Please can anyone advise any tips. This is my 3rd MRI and on the verge of cancelling it as I’m so scared. I don’t really want to travel anywhere with an open scanner, just wondering if anyone has any top tips on dealing with it. Thank you.
I’m OK as long as I keep my eyes tight shut from the moment I lie down on the bench until I’m slid out of the machine. I would not enjoy seeing anything that happened in between. Or so I assume: I have had many scans and have kept my eyes firmly shut through all of them.
Hi Spoondish, I agree with Alson100 and also keep my eyes closed from the moment the table begins to move, I concentrate on my breathing, and think of things which make me happy. I’ve had 7 MRI’s now both with and without contrast and on a few occasions if it’s been a long scan, I’ve taken in a a Gerry Rafferty CD (don’t laugh 
) to listen to. Sadly MRI’s seem to be a regular part of the MS journey. Good luck going forward.
Hi Spoondish.
If you can take in a CD like BlinkingMS then that would be good - Music or an audio-book. If not, then try keeping your eyes closed, and going through your favourite songs in your mind.
My GP prescribed some Diazapam for me, it worked a treat, although I was aware of what was happening while I was in the scanner, the drug calmed me down enough to cope with it.
Jacqueline
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Thank you - I will definitely keep my eyes closed and hope I don’t open them!
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If the scanner has a mirror that allows you to see out into the room then that may be as good or better than having your eyes closed. The newer 3.0 tesla machines are much more bearable than some of the old 1.5 tesla machines. They feel roomier and have more modcons. They have a video watching facility - very useful especially with children for keeping them distracted (and still).
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100% agree with this - at my last scan the mirror changed the whole experience for me! I was just fixated on watching the staff behind the screen & it really put me at ease x
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