CT Scans

Barcode

I have to have one in just over a week (abdomen, thorax, pelvis, brain). Unfortunately, I'm also slightly claustrophobic. I won't go in lifts, small spaces etc. Even worse, it says on the info that was sent with it, that I have to remove my hearing aids for the brain scan, so not only will I be confined, but I'll be deaf as well.

It sounds such a silly thing, but the thought of being in that tunnel is filling me with dread. I don't really have an option but to have this done, as I'm now having annual screening to make sure my gene-mutation hasn't caused any tumours yet, and if it has, to detect them before I become symptomatic. Obviously, the benefits far outweigh an hour or whatever it is of feeling panicky.

If you're a claustrophobe and have had to have one of these things, how do you cope? Can somebody talk to me whilst I'm in it? My partner is coming with me, but who knows what I'll hear once I have to take my aids out. Can she be in the room with me? etc.

Chesnut1

Hi Barcode I have to have these done quite regularly to check for anymore cancer. I am checked from the throat to the pelvis and I am like you very claustraphobic. At my hospital it is not a tunnel it is more like a donut that slides up and down your body so you never feel trapped. Hopefully you will get one like this. Everybody is out of the room while the proceedure is ongoing and they staff talk to you though a microphone although I found it all a bit noisy. I hope this has helped to put your mind at rest it is OK. Hope all goes well for you.

Barcode

Hi,

Hope you are better.

The first scan is of everything, then depending on the results, my endocronologist said that not everything needs to be scanned annually. My abdomen does, but the thorax is every three years. Not sure why that is. So hopefully it'll be a quicker process in the future.

As long as I can see OUT of it, I can probably cope. For example, glass lifts don't bother me. But I'll never go in one with metal doors. I can't sleep with the door closed. Hate underground car parks. And other things I'm probably not thinking of.

The staff will have to SHOUT lol, so I hope there is nothing I have to do once I'm in the thing other than keep still.

hjb123

I had a CT scan last year I think it was and it wasnt as bad as I thought. They gave me headphones and music to listen to and they were able to talk to me through them. Ask if you can also put some sort of blindfold on?

Hope it goes okay

SoozyJ22

I've had a few CT scans of my thorax (checking for cancer) and it wasn't too bad. The CT scanner is a doughnut shape which moves over you as you lie on a table. It moves relatively fast and you can see out to the rest of the room with no problems. I think you may be getting it confused with an MRI scanner which is a long tunnel. If you go to this link you can see a picture of one of the CT scanners at my hospital.

I always had to hold my breath while they were scanning me and they'd give me the instructions through a speaker from another room, so you'd need to discuss with them the best way to communicate with them if that will be needed.

Good luck.

debsy42

I book CT scans at work and can confirm what everyone has said, they are nothing like MRI Scans. You are not enclosed, the scanner moves up and down but not too close to you so you don't feel confined. They are pretty quick as well, I had one done and it only took about 5 minutes all in all, the MRI Scan I had took about 20 minutes and that was scary :eek:

Sometimes you have an injection or drink some medicine to enhance the pictures. When I had the injection I went really hot and felt like I was going to wee :eek: which was a bit strange but not frightening !!

You'll be fine honest, it's nowhere near as bad as I think you're panicking about....

wokkies

and I think they can give you something to calm you down if you are worried about it

Barcode

Hi,

Thanks. It does put my mind at ease a bit.

My partner had a phone call tonight booking me for an MRI too. The abdomen/thorax/pelvis is a CT scan, and apparently, my brain one is an MRI. I'm not sure why. They had a cancellation, so it's off for the MRI next week and a CT scan the week after.

The CT scanner looks like a Star Trek device, I think I'll cope with it. The thought of the MRI makes me shudder though.

WeirdoMagnet

I had an MRI a couple of months ago. The staff were excellent - explaining the procedure, asking if I'd had one before and if I knew whether I was claustrophobic (I'm not).

You get earphones that they play music into, and talk to you in between scans to make sure you're OK and don't want to cough/sneeze etc. Coupled with that you get a squeezy buzzer in your hand, so you can alert the radiologist if needs be.

I was just going to type more details about it, but then realised that might put people off. Let me know if you'd like me to post further details on what it was like and how I dealt with it. For me, I'd rather have the information so I know what to expect, but everyone's different.

Georgie

pavlovs_dog

i dont know if you'd be able to do so without interfering with the quality of scan, or even whether you'd be able to hear yourself but would humming to yourself help?

failing that there's always breathing exercises hope its not too traumatic for you!

msmicawber

Hi Barcode,

It depends on the department, but I believe they'll probably allow your partner to stay with you, particularly since you'll need to take your aids out. I've been present while a CT scan was carried out and there's definitely nothing to make you claustrophobic (I'm the same).

Best wishes.