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[C.Ann]

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[Christine]

C. Ann,

Claustrophia is a variant/form of an anxiety disorder. My mom has it and probably didn't develop it until her 40s. Now she has it very bad but is okay with managing it.

It could get worse, stay the same, or never happen again. I don't know what causes it. Sometimes it just has to do with how tired you are on a particular day, how you are feeling, and then having all the *wrong* things happen.

 

[minkydog]

My DH never had a problem with it, until the day they put in an MRI machine Holy Toledo! You never saw such screaming and wailing and gnashing of teeth. He nearly broke a nurse's arm getting out of there. I have had mild anxiety for years, but I didn't realize that going into caves would trigger me--until I visited Ruby Falls(TN). The ceiling is low and the crowd was large and I thought I was gonna be sick. I had to hang back at least 50ft just to breathe.

So, Yes, it is possible to suddenly have a bout of anxiety, like claustrophobia. I'm on CPAP at night and I had to find a mask that would not make me feel claustrophobic. Having my leg in a cast and one arm in a brace just makes it worse! I feel tied down and vulnerable--let the anxiety begin

 

[steffali]

I never had a problem until I was about 24 years old, It happened while I was in a cave in Aruba. The tour guide was laughing and making fun of me but believe me I walmost knocked him down trying to get back up put of that cave.
Since then if a ride says not for people with claustrophobia I will not go on like Spaceship Earth.
I had to have a MRI and I went to the completly open one and I still needed to be medicated.

 

[minkydog]

I had to have a MRI and I went to the completly open one and I still needed to be medicated.

Haha, my DH did too, and we me sitting there holding his hand. He was so drugged up he could hardly walk. The happiest day of his life was the day he got his pacemaker and the doctor said "you can never have an MRI" Woo-hoo, fling me in that briar patch!