Yup! I felt like I was in the trenches during WW! hearing lots of rat a tat tats! Sounded like artillery!!! I had my head scanned! Hah! There was nothing there!
Joann

Had several CT scans and MRIs -- long MRI scans -- where I had to hold my breath for long periods of time! don't miss having them at all.

One of the fortunate thing about a hearing loss is I get to take out my hearing aids, they give me a headphones and I don't hear much. Once, for some extended testing, I was in there for more than 60 minutes, almost fell asleep!

I have claustrophobia, so an MRI is torture for me. The noise is annoying, but nearly as difficult as being in a closed tube.

wanda, me too... I try to just concentrate my focus on a single screw! and try not to look at or think about anything else.

I don't mind them....MRI's or CT scans.
Have had too many to count.

I've had many CT scans and 1 MRI and none bothered me. For the MRI I was given ear plugs, but could still hear a lot of noise. It sounded like a whole crew of workers with jack hammers busting up concrete. I kept my eyes closed the entire time until they pulled me out of the machine. The CT scans with dye contrast make all of your bodily fluids feel very hot, but it doesn't last too long.

I followed the advice someone on this forum gave. When I had an MRI for neck, I closed my eyes before going in and kept them closed. Then let my thoughts wander. The time went very fast.

Wanda, I've seen "open MRIs" advertised around here, for people who are uncomfortable in the tube.

I've had a couple of MRIs. Long, noisy, and boring. But less risky than radiation.

In regards to having spinal MRIs, just the thought of being in that "hole in the wall" thing terrifies me, so I have refused them. I didn't even know they were noisy. UGH! I don't mind CT scans, although holding my breath is hard to do; have had lots of those in the last year.

Hope you get a good report, OF.

I've had two, and with the second the tech put a blanket over me before sliding me 'inside'...

I got too warm, then mildly claustrophobic. I was OK, I could cooperate and we finished, but if anything ever comes up where I would be asked to have another and there wasn't an open style imaging equipment, I might request no blanket.

Edited for spell check....imaging, not imagining ;)

This post was edited by morz8 on Wed, Oct 8, 14 at 10:45

Only open MRI machines for me! Have had several. Hope to have no more.

Fixer -- What did they discover? Anything you didn't already know?

I've had many MRIs. Open and closed kind. They don't bother me. I usually fall asleep. One guy kept asking me if I was ok. I wanted to tell him, "Yes, I'm fine. Quit asking so I can sleep."

Being claustrophobic, I use a self hypnosis technique and also wish they would not keep asking me if I was ok and breaking my concentration. I am always cold, so appreciate the blanket. Discover??? Have no idea what my MD was looking for. Maybe sinus infection. Oh.... little specks of white that indicated that I had had mild strokes. (Looking for why my balance is so bad and the reason for my frequent(?) falls.)BTW the tiny strokes are common for older folks....just tiny blips.

I've had 17 (and counting) brain MRI's since 1998. I have a very difficult time being still, so I take a valium which helps tremendously.

I can't do closed MRI. I've always have open MRI. CT 's don't have any problems with them.

Yep... no problem with the noise or the 'closeness'.

Lindyluwho, my experience exactly! I was so relaxed I kept falling asleep and the tech kept asking if I was alright. Yeah, except you keep waking me up. If I ever have another one I'm going to explain that I need my beauty rest, so let me sleep, lol. Interesting finding on my MRI--supposedly have an 80-95% tear in my rotator cuff and needed surgery soon. Well, the surgeon's office took their sweet time calling to set it up (weeks) and by that time it had started to heal. That was two years ago and I have virtually no problems with the shoulder. I can even lift heavy weights over my head. I suppose I'll have arthritis sometime in my shoulder, but I don't today.

I have my 1st MRI scheduled for the 13th. I'm having severe back pain. I've heard that they take about 45 to 60 minutes to do. I'm concerned about being able to to lay flat on my back for that long. Has anyone ever had an MRI done for back problems? How long did it take, and is there an alternate position besides lying flat to do it?

Quite interesting. No problem with either, but the CT was more of a 'tube' than the MRI. Didn't know any different, so couldn't ask. Had to smile at all the noises, bumps and vibrations that would keep a deaf person awake. MRI is longer, but no holding your breath for a few seconds. Yes, the CT contrast makes you feel warm, the MRI contrast does not? Why not? MRI is a more expensive procedure. Crazy how they closed off the entire area. Danger - do not enter - keep out. What about the patient in the machine!!! Hope to surprise them with a big blank spot between the ears. Go Thurs to review the results. Better not interfere with Happy Hour.

I've had a few MRis for back issues. The closed machines that were used really offered no choice but flat on the back. I don't know what normal practices are but for me, the vertical dimension of the hole wasn't anywhere large enough to have allowed me to lie on my side anyway.

A pillow under the knees was offered and was helpful, but my recollection of the experiences is that I just had to clench my teeth and be uncomfortable for 40 minutes or so.

I had my first back scans some years ago.... before open ones and when they were pretty primitive, and some more recently. Usually, I think, they raise your knees with pillows so that you are not stressing the spine. Don't recall it being a long time.... but I am claustrophobic and really concentrate on my self-hypnosis technique, so time is just when it is over....deep breath....I've done it again. Good luck with yours.

I've had many MRI's and have another one coming up soon.They tend to be 30-40 minutes and are very noisy, as has been stated. Seems for certain images they take (the whole process is for the purpose of taking a series of images), the machine shakes also. They explained the reason why to me, but I don't remember. Two thirds or so into it they inject contrast die. They do put a pillow under my knees and offer headphones for music if I want. They don't bother me at all.

I've had 8 or 9 MRI sessions for various things but have never had a contrast injection. It must depend on what's being imaged.

Only the lying flat on my back part bothered me. The MRI was of my back/spine.

Mare, they do last at least that long.

I had to ask the tech for help getting off the table. You'd think they'd understand if you have back problems you may need a helping hand to get upright. :)

Have had both - no problems.

ole joyful

No need for a new post, the scan showed nothing between the ears. Guess you'll have to put up with me for a while yet.

Charlee, thanks for the response. I think I'll be in for a rough 45 min to an hr on Mon. They need to get a diagnosis of what's going on with my spine. I already found out that it's severely arthritic, with fusing of several vertebrae. As if that wasn't enough to treat. I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and lie there and put up with the pain for as long as it takes. I hope they at least have a lumbar pillow.

Fixer -- Glad you were not an 'interesting' patient.

I had one MRI because my MD couldn't understand my 30 lb. weight loss. It didn't solve that question, but I knew I was in trouble when the tech started calling others in to look at the scan. I had a staghorn calculus nearly filling my left kidney. This required two surgeons: One to create a 'tunnel' into the kidney through my back; One to shock the calcium into pieces and suction them out. (Now I'm not certain if this was discovered during an MRI or a CT scan!)

I've also had the whole body radioactive imaging -- piece of cake AND they found *nothing*! (This was post-pneumonia.)

Just close my eyes, sing a song in my head and it's done

This post was edited by rob333 on Sun, Oct 12, 14 at 17:30

Hi Rob,

Would you care to give us a more detailed report of how you visualize yourself?

That obviously has "got you through" ... so far.

ole joyful

P.S. The ad that pops into that exact same area when I'm about to click on the box to preview my submission ...

... for the bank that's offering a great deal on a mortgage to me, who, in 22 places of residence in my 85 years has never owned a home ...

is little (if any) short of a pain in the patoot!

o j

I had my MRI today. Glad to report that it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. It only took 30 min, and the table had just enough padding to make it less uncomfortable. Very close and noisy, but I didn't mind that. The technicians were very nice, they helped to make the experience more comfortable. I told them so, they seemed very happy to get a compliment. Too often we complain, compliments are not as frequent.

Mare - glad your scan was tolerable. Hope the results show something to improve the situation.

OF,

Now that this is done and the results are what you expected, does that mean you can return to the sand box this weekend?

Jim

I'm so glad to read of your good results, OF. Now, go celebrate!

JIm......the results were unexpectedly perfect, but in this case, didn't give any clues to the problem. And since you're not familiar with this location, the sandbox is off limits for another 6 months. Crappy boring seasons.
SJERIN....thanks, I did celebrate, with Lobster. The blood work showed butter & lemon. Incessant appointments continue.

Hmmm, I thought they had your diagnosis down, though I believe you said it's a bit complicated. I know it's frustrating not to have all the pieces, but a clear brain mri is still a good thing. Lobster--yum!!