billy,

sorry this is too late to help you with the decision about the sleeping pill - I hope you took it if you needed it! I've always been told to take my meds normally in advance of EMGs, and I'm pretty sure that would extend to the sleeping pill - the darvoset I'm positive about. So take any meds you normally would, or if you take pain med as needed, take one if you need it, ok? In fact, I would recommend taking something for pain beforehand (and maybe something for anxiety), if EMGs cause your pain to flare afterwards like they do me.

Although meds can alter our blood pressure and pulse rate, evidently they do not change nerve conduction velocity - or not enough to matter. I've been through ten EMGs since I was injured in 2003, the latest ones for my left arm and my legs. I had ulnar nerve slowing at the elbow, which the neurologist insits on dxing as cubital tunnel neuropathy, despite all the pain and sx in the shoulder and a dx of TOS (severe) from Dr Togut. And he's a well-respected neurologist - he just hasn't seen enough cases of this to recognize it and feel comfortable dx'ing and decide on a plan of treatment and referral. So he falls back on what he is familiar with, and what the evidence shows, even though it isn't a full explanation for my symptoms.

This is why so MANY TOSers end up with failed carpal and/or cubital tunnel surgeries and still facing a TOS surgery. If the compression is at the brachial plexus, surgery further down to rease the nerve cannot take care of the problem. Once the nerve compression above is relieved, and given time to heal, then you will be able to tell if surgery at the elbow or wrist is even needed - much of the time the problems in those areas resolve once the nerve has been given more freedom of movement above.

Why do they keep repeating the EMGs? Are they all on the same limb? It might be worth it to travel to a University-related hospital and get one done and read by well-trained Dr. and tech staff if the re-dos are because of errors or omissions that have been made - no excuse for more than one redo on their part to my thinking!

best wishes for tomorrow,
beth