hi there,
just stumbled across forum looking for advice on mp. i have recently been told i may have mp by my doc - its a long story...

13 years ago i had an accident where i fell about 8ft and landed on my back but with most of my weight on my left hip, it was agony and my left leg felt like it had been ripped inside giving me very limited movement. i was 16 at the time and took the next day off school to see a doc.
the doctor looked at me, didnt really examine me and told me i had just hurt the muscle in my back. ok, so i go back to school thinking itl all be ok in a month or so like the doctor said.
after 6 months my leg is no better. still in pain and still not walking right. i kept going to doctors complaining of back pain too aswell as the pains in my leg. i kept being told to rest my back and its all muscle spasms.
after working in 3 warehouses during my early 20s i had 2 back injuries. both times i went to doctors and they just said its muscle spasms again. no scans, no meds to checks - still the pain in my leg, now with a new pain in my other leg. i was lead to believe i had siatica.
i kept going to doctors complaining of leg pains and telling them i think its siatica - they kept sending me home with the same diagnosis, muscle spasms.
finally after 13 years of trying to get some help i change doctors again, ge t an mri scan on my back and find out my back is fine :O my doctor then said "i think i know what this is...it sounds like mp"
so the back pain i feel is a rsi as i do a lot of art in my spare time, and the leg pain might be mp.

so the doctor has booked me in for physio therapy - is this the right move as we arent for certain yet what it is??


if anyone took the time to read this thank you - its more than the doctors have done

ty x

MP is a sensory damage only to a sensory nerve: Lateral femoral nerve. It comes out the spine at L5L4 (different genetically in some people), goes into the abdomen and exits under the ligament in the groin near the hip. It is only sensory.
It does not affect muscle function.

But there are OTHER nerves, the femoral one that do affect the muscles. This is not MP exactly.

Here is a website to read and has diagrams:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0401/p2109.html

Damage to the spine may impact both nerves, in which case your treatment should target the lumbar area.

You could try Lidoderm patches back there for a month or so and it may help. I had MP from a C-section that damaged my right lateral femoral nerve, and the Lidoderms worked very well for me and stopped the nerve from firing. I used them on my upper thigh where the nerve exits the abdomen.

You would probably do better on the spinal are as that is where you injury is.

Discuss this with your doctor, because Lidoderms are RX only.
I think it is worth a try before trying more invasive solutions.

thank you for that advice, i mentioned it to my physio and he said to see gp - however since my first physio session on mon (5 days ago) both my legs have been freezing cold and numb, and excruciating pain pretty much all over my body :S i saw a stand in gp on wed and he sent me to have more blood tests as i have an abnormal swelling on my wrist too. my last fbc test came back with a slight abnormality,things seem to be slowly unravelling.
as for the patches, i need to see my current gp for those, but il be going back next week hopefully - after physio again on monday :O

I have had mp for 20 years diagnosed about 10 years ago. I have tried many types of pt all resulting in more pain. For me, the nerve endings in my leg do not like to be touched, massaged, stretched, or irritated in any way. Walking alot or standing in one place will cause a flare. My back does not give me as much trouble. I think the nerve has been pinched at the groin for too long. I will say that finding the advice for the lidoderm patch to be applied where the nerve is close to the skin at the groin where it is been pinched was very helpful. I also have been on Lyrica for many years which I don't realize helps until I skip a couple doses. Thankfully, I have had no side effects.

Glad you found this site. Neuro Talk is a good place to find out some information. I do not know what MP stands for. If you would tell me, maybe I could address it better. I haven't heard of some of the medical problems I have heard of. As far as listening goes, that is what this site is best at. I am sorry your doctors have not really listened to you. Many other things can be wrong even if your MRI says your back is OK. For example, if your walking is not right, a scan of your hip may be in order. Pulled tendons, muscles tears, many things can happen to make your leg, hip and back hurt. None of it is fun, and it is worse when you are not listened to. I would also keep a journal, of your pain, time, location, what you were doing etc. Also if you do any kind of therapy that was recommended to you, do the same thing, keep a journal. In this way if you go back to another physicial for another evaluation, he will have a list of all you have been through. I am here any time you need to talk. There are alot of people who I hope will chime in and say hello to you too. I wish you all the best. ginnie

--equals meralgia parasthetica. (Also Military Police. )

I did indeed look up meralgia parasthetica. I am sorry you have this condition. I also read that surgery to relieve the pinched nerve is not done often. What have the doctors recommended you do? Are you taking any medications to help you? I have NP so I do understand burning kinds of pain. What kind of specialist have you seen that deal with this disorder. Neurologist? Really wish there was some more help for you. ginnie

I am with you, I have had MP for 15 years diagnosed 1 months ago. I also have taken Lyrica for 5 years very effectively. Lidoderm was bit harder for me to start with because of the sensation of tearing burning flesh from my body when you tried to remove them (Men don't shave their legs). Once I knew I had MP and moving it to the abdomen mad a world of difference. They gave me a tens unit as well, the tech has no clue what MP is so they didn't give me proper placement for it to work, but I'll report any findings on it.

I'm sorry you have MP. It's hard to live with, and even harder to find people who really know what it is. The easiest way I've found how to describe it (although it's not right) so that people have some clue is saying I have sciatica in the front of my leg. Everyone knows what that is, so they at least have some idea what is going on with me.

I take Gabapentin - 1500 mg per day, along with 30 mg of Cymbalta for the pain. I'm thinking of talking to my Dr about adjusting my dose of Cymbalta. He gave me a script for up to 2400 mg of Gabapentin per day, but I don't think I can deal with the dizziness/spaciness that comes with it. It's hard enough as it is with this 'low' dose.

I have a TENS unit and pain patches as well, and the combination of everything seems to keep things at bay. I really hope this is just a flare, and not a base line.

Good luck!!!!!

Typical theraputic level of Gabapentin is 2400-3600mg per/day 3 or 4 x 900mg (3 pills) for MP or RSD. The level of Gabapentin you are taking is too low and causing your dizziness. The doctor isn't crazy, once you are up to a theraputic level of it, all the side effects will go away in about a week. I have seen better results raising the dosage sooner than later, wake up with a hangover stay at that level til you do not wake up with a hangover (1-2 days) then raise it one pill and repeat. You need to do this under doctor supervision though. 30mg of Cymbalta is more in the 60-90 range. Gabapentin is for nerve pain, Cymbalta is for Muscle Pain (Back). Stick with it and you will regain your life back.