"Feeling very isolated in the scanner"

I was called by Alliance Medical for a PET scan at MPH.

Staff both on the phone before and at scan appointment were caring and attentive and I have nothing but praise for them.

However the scan experience itself i.e. being in the scanner was unpleasant and could have been improved by a couple of simple measures:

*Unlike a previous scan experience I had, probably for an MRI scan at Musgrove there was no background music, this would have helped  relax me a bit and been an indication of how  much time was passing.

*I was told the scan would be 20 minutes but inside the scanner, sightless and totally immobile it is not possible to know how much time was passing.  If a human voice spoke via a speaker to tell me if the procedure was half way through, nearly over or even some encouraging remark it would have severely lessened my anxiety and the horrible feeling of isolation. Being in a scanner is a sort of sensory deprivation.

I had told staff that I am a bit claustrophobic and had brought along a Diazepam from my GP which they saw me take to try to help me relax .

So to conclude; plenty of care and reassurance before the procedure but in the period when I needed it:- inside the scanner, I felt totally isolated.