Hello,
I had a lumbar fusion in June of this year and since then have had tons of pain and numbness in my legs that actually caused me to fall flat on my face with no warning as my legs went numb and being diabetic I knew my feet were already becoming numb but never caused me to fall.
Anyway my primary doctor gave me Lyrica and it took all the pain away and since it is used to treat nerve damage pain I pretty well know what is wrong but she ordered a nerve conduction study on my legs that is later this month and a friend just told me that it was extremely painful to the point of her screaming and they gave her nothing for the pain and I wondered if anyone here has had one and what I may expect because I am very close to calling my DR and asking for it to be cancelled as I can not handle anymore pain at this time in my life!!
Thanks in advance and sorry for the book I ended up writing!

Hi Junie~
I've had a NCV done and I didn't consider it "extremely painful to the point of screaming". It was a little uncomfortable, and once in a while there were stronger zaps, but I never even thought about screaming. Of course everyone's pain tolerance is different.

Try not to worry about it. I heard horror stories about every test and injection I had. Maybe they did me a favor, because I was expecting to be half-dead, and then it wasn't so bad.

Hang in there and let us know how you turn out! Take care!
Hugs,
Jan

I had an EMG and an NCV and it did get to be painful. I wasn't screaming either but it got to be very, very uncomfortable. But then I have CMT so that could account for some of that. Others with CMT have said the same thing and then there are those that it didn't bother. I think it probably, in a person with CMT, depends on the type they have.

Kitt

Thanks for your replies......my friend has PN I know in her legs.....and I know the pain was real to her so thats why I am worried......I am such a coward after that horrible fusion that left me afraid to walk in public and frustrated that after 9 falls not one of my 3 doctors has ordered any X Rays when my pain is worse now then ever in my life and according to what I have read I am supposed to be able to walk a mile at 1 month post op and its more then 3 months post op and I can't manage 1/10 of a mile

Junie,
The test is uncomfortable, but the test leaves no lasting pain. They use very short electrical zaps and while I don't like them, I certainly never thought of screaming. It isn't something any of us like but it is necessary for the doctors to find out what is wrong and how extensive the nerve problem is. I understand your pain because we all share the same problem. I've had about three of these and also one on my hands. And if they tell me I need another one, I'll do it. Also, I've never read or heard of anyone being given anything for pain for this test.

Billye

Here is a site which might help. You can Google others as well using NCV.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003927.htm

Hope this helps.

Kitt

I had one three yrs ago, and was supposed to go again two months ago. I cancelled it. the zapping was what bothered me. I could handle the sticks with the needles, most of them, I couldnt feel. the electrical current however...bothered me as much as chewing on tin foil with your teeth. I hate shocking sensations. Particularly when my feet were icy cold, as they usually always are. I pray for the day they develop a much more suitable test for everyone to "enjoy"

When I had mine the nurse, or technian, was telling me that they can set the zaps at different levels.

I noticed that she set them quite high for the leg where I had significantly less feeling, and I wondered if she had not, if the test would have shown more ... damage.

It didn't hurt at all, though. Just these tiny little shocks, almost less than the shocks from walking on a carpet and getting those little shocks afterwards when you touch something.

I wonder if it would be all right to take Ibuprofen or something beforehand.

I took 800 mg of Ibuprofen before going to the dentist on Tuesday, and it was great.

I just don't know if it would interfer with the testing.

Anybody know?

Oh Junie, you poor thing. I think, with all our horror stories, we made it worse for you.

I take a xanax before any dental treatment. I couldn't walk in the door of a dental practice if I didn't do this. I go to a dental phobia specialist.

Now let's talk about your upcoming nerve conduction thingee!!!

Why not telephone the place where it's being done, voice your concerns and ask if you might take a pre-med. That's what I would do.

I don't abuse meds in any way. I won't even take an aspirin and forget about a vicodin or percocet. Can't go to the bathroom on those and I'd rather go to the bathroom. But then again, I don't have the kind of neuropathy most people on these boards have.

My problem mainly is being a neurotic italian girl who is petrified of the dentist.

Hope you are able to take something before your appointment, or if you really dont' think you can go through with it, just postpone it.

I mean, this is not life or death here, right? Maybe a week pampering yourself nicely is needed.

or you can simply take a pre-med, go and have the test and reward yourself with something spectacular afterward.

That's what I do when I complete a dental appointment. I get a massage or a pedicure. Alan thinks I'm out of my mind to be afraid of the dentist but this is MY problem, not his.

We all have our fears, whether it's needles, doctors, whatever. We do the best we can.

So YOU do whatever is in YOUR best interest.

love, Melody

Didn't mean to make you worry more! I do know, from talking to techs while waiting for my tests - that some people do use pre-medication for pain and others take anti-anxiety.... having to have so many iv starts would have been a nghtmare and I think much more painful then these tests!

They do usually start with the zaps at the lowest level - to see how sensitive you are - and then increase it until they find the right measure for you.... and, the shocks are very fast.... the emg portion again depends on the doc - I find that they usually leave one that might hurt the worst for the last, and by then your a pro...

As suggested - call and let them know your concerns - if you dont do it now you'll just have to reschedule and again, the tests can tell the docs quite a lot..... maybe use a combo of tylenol and an anti-anxiety or something?????

Hang in there! (you know what helps me get thru tests I dont like? - like MRI's - music - I always take a cd and make sure the mri has headphones - then I find myself trying to not sing along so i dont move instead of concentrating on the test - If you have an MP3 player or other - see if you can bring it amd just concentrate on the music - not whats being done to you!)


KMEB