Meralgia Parasthetica in both thighs?

[massie7899]

I've been diagnosed with meralgia Parasthetica when I was pregnant  2 1/2 years ago in the left thigh., less than a year later, I'm having similiar problems in the right thigh which at times radiates to lateral mid legs and feet (pain to the leg and feet can occur with or without thigh pain). The pain is burning, sharp and now interfers with my sleep at times (just the thigh pain). I don't have paralysis but occassional numbness and the legs sometimes feels like it will give out but it doesn't. Climbing 10 steps of stairs tires out my legs. I've also had paresthesia and dysesthianow in my upper extremities for 4 momths now along with fasciculations (upper and lower). I've been now dx with Meralgia in both legs. EMG normal, MRI of spine show herniated/bulging disc which both my neurologist and neurosurgeon feels is not the cause of my symptoms ( hx of ACDF c6-7 and hx of diffuse disease disease of the spine). I'm 41 years old. Other medical hx includes hyperprolactinenia=microadenoma, endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine fibroids (gyn x2 does not feel symptoms are due to pelvis), dry eye syndrome and enlarged optic disc/nerve. No depression or anxiety. Please help, what could be the possible cause?... is MS or other problems. thanks

[massie7899]

Ojibajo,

Sorry  I failed to mention this. The lower spine xray showed an old compression wedge deformity ( which I was told was healed and was due to a fracture from a fall which I can't remember). Lumber xray showed arthritis..facet arthropathy. My neck and thoraic is where I have  the most problems with diffuse degeneratice disc , bone spurs and  some hernaitions ( had neck fusion 4 years go with bone graft).  Both Neuro and Neurosurgeons said my symptoms are not due to my neck since I have mild spinal stenosis but no cord or nerve compression ( I had that before surgery at c6-c7). they couldn't do MRI with contrast because I had a severe allergic reaction to the constrast and had to be transported to the ER during the MRI ( I really wish the constrast didn't do this since some MRI's are better especially for those who had had previous spine surgery. I hope this help. Thank you so much. i truly appreciate any help or insights. i need this badly . Also my symptoms don't involve my joints (other than my old neck stuff). I guess with MS, they are expecting me to have obvious weakness, therefore they don't want to battle with insurance to check the brain until I start to show significant weakness that everyone can see or test.

[kwarendorf]

Hi Massie- It sure seems like you have a lot going on. The sypmtoms you describe certainly could be caused by MS, but they could also be caused by many other things.

Because MS attacks the central nervous system (CNS) symptoms can occur in any part of the body controlled by the CNS, which is to say everywhere. This leads to MS having many mimics. These mimics are often conditions that attack specific areas of the body, like meralgia parasthetica. They also include more generalized conditions like fatigue, which is common to both MS and Lyme disease.

MS is a clinical diagnosis. Supporting the clinical diagnosis of MS there is a fairly standard frame work of blood tests that will either eliminate or confirm a mimic as the root of a particular evil. additionally there is a standard MRI protocol for MS. This includes studies of the head and cervical spine both with a contrast agent and with out. Supporting tests may also include lumbar puncture and evoked potential. It can be a fairly long process.

There are nuerologists that specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of MS. Is your neurologist an MS specialist? Have you hadeany of the tests I mentioned?

Sorry you're having a tough go of it.

Kyle

[Ojibajo]

They have only done an MRI of the Upper spine but not the lower spine or brain?