Meralgia Paresthetica

[ccyrider]

I have had multiple lumbar surgeries  i am fused from L-3 to S-1 the last surgery was about 4 years ago i had a numb spot on my thigh and after surgery i had a drop foot, staph infection and spinal menigitis. and numb on both thighs it has progressively gotten worse. It now seems o have symptoms of Meralgia Paresthetica with severe pain especially at night i wake up screaming with pain it feels like a hundred bees stinging me in the same spot or a branding iron searing my skin. So far no ************** has worked at this time im taking 60mg ES 4 times a day that helps with my back pain but does not do anything for my thigh pain.My question is is there any treatment or surgery for this condition? I forgot to mention that i have a titanium plate and screws in my lumbar. I hope you can help.

Thank You
ccyrider

[arachnaphob]

It's my understanding that meralgia parasthetica is purely sensory.  I think you must have some other problem.   Have you had an MRI?  I had an MRI for the thigh pain and it showed lumbar arachnoiditis.  This is a more serious condition that can follow surgery or the old type of myelogram with oil dye.  It is known for it's intractable pain and can cause motor function loss and disability.  

I think some doctors become defensive when surgery either doesn't fix the problem, makes it worse or causes a new problem.  There is a tendency to play down the patients symptoms or even to suggest that it's the patients own fault. i.e. psychological, drug seeking, malingering etc.  Don't let your doctor fob you off because of their own inadequacy. On the other hand the doctor will respond to you better if they think that you are not looking to blame anyone, but just want some help.

You are the one in your body and you know what you feel.  If you have arachnoiditis you will need a referral to a neurologist (not neurosurgeon) and then to a pain physician.

[ccyrider]

i forgot to mention that to see a neurosurgeon you have to get a referral from your Dr, and if you cant convince the doctor you cant get a referral and if you even suggest that you got information from the net they wont even consider it

[ccyrider]

thank you for your responset
my condition is much more than mild it is severe and i do lose motor functions. there are times when my legs give out completely. my Dr, dismisses all of this to scar tissue from the surgeries and says nothing can be done about it, i have tried all the meds that is supposed to take care of nerve pain. which the most popular one being neurotin and it just has no affect on me. i know new developments are coming all the time, i would think there was a way to get rid of the scare tissue and therefore relieving the pressure on the nerve

thanks again

[arachnaphob]

My doctor told me I have meralgia parasthetica.  I have numb thighs with sharp shooting pains and burning.  The neurosurgeon said that he could do a minor operation which involves decompressing the lateral cutaneous nerve in the groin.  It is day surgery  and not very painful.

However, he also went on to say, that he gets this condition too and he would NOT have the surgery because it is ONLY a sensory problem and wouldn't cause any motor function loss in the future.  I think there must be varying degrees of pain associated with this condition and he admitted that his was mild and only happened at the end of a day in OT.  Mine is mostly mild but has moments (sometimes hours ++) when it becomes disabling.

If yours is painful enough to cause distress, I suggest you see a neurosurgeon about having the surgery performed.  

Good luck.

Arach