Just wanted to share the best advice I received from a fellow breast cancer patient ahead of my MRI scan. Like many people, I am claustrophobic and the thought of 45 mins in a noisy scanner, face down and motionless with my breasts hanging through a hole was, let’s say, making me decidedly anxious.
Two things got me through - I am sharing incase it helps anyone else.
The first is simple, I asked my GP for some diazepam which I took before the scan to take the edge off my anxiety, if your GP can’t help, ask your consultant if they can prescribe it. I don’t think it was very powerful as I felt totally alert etc but perhaps I would have felt even more anxious without taking it, so on balance I’m glad I did.
The second thing - and in my view the most effective - was to slowly list 100 things in my life I am grateful for. It sends your mind off on a busy track and stops you obsessing about being in the scanner. I found you start like a speedy checklist - my children - tick, my husband - tick, the - NHS - tick etc but then you start to slow down and think of memories and things that bring back memories. For me, being grateful that my Dad introduced me to poetry when I was very young, took me down an avenue of favourite childhood poems and stories and I could see the colour illustrations in my mind’s eye so clearly.
I got up to number 76 when I head a voice say ‘That’s it, we’re going to slide you out of the scanner now’. Give it a go - worked for me and I passed it on to another lady waiting nervously in line for her MRI.
Only other tips are that I wore a soft eye mask and that helped me tune out from the moment, also, they offered to play music or a radio station. I chose Radio 2 as it was time for the Jeremy Vine show but I’m not sure it’s worth it as I could barely hear anything through the noise of the machine. I did ask them to turn up the volume but not sure anyone heard me.
Wishing all the best to anyone waiting for an MRI breasts scan - count your blessings, close your eyes and breathe through it.
xx
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