I happened upon some posts when looking up info on my topic. I had a lumbar mri the other night and talked my way through it. I was supposed to habe a thoracic with and without but couldn't continue for it. For the lumbar they strapped a large pad over me. For the thoracic they will be doing the same thing but over my chest which makes me panicky just thijking about it. I have the next mri scheduled but wake at night now having a hard time breathing and have to sit up from dreaming about it. I even have the heart palpatations and difficulty breathing just laying doen thinking about it. I didn't have meds and am going to ask for them but worry they will not work. I tried the first MRI machine and was squished in it and couldn't do it at all so they sent me to another place for the open bore but I am still strapped down in a tube with my head closed in and elbows pinned. Self talk doesn't seem to work for me. Anxious now!!!