It was open at head and feet, is that an "open" MRI?

No, an open MRI is also open at the side.

which I discovered while caving, crawling in a narrow tunnel under an obviously suspended giant rock, not the best moment

That general situation is when I realized I'm not at all claustrophobic, although I really should have known. I love cozy spaces! By which I mean, when I was a kid, I would hang out in the space between the dishwasher and the counter.

Job-ma to tommyrot and to Dana's husband!

One of my brothers is pretty severely claustrophobic, but I like cozy little dens. When I was a kid, I'd climb up onto a shelf in my closet with a pillow and read in there.

I wish I could have done that!!

When I was a kid, I'd climb up onto a shelf in my closet with a pillow and read in there.

That made me remember something I hadn't thought about in decades. We had an old buffet that had a square open area on the bottom--maybe 2' x 2'-- and I used to crawl inside that space all the time to hang out. (I think I was too young to read back then.)

So, have either of you had an MRI, and how did you take it?

I used to climb under my grandmother's coffee table. My claustrophobia, like all of my phobias, has gotten worse with age.

Job ~ma to Dana's husband, and to tommy!

Seconding Jilli's rec for Nyx, flea. Also, you can try Elf products for her -- they're really not spendy, and would do the trick fine for her needs. (Elf stands for eyes, lips, face.)

Or drugs! Drugs are an option.

I appreciate that option most of the time, so it's worth a try.

I'm not typically claustrophobic -- I like cozy spaces most of the time. There's something about being on my back with very little space above that triggers it -- if I could do an MRI on my stomach, with my head on my arm, it wouldn't be so bad (or so I think now) because I couldn't *see* that there's very little room.

I've always loved hidey spaces and snug cubby holes, and enjoyed caves, including the ones with colored lights and walkways to show off the stone formations. I'd never been claustrophobic until I had a couple of panic dreams, which I assume are related to sleep apnea. I'm...kind of really severely panicky now at the thought of a cave, or a narrowing tunnel of any sort. I climbed narrow twisty carved stone stairs under the Marksburg castle down to the dungeon--just thinking of doing that now and my heart's rabbiting as I sit here.

I think...I don't mind tight spaces so much as I really, really like breathing. No, I take it back. I *hate* tight, underground spaces. Pity. I've always wanted to cave dive, for real. Not any more. I didn't have claustrophobia as a child or even as a young adult. It's developed as I've gotten older.

Job~ma to tommyrot and Dana's hubby. Benign nodulity to Steph. And I'm really glad -t's dad's on his way home--probably there by now.

Benign nodulity to Steph.

Seconding that!

I think my claustrophobia kicks in when I don't have a quick way out.