I have been having aches in my legs and some pain in spots occasionally. My legs just feel week and tired. My doctor gave me a prescription for a muscle relaxer which did nothing. Now my doctor reccommends I get an EMG (leg and nerve test) Has anyone ever had this? What were the results and what was done?
I had a emg 3yrs ago my legs were tired and muscle twitching the test came back slight nerve damage not much been done neuro said it was coming from a thoracic disc pressing onto the spinal nerves was due to have an op but was cancelled because of the risks.so nothing been done just pain killers.As for the emg not very pleasent they insert a needle into the muscle and take readings from nerves and muscle.
I had a emg 3yrs ago my legs were tired and muscle twitching the test came back slight nerve damage not much been done neuro said it was coming from a thoracic disc pressing onto the spinal nerves was due to have an op but was cancelled because of the risks.so nothing been done just pain killers.As for the emg not very pleasent they insert a needle into the muscle and take readings from nerves and muscle.
Thanks for responding.
I did have back surgery 15 years ago. My back has been fine since. What were the risks for you that they would not do the surgery?
To have the op they would have had to collapse my right lung why they did the op, my lung function is not that good due to asthma so I was classed as an high risk plus they said that the disc was pressing on the spinal cord and there was not much room to work and he said he could make matters alot worse like paraplegic, or death due to my other problems.I went into hospital twice to have the op I had to go in afew days before so they could build my lungs up to give me a better chance.the first time I had my op gown on waiting to go to theatre then they stopped it .the second time Igot to the day before the op and the neuroligist said he wanted more tests brain scan.so the neurosurgeon cancelled it again. had the brain scan and other tests wich they said was ok, but one neuroligist said that I might have a motor neurone disease wich was a bit scary but the top dog said I have not.I went back to see the neurosurgeon and that was it he said he does not want to do the op and we will wait and see .So here I am left in pain and twitching 24/7.
Sorry to hear your problems aren't solved Colcath. I am scheduled for Tuesday for my EMG. My legs are more achey and tired then painful. If I am on them all day they are worse.
Bingo! Blood pressure meds are notorius for muscle aches and pains....do some research on the high and low blood pressure boards as to your medication. Sometimes the older posts contain helpful info so an advanced search would be beneficial.
I was on 5 different bp meds and I think it is safe to say all caused muscle aches, pains, and stiffness....it just differed as to the location and intensity. My docs didn't get the connection and I didn't either until I read the boards and safely stopped taking my meds.
Bethsheba
PS Pain medications can elevate blood pressure and I found that they did not help, either. My aches/pains/stiffness disappeared almost immediately or from 4-6 weeks (depending on the med) after discoing the medication.
Thanks so much for your info. I will check out the blood pressure boards.
I have been on bp meds for years. Is it possible to have the side effects after like 3 yrs? Now what are you doing to control your blood pressure?
Last edited by crafter126; 04-30-2008 at 06:45 PM.
Just wondering crafter did you go yet for you emg? If so I am curious how the actual test was for you...I had 2 and swore never again.they are worse than medievil torture.Just wondering.Ginger
... Is it possible to have the side effects after like 3 yrs? Now what are you doing to control your blood pressure?
Yes, it is possible to get side effects after 3 years...just like we can develop allergies later in life. Our bodies change over time (kidney, liver function, water and fat percentages) and some of these changes can impact the way we process and use meds. These are just a few of the reasons we may develop side effects.
How am I controlling my blood pressure? Very, very long story...but the short of it is treatment for sleep apnea (which can cause hypertension), the DASH diet, and exercise. Please note that my doctors told me I would never get off meds...but what they didn't tell me was the DASH diet, developed by US government research, can drop pressures for most people. Government research suggests that as many as 1/3 of the people on blood pressure medication can be med free with diet alone...other lifestyle changes can reduce or eliminate bp meds for others. The other thing that my primary and my sleep specilist didn't tell me (probably because they didn't know) is that cpap treatment for sleep apnea can reduce pressures more than 10 points (again, this info complements of US government research)....my pressures were 200/100 but now they are less than normal.
I strongly believe that meds made my pressures worse. Why? I don't know but I suspect it was because the side effects of pain, poor sleep, immobility, and lethargy (to name just a few) interfered with the very things that one can do to naturally lower pressures....eat right, exercise, and get a good night's sleep.
My doctors were "good" doctors...referred by friends in the health care fields. But I found out first hand that you can't believe everything you are told...you have to check it out from a variety of sources and verify the info for yourself!
Take care!
Bethsheba
PS The prescription package inserts and the drug info sheets tend to understate side effects, probably for a number of reasons. For example, they may state "muscle aches and pains....instead of "excrucating, piercing pains"....or "dull, throbbing, on again off again pain". I experienced suicidal tendencies on one bp med, a beta blocker, and the side effect was listed as "changes in mood". I found sources, other than the med sheets, that defined "changes in mood".
Hi Ginger,
I am going on Tuesday. I will let you know. My husband had it done on his hand for carpal tunnel. He did say it was a weird feeling. I don't think he wants to say too much to me until I have mine done.
Thanks again Bethsheba for all your info. I guess I will wait and see how the emg goes on Tuesday and then take the next step.
What bp meds were you on?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bethsheba
Yes, it is possible to get side effects after 3 years...just like we can develop allergies later in life. Our bodies change over time (kidney, liver function, water and fat percentages) and some of these changes can impact the way we process and use meds. These are just a few of the reasons we may develop side effects.
How am I controlling my blood pressure? Very, very long story...but the short of it is treatment for sleep apnea (which can cause hypertension), the DASH diet, and exercise. Please note that my doctors told me I would never get off meds...but what they didn't tell me was the DASH diet, developed by US government research, can drop pressures for most people. Government research suggests that as many as 1/3 of the people on blood pressure medication can be med free with diet alone...other lifestyle changes can reduce or eliminate bp meds for others. The other thing that my primary and my sleep specilist didn't tell me (probably because they didn't know) is that cpap treatment for sleep apnea can reduce pressures more than 10 points (again, this info complements of US government research)....my pressures were 200/100 but now they are less than normal.
I strongly believe that meds made my pressures worse. Why? I don't know but I suspect it was because the side effects of pain, poor sleep, immobility, and lethargy (to name just a few) interfered with the very things that one can do to naturally lower pressures....eat right, exercise, and get a good night's sleep.
My doctors were "good" doctors...referred by friends in the health care fields. But I found out first hand that you can't believe everything you are told...you have to check it out from a variety of sources and verify the info for yourself!
Take care!
Bethsheba
PS The prescription package inserts and the drug info sheets tend to understate side effects, probably for a number of reasons. For example, they may state "muscle aches and pains....instead of "excrucating, piercing pains"....or "dull, throbbing, on again off again pain". I experienced suicidal tendencies on one bp med, a beta blocker, and the side effect was listed as "changes in mood". I found sources, other than the med sheets, that defined "changes in mood".
I was on hydrochlorothiazide, lisinopril, benicar/hct, atenolol, and norvasc....but only one drug at a time so, looking back, it is easy to see exactly what drug caused what side effects.
I have never had health problems but once I started bp meds, my health deteriorated rapidly to the point I couldn't walk, talk, or think. I think I would have figured out it was side effects except for the fact that I would disco one med and continue to have similar or different problems on the next med....and of course the side effects didn't start or stop when I started or stopped the medication. I've done a lot of reading since and now know why this is the case.
I Am On Trandate And Nifedical Xl. I Have Lost 20 Lbs Since Last Year At This Time. You Would Think I Would Feel So Much Better But With My Legs Feeling Achey And Tired All The Time, I Don't. I Also Thought I Would Be Able To Cut Back On My Meds But My Reading Is Good If Not Higher Then Before I Lost Weight.
I GAINED 35+ pounds on bp meds, but have lost about 25 of those pounds since disco'ing meds. Despite this, my pressures are still lower than when I was first diagnosed. Must attribute some to cpap treatment, which is med free, and which is documented to reduce pressures on an average of 10 points, but my pressures dropped about 20 pounts after I came off a meds...some high pressures may have been a result of "rebound" hypertension due to disco'ing the beta blocker cold turkey....when I stopped taking norvasc due to sleep problems, without the doctor's blessing, I went from an average systolic of 160 to an average of 140, and the DASH diet brought it down to less than 120/85 or so. Exercise (which is hit or miss with me) has dropped the diastolic more. I am still 50 pounds overweight...
Although I have been on a ccb, it wasn't nifedical xl so I pulled up some info on your med. Top of the side effect list was leg cramps (specifically) and leg pain. It was the first and only source I checked. I suspect you'll find alot of info on that drug and leg pain if they list it specifically on one source.
But as I always say, do not rely on any one source (whether it be me, your doctor, your pharmacist, or the drug sheet). Check out the info thoroughly!!! And don't assume that because it isn't listed as a side effect, that it couldn't be. They do not/can not test these meds on everyone. You, like it or not, are a guinee pig.
I had vision changes on 3 of my medications and it took me over a year to find "vision changes" listed as a side effect of those meds...now I'm seeing it all the time, even on TV.
Bethsheba
Here's a source of info I can share...although it doesn't specifically list leg cramps and pain, it will give you some info about your med...[url]http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a684028.html#side-effects[/url]
Ginger
