our area.
The #1 rule to remember is THE MAGNET IS ALWAYS ON.