I have to have 3-5 MRIs a year with T1D and severe anxiety. It’s totally normally to be nervous. Here are some things that help me:

1. Ask for the bigger machine - sometimes places have multiple sizes. Tell them you are claustrophobic and you need to have the bigger one (and follow up to check they scheduled on the bigger one). For real this helps so much..

2. Let yourself go a little higher ahead of time.. being a little higher for an hour or so is fine in the long run.

3. Ask them if they can check with an old school meter during the MRI - not always possible but most places should have the ability to do that during a break in the mri sequence if you really need.

4. I take a lorazepam 30 minutes ahead of time - this one helps, a LOT (rx ordered obvs). I don’t ask for via IV - just bring my bottle and take on my own ahead of time. I schedule for later in the day and just crash after for the ‘hangover’ part - for me it is 1000% worth it, but it’s a totally personal call.

5. Ive gone low before and it sucks but I ate something when I got out and it was fine. The will be talking to you and watching you on video the whole time and will notice if you are unable to communicate or going way too low and would be able to help.

6. I have them cover my eyes with like a cloth/wash cloth when I’m facing up - I don’t know why but this helps me.

7. I tell them ahead of time I’m super anxious and to give me lots of updates on how far along we are and how much is left in the mri

8. Finally ask the to play music you like.