Getting a MRI is not easy, but it’s the most accurate type of scan there is.  I’ve had 3 of them as part of my high-risk screening for breast cancer and I always dread that time of the year.  While I had an ultrasound to identify my fibroids, several women also have an MRI and the position you’re in is much like the one for a breast MRI.  It’s very uncomfortable, but necessary so I thought I’d share some tips on how to make it a little better.

Note: My experience has only been with breast MRIs, but the fibroid MRIs are very similar (e.g. how you lie down on the table, the injection, etc.)

Why is the MRI uncomfortable?

When you get a breast MRI, you’ll be lying down on your stomach and your “girls” will go into two cups . Your head will go into this ring that’s much like one of those face-down massage chairs and your head will poke out so you’ll be able to breathe.  It’s not a fun experience, but it is a necessary one to maintain a scan history.

You’ll  be spread out on your stomach as though you’re flying like Superman (like this) for around 30  minutes and you’ll b e allowed to move VERY little (at most, pumping your hands when they’re about to fall asleep or slightly lifting your head in between scans). The table isn’t breathable as it’s rubber so after the scans, you’ll be drenched in sweat and feel like you’ve just worked out.

The last two scans will be when they inject you with dye to help the imaging and you will begin to feel hot and become very sweaty. This will be around the time when your arms will start to hurt because they’re falling asleep.  For fibroid scans, I don’t think you need to keep your hands above your head. Rather you can have them under your chin (like this).

Also, I’m not claustrophobic, but if you are, that will be an added level of discomfort.

How to prepare for the MRI

• Don’t choose a morning time.  You’ll be instructed not to eat 4 hours before your appointment.  At my first MRI, I thought “Well, I’ll just choose a morning time!” thinking it’d be easier to fast.  BAD IDEA. My blood sugar was so low and the scan,   which was supposed to only take 30 minutes ended up taking close to 2 hours because I was so uncomfortable and kept moving which kept ruining the scans.
• Eat something light.  I always choose to eat eggs before my MRI because they fill me up (protein) and digest quickly. For my 2nd MRI, I chose to eat a big breakfast because I hate feeling hungry and I felt nauseous after lying on my stomach for such a long time.
• Drink lots of water up to 1 hour before your appointment. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! For the first 3 hours, I drank close to 8-8 oz. cups of water (yes!).  Go to the bathroom when you get to the MRI place and then go to the bathroom again after you’ve changed into your robes.  You won’t be able to leave the MRI scanning session if you need to go to the bathroom – if you do, you’ll have to start the process all over again.
• Bring a water bottle and snack to drink and eat after the scan. You’ll be hungry and need to replenish any water that you lost during the MRI.

What to expect before the scan

1. You’ll be walked into the MRI prep area where you’ll be asked to remove everything except your socks and underwear. This is a good time to go to the bathroom after you’ve changed and are waiting to go into the scanning room.
2.  When they’re ready for you, you’ll be escorted into the MRI scanning room.  They’ll scan you for any metals and set up an IV in your arm as this is how they will inject the dye into your system.
3. You’ll be given earplugs and a headset because the MRI machine is pretty loud. Some places play music, but mine didn’t.
4. You’ll step up (they’ll have a stool) onto the table and lie down on your belly.  The nurses will position you and then instruct you  not to move from that position.
5. You’ll be given a panic button to hold onto when you’ve had enough. The nurses may just give you a break, but you will have to complete the scans unless you’re mentally incapable.
6. The table will move you into the MRI machine and the nurses will begin the scanning process.

What to expect during the scan…and how to survive it

• You’ll experience a total of around 6 scans.
  TIP: Try your best NOT to move. If you move, the nurses/technicians will have to take more scans and it’ll cost you more.
  1. no dye and around 1.5 minutes
  2. no dye and around 3 minutes
  3. no dye and around 4-5 minutes
  4. w/ dye and around 3 minutes
  5. w/ dye and around 7 minutes
     • the worst scan because you’re achy and hot, but this is also the most important scan.
  6. w/ dye and around 2 minutes
• Relax. Any sort of tenseness will cause your muscles to get tired and make you uncomfortable near the end. I literally had to tell myself to “sink into the table” over and over and not tense up at all.
• Breathe. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth throughout the entire session. This will help relax your muscles and get you through the last scan.
• Move slightly in between scans.
  • Pump your fists.  Rotate your wrists and move your fingers to get the blood flowing – don’t move your arms though…just anything above your wrists.This will help your arms not to fall asleep as much.  However, near scan 5 and 6, your arms will begin to feel the pins and needles, but it won’t hurt as much as if you had kept your arms still the entire time.  I also pushed my fingers down as though I was playing the piano during scans.
  • Raise your head (slighty). Only lift your head as any other movement below your shoulders will readjust your body and the scans will be off. I tilted my head side to side and up and down with rotations, but I only small movements because my neck was already pretty high up from the face cushion.
• Talk to and cheer yourself on.  I know this sounds corny, but by scan 5 which was 7 minutes with the dye, I’m always tempted to press the button because I just couldn’t stand it anymore.  I had to tell myself over and over “fall into the table. relax. breathe in through the mouth, out through the nose. you’ve got this. this is important. don’t move…you don’t want to have to do this over again.” It really did help.  I also sang the song to Mr. Rogers’s Neighborhood a few times because that song lasts for about a minute, is calming and I can count how much longer I have for this long, terrible scan.
• Give a thumbs up or thumbs down to the nurses in between scans. That way, they’ll know how you’re doing. Don’t be afraid to give a thumbs down if you really aren’t doing well. It’s okay…they know that it’s difficult.
• If you panic and press the button, that’s okay. The button is given out for a reason. You won’t be the first one to press it and you won’t be the last. It shows strength to know your limits!

After the scan.

• The table will come out of the MRI machine and the nurses will take out your IV and you can sit up.
• You may need to sit down for a bit if you feel dizzy.
• You’ll be sweaty. Be sure to rehydrate and eat your snack.

I received my results within a few days, but YMMV.  As my mom said after my first MRI when I was feeling so sick afterwards, “Now you know what sick people go through…” which is true.  It  helped me empathize with those who aren’t as healthy as I am and have to go through this procedure often.