Voice box cancer

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Hi everybody,Bucephalus here again.Last Monday had the CT scan,not as bad as I thought,but having said that twice nearly put my hand up to stop it due to my Claustriphobia,which causes anxiety and panic attacks.I only just got through it by the skin of my teeth and with the radiographer keeping talking to me and brightness of the lighting.The MRI on Wednesday was totally different-FAILED MISERABLY,lasted less than a minute.Apart from the usual as above,the small bore scanner makes it pitch black and the noise is horrendous.Expected me to complete 3 scans, 2 of 8 minutes and 1 of 5 minutes.Squeezed the emergency "END" bulb to stop this torture.Offered sedation by the radiographer,but I thought she meant arranging another appointment,but she meant there and then.Next day I requested Dr.Aynsley to decide since I had already had 2 CT scans and they had only just started MRI scans recently.She ,thank god, decided she would not put me through it.Have spoken my concerns to my GP, who has prescribed me sedation tablets to lower my anxiety and panic attacks.Will also have my favourite music played as well.FINGERS CROSSED.!!!!!.I will let you all know how the 30 treatments go.I have to get through it no matter what,the alternative does not bear thinking about.Thats all for now from a young 71 year old.

Bucephalus wishing you all well-KEEP THINKING POSITIVE!!!!

Beesuit over 3 years ago

Oh poor you. MRI is challenging anyway but if you’re claustrophobic it must be torture. Can you get sedatives for your RT? The radiographers are always really helpful and they will get you done. If you manage the mask the therapy itself isn’t bad. Mine took 10 minutes at most and I wasn’t inside a machine. The delivery head went right round me while I lay on an open treatment table.
Lots of folk took in music to play and others imagined walks and holidays. I’m just nosey and watched the machine go round.
Get eyeholes cut in your mask. That helps

Best of luck

Dani

Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

I BLOGGED MY TREATMENT

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Bucephalus over 3 years ago in reply to Beesuit

Thanks Beesuit.A good idea if they will do it .Having to keep your eyes close definitely makes things.a great deal worse.Have sedation tablets plus music to take with me.Will see when treatment starts next Thursday.Regards to you Dani from Bucephalus.

seeker1 over 3 years ago in reply to Bucephalus

What you and everyone else needs is a clock you can see. Where I was, there was one in the room that I was looking at during the MRI but I couldnt see it. Instead I had a walkie talkie where they told the time every two minutes and sometimes forgot. It is not the same. If you know how long it will still be it makes it easier. Or maybe someone talking to you nonstop would also help.

MarkEL over 3 years ago

I hated my first one as I felt so enclosed. The second one, however, had like a car’s rear view mirror set up just above my head and I could past my feet into the room where I could watch the guys busily working away behind a window, plus a clock on the wall. Such a simple thing made a huge difference. No feeling of claustrophobia at all,

FormerMember over 3 years ago

Hi ya

I think you done very well. I’m so claustrophobic that when sent for an open MRI I had a bad panic attack after being on the scanner table for about 2 minutes that we had to abandon it. Luckily the contrast CT scans were enough for my surgeon.
keeping my fingers crossed for you

FormerMember over 3 years ago in reply to FormerMember

Having a collar around my neck as well did not help the situation at all. Plus it is only open around the edge. Your kinda sandwiched in between a shelf if that makes sense

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