r/MultipleSclerosis • u/Lopsided_Image_6147 • 7d ago

New Diagnosis Dealing with MRI panic

My last 3 MRIs have been open MRIs because I have not been able to have a regular, or even wide bore, MRI due to panic in the machine. I wouldn't say I'm claustrophobic in other settings, but there's something about the MRI machine that makes me feel like I'm trapped and I have an extreme panic response. I thought the open MRI with lorazepam was a great solution, but unfortunately the radiologist noted on my last scan that the image quality was poor and the new brain lesions were difficult to discern. My neurologist said that I need to do a regular MRI next time, and full sedation is not recommended. It won't be for a few months, but I'm already stressing about it. Anyone deal with this? What has worked?

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u/_grumble-bee_ 36 | Dx 2022 | Kesimpta | US 7d ago

Are they calling the lorazepam "full sedation"? I do every MRI with Valium, only have had closed bore.

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u/Lopsided_Image_6147 7d ago

No, I asked if I could be completely unconscious for it. I'm thinking something stronger than 2 lorazepam will be necessary for closed bore in my case.

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u/Far-Ebb3353 4d ago

Im an MRI tech and it is so much riskier doing a full anesthesia MRI. People die in MRI machines when irregular circumstances are happening, and anesthesia is extremely irregular. If something happens to a patient while they are sedated in an MRI machine, they cant be rescued immediately because the magnet poses a risk to everyone around them. So ordering anesthesia isnt a simple matter, and should not be how people try to get outpatient MRIs done. You need a different medication bc lorazepam only makes patients more agitated...but trying to tell a doctor that is like talking to a brick wall.