Wellness

[goodstuff]

On 2/2/2015 DogLvr said:

On 2/2/2015 GoodStuff said:

Your situation is not unusual; quite a few people are claustrophobic and find it difficult to go into an MRI machine. First of all, there are open MRI machines where the MRI is done in an open-sided machine, and you don't have to go "into the tunnel". Sometimes it's harder to get good pictures from an open MRI, especially from some body sites. If this is the case and your doctor doesn't want to go with an open MRI, he should be able to give you a stronger tranquilizer to keep you calm. You shouldn't need to be totally anesthetized to have an MRI procedures. There are many anti-anxiety meds besides Ativan -- Valium, Xanax, and more. I'm not sure why you're experiencing claustrophobia for a knee MRI, though. I've had one, and you simply have to put your <em>knee</em> into the machine -- not your head or the rest of your body. Do you find this frightening?

I think you need to re read the OPs comments.

Why? Hopefully the new doctor she plans to see will give her the option of an open MRI and/or a different medication to help her stay calm. It doesn't sound like her current doctor is being very helpful. I'm not sure why just putting a knee into the MRI machine frightens her, but if it does......it does.

[Suziepeach]

On 2/3/2015 RedHeadedWench said:

Oh Lord, I am the same way. I am going to a new neurologist tomorrow, and I know he's going to want new MRI's.

Red, I know this is easier said than done but try to go with it if he does want a new MRI.. Even with the Xanax I was dang aware of what was going on but after it started, I just let my own music and thoughts be my guide. Thank goodness the cool air was blowing just right onto my neck.. I kept thinking back to my husband, who is a cancer survivor.. his treatments for 6 weeks, 5 days a week were from the lower part of his chest up to the bottom of his ear with a mask on.. if he could do that then by George I could man up and do that MRI but it took a lot of talking too by other techs, LOL.. and my husband, who kept saying, "After what I went through, it's a piece of cake."

[hckynut]

On 2/2/2015 lynnzzz said: We give propofol . at my hospital all the time for MRI's. Better known as, "Michael Jackson Juice" but very safe if administered by an anesthesiologist or CRNA! I had it for my colonoscopy! Wonderful drug and you feel good when you wake up!

No sure what "we give propofol" means in your statement, mostly the "we" part of it.

Sounds like you have a good health plan. Ain't no way Medicare, at least not for me, would pay to have an Anesthesiologist present during all of these procedures I have had over the years.

My nephew is an Anesthesiologist. I will ask him if he as ever done this for a CAT Scan or an MRI and see what he tells me. Will also ask my 2 Ortho doc friends about this when I see them at our hockey game Thursday night. Curious if they accommodate their patients using propofol. Just seems a bit much to me, but sounds like a good thing that you got this for your MRI.

With my over 13 colonoscopies, the ones where I was anesthetized, I was given Versed. They use Fentanyl and Versed for most their other patients but I decline the Fentanyl because I do not like it. Only time I had Propofol administered is when I had my 5 Double Balloon Enteroscopies, but for those I was out for 3 hours in 1 of them. This is standard for this procedure with my doctors, but not so with a Colonoscopy or Endoscopy.

[millieshops]

Hopefully your new doctor will have some idea how to help you.

I really do dislike the noise of the MRI process, but I can tolerate that better than I could tolerate lots of the meds being mentioned by others. You don't mention any reason why your first doctor didn't want to try other meds. Is there some reason beyond his (supposed) lack of knowledge?

[Suziepeach]

I am a former xray tech and am troubled by saying " we give propofol all the time at my hospital for MRI's.. All the time, really? I thought IV sedation was only given to patients that couldn't tolerate an MRI like someone with disabilities or children. I know when really bad patients were brought to us for an MRI they were already sedated due to their conditions and were monitored quite closely. I can't even fathom using that stuff all the time on all the patients. My best friend is a certified CT tech and she has never mentioned having to IV sedate anyone... I mean not just anyone can do that.. sorry but on my Radiology podium.