I'm freaking out!

hearingimpared

I'm extremely claustrophobic, add that to the panic disorder I suffer from I have to get an MRI of my brain due to the past 6 weeks of 24/7 migraines. The doc wants the MRI because I have a history of brain cancer in my family, my pop died from a malignant brain tumor as well as other family members.

I'm not freaked out by the prospect of having brain cancer. What has me freaking out is the last MRI I had 7 years ago was supposed to be an "open MRI." The doctor at the time gave me a seditive that worked for 20 minutes. I woke up after 20 minutes in the tube and started freaking out and tried to bust out of the tube like the Hulk. This set off a 3 month cycle of panic attacks that would start at bed time and last through the night until the sun came up. I would have to leave the house and drive around all night to keep sane. Everytime I would try to go back into the house I would loose it. No amount of medication would quell the attacks and like I said the cycle lasted three months. I can't go through that again.

My doc has given me a combination of sedatives to hopefully keep me out during the whole process but I'm sitting here shaking and sweating with panic.

I know this might sound silly to some of you but it is an affliction I've had since I was a kid.

I'm really scared that this is going to set off another cycle and am also afraid I may wake up during the procedure and freak out thus not allowing the test to be completed. It is supposed to be a totally open MRI but this isn't helping me to keep from having these feelings of panic. To say this is a **** is an understatement.

Please wish me luck or if you believe in prayer, I could use some.

Just venting here as I am trying to keep myself busy until the MRI comes at 10:00 AM this morning.

Thanks fellas and ladies.:(

Ricardo

Joe, just take twice the recommended dose and you'll be fine

Hoping for a smooth, peaceful MRI.

hearingimpared

Ricardo wrote: »

Joe, just take twice the recommended dose and you'll be fine

Hoping for a smooth, peaceful MRI.

Funny thing Ric, that was my plan. My wife is taking me so if I'm in a stupor I don't have to drive. It is only about 10 to 15 away.

Man my heart is pounding!:(

ESavinon

Just close your eyes after taking the sedatives, clear your mind, and think you're sitting in your sda sweet spot listening to your favorite record.

hearingimpared

ESavinon wrote: »

Just close your eyes after taking the sedatives, clear your mind, and think you're sitting in your sda sweet spot listening to your favorite record.

Funny thing ED. During the last MRI, they had ear phones on me playing Howard Stern's radio show . . . that didn't help.

ESavinon

Let the sweet memories of your favorite recording bring you back to a comfortable state.

ESavinon

hearingimpared wrote: »

Funny thing ED. During the last MRI, they had ear phones on me playing Howard Stern's radio show . . . that didn't help.

Tell them to change the station or bring a cd for them to play.

hearingimpared

ESavinon wrote: »

Let the sweet memories of your favorite recording bring you back to a comfortable state.

Thanks for the idea. Unfortunately all I can hear in my ears right now is my heart thumping.

Hopefully, I'll be out cold. There is no rhyme or reasoning with this problem. I've been through dozens of classes on relaxation exercises to no avail. I need to be completely oblivious to what's going on to get through this. **** man, you'd think I was going to the electric chair . . . but that's what I'm feeling.

ESavinon

You need music to calm you.

ESavinon

The best way to overcome a fear is to face it. Try to think objectively.
Keep thinking to yourself that you will be fine. That there is no reason to fear.
You wont be alone. Try to displace fear with an positive thought or memory.

I know it's not easy. Positive thoughts sent!

MKZ

I have done once 7years ago, it was like they put me in casket.
Like Esavinon said just think positive and get it over.
Hope you'll be fine. Good luck!!!

hearingimpared

MKZ wrote: »

I have done once 7years ago, it was like they put me in casket.Like Esavinon said just think positive and get it over.
Hope you'll be fine. Good luck!!!

Yep and the top of the casket is an inch or two from your nose! YIKES!

Face

I always fall asleep during MRI's, open or closed.

I feel bad for your MRI tech today.

shadowofnight

As mentioned, double up on the meds ( Your a big guy too , dosages for 150lb people dont apply ) and relax.

I can feel your pain , I am not claustrophobic...but my shoulders are so wide that EVERY MRI I have been in has constricted my shoulders together enough to prevent me from being able to take a full breath. Sure it was painfull the entire duration of the test , as well as a bit panicy not being able to breathe correctly...just think of how good it feels when that table slides out

Its time for your test, relax.

Vette C6.r

I had a fear of heights until I flew in a helicopter for a week Joe. It's the fear of the event more so than the event itself that triggers these fears.

It will only last for a little bit and then back to normal.

Hey it's 10 now. You should be done soon.

bobman1235

I'm not even all that claustrophobic and MRI machines still bother me. Good luck Joe.

With regards to the anxiety and panic attacks... get treatment for it. I'm younger than you but had still been dealing with anxiety issues for almost ten years before I finally got fed up with it (as you said, lest I go insane), and the past year have been taking Zoloft (it's an antidepressant but works as an antianxiety). I was pretty anti-medication going in, but I take a small enough dose that there are no real side effects and it's just such a relief not to be waking up in the middle of the night with my heart pounding for no reason, or to be driving home or something and suddenly feel like I can't breathe.

Different treatments work for everyone, obviously, but anything is better than living that way.

bobman1235

It's the fear of the event more so than the event itself that triggers these fears.

This is not true with everyone. As I said above, I never had a claustrophobia and had no fears of getting an MRI before I had my first one... but being in that tube for five minutes... then ten... I started freaking out big time.

Not everyone is the same as you, you shouldn't minimize people's fears just because you so easily got over yours.

hearingimpared

bobman1235 wrote: »

I'm not even all that claustrophobic and MRI machines still bother me. Good luck Joe.

With regards to the anxiety and panic attacks... get treatment for it. I'm younger than you but had still been dealing with anxiety issues for almost ten years before I finally got fed up with it (as you said, lest I go insane), and the past year have been taking Zoloft (it's an antidepressant but works as an antianxiety). I was pretty anti-medication going in, but I take a small enough dose that there are no real side effects and it's just such a relief not to be waking up in the middle of the night with my heart pounding for no reason, or to be driving home or something and suddenly feel like I can't breathe.

Different treatments work for everyone, obviously, but anything is better than living that way.

Well it's over and the sedative didn't even kick in until it was over. This was a completly different MRI I've ever been in. It was wide open with only my head and chest in the machine. I made it through without the freakout.

BTW Bob, I've been being treated for panic disorder, clinical depression, high anxiety and have been in a rule out of bipolar disorder, which means I fall under the umbrellas of bi-polar disorder but without the full blown symptoms, for over 30+ years. I take a whole slew of psych meds to keep the problems at bay but having this chemical imbalance sometimes the meds don't work from time to time and I have relapes of symptoms several times a year.

Just another thought, I know I have these disorders and I've worked on learning to deal with them but when that chemical imbalance kicks in, there is no rational in world that I have learned to deal with it that stops it from causing the symptoms. If it were as easy as "thinking" my way out of the problems I wouldn't have to take the meds.

Mental illness is one of those things that baffles medical science and logic, that is why they have to experiment on you with different drugs to find the right ones that work for each individual. The problem is that the meds only work for short periods of time before the chemical imbalance in the brain just overtakes the meds and new ones have to be tried.

Unfortunately this is why I'm on disability because of the constant reoccurances of the disorders which would keep me from being consistant in my attendance at work and not being able to cope with things because of the illness. It's a **** but I've learned to live with it and accept the affliction and do the best I can each day.

Thanks guys for your support in this. It appears I won't be having any bad after effects as I feared as I got through it and am feeling very stable right now.

On the lighter side, we all now how unstable I can be!:eek::D

mrbigbluelight

:)Good to have you back, Mr. Joe.

steveinaz

If you've been suffering from this since childhood, not likely we can do anything to help---but you might ask yourself "what do I think will really happen to me if I do this?"

I'm just the opposite, I find small spaces cozy and comforting.

steveinaz

oopps..a day late and a dollar short...sorry brotha.

AudioGenics

sure hope you have some support with you...

good luck !!

Zitro

Glad to hear you are alright; your condition must be tough. Mental disorders are terrible things, which is why I am studying them through grad school; I'd love to help those who suffer from them. Do you know when you get the results from the MRI? Bless you and your family.

mrbigbluelight

Any truth to the rumors that you were actually having breast implants ?



If so ....... uhm ..... Pix ?

thsmith

Joe, glad all worked out and it must be tough on you and your family having these problems.

Hopefully the sawbones can find the right cocktail for you !

BottomFeeder

I prayed for you, Joe. I, too, am so glad that you made it and hope you'll share the results of your MRI with us when you receive them.

jflail2

Take care Joe. I know your pain all too well on the BP front. It took my doctors about 5 years to get my script right, but I am finally feeling "normal" for the 1st time in about 20 years...

My worst fear is actually the dentist. I CANNOT stand to have someone poking and prodding in my mouth, and I have the worst gag reflex this side of the Miss., so I am ready to vomit the 1st time something gets to the back 1/2 of my mouth. It's so miserable I've finally started doing sedation dentistry. Much more expensive, but I'd rather be knocked out than barf repeatedly in the dentist office (which would kick in the old anxiety as well.)

Good luck Joe!

cfrizz

I'm glad to hear that it wasn't as bad as you thought it was going to be Joe. I was going to say that medicine can/has come a long way in 7 years & MRI's are probably done differently. And whatdaya know, they are!!!

Take care.

cstmar01

Joe, Glad to hear everything went ok and I hope you start feeling better! Mental illness is nothing to joke about and I hope that everything works out for you. best wishes and hope those migrains stop!

Fireman32

Joe glad it went ok. I was the same way yesterday when I went into the dentist to get my wisdom teeth out. But it was not as bad as I thought.

Big Dawg

Just saw this - Glad you made it there and back with your head all in one piece.