Retest?

As a former military member, I sympathize with your situation. As someone who is also seeking a diagnosis, I REALLY empathize with your situation.

I, too, see a Pain Management doc. I wouldn’t really trust him to diagnose CIDP, though. Perhaps he could, I don’t know; the doctor that runs the clinic is a neurosurgeon, and they do EMG’s and such all the time.

I would suggest gently challenging your neurologist about the EMG’s. If they do not think the tests were performed properly, then they should be willing to perform the tests themselves. When I had mine done, the doctor measured the skin temperature several times during the procedure, and recorded it right on the results form. Could you check you results to see if your original EMG doc did the same? Interesting sidenote: the last neuro I saw said the same thing, trying to discount the results from the first, but when she ran her OWN EMG’s, she didn’t measure my skin temp, other than putting her hand on my leg, to “see if it was cold”. Very scientific, eh? :rolleyes:

The MRI’s, I would bet, are to rule out MS, especially if they’re of the brain. MRI’s of both the brain and the spine can detect MS, as there will be plaque lesions on the brain, or suspended in the spinal fluid. They would also, I assume, want to rule out any brain tumors, lesions, etc., that could be causing similiar symptoms, or if it’s of the spine, disc problems, etc.

If you’re not sure…ASK!! Also, you are entitled to your own copies of all films, reports, etc.; I’d start gathering them. While some doctors won’t take the time to look at them, if you gather them as you’re having them done, you won’t have to backtrack later, and, being military, if you move, you always have your records accessible.

Just some thoughts…good luck!

Elmo