Chronic Pain Support Group
Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...
Hello everyone, this is my first post but I've been reading posts here for months. For the last year and a half, I've been suffering with Meralgia Paresthetica in my right leg. This is where the nerve associated with the outer thigh (Lateral Cutaneous Femoral Nerve) goes bonkers. It's the typical symptoms of nerve pain. The burning, stabbing shock like pain that most of you are well aware of. For over a year, my GP was treating my pain with Gabapentin and morphine. After being mostly unsuccessful, he turned me over to a Pain management doctor who has been a godsend. He has been treating my pain by keeping me on what my GP had me on but has added Nortryptiline and oxycodone for break through pain. Besides treating the pain, this doctor is trying to find the cause. I recently started getting symptoms in my other leg. Due to this, the doctor is concerned that that there may be more going on than just the meralgia paresthetica. I'll be going for an MRI of my brain soon. I just wanted to say hi to you all and hope to be a contributing member of this forum.
Thanks,
Mark
Thanks,
Mark
I'm glad you found a good pain Dr..
Welcome to this forum and glad you finally posted. Keep us informed about your MRI. God Bless YOu! Pauli
what does he do for his MP?
David.
You just described everything I am experiencing in my right leg. I have Oxy 15mgs Cr, and Dilaudid 3mgs. Nothing really seems to stop that pain. The pain meds that I am on were originally given to me for my Crohns pain and joint pain from arthritis from the Crohns and the doctor was hoping that the pain meds would help my leg pain too. Unfortunately it has not helped at all. I am going to see him again before Christmas and I hope that he has something to offer as far as advice or medicine so that I can at least get on the floor with my kids Christmas morning and not be crying.
I hope that you get some answers as well, soon. I know how frustrating it can be not knowing what is going on with your own body.
Hugs and prayers to you,
Beck
You will find a lot of honestly goodhearted people here that all they want to do is help, so I am sure that you are going to enjoy it here. I hope to see you around and take care,
Hope you feel better soon.
sounds just like my problem too... however mine is caused by the Saphenous nerve, which is on the inside of the thigh. It will be 10 years in January since my pain journey began... but for the first time I have just had 12 months of quite well controlled pain (hooray!)... but not to the point of being able to go for a walk without my cane. Perhaps the pain docs have finally hit on the right combination of pain meds for me... because I have never gone so long without a major pain "flare-up" before. I am taking Oxycontin, Nortryptiline and Sodium Valproate... (and Mexitil until it went off the market here 6 months ago) with Doloxene (dextropropxyphene napsylate) for break-thru pain (which I find works well). I do pay a price for having the pain well-controlled... as all my dosages are quite high and interact to increase the effectiveness of the others, I am constantly tired and my concentration and memory are totally shot. Seems you don't get anything for free when it comes to pain management. From my research into nerve pain it seems combining several meds is often the key to finding some relief. I'm sure you will get a lot from DS... I have made some wonderful friends here... it really is a good place for support and information. Take care... xxx
I'm glad your PM doctor is helping you. That is the first step in getting to a point in your life where you actually feel you *have* a life again. I know how pain sucks that belief right out of your heart. Other doctors while they might mean well, don't realize it can sometimes take a cocktail of meds to get us to the point where our pain is manageable. And I'm glad your doctor has gotten you on that as well.
It's also great that your doctor is trying to find the cause of your pain. That is another thing that is most important. Finding and treating the cause of pain, not just covering it up with pain medication. It really does sound like you have found yourself a great doctor.
I don't believe I've ever heard of meralgia paresthetica before so please let us know what the tests show (if you want to share with us I mean) so we can learn more and give you the support you may need. :)
Again, welcome!
I am happy to share what I can about MP. It is not something that tends to show up on a test. The effected nerve is strictly a sensory nerve so it doesn't show on a nerve conduction test. It is diagnosed based on the symptoms. The pain is pretty well defined as far as the effected area. The frequency of people who get it is 3 in 10,000. As far as the doctor goes, you are correct that I'm fortunate he is looking for the cause. He used to be the Chief anesthesiologist at Yale New Haven hospital so I know he's a bright guy. He also listens. From what I've read on this site, I'm real lucky to have found him and he's the first PMP that I went to which makes me even luckier apparently. It seems folks have some horror stories about PMP's. We are still looking for the correct combination of meds but I think we'll get there. The only thing that surprised me is that he doesn't seem to like extended release meds. From what I've read, it seems that most doctors don't like IR meds where my doctor prefers them.
I hope you find warm, caring and supportive friends here. Most of us have. I know that DS has been a true saver for me!
Take Care!
I want to welcome you to DS and to say that it will be nice getting to know you. Wish you didn't have a need to be here, but since you do call on any of all the wonderful people on here when you have any questions or just need to vent. Feel free to call on me I check in a few times a day to see what's going on.