I've had five or six EMG's and NCS's to get to my diagnosis, plus the full cat-scan and MRI of the head, neck, spine and pelvis. Often more than once.
I too, am claustrophobic? But, I tolerate it because I know that it'll help get me diagnosed. That gets me into and out of that 'tube' without issue. Tho once I did have a problem? It got fixed and FAST because I wasn't shy about complaining. Xanax should help you get thru it all tho. I know it's helped me!

The scans [CAT and MRI] are to see if there is any brain or skeletal damages that could be affecting your nerves [slipped discs and such].

The EMG's and NCS's use electrical current to essentialy track how fast or slow current in your muscles or nerves is going from point A to point B.
How WELL you fare in these latter tests really depends on the SKILLS of the person who is doing them! I have had both experienced docs and techs who do nothing but such testing and they were so good I literally fall asleep during the tests! Demand and be SURE that you have someone experienced in the room if you have a newbie doing it! Newbies gotta learn sometime? But ONLY if a veteran is supervising, in my book. When you get that 'confirmation' call about these tests? Be sure to state that you will be on the Xanax from a test earlier that day. IF they aren't happy? Tests can be rescheduled. OR call your doc.

As for the meds? At different times the doc's ordered it to be at the MRI center waiting, other times they'll phone in a script to my local drugstore and I'll pick it up the day before or the like. You mite want to call and ask your doc's office staff about this 'silly question'? They get these all the time and will make things clearer.

Here is another site for EMG's and NCS's: http://www.webmd.com/brain/electromy...uction-studies

Gotta ask tho? Two MRI's? Do you mean with and without contrast or just something like spine and neck? If you have a copy of the 'orders' Make a copy and ASK if you can for a copy of the results... Some states this is harder to get than others. I'm lucky in that I can and DO get!

I think a lot of us here have been thru what you are about to experience! Just prepare to be BORED thru it all, nothing else and you will come out and go on the way home? WOW THAT WAS A WASTE OF TIME! Not really tho, these are key tests for diagnosing anything neurological!

By the way? Be nicely chatty if you can with the techs and/or docs? Ask them every single silly question you can think of! Better yet the sensible ones -such as what does this all mean? Explain, Please? Sometimes they love to give you preliminary results so's to reassure you -but you often get much more....FINE BY ME!
IF something does hurt tho? Don't be shy about doing a good Cat-Type YOW!!!! now and then when it gets nasty. Speak up.

Hope also that they are taking a ton of blood work to go along with all this!
Let us all know how you survive, please! 's - j