I recently read your post regarding a nerve block for meralgia paresthetica. I am a Harvard-trained plastic and peripheral nerve surgeon and also use nerve blocks to help in the diagnosis of this condition. However, in my hands, the nerve block is as diagnostic test, not a treatment modality. In other words, if the physical exam suggests MP and there is a positive Tinel sign on physical exam, that to me is a sign of peripheral nerve compression (just like carpal tunnel syndrome). If the patient responds positively to a nerve block they are a candidate for a decompression procedure to hopefully give them more permanent relief. This procedure is done as an outpatient and often takes less than two hours. As you know, meralgia paresthetica (compression of the lateral femoral or lateral femoral cutaneous nerves is a condition which results in a lot of anterior and lateral thigh (sometimes buttock) pain. Most people do no know this it can be very successfully treated with decompression surgery. It is a procedure I have performed on more than one occasion. In fact, I presented my results with this very procedure at the California Society of Plastic Surgeons Meeting last May. In that series of patients, the pre-operative pain intensity score was 9.4/10 and post-op was only 1/10.

I suffer with the meralgia paresthetica condition due to a care accident.
The seat belt caused my nerve to be pinched. I have tried Lyrica and
numerous creams for relief, but no luck. Where do you practice.
I am in Louisiana.

I had to go to the emergency ward at my local hospital, because I had so much pain in my right thigh, they told me to come back the next day for a ultra-sound, I had just come back from a trip and thought that I might have a blood clot in my leg. I did go back the next day and they told me I did not have a blood clot, and that it was probably just a pinched nerve, and not to worry. I have not slept for more than 3-4 hours a night in the last 1 1/2 weeks, I did some research, and I am convinced I have Meralgia paresthetica. Is there any Canadians on this board that are dealing with MP? The Canadaian health plan SUCKS!!! ( get ready Americans! it is going to get very UGLY) I know once I get to see my doctor it will be 6 months before I will get to see a specialist. Is there anything I can do myself to eleviate the pain ( beers not working ).

Rottonron

Loved your last line... beers not working. That made me laugh out loud. Lidoderm patches are a modest help. I have tried everything. Ready to either cut my leg off myself or have the surgery to try to get relief. Yes, we Americans are in for BIG trouble with ObamaCare. Guess I better have the surgery quick. Good luck to you. Wishing you relief. Wishing ALL of us relief.

Suffered MP 4 years now..had lfcn decompression in Jan in Hamilton Canada by top leading nerve specialist with no results. Nerve was decompressed in 3 different areas and the pain has not subsided. On way too many meds, tired of listening to the same story from my dr....tolerance is very thin. Glad to have found this forum...just knowing I'm not alone is a blessing.

Hi Mando,

Welcome to NT but so sorry to hear MP brought you to us.

You are NOT alone but you may find this forum a bit inactive because many MP sufferers have it on a temporary basis. But then, there are a few of us that suffer with it for a lifetime.

If you ever want to chat about it, feel free to contact me.

Most of the people have come and gone but there are a few of us that remain.

One of the posters that left due to recovery, kept in touch with me after they had their LFCN removed. It took at least 6 months before ALL symptoms were gone. I guess it is like when one has an amputation and phantom limb pain of the missing limb.

The GOOD news, this person, has now totally recovered, is back to living a VERY full life and has resumed all the activities that MP had taken away.

Since your decompression was recent, I would not give up hope just yet. What does your doc say?

I know I would feel like the surgery was a failure if I still had pain after going through a decompression procedure, but based upon what I was told by others, and my own personal experiences (not with decompression or removal), some treatments do take time to produce the desired effects.

We are here if you wish to keep in touch. Welcome aboard but again sorry to hear of your suffering. You are NOT alone.

I also had my LFCN cut. after 20 years of dealing with MP. You need to use lidoderm patches. after shaving your leg.. it is what works. If you do not shave where that patch is, it is torture, the LFCN is the hair and the surface skin only, no matter how deep it feels in your leg. You need to deal with the agoraphobia now, the panic disorders from being isolated is making the pain worse, you need a good CBT at this point. Learn Biofeedback, and get in the pool and do Deep water Aerobics to get the weight off your hip so you can build up strength in your core! IT is the only thing that is going to make you feel better, even if they cut the nerve you will not feel better until you strengthen the core. and get the Hip Flexor out of atrophy and you can do it without putting pressure on the LFCN. You have to DO SOMETHING! Sitting there taking medicine can not fix this condition, surgery will not fix it either. I highly suggest contacting the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at the Cleveland Clinic. They treat people with MP from around the world with a 3 week program to give you back control of your life.

I'd like to just add that Aspercreme is now making an OTC lidocaine patch. It is 4% however, whereas the RX Lidoderms are 5%.

But the Aspercreme ones are affordable.

example:
Aspercreme with Lidocaine Patch, 5CT - CVS.com

I found with my years long severe MP, and daily use for 2 weeks put me into a remission. As long as I don't use heat on that leg/hip area, I stay in remission. Heat however triggers the nerve to fire again. So I rarely use my Lidoderms anymore. I never expected a remission of pain, but I guess it is possible for some people.

I have tried everything short of decompression surgery. Is the surgery always successful? Is it outpatient surgery? Where is the incision made? At the hip or the abdomen? Can it be done under local anesthesia or must one have general anesthesia?

Hello, I have just joined this site to get some info for my daughter, she is 16 and has MP diagnosed since 12. She also has apophysitis of pelvis which appears to be slow to settle despite her being 16.5 years old now. The combined problem has led to her stopping all sports since diagnosis and is severely affecting her life, we were told at initial diagnosis that it would go away as soon as her growth plates were formed but that's not the case at all. She has always described her pain as being consistent with MP and had a positive nerve block aged 12 also. At this stage, I'm no longer happy to accept this reduced quality of life for her, it stops her taking part on days out, holidays, trips away and anything which involves lots of walking/standing or impact activities. She is not happy to take medication and I can understand why, she initially was on the gabas and older TCA's and had all the horrible side effects too, her consultant is still treating it conservatively but I don't think this is okay at this stage in terms of her quality of life. My question is, is nerve decompression suitable at this stage and is that the same as severing the nerve ( I understand this is also an option as it's a superficial/ sensory nerve) and is this usually carried out by a neurologist or an orthopaedic surgeon? Thanks in advance.