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claustrophobia preventing me from getting needed scans. Help?

Posted by rotate @rotate, Dec 26, 2025

I have severe claustrophobia, which I discovered some years ago on my first MRI scan. It means that I can only do MRI or PET with general anesthesia or heavy sedation, which I don't know if Mayo even provides.

The Mayo allowed limit on benzodiazepines (Klonopin, Ativan, etc) is so low that I can take the limit and not even feel it, much less have adequately lessened anxiety.

Has anyone else dealt with this - in the context of medical imaging?

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rotate | @rotate | Dec 28, 2025
In reply to @frouke "@rotate I also have Ativan for anxiety and it’s fairly helpful but I use too many..." + (show)
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@rotate I also have Ativan for anxiety and it’s fairly helpful but I use too many for the MRI and it ruined test because I moved around too much, when they rescheduled me for another MRI I was given the larger open machine and it was completely tolerable to get through it with just one pill, believe me it is all about the type of machine that they have, I have been told by people who don’t suffer from claustrophobia that they can’t get into the older more confining machines.

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@frouke Thank you! Well, I can try it and hope for the best! 1mg of Ativan does little for me - I can't even tell I've taken it But that plus the open machine might very well work.

I had two MRI's with anesthesia in the last year, and it is a hassle. My cancer diagnosis was delayed by how long it took to schedule this (they do it routinely, but are just busy). Some MRI's (heart, for example, require you to breathe on command - so general anesthesia is out for them.

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