I realize that a lot of folks have difficulty with the MRI machines; the claustrophobia issues, the noise, the needle for the dye, etc. Fortunately, I don't suffer those problems. I think I may have fallen asleep during my last MRI. Taking a prescription tranquilizer before the test should help those who need it. Adopting the attitude that this 'ordeal' isn't really optional and knowing that you won't suffocate while in the machine might help, too, depending on your ability to psych yourself a bit in order to do what you know needs to be done. At least the MRI - which we need to have - doesn't do us any real harm, unlike X-rays.
I underwent extensive (and uncomfortable) dental work some years ago. To get through it, I used to tell myself that not only was this necessary and ultimately beneficial to me (and no one else) but that it was only an hour out of my life. I did this one appointment at a time. I would think about what I was going to do that evening and generally let my mind 'detach' from the reality of the dental chair and the procedures I was undergoing. It worked well so I do the same thing now, when I undergo an MRI scan. Being deaf in one ear makes the noise bearable (I use the earplug, anyway) and I don't develop claustrophobia. I don't like the needle but I can't really see it (and don't want to) and it's only a momentary pinch.
If we're serious about protecting our well-being, individually, we'll have to figure out the best way to get through these scans because they are both necessary and, unfortunately, will remain a constant - usually annually - in our post-AN lives. Avoiding them out of fear is self-defeating.
Jim
