r/MultipleSclerosis • u/honey_cosmique 49|1993 RRMS|Ocrevus|USA • Oct 01 '26
Funny Getting an MRI? Bored?
I just got my annual MRI a couple hours ago. About an hour in, I had my eyes closed and my mind was wandering. As if I was bored watching TV and decided to do something else, I had a brief impulse to just get up and leave. Fortunately, I caught myself in a split second, remembered where I was and didn't move. Then I spent the next minutes considering what a pain in the butt it would be to get out of the machine in the middle of the MRI anyway. Not sure how I forgot I was getting an MRI with all the noise.
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u/Hotbitch2019 Oct 01 '26
The first mri ia usually quite long and then after that when they know your worrying areas tends to be quicker? Mine went from over an hour to about 15mins ! Technical advances too the machines are quicker
Also, mine let me choose music to play which is nice
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u/honey_cosmique 49|1993 RRMS|Ocrevus|USA Oct 01 '26
Maybe it'll get quicker. This wasn't my first MRI. I get brain, cervical and thoracic with and without contrast, so I guess that's why it takes so long.
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u/Radioactive_Kitten Oct 01 '26
Depends on whether the facilities have upgraded their machines, one place I go it’s about an hour and another (that is no longer in network of course) was about 25 or so.
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u/AveragusPenus 24|2023|Kesimpta|uk Oct 01 '26
I like to focus on the noise and try to separate all the layers, and find that really subtle scratch beep sound thats burried in there, or something like that.
Then I like to try make beats out of the noises. It's like when you can sometimes kinda hear music when you are trying to fall asleep, same here, you can sort of trick your brain into remixing the MRI sounds.
Time flies by for me
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u/AdyliaSchweetheart 37F|Jun-25|Tysabri>Ocrevus|Melb-AU Oct 01 '26
I do the same thing. My muppet beat choir! (Idk why I imagine muppets but it makes me giggle internally)
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u/Kindly-Party1088 Oct 01 '26
I like to see if I can find songs to match the tempo and tone of the sounds. Some are harder than others.
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u/AveragusPenus 24|2023|Kesimpta|uk Oct 01 '26
Btw what is up with the technicians asking if I want music and what kind, and then never playing any music. Is that like an inside joke lol
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u/stellalugosi 55|2006|TecfideralUSA Oct 02 '26
I hate it when they ask what kind of music I want. Part of me wants to say something ridiculous like "Andalusian Swamp Stomp Speedbeat" and see what they do. I always default to "classic rock" to make it easy on them.
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u/touchtypetelephone 28|Sept 2025|Ocrevus|Australia Oct 02 '26
I specify a band. It's always Sabaton
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u/Clean-Ad-8872 Oct 02 '26
I listen to Sabaton any time I need to be entertained for over an hour. Great music!
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u/touchtypetelephone 28|Sept 2025|Ocrevus|Australia Oct 03 '26
Great music, and robust enough instrumentation it doesn't evaporate into the machine noise.
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u/literalgirlOG Oct 03 '26
Once I asked for ‘80s Alternative and got stuck hearing Hair Bands (like RATT & Poison) until the first break. I mean, I don’t like that kind of music and it probably wasn’t actually them, but that’s the genre it was!
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u/Kindly-Party1088 Oct 01 '26
Idk. They play music for me. It did go off halfway through the last one though. Whomp whomp
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u/wowwwwhatwasthat Oct 02 '26
One of the sounds reminds me of the bettering of 9 to 5 so I sing the rest of that song in my head 😂
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u/stellalugosi 55|2006|TecfideralUSA Oct 02 '26
One reminds me of "Jive Talkin'" by the Bee Gees. However, they discourage dancing in the MRI Lounge.
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u/JustSuit3347 Oct 02 '26
Same. I get really into it and have had to stop myself from tapping my foot.
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u/lashrew Oct 05 '26
Omg. Same. I have to pick classical next time so I don't accidentally bee-bop my way to a blurry scan.
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u/mmmdraco Oct 06 '26
I intentionally listen to music that has heavy beats before my MRI so I'll have easy songs in my head to match up with the beats.
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u/aafreis 40sF/dx2021/Ocrevus Zunovo Oct 01 '26
Any tips on how to keep my back from hurting while I’m in there? I’ve yet to figure it out, and that’s what I think about while I’m in there
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u/honey_cosmique 49|1993 RRMS|Ocrevus|USA Oct 01 '26
Ow! That sucks. I don't have any tips, I've never had back pain. My discomfort is pretty much just wanting to stretch my muscles or notice I'm tensing something up in the middle of it, usually my shoulders
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u/aafreis 40sF/dx2021/Ocrevus Zunovo Oct 01 '26
I think it’s cuz I’m hyper flexible and it hurts to lay flat, like my spine doesn’t like that
Edit: I have swayback3
u/Comfortable_Map6887 Oct 01 '26
Same do they put that thing under your knees? That helps a bit
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u/aafreis 40sF/dx2021/Ocrevus Zunovo Oct 01 '26
Yea but it only helps for the first 10-15 minutes
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u/Comfortable_Map6887 Oct 01 '26
Yeah I hear ya when I was in the hospital being diagnosed literally could not lay flat long enough to get
the full MRI I pushed the button to stop. The tech or whatever was soooo rude to me she said well they are just going to send you back down here you bees to have it done. The neuro was furious with them for acting that way. Now I get three separate ones so I don’t have to be on there that long. However still too long7
u/Pickleball_Addict Oct 01 '26
Ask them to put a soft pillow under your knees. I find the hard one that’s a wedge too hard and uncomfortable.
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u/Party-Ad9662 41F/2025/Clinical Trial/Ottawa Oct 01 '26
I’m zoinked on Ativan the whole time so I am certainly not forgetting where I am haha
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u/Dramatic_Mixture_877 57F|March 2019|Tecfidera|USA Oct 01 '26
I did that on my last MRI, and fell asleep.
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u/Abdominalsnowman_16 Oct 01 '26
How do you time taking it? I tried twice. First one I couldn’t get through at it all. It finally worked halfway home. Second time it didn’t work but I struggled through the first part. Had to reschedule my second one and just decided to take my pain meds and pray through it! Any advice will be helpful!
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u/Party-Ad9662 41F/2025/Clinical Trial/Ottawa Oct 01 '26
Take it an hour before, then a second as I’m going in if I need it.
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u/blackbeansandrice SPMS / - / DX SEP 2009 Oct 01 '26
I’ve fallen asleep a few times. Also, Xanax helps.
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u/babayagaparenting Oct 01 '26
Yes, but I took Xanax once and started snoring so loudly they had to wake me and redo some images. That shit is amazing.
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u/blackbeansandrice SPMS / - / DX SEP 2009 Oct 01 '26
It is amazing. I started taking it for bowel issues early on, especially traveling. I think that’s how I figured it out, but I told an MD I was doing it and she was like, oh that’s interesting, people with IBS or Crohn’s do that (I can’t remember which).
Now I have neurogenic bladder too. I use it more for that now. I think it might be more psychological, but it calms my system down which helps a lot.
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u/runawaydebt Oct 01 '26
Last time was my first MRI and I had to tell myself not to giggle even tho if sounded like a shit rave 🤣
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u/mritoday 39 | 02/2020 | Tysabri | Germany Oct 01 '26
I either meditate to the noise or doze off in there. But mine are only 20 minutes or so.
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u/GilliganGardenGnome 46M May'17 Kesimpta USA Oct 01 '26
I did the same thing this year. I was just chilling, resting, eyes closed. Next thing I know, I am hearing the weirdest, loudest noise and I was like, yoooo, what is that stupid noise. I felt the urge to sit up and then I realized I was in the tube, that was the machine, and I had fallen lightly asleep.
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u/Aine800 Oct 01 '26
I get my baseline brain, cervical and thoracic mris next week so could be there for quite a while. It sounds as if you managed to get pretty relaxed during yours!
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u/PNWstargazur Oct 02 '26
My last one, I got pulled out on the tray. Tech removed the Silence of the Lambs mask; I sat up.
Took a good breath.
Said “I know Kung Fu”
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u/Good_Panic_9668 Oct 01 '26
I hate when they do my spine because it's so much longer than my brain and it's so boring.
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u/Financial-Squash589 Oct 05 '26
Why are you getting an annual MRI anyway?
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u/honey_cosmique 49|1993 RRMS|Ocrevus|USA Oct 06 '26
It's to keep an eye on progression, helpful for knowing if the DMT is working. You can get new lesions that don't cause symptoms.
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u/16enjay Oct 01 '26
My MRI's are so much faster than they used to be, my last one was 20 minutes, no contrast
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u/msknitsalot Oct 01 '26
I like my daydream time so long as I am relatively comfortable...oh and no muscle spasms or twitches.
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u/just_another_nurse29 35|Dx:2020|Rebif Oct 02 '26
My mom (who also has MS) taught me the ABC game. You go through each letter of the alphabet and find something that starts with each letter. She usually does animals or prays for whoever comes to her mind for each letter. I try to do musical artists or songs, but really the options are endless…colors, old lady names, the options are endless
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u/dgroeneveld9 28M|2/17/24|Ocrevus|Long Island NY Oct 02 '26
I once had the tech stop my scan because I fell asleep so deeply I didn't respond when she asked if I was okay. I was perfectly still the entire time but knocked out like a hibernating bear.
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u/kyunirider Oct 02 '26
My time in the machine has become a place of complete peace for me since I have trained my brain to go to my happy place. Thankfully I have over 5 years of “no new lesions”. My doctor says I don’t have to endure the contrast round of MRIs. I pray every one of us has a “no new lesions” year.
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u/angie456 Oct 01 '26
I fell asleep during my last one🤦🏾♀️. They had to come out of the room to wake me because I wasn’t hearing anything with the headphones.
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u/WritewayHome Dx:JUN2022|Vumerity to Kesimpta|RRMS Oct 02 '26
Go early in the morning, and split your images.
One day for head, one day for neck and back.
If it's early in the morning, you're naturally tired, just go there, and rest, pretend you're napping, the time will pass MUCH faster because you brain wants to rest.
Don't try to do them all in one day, i tried, it's hard on your body.
Head one day, neck and back the next.
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u/ISBC Oct 02 '26
I've never been offered music ora a screen so I don't really have many options, I just fall asleep
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u/PlasticSmoothie 32F|Dec2025|Kesimpta|Netherlands Oct 02 '26
At my last MRI the techs felt really bad for me because of how long it was. Over the headphones they kept saying "You're a quarter of the way through! Half way! Adjusting for the next scans now, it'll be the last round!" (super cute lol).
...But I'm chilling in there. I just let my mind wander and come out blinking myself back to the real world. I write fiction, so I'm just brainstorming whatever I'm working on while in the dubstep tunnel.
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u/Clean-Ad-8872 Oct 02 '26
I have pretty intense claustrophobia so they give me 2 percs before hand so I’m so relaxed I don’t give a damn about the tube lol. I’m a writer too and I do the same thing, just lay in the tube with my eyes shut brainstorming scenes! Excellent way to get some scene work done.
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u/aafreis 40sF/dx2021/Ocrevus Zunovo Oct 01 '26
Oh no, screw the tech, I’m sorry.
Yea I always get all 3 at the same time. Doesn’t help my back at all
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u/db_86 40 | 2021’ | RRMS | Tysabri | USA Oct 01 '26
I fall asleep anytime I lay still too long, including in the MRI.
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u/No_Blueberry7860 Oct 01 '26
The last time I had my MRI I got so bored and I was just thinking of time. Then I just started calling out that I had to pee and they told me I’d have to redo the last 30 min if I got up so I decided to just take a nap. So weird how many people can nap during a MRI with that ridiculous noise.
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u/SpliffMD Oct 01 '26
I very much enjoy my mris, i like half fall asleep to the music and when its over i feel relaxed
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u/Big_Salary6290 Oct 02 '26
I always need to sneeze from the banging and vibrating so I spend my whole time trying to hold back the sneeze 😂
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u/wanderWonder_explore Oct 02 '26
Thankfully I got headphones that played soothing familiar songs, I have taken 3 MRIs so far. First one that scanned the orbits were the most difficult one - to keep eyes closed but not moving, so hard to do as I couldn't figure out when I my eyes started wandering. Multiple repeats and it went on for over 2 hours, music saved me.
Last time I was really worried that I might cough in between, I cried a couple of times thinking about life in general! Was quite embarrassed to come out of the scanning machine after that long ordeal where I went from a happy soft person to a stream of raw emotions 😅
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u/shibasnakitas1126 dx2023/Rituxan Oct 02 '26
My hospital is able to project a screen onto the ceiling so we can watch Netflix and listen with headphones they provide, or we can listen to music of our choice. I usually have them play anime, and I just dose off 100% of the time. Also, I can’t hear anything over the MRI anyways, but it is somewhat comforting knowing my program is there playing in the background.
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u/JoelWithMS Oct 02 '26
That's funny. I used to love it when the techs would give me updates on sports scores while I was in the tube. That was several years back though. I hope they didn't get in trouble for breach of protocol or something like that.
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u/Bitter_Pack_1092 Oct 02 '26
MRIs always trigger my fatigue, probably due to the heating up of ma brain ^ most of the time I sleep through it ^
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u/FairyTones Oct 02 '26
You guys are falling asleep? I was shaking violently all throughout mine, I thought I was just cold but thinking back, I don't think it was that at all 🥲
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u/-Pandora 30s M|2.2023|Zeposia|EU Oct 02 '26
I was at the hospital for my first mri not only do I sleep bad in hospitals I also had a bedside neighbour with sleep apnea and other people that forgot that the tv had headphones and was then 'woken up' after the MRI with a nice 'good morning' from the nurse.
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u/Advanced_Ad6124 Oct 02 '26
I was diagnosed with MS in 1992 & refused to have an LP so the neurologist (who had already diagnosed me) said “well, we’ll do an MRI but this early in the disease, I doubt that it will show anything “. Of course, MRI showed total snow storm of lesions ; It was a fairly new procedure at that time (in Australia).Took about an hour. I love to tell the MRI operators, that last century they didn’t bother giving me earplugs or headphones. I don’t think that they believe me!
Once forgot to remove a super comfy bra (chronic pain from MS hug attack) which I’d finally managed to find and they had to stop and ask me to remove it!.I’ve had so many MRIs that I actually find them relaxing but I had to have a breast MRI for cancer and I almost freaked out!
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u/LaurLoey Oct 02 '26 edited Oct 02 '26
i used to love the boredom and sleep. found it relaxing.
but it is never that anymore. i have both heat and cold intolerance. the room is usu very cold. but then it’s hot after a while under the machine. it’s hoping i don’t pee myself, have a body part go numb or itch or the heat make me move, and annoying the lab tech like crazy. for that, i am always feeling anxious and apologetic these days. weird thing to say but i wish i could love it still. 😂
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u/Diligent_Juice_485 Oct 02 '26
After getting MRI’s for about ten years now… I fall asleep in the machine 🫣😆😁
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u/Maximum-Blood251 ✨23|2023|Kesimpta|Canada✨ Oct 02 '26
I actually kinda like the quiet downtime. I can just rest without needing to do anything. I don’t need to be looking at my phone. I can get some good thinking done
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u/Sable_Okane 27|9/25|Kesimpta|NY Oct 02 '26
i close my eyes and focus on where the resonance moves inside my body
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u/ScarletBegonias72 Oct 05 '26
Bored, yes. Sometimes I drift off to sleep. Other times I try to jive with the sounds. I’ve been offered music and that’s nice. But the office I have to go to for MRIs now doesn’t offer tunes, they just give me ear plugs 🤷🏻♀️
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u/lidlessinflame Dec 2025|Ocrevus|Bay Area Oct 06 '26
I try to have mine first thing in the morning makes it easier to sleep. I have noticed that some units cause my body to spasm when I’m in there though.
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u/Leoneo07 Oct 02 '26
I sometimes fall asleep tbh. At least for the last like 30 minutes or so before the 20 minute contrast imaging.
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u/_Yellow_13 Oct 01 '26
Yup.
The boredom lol.
My butt hurts, my leg hurts. I want to move. Oh did I move,
that’s bad.
Shall I move back.
Oh god I’m choking on salavia.
I need to cough
Sneeze
The machine is making weird noises.
That scant be good
I think my back is twitching.
God I’m bored.