In total contrast to my earlier Wednesday post, this one is wordy.
As mentioned in a previous post, I now have a neurologist. Monday I met another neurologist who performed an EMG on me and a neurologist technician who performed a nerve conduction study. Let me get to the point, OUCH.
The nerve conduction study measured how fast my nerves send signals. This was done by sticking electrodes on me and then electrocuting me at numerous points on my hands, arms, feet and legs. The pain was the worst at my forearms, elbows, ankles and knees. The shocks were hard enough that I was worried that they were going to zap my heart out of rhythm, but the tech assured me that would not happen. For some reason I thought I was done after the tech rolled the electrocution cart to the other side of the room, but she didn't invite me to sit up. She did say, however, that she'd be right back with the doctor, so in comes the doctor and the cart is rolled back. Not a good sign. My regular neurologist told me about the test the doctor was about to perform, but I thought maybe, just maybe, I didn't have to have it. No, I was getting an EMG or an electromyogram or as I call it "stabbed with a darning needle." The purpose of an EMG is to listen to and measure the electrical activity of your muscles at rest and at contraction. This is done by inserting a needle into the muscle and then after a moment or two you contract your muscle. They started with my back which means the doctor went down both sides of my spine with that needle. It. hurt. so. bad. When I am in a lot of pain, I don't cry or sob, but my eyes will water and water they did when he stabbed my back. The part that freaked me out was that the nurse would dab up the blood with cotton balls. I was then asked to turn over and had no idea how I was going to lie on my back after that exercise in torture, but I did and my mind was soon off of the pain because I got stabbed in the calves and thighs numerous times. The doctor kept assuring me that he was almost done. I stopped believing him when he said it the third time. It was extremely hard for me to contract the muscle with the needle sunk into it. It was sadistic because it hurt worse when I did that. So there I was with my eyes watering, a tightly clenched jaw--surprised I didn't crumble at least one tooth--and a few "That hurts. That hurts." thrown in for good measure and the doctor informs me, "I am using a child's needle." I guess that was supposed to make me feel better in the sense that if he had used an adult size needle I'd be in a lot more pain. Thanks, Doc. Way to cheer a girl up.
The test finally ended and the doctor printed out the report. The good news is that I did not have a Guillain-Barre episode, but the bad is that I do have to go through one more test for more answers. I also learned that I have nerve damage in my feet and a nerve that runs down from my knee to my foot does not take a direct route. It does a loop around my ankle before going to my foot. The doctor couldn't figure out the numbness in my hands, which is a relatively new sensation. I have a pinched nerve only in my right elbow and that nerve would only cause numbness in my pinky finger. So all that pain and I am no closer to finding out what the heck is going on. And you know, that pain didn't stop with the test. I hurt for the rest of the day, all of the next day and my back and elbows still hurt. Initially huge welts appeared on my back where I was stabbed, but they finally went down and turned into bruises. My elbows haven't stopped aching from the shocks. I seriously felt and feel like I was beat up by the neurologist and his side kick the tech.
Word to the wise be wary of nerve conduction studies and EMGs.
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