A dear friend needs an MRI of her her breast, but has sever claustrophobia. The open machine can not be used for the breast. She has had a bad reaction to Valium type drugs in the past, so that option is out. Bio-feedback is being explored to control the claustrophobia.
Does anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks so much!!
Sounds dumb and likely won’t work for everyone, but a blindfold worked way better than drugs for me. Something about knowing that I wouldn’t be able to see how tight it was even if I opened my eyes, which I didn’t seemed to help. Pretty sure they knock little kids completely out sometimes to make sure they are still so there may be alternatives that are more substantial than valium if need be.
What Laurierace said…ask for a cold wash cloth to cover your eyes…and put yourself in a happy place… for me, the good news it works, bad news I have had so many MRI’s I don’t care anymore…
lavender scented eye shield and weighted with buckwheat hulls or something similar
you can get them in upper tone bed and body work kind of stores
also if you can bring in a CD player for outside the machine and play something soothing
I brought a CD of Peruvian folk flute and drum music for Radiation therapy - they had the player and encouraged it
this was open air, but . . .
also what I liked was one technician would talk to you a lot telling you time left and just generally encouraging - ask if they will do this
not all techs and MRI locations will do this
from my experience with full body scans (about 40-50 minutes)
an upper body for breast should take about 25 minutes
see if they will tell you this in advance of they day so you can either set you mind to it or practice??
Best of luck with the process AND with the outcome
How about versed or proprofol? She’s going to need an iv anyway, since its a contrast study. It can also be done in a large bore mri, I think, which should help.
Takes about 30 minutes, and you’re face down. Very easy to zone out. I think being face up is harder.
Thanks so much everyone! My dear friend has always struggled with claustrophobia and panic attacks. If she was a horse you would have to drug her to get her in a trailer. I will let you know how we get her into the MRI. 
Xanex, Valium, something similar. Surely the doctor could prescribe one or two doses to get her through the procedure.
Cindyg, you missed that she has had a bad reaction to valium type drugs.
My mother, newly diagnosed with breast Cancer, has horrible Claustrophobia. She researched her area to find an Open MRI. It’s still a tube, but it’s open at the end where your head goes. Good luck to her!
[QUOTE=Calamber;8063553]
Cindyg, you missed that she has had a bad reaction to valium type drugs.[/QUOTE]
I’m sorry.
Well, in that case, I might go to a health food store and ask for a calming supplement. Rescue Remedy or something similar. I’m not really recommending that; but I might consider it in her case.
Or wine?
The problem is, she’s going to have to test it somehow before the big event. 
Yes, earbuds and relaxing music; but the MRI machines I’m familiar with are too loud for that.
Bringing your own music will probably not work unless they are set up to play your MP3s.
Anything that reacts to magnets will not fly (so most earphones/earbuds along with MP3 players etc will not be allowed). Some machines do have special headphones to play music choices they provide.
MRIs work using very strong magnets… (the ‘M’ in MRI )
Prop idol or adavan (lorazepam)? I listened to music when I had my MRI. I also had lorazapam.
The problem with covering the eyes is that for a breast MRI, you are laying on you belly with your tata’s hanging free (and your breastbone on a rather uncomfortable “shelf” (at least when I had one done 5 years ago). The doctors should be able to prescribe a pre-med. I didn’t find it confining at all. Much better than laying on your back and having that tube about 6 inches from you face.
Good luck to you friend.
Susan
I have the laying on your back kind on Tuesday. Not exactly looking forward to it, but my doc has given menthe good drugs and my DH is forewarned that he will be doing chauffeur duty. If it finds the source of my painful back and hips so I can ride in comfort again, I will gladly tolerate it…
There are plenty of anxiolytic/sedative alternatives to valium that her doctor can prescribe. The suggestions on here are great for someone who is just a bit nervous about the MRI, but someone with severe claustrophobia is going to be completely panicking. Has she had the conversation with her doctor about the extent of her fears?
Many thanks to everyone. We are touring at all the machines in the area, hoping one will work for her. I will also set up an appointment with an anesthesiologist who is connected to the facility where the MRI is. May be they can just knock her out like they do for a colonoscopy?
And Thank You to the poster who sent a PM, I was finally able to open your message this morning. My wicked old compooter will not let me respond. It keeps filling the reply area with the PM and won’t let me erase or over-write.
[QUOTE=atr;8065491]
I have the laying on your back kind on Tuesday. Not exactly looking forward to it, but my doc has given menthe good drugs and my DH is forewarned that he will be doing chauffeur duty. If it finds the source of my painful back and hips so I can ride in comfort again, I will gladly tolerate it…[/QUOTE]
And, depending on how far up the back, I have found that for me, just tipping my head back to see “outside” the tube really helps. If I look straight up, I do tend to want to get wigged out.
The machine also usually has a bit of cold air blowing on your face which helps. And yes, if they offer music, take it. You can listen to music, you just can’t bring your own stuff usually; responds to the magnets in the machine. The headphones they offer don’t…
I’ve had a few (primarily lumbar spine area but one thoracic) and they, IMO, aren’t too bad. I just focus on the air and looking back outside the tube. The newer machines are also not as noisy but I find listening to the noises each scan makes is interesting. Some scans are short, some are a bit longer and each has their own distinctive noise pattern.
[QUOTE=cheektwocheek;8063663]
My mother, newly diagnosed with breast Cancer, has horrible Claustrophobia. She researched her area to find an Open MRI. It’s still a tube, but it’s open at the end where your head goes. Good luck to her![/QUOTE]
From what I understand, an open MRI doesn’t have the resolution for a breast MRI. What you’re describing is “wide bore” or “large bore” and its a wider, shorter tube. Here’s an article explaining the difference:
http://info.blockimaging.com/bid/102182/Closed-Bore-MRI-vs-Open-MRI-vs-Wide-Bore-MRI
Why not do a breast ultrasound instead of an MRI? Both MR and UL have been shown to be equally effective scanning dense breasts or breast abnormalities. If her doctor won’t give her a referral, she needs to find a new doctor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGk-0JXnPiQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJPSJfdSdkY
My sister just had one. She too, is claustrophobic. Meds were not an option, but me sitting at her head, holding her hand was. I simply vowed to pull her out, bare ass naked if need be, the second she asked me to, she knew I’d do it. I have the same problem with MRIs, it isn’t the space, it’s being confined in it, immobile and thinking I can’t get out. So the first thing I do, is tell the nurses and techs, hang on, and I wriggle my way out. Once I’ve done that (and I’ve had way too many of these now) it’s not perfect, but it’s better.
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