Hey everyone,

Just wanted to say hi! I'm new to this site and have joined as my neuro thinks I have TLE. I'm awaiting my first ever MRI and I'm really scared!

I discovered I'm claustrophobic years ago when my mum tried to make me go on a tour of a mine shaft...pretty much I ran out screaming and felt the most afraid I ever have in my life! Also I once crawled into my sleeping bag head first (not sure why now! ) and a similar thing occured.

So...I'm thinking an MRI is going to be a bit scary for me! My anxiety levels have gone through the roof these last few months as well, possibly just a natural response to the sudden increase in simple partial seizures (we think they're the only type I have at present) or the anxiety center in my brain could be effected by the epilepsy.

I'm going to be sedated, but I'm scared I'll be too dopey to tell them I want to get out if I need too...and I've never been sedated before so I'm worried I could react unpredictably or something.

Pretty much I'm just terrified!

Anyone have any suggestions???
What should I expect to happen?
How did you cope?

I'm allowed to bring some music, and it's at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne MRI Imaging Center (Australia), if anyone on here has by some chance had an MRI there...I'd love to know just how claustrophobic their machines are, it said on the website they have newer ones which are fairly wide and short.

Sorry to make my first post a giant whinge! I really respect what a great technology MRIs are, and I want to do all I can to make sure I don't chicken out. At the moment I'm worried I won't be able to go through with it...

Thanks for the great site, and I look forward to chatting with you all,

Luna.