extreme MRI anxiety

cookies7895

I was just diagnosed with DCIS 3 weeks ago. I have seen all the docs. I am very claustrophobic...went for my MRI and needless to say it didnt happen. I had taken Phenergan 25mg for nausea, Bentyl 10mg for my IBS so it didnt flare while in MRI tube and Valium 5 mg which I have only taken once before for biopsy. Even with all that in my system I was alert and completely freaked out. Completely embarrassed! The techs were wonderful and tried everything they knew to help. I got 3/4 way into tube and said no go. It killed my rib area. Not even conceivable to lay there 30 minutes. Can't have anything around my face so the face rest sucked. I tried everything..even telling myself to quit being a wimp/baby. I work in a doctors office so I understand the importance of it. No breathing techniques, counting, etc., works. They dont play music as they said it was way too loud with the strength of their MRI and make you wear earplugs. That would have helped me a ton. Anyway, after reading blog posts I noticed quite a few who were diagnosed with DCIS were found to have more cancer on their MRI's. Does anyone have any other ideas on how I can get through this? I feel like I need to try it again although the surgeon is willing to work without it now. My husband thinks it's a lost cause and he is very supportive. That's how bad my fear/anxiety is. Any thoughts? Thanks so much!

windingshores

These things helped me:

Don't open your eyes- at all.

Have a string that leads from your hand to someone outside that you can pull on if panicking.

When they first put you in have them take you out and then put you back into the tube. This gave my brain the message I could get out.

The people talking to me on headphones were more helpful than the music actually.

I am conflicted about meds because to some extent benzos etc. can make me more nervous because they stop my conscious coping skills. Maybe try a beta blocker instead, unless you have low blood pressure. That is used for panic.

Sympathize! I have slowly gotten better. I used to have a plane phobia for similar reasons. EMDR and Reiki and hypnosis are all possibilities if you want to go to that effort.

The staff should know you have this anxiety and I am sure you told them

farmerlucy

What is your plan for DCIS? If mx, I’d personally pass on MRI.

My first MRI was tough. Subsequent ones were much easier. To me it does not sound like it is going to work for you. I’ve heard about another screening tool called MBI. Here is a link. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q-1KIevhwao

Maybe take more Valium? I do a lot of mental gymnastics when I get my MRI, like going to my happy place, singing in my head, anything to divert my thoughts.

Best of luck to you.

momand2kids

cookies,

did you have an MRI where you were completely in the tube? I also get claustrophobic and took valium to go through my first MRI only to find they had me go in feet first--- on my stomach-- my head never went in the machine....

so, I don't need the valium any more when I get my MRI's... but the valium was very helpful the first time... just really relaxed you--so worth it.

Peregrinelady

I told them I was highly claustrophobic and they gave me something through an IV. Almost like a conscious sedation when you get a colonoscopy. Worked wonders for me. I had to refuse a MRI once because they refused to give me anything before putting me on the table, then left me alone! I watched my blood pressure skyrocket for a few minutes, then finally got up, walked out to where the techs sit, and said loudly, "I am refusing this test." Makes me mad now, because I should have been getting regular MRI's since my twin sister passed from MBC, but I was so freaked from that experience that I never pushed it. Plus they discount MRI because of the false positives. What about the real positives that could save someone's life? Sorry. Went into a rant, but my point is that you should push for more sedation if your dr. thinks you need a MRI.

sas-schatzi

Lot's of good suggestions here, but start with the least cost ones first. My copay on a MRI is 150$. I'm cheap. Even if I were claustrophobic I'd stick it out just b/c of the money.

BUT that's not you.

Hmm DCIS you have time. Perhaps a hypnotic session will help.

The tube isn't really closed. It's like a clean room. A very clean room. Avery white clean room. One you can leave any time. your choice. no one will stop you. Just a nice clean room.

A room that makes a lot of noise. I personally like classical music with it. I've always thought with the right classical music, it could be a new American art form. Like the 1812 Overture.

sas-schatzi

Cookie, our phobias come from someplace. A practitioner that also can do hypnosis can do wonders. You have time b/c it's DCIS. But you also want this resolved quickly in case the mammo is wrong. I was surprise that my feet went in first and I was on my belly. I forgot that until a previous poster mentioned that. Love memory loss of old negative stuff.

Cookie, talk to yourself. Give yourself the pep talk of your best game. That you can deal with this. You can make that goal. You can be better than that machine. GO GIRL YOU CAN DO THIS., Grind that into your brain. YOU CAN WIN over that MACHINE. . YAY COOKIE FIGHT this FEAR.

For you I like Perigrineladies approach, but before you lay down on the table.

Beat a pillow very aggressively, it works out the adrenaline

belleeast

I am very claustrophobic, my Dr prescribed me 0.5 mg of Ativan. Instructed to take 1 one hour before procedure and 1 just before. It really helped and I was able to do it. Also, is there another place to go that does have a MRI with music played.

sas-schatzi

Belle, call ahead re: the music. I'm surprised your place doesn't play music, but making a special request may help.

Arielyn

I am also extremely claustrophobic and haven't taken an elevator without passing out for almost thirty years. With that said, I made it through the MRI. How? They actually let my husband come in and hold my hand through the entire procedure! He was right there, squeezing my hand and assuring me that should I painic, he would get me out immediately. I also took 10 mg. of Valium, which helped to quash my anxiety. As a side note, I had tried to do it the week before, had a panic attack and stopped the procedure. I know the embarrassment and knew I'd have to be pretty drugged to go through with it. Having my husband there beside me made all the difference. If your hubby can'twon't do it and you're close to where I am (Pittsburgh), I'd be happy to go with you. Good luck—you can do this!

marijen

I think if women are not getting MRIs it is increasing the recurrence rate which confuses the statistics

Majority of women at higher risk for breast cancer decline MRI screenings, study finds

October 26, 2017

Some women, because of genetic predisposition, personal, or family history, have a higher than average lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. For those women, earlier magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended for cancer screening.

But according to new findings presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2017, the vast majority of women in one health system who are at higher risk of breast cancer choose not to get MRI screenings, even when the service was available to them at no cost.

"The military health system is an equal access, no cost system. This system allows us to study how well we are doing in terms of truly adhering to the current recommended guidelines for screening of breast cancer," said lead study author Vance Sohn, MD, a surgical oncologist at Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash.

For the study, investigators from Madigan Army Medical Center analyzed data on 1,057 women who had a 20 percent or greater lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. The screenings were offered based on their high­risk status, and not because of mammography results. Between 2015 and 2016, these women were offered MRI screenings. The aim of this analysis was to assess whether these higher risk women actually got the imaging test. Overall, the study showed that only 23 percent (247 women) underwent MRI screening.

Further, when results were expressed in quartiles, researchers found that just 15 percent of women with a 20 to 24 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer had an MRI; 24 percent of those with a 25 to 29 percent risk got the imaging test; 36 percent of women with a 30 to 39 percent risk sought an MRI; and only half of the women with more than a 40 percent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer chose to get this recommended screening.

"In the interest of helping more women be screened earlier for breast cancer, we were intrigued about what this preliminary study identified­­that 85 percent of women with a 20 to 24 percent lifetime risk still did not pursue high risk

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Majority of women at higher risk for breast cancer decline MRI screenings, study finds

of women with a 20 to 24 percent lifetime risk still did not pursue high risk surveillance," Dr. Sohn reported. "Ultimately, the question we are really trying to answer is why women at high risk for breast cancer are declining MRI screening. That issue is the next phase of this study."

Dr. Sohn and his team plan further research to find out why, on an individual basis, women are declining this cancer check. Is it confusion about the screening tool itself and its safety? Are they afraid of what the test might reveal?

"If we understand the reason behind this circumstance, it will help us better target those who would benefit from this imaging modality so we could provide clear explanations about the test," Dr. Sohn said. "The general sense is that patients are just too busy, but discovering the reason will be a very important piece to this puzzle."

Although this was a military health system study, Dr. Sohn, said he does not think their findings are unique to the military. "In fact, I imagine our compliance rate is even higher than most. Within the civilian health care system, there are fiscal implications such as the cost of the MRI and future health insurance implications, that we are controlling for," he said.

In general, when it comes to breast cancer screening more is not necessarily better. In the past, the misuse of screening MRIs has created much anxiety in women, leading clinicians to perform further testing for tiny spots that turn out to be benign. To target patients for appropriate testing, clinicians and patients alike need a full understanding of the pros and cons of MRI screening. Clinicians then can develop personalized screening plans.

What the study does highlight is that the appropriate application of this imaging technology is very important, Dr. Sohn said.

"So maybe the 20 to 24 percent lifetime risk isn't really appropriate, maybe it should be even higher than what the organizations are recommending. In other words, what is the appropriate cutoff?

Ultimately, that is really what we are trying to decipher," said he concluded. Source:

https://www.facs.org/media/press­releases/2017/sohn

MTwoman

this is exactly why I prefer mixed methods research! (When researchers find something important using quantitative research methods, but are left scratching their heads about why, which can only be discovered using qualitative methods) I do hope that they proceed with the next step. Thanks for posting marijen, it is good for those at increased risk to know the benefits of mri.

Lala-44

I need extremely claustrophobic and also cannot handle and MRI. My breast surgeon ordered one on sept 1st and what got me through is going with a center that had an “open ended machine”. It’s like a donut so not a long tube. I paid 1400$ but it was worth every penny. I had no issues even though I was face down. Knowing there’s a small arch over me and that I’m not going into a tunnel made all the difference.

houmom

My first MRI (not BC related), I freaked out so bad, I had to have them reschedule it to an ‘open’ machine and I took 10mg of Valium. I was terrified when the BS scheduled me for another MRI, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had feared. Going in feet first makes a huge difference, I had the panic button in my hand but didn’t need it. The tech was alsoable to give me some padding to help with how uncomfortable it was on my ribs.

edwards750

I had one years ago. Closed. Big mistake. Extremely claustrophobic. Techs talked to me at first and then stopped. I went off on them when I got out. Never again.

Diane