"Fear of enclosed spaces during my MRI scan"

I had to have a brain MRI scan. I am terrified of enclosed spaces so asked for sedation...after being questioned, over the phone, WHY I should want sedation we came to an understanding and very quickly the appointment arrived...only to lead to even more fears with all the possible side effects that I thought not only could happen but would. In the end I decided I would try to do it without on the understanding that if necessary I could change my mind at any time.

From what was initially going to 45minutes, the radiographer said she could do it in 10minutes..even got it down to 8 minutes and 20seconds. I knew it was going to be loud but I had the radio and constant contact with the staff...I also had an eye guard so I wouldn't be tempted to open my eyes to see just how closed in I was...that would have scared me silly.

After 10minutes all was over and the very nice radiographers came out for a little chat and explained they had some very "good" pictures....let's hope so, as nice as they were I really don't want to go back.

I could have done with being told this, without the long list of "reasons not to have the sedation"...I have MS and being traumatised as I was, could easily have brought on an attack. To have a letter with a time of 45minutes when the radiographer, at the department, said straight away that this was never the case for the sort of scan I was having, would have made everything so much better...the experience, in the end, wasn't so bad, but two weeks without sleep just thinking about it all was not in the least bit clever, indeed, it could have led to me not even turning up.