The (not so old) Crocks Cafe

Oscar_The_Grouch

MRI will be fine! You get to lie down for 30-60 minutes and do nothing!!!

Down here it's a mobile scanner. You have to wear ear defenders because of the noise of the machine, but they're designed to be headphones as well so they can pipe in music to you if you want.

The one thing they don't tell you is that they do the scans in sections and in 3 parts. I had cervical, thoracic and lumbar done and they do from above, from below and from the side so it was actually 9 scans in total. You can hear the difference in the sound as they change the direction of the scan. It helps you keep track of where they're up to!!

Trialia

Oscar - Nice for you that you don't have any problems with MRI scans, but some of us do! I have Raynaud's syndrome, and after 35 minutes in that vibrating chamber, I couldn't feel my feet at all. I nearly fell when I got out

Invasion

MRI scans have a tendency to make me feel amazingly rough for a couple of days. Plus, the noise means that for me lying down having an MRI is an activity.. rather than doing nothing. I take music with me so that some of the noise is drowned out and it's a bit easier to cope with. I don't find I get claustrophobic in there as long as my eyes are shut. Good luck with it Sue! x

Oscar_The_Grouch

Trialia wrote: »

Oscar - Nice for you that you don't have any problems with MRI scans, but some of us do! I have Raynaud's syndrome, and after 35 minutes in that vibrating chamber, I couldn't feel my feet at all. I nearly fell when I got out

Trialia, My last MRI took an hour. I'm claustrophobic, have muscle spasms up and down my spine, get numbness in my legs/feet/arms, have posturial muscle issues in my neck and shoulders and I'm being checked out for MS. Oh; and I have 3 displaced discs in my neck and 2 dodgy discs in my lumbar spine. All of these are issues when having the MRI scans.

I was just trying to help Sue not worry about the MRI rather than trying to play oneupmanship.

Careful_with_that_Axe

I was quite worried about the MRI before I had my first one, but they did everythig they could to make me comfortable.
I cannot lie flat on my back with my legs out straight as it knackers my back muscles, so they arranged a pillow under my knees so I was comfortable. If you tell them any specific problem you are concerned about prior to the procedure starting, I am sure they will do everything they can to halp and to make you comfortable.

Trialia

Oscar_The_Grouch wrote: »

I was just trying to help Sue not worry about the MRI rather than trying to play oneupmanship.

I'm not trying to play oneupmanship either! I just really hate the damn things and I'm not shy of saying it. I too am claustrophobic, had to have both shoulders done in the MRI in the same session, and like I said, I could not feel my feet at all when I got out, and my hands only just. I was very lucky my stepmother had offered to go with me. I was shaking like a leaf. She took me straight for coffee, held on to me the whole time so I could walk, and held the cup for me so I could have enough caffeine that it'd act as a kind of sedative (which it does after a certain point).

Seriously, I just hate MRI scanners. I'm not trying to one-up anyone.

SingleSue

Thanks guys and sorry if I caused any arguements.

The thing is, I don't know how I will be...I'm not generally claustrophobic although I can be prone to panic attacks but that tends to be in crowded places and I can't see my way through and I feel closed in.

My worry though is that because of our home situation, it would mean taking a mild sedative out of the question, I would have to drive myself home afterwards..the hospital is not in walking distance and depending on the time of the appointment, public transport probably wouldn't be good enough to get me back in time for the school run (same problem, no-one else to pick them up)

If only they had something to read in there, I can lose myself in books (yes I do know that it is not possible to have a book in there!)

MissMoneypenny

I fell asleep during my MRI. It was a bit noisy, but I managed to sleep.:D

I thought I would hate being in there as I use to get a recurring nightmare about being in an earth tunnel and it collapsing on me, but the MRI was very cosy and relaxing as the time was all mine. It cured my nightmare too:D


Don't worry Sue, the thought of the MRI is much worse than actually going in there.

Oscar_The_Grouch

Changing the subject completely - my new wheelchair arrived today!! Yey for me!!!!

The_Dragon

Oscar_The_Grouch wrote: »

Changing the subject completely - my new wheelchair arrived today!! Yey for me!!!!

Ooh is this one better for you Oscar?