MRI Phobia

[LilithsThrall]

In less than 8 hours, I'll have an MRI.

I tried to have it on Friday, but had a panic attack.

I had one done earlier this year without a problem. I think, though, that the fact that I've had chronic pain for so long and the fact that I'm on Norco (which has anxiety as a side effect) is making this MRI more difficult.

Its almost 4:00am, I haven't been able to sleep for hours. I woke at 2:00 from a nightmare.

I could use a prayer or some positive energy or whatever you could send my way.

[meatrace]

Are you claustrophobic or what?

[LilithsThrall]

meatrace wrote:

Are you claustrophobic or what?

Not ordinarily. In fact, I'm not typically scared of much of anything. But, this is different. I think its different because of the reasons I posted earlier.

[Bruunwald]

I never had a problem with the dentist in my life until a few months ago, when I suffered a major panic attack before they could even get my root canal started.

Before I went back for a second try, I asked myself how I got through all the other visits over the years with no trouble. One big part of it is that I usually had a "happy place" to go to. That is, I was always able to distract my mind by keeping it occupied on some idea or event or place.

A panic attack is a downward spiral, as I'm sure you've noticed. The more you think about the attack or why you are having it, the more alert your body becomes, causing you to obsess more, causing your body to heighten the alert, causing more obsession, etc...

You need to try to head it off by reminding yourself that all is well and you are in no danger. Find your happy place, your center, and concentrate on that.

[Freehold DM]

Can you do the standing one? I know my late aunt was also quite fearful of MRIs, and the standing ones(which had just come out at the time) were her only way through.