Has anyone out there ever had an MRI?

Yep, I’ve had two - one in Kathmandu some years ago and then one in Oslo a few months ago, in connection with spinal problems.

To the recent one, which I remember best: It all went very well. First they aksked whether I was claustrophobic (I’m not) because apparently there are some new kinds of MRI that are less tunnel-like.

Next, they made absolutely sure yhat I had no metal at all one me - even had to take off my hair-elastic because it had a tiny metal stud.

Then they helped me onto the ‘table’, gave me ear plugs (NOT very good ones, I’m afraid) and warned me that there would be sudden noises, and finally gave me a cord to hold with a button I could press if I really panicked (they didn’t put it quite like that, but that was the idea)

Then either the table started sliding under the machine, or the machine moved forward, very slowly, slowly, and jerkily. It was a little creepy to be in a metal tunnel with loud banging noises, but they stopped every time the machine had made measurements and moved on for the next scan.

I just tried to think of being on a beach under palm trees, and after what didn’t seem to be such a long time - in fact I think it was 20 minutes - I was back in daylight again.

And when the results came, they were SUCH a help - all sorts of things that the doctors hadn’t been able to find out otherwise.

Good luck!