Justakid Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 OK, I know that almost everyone here has had a PET Scan but me! What is the tube like that you go in to? Is it like the MRI or is it open? I am claustrophobic and want to know what to expect! Does it really take an hour to do the scan like they say? Any information is appreciated, I need to remain calm. Have an MRI today, took two benadryl, hopefully that will mess me up enough so I don't notice the rabbit hole I'll be pushed into! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
close to the edge Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 it is a dougnut shape if i recall correctly my head wasnt in it it did take a long time though abput an hour get a book on meditation take the benadril and practice meditatiing during the test good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 Beth, My husband didn't like it because it took so long and they wouldn't let him move at all. He said it's very small and tight. Said he felt like a sausage. He's not claustrophic, so that was ok. He was just uncomfortable and didn't like it. I'm claustrophic, so they would have to drug me! LOL!! It will be over before you know it! Love, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 Hi , I have had 2 and it was donut shaped and did take a long time---first (at least in my case) they inject you with radioactive material and you have to sit still for about 45 minutes---then you lay on the table and the table slowly moves you through the machine---(very slowly) But most of the time your head is out---I asked why they cannot do just part of the body and they said it is set up to do the whole body? ---the first time my arms had to be over my head---and after an hour I was in pain from that position, I did not think I could hold it another second ---the next time they said I could leave them next to my side but it is better the other way--well I opted for the side and it was not at all bad---I almost fell asleep! I could never do a closed MRI-or cat -I have always had open ones--as I too get claustrophobia---but this was not too bad except for the position of the arms and when my head went in it--but it was still an open feeling as your body is not in a large tube--- I thought the MRI of the head was much worse than this test good luck with your test and I hope everything works out great for you regards- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MurielK Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 I worry about everything and seem to make the worst of all situations. Nonetheless, I fell asleep during the time in the donut shaped machine. You'll be fine. Close your eyes and maybe you'll fall asleep, too. Muriel K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDianneB Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 Ditto what the others have said -- I just had one this morning! Where I go, they do the injection (radioactive glucose) then I sit for an hour (some places it's 45 minutes), then on the table and the scan takes about 45 minutes. I don't like the arm over the head thing either, but if I grasp the other arm with each hand, it's easier. The first set of scans had my head inside just barely -- just about at my chin. After a few series of scans and as I came out of the donut, they let me relax my arms, so it wasn't too bad. I will NOT have an MRI in one of the old machines, but CTs and PET scans in these smaller, "donut" shaped machines are fine. They aren't very wide at all (CT machine is wider than the PET scanner I was in this morning) so there is light all around. I've had 3 CTs and 3 PETS since June of this year, so I'm becoming an expert on being the patient. Ha. I told the tech this morning that I was worried because I'm beginning to know my way around that massive Radiology Department. Di Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvmydog2 Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 When I had a PET a stupid fly got in from nowhere and landed on my nose. I was scared to move for fear that the test would be wrong and not be accurate. Be my luck where I moved was where a tumor was and might not show. In order not to move, I start blowing my breath that direction to shoo it away. After a few minutes of this the Tech stops the machine and ask if I was OK. Don't know how she knew I was taking deep breaths and blowing out . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justakid Posted November 23, 2004 Author Share Posted November 23, 2004 Well it sounds like the PET Scan is smaller (shorter) then the MRI machine. I guess if I made it through the MRI I can do a PET Scan without freaking out. I just hope there is not a fly with me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justakid Posted November 29, 2004 Author Share Posted November 29, 2004 Wow, had my PET Scan today. Didn't like that at all! Maybe cause there was nobody to hold my hand. They injected me with the dye and made my lay on a stretcher in a pitch black room for 1 hour. Well I don't like the dark (that's my my signon is Justakid)! Didn't have any night lights! You could barely make out the light under the door. I asked if this was to see if I glowed in the dark. I lay there in the dark trying not to get upset, rough! Then I sat in the waiting room for an hour. Then we get to go into the tube! Yea! Lay with your arms over your head! Painful, after 45 minutes I couldn't bring my arms down. Then they sent me out so they could reprogram the machine, the technician said that because of my history, he wanted to get pictures of just my chest. Because of the surgery and treatment he wanted to make sure they could tell the difference between tumors and other stuff. He said that he wasn't doing this because he saw something and didn't want me to get upset. Guess he saw the look on my face . I had to go back in for 15 minutes. Those last 15 minutes were hell! I tried very hard to keep it together and not get upset. Boy that was hard, I kept trying to picture my childrens faces, well that didn't work, it got me upset! It was finally over and I kept my cool till we got into the car, then I let lose! I felt much better after my hysterics! Don't like those tubes, don't like tight places. Guess what I sang (in my head) through the procedure?......That spaghetti song...."on top of spaghetti all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed".......of all the things to think about in the middle of stress....I come up with that song. I won't mention that I listened to X-mas carols for 8 hours yesterday and if anything should be going through my mind (song wise) it should be Frosty or Rudolph songs. Oh well, this story wasn't as funny as the MRI story but.....think about a 37yr old, who is bald, scared of the dark and claustriphobic (sp?)....singing a meatball song.....sounds pretty funny to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.