Thursday, January 5, 2012

Shock treatment

Tuesday morning I headed out early for an hour and a half drive to meet a neurologist I never met and have a nerve conduction test completed (nearly three weeks since first requested). 

Arrive to the massive multi-story building. 

Look at list of names on the board trying to figure out which floor this doctor was on. 

Third. 

Elevator up.

Instantly see a large waiting room for neurology. 

Check in. 

Take out the Nook, read a chapter before being called back. 

Meet friendly tech. 

She explains the procedure. 

"It sounds much worse than it is.  First, you'll be hooked up to these little patches, and I'll send shocks through your right arm and leg to check response time.  Then, the doctor will come in and she will take a tiny needle and insert it into various parts of your limbs to listen to your nerves.  Again, it sounds much worse than it is."  

Wrong!

Tech leaves so I can put on gown that is four times too large. 

Chatter about nonsense and then she mentions working at the military post (where we live) years ago and a soldier telling her he was commando and she had no idea what that meant and was extremely embarrassed.  (Umm...I thought I was keeping this gown on, why did I wear a thong today?  Please don't get embarrassed). 

The tech starts on the arm, measures and marks up my arm, and hooks up the stickers and checks each location three times with increasing shocks.  Not fun at all.  The hand one hurt like hell.  Legs weren't as bad, even though she said it would be. 

Tech leaves. 

Doctor comes in, sticks my arm with needle, has me push my arm up against hers (with the needle in me).  Then, the leg.  I think she stuck the one in my thigh too far because it felt like I was getting a flu shot. 


All of this for the doctor to tell me that I indeed have carpal tunnel in my wrist which can be treated with one of three options:  brace, shot, or surgery.  This explains the wrist/arm/hand tingling. 

Feet tingling, though, has no explanation as the nerves for all of that were great. 

Now, I wait for a call from the regular doctor to see what is next.  Real tired of all of this. 

5 comments:

  1. What an exhausting process for you. Sure hope you get some relief soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've got to say, as crappy as surgery is, working in the IT profession many of my peers have had carpal tunnel surgery after first trying all other options and every one of them have said how they wished they chose that route first. GL with your decision...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Man...that sucks.

    Who doesn't know what "commando" means?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I had that done a few months ago because of some weird hand contractures that turned out to be from a lactation induced hypoparathyroidism. Luckily, the doctor only did one side of my body, so I just had 16 little puncture wounds.

    It's medical torture!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I thought commando was common knowledge. :)

    ReplyDelete

Don't just read, say something! Sorry, I had to add the word verification - I am being spammed.