Hi all; I am new to these boards.

I was diagnosed with Meralgia Paresthetica about a month ago when my outer thigh became completely numb/asleep. It is constant 24/7 numbness.
Recently, I have been getting some stinging pain (manageable) while I sit or walk. The worst however is at night...

At least 2-3 times per week I wake up screaming, and I mean hollering, in stabbing radiating pain in my thigh. If I sleep on my back with both of my legs flat, this happens. Funny enough, if i sleep on my side with my right leg (the one affected) on the bed and the left leg on top, no issues. Very little pain in the morning and manageable.

Why is it that when I sleep on my back I would get this awful pain? I can't move my leg sometimes for a good 10-20 seconds because of it. It does go away but it's awful.

Anyone experience this? I am going to try to see a chiropractor for relief. Both my neurologist and rheumatologist told me there is nothing they can do. My neurologist did give me Gabapentin but it is not helping.

Thanks in advance.

I have had MP since Feb of 2013. It started with you a patch of numbness on my right later thigh, I was a complete gym nut for over 20 years. I was still working out with the numbness. Then I started getting occasional pain while walking. I have read that repetitive motion of the legs can cause Mp. I jogged and used a bike a lot. One hour at least of hard core cardio and over an hour of weights. I really think this caused my Mp and I also used to take kick boxing classes, Well the pain got so bad and was diagnosed with Mp. I can no longer excercise and just going to the supermarket is hell on earth, Lately just household chores is getting bad and I live in a 2 bedroom condo(1200 sq ft). I am on 2,700 mg of gabapentin and 1 and a half of 7.5 mg of hydrocodone at night, plus Xanax to sleep and 2 lidocaine patches. I have had 3 ultrasound guided nerve blocks which lasted only 2-6 hours each also. Oh and the joys of gabapentin caused a weight gain of 49 lbs. I was just also diagnosed last month with type 2 diabetes, no doubt, genetic, the weight gain and lack of excersise. I am scared for the surgery and I don't know if my insurance would help to pay. Any suggestions? And, is Hopeless still around?

My first time on this site....just registered. What you describe is almost exactly what happened to me. The only difference is that I did not get the numbness first. Just a nuclear attack in the middle of the night. I'd just had right shoulder rotator cuff surgery Jan 30, 2018, and was sleeping in a bed propped up on my back, when in the middle of the night I had the super hot burning poker go off in my left thigh. Went away after 30-40 seconds, but left me a bit shaken. Happened every night after that for a week. When I went to my follow up appt with the surgeon, he gave me an antiinflamatory, Mobic, and said that should help. Two nights later I had what I call the "Hiroshima" of attacks...instead of 30-40 seconds or a minute, it went off for a full hour. I now what a torture victim feels like, as I have never had that much sustained pain at that high of intensity in my life. Can't even describe it completely. To move things along, I tried acupunchture, chiropractor, spine doc, my GP, etc....nothing helped. Got a steroid injection in my spine in the L 5 or L 4 area, did zero to help, but then my buddy googling my symptoms, told me I have MP. 6 doctors and not one of them diagnoised me correctly! After I knew I had MP I went to the spine dr and told him I needed a nerve block in my groin not my back, and he ordered one. At first I didn't think it worked, but about 10 days later I felt gradual improvement, and it has improved to the point that I can sleep in a bed again (I was sleeping in a chair out of fear). I almost went on disability at work, I had to cancel 3 important business trips in a row. I am currently taking 600mg of gabapentin in the morning and 900mg at night. "Sparky" as I refer to the nerve in my left thigh still sparks most days, but it's been at least 6 weeks since he's nuked me at night. During the day when he sparks, the pain is a 2 to a 5 or maybe 6 at worst, but when he's go off at night it was a full blown 10. I also get the numbness, itching, stinging, stabbing, etc......I am just grateful I know what it is. I've lost some weight which I understand can also help, and now that my shoulder is mostly healed from the rotator cuff surgery, I can sleep on my side, which according to your post helps you. I never put it together that all my worst attacks, the sleeping night time attacks, were all on my back, a position I rarely if ever sleep in. It has been one hell of a journey, one that I'd rather quit. But I would try the groin nerve block for the lateral femoral cutacous nerve if I were you....I'm pretty sure it helped and I'm trying to schedule another one.

Hi,

My Name is Danny. I had surgery on my neck about 3 weeks ago and after about 10 days of rehabbing laying in bed, walking etc... I came up with these MP symptoms. Never had anything like this before. Wonder if it is from being strapped down, laying in bed at weird positions, gaining an extra 10 pounds. I am a 51 year old relatively healthy male at 200lbs and 5'10". I believe that my sleeping with my legs raised or sleeping on the recliner aggravates it... but for a while that is all I can do... I am looking into stretches a d exercises I can do to relieve it. If I find anything out I will let you know. I am NOT interested in medications and since I am recovering from surgery I am not interested in surgery right now.... but would be open to it down the road. Just wondering if anyone has suggestions of how relieve through PT and exercise. Thanks, Danny

In reading CSUMMERS post again... we both have the recent surgery and time being in bed propped on pillows.... I find that not doing that and returning to sleeping on my side has brought relief from the stinging and burning (that usually happens at night when I put my feet up.

I wonder if sleeping in that position (on my back with my feet elevated...which I have never done) .... stretches or somehow pushes the nerve against a tendon and causes this.

I will be visiting my chiropractor next week to see if he has any suggestions.

I get mine badly when I sleep or lay around with my hip flexors in full extension.

I have just had major Knee surgery so this week is killing me , I combat it by lying flat but with my legs elevated at the knee so i have a good bend in the hip.

Or I sleep sitting up, I get the same results. On my side I’m fine but while I am stuck in a Full brace i just have to sick it up.

Sorry I’m not more helpful

(There are also great videos on Flossing the nerve with stretches but you have to persevere with those and do them multiple times a day to get relief but they work.)