United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I went to a rehab neurologist today to try and start to get the ball rolling on my issue. Not surprising, again, the diagnosis has changed. Due to 'bilateral' issues, she is convinced this is spinal, even with two EMG's that show a brachial injury. So no surprise, I get to have a third EMG - this one probably more detailed than I would ever want it to be, and I was informed it could last several HOURS.

(Not to mention she found an area of numbness on my right LEG - that runs from thigh to foot - so I'll prolly be getting stabbed down there too. dontcha love it when they find things wrong that you didn't even know you had???)

the nice things that she could say that were going for me were 'you are young' and 'at least it has only been ten months and not ten years'. I guess that *could* be consoling, but at the moment it dosen't feel very consoling. Every time I come back from the doctors poking and prodding and making me bend my arm around I feel a thousand times worse. (didn't help that I had to go right back to work and run a pretty complicated experiment with a lot of repetitive motions).

im done ranting now.

Hi i am tbpi aug 99. Take some friendly advice get in touch with a bpi specialist. You do not have to see them immediatly but most will look at your records and order other tests to help them determine your condition and if they think you are a candidate for surgeries or other things they may be aware of.

I saw DR Teil at LSU but there are many other specialists that will help you. Dr Teil looked over my records and determined I was a candidate for nerve transfers. (they didnt work to date) but It was comforting to know what was wrong with me. Drs locally were screwing around for weeks before I contacted LSU and they were not as conclusive as Dr teil.

There are many links and contacts of specialist on this site. I do not know where you are so use the list to find someone near you.

I know the aggravation of Drs. waiting... not knowing...sometimes you really understand why its called praticing medicine : )

You can find the Medical Resource Directory mentioned in the above post by clicking on the link found on the homepage of this site.

Bridget

So I went through an amazingly long and painful 'quantitative EMG' (which involved about two hours and 25-30 sticks, bilaterally, upper extremeties only). The rehab neurologist was very through about locating the issue. She found it coming off the cervical spine, bilaterally. Whatever it is (not a BPI apparently) it is progressing, because it wasn't on the left before. At first she told me that a spinal issue would be better because it is far easier to treat than a BPI, but after she finished her EMG and NMR she didn't seem to have much encouraging to say; the treatment she does (a combination of accupuncture and electrical stimulation for myfascial pain) she said wouldn't help my right side, only my left side. (The right side is the bad side. I don't even notice the left side other than occasional stiffness and a twinge or two.)

It kills me because it's like they can't even give you an answer; I'm gonna have to get a copy of her report to find out what she actually found out. Of course more pissed because if it had been caught sooner instead of dealing with an assinine family doctor who thought I was faking it I might not be dealing with... whatever it is.

Ah well. Good luck to everyone.