This is my second attempt at posting a message, so I apologize if my story gets posted twice.
I was diagnosed with MP 1 year ago, although I have been suffering with it for about 6 years. In the beginning it was mild pain worse with standing or sitting for long periods of time. Also I experienced an embarrassing symptom, which is probably why I did not discuss it with a dr. sooner, but I would experience severe thigh pain before having a bowel movement. Does anyone else experience this?
My pain gradually got to the point of being daily with no relief. Then the numbness began in my thighs. I describe it like the numbness after a trip to the dentist. I finally discussed with my MD and after several tests and appointments, my 2nd neurologist diagnosed me with MP and pudendle nerve entrapment. I have been treated with several rounds of oral steroids which have helped for 2 weeks at a time only. I refuse to take anymore because the side effects of the steroids are not worth the limited relief I get.
I have also taken several different anti-inflammatory drugs with minimal relief.
What I have found is that pain meds like ultram or lorcet help with the pain on the really bad days. I had these prescriptions left over from other reasons. Do others of you take pain meds like these and get relief? Are your MD's willing to prescribe them? My MD has never mentioned them and I feel that he does not think they will help because this is nerve pain.

He has mentioned trigger point injections. Has anyone tried this? Does it help?

I am relieved to know that there are others who know what this is like, but at the same time I am sorry others are suffering with this. I feel like people think I am crazy when I try to describe this to them. I am so tired of hurting.

To your legs hurt?
How are you doing now? How come nobody ever post here? Is there a new board that everybody is posting on? I have MP and I am not heavy I am 5'8 and 130, I asked the doctor why this happened and he said it was just one of those things, I was the "lucky" one I guess. I have a spinal cord stimulator for my upper body for another problem that doesn't work that great,and I was thinking of having the leads moved down, for pain in my leg. I hope to see more people posting.
Hugs
Bonnie

it has been a while since I have been on here. I have about given up on being pain free. I have seen many neuros because each one thinks I have something different. I do now know that I definitely have MP. I have also been able to isolate where the nerve impingement is. My spine/sacral area where the nerves originate. I went to a great chiropractor and although he could not get rid of the pain -- I could finally feel that it was starting at the spine. (i believe there are 3 spots the nerve can get pinched) so at least now we know where it is coming from. I take ultram 100mg 2/ day to stay at a tolerable pain level for work and taking care of my kids, but would love to find something to take the pain away. I don't know what other medicines people have tried. I could not tolerate neurontin-- I was a zombie on it at just 900mg and it did not change my pain. My md has mentioned topamax. Have you tried it? I also have wondered if epidural injections would be effective. I just know I don't want to live like this the rest of my life.
Hope you are doing well.
Alison

I never realized so many people are affected by MP. Am currently experiencing pain, tingling, numbness in my right thigh, the pain is becoming more and more severe daily. I'm taking vicodin for pain, most often 2 pills at bedtime gives me some relief. Was given Lyreca to try, but after reading the side-effects, was too nervous to take it. After reading all the MP posts, I've decided I should try the Lyreca in hopes of some relief. It sounds as if there is no easy fix, but I'm really glad I found NeuroTalk because I've already learned what I'm dealing with, which is more info then my doctor has offered me so far.....time to switch docs! To those of you suffering with MP, I say fight on, persevere, hopefully you'll get relief sometime in the near future!!

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

This is my first time posting, I have had mp for about 8 yrs now. Doc said it was due to scar tissue from c-section and hysterectomy surgery. I have been to pain specialist had injections and nerve blocks but they did not work. I went back to my family doc and i currently take 2 60mg morphine and 4 7.5 percocet a day. Some days i dont need as many some days i do. I also take magnesium vitamins they help alot. I dont know how people who arent on pain meds take the pain. Its almost unbearable. I hope this helps.

I have had undiagnosis MP for 15 years. I have not suffered from the pain for the past 3 years, and finally diagnosed a few months ago.

If I stay sedentary Lyrica works great, if it is not, you are not taking enough, Taking More Causes Less Side Effects So when your doctor says take more gabalin (Neurontin) or pre-gabalin (Lyrica) they are not crazy. Taking 600mg of Lyrica is not uncommon and safe. If you feed drugged at 75-100mg of it, take more, it means you are not taking enough! Most people complaining about this medication never took enough to be theraputic. 2700-3600mg of gabalin is considered theraputic dosage for MP, anything below that can give you what I call chronic Drool syndrome.

Now that I've had some relief from Injections, and fully understand what is causing the pain, and what the flare ups are caused by, I can now exercise and move around much more. Deep Water Aerobics is a miracle for me. The Arthritis Foundation has $1 classes weekly at most YMCA's and other places. My Rec Center has a Lazy river that is mostly used for Water Walking. Water also calms the anxiety and depression, the root of suffering from the pain.

As a man, I tried lidoderm patches years ago and thought it was the most evil torture ever! I now shave my leg, and Lidoderm is the #1 way I reduce the pain when I am active or having a flare up.

Taking Opiods and morphine over a few months will increase your pain levels and anxiety which will cause you even more pain. Stay away from Opiods and Morphine on a daily basis, save these for the flare ups.

If you tried everything and nothing works, there are 2-3 clinics around the world that have intensive programs to manage your life with pain. The Pain level is reduced to a tolerable level, it works, and works well. I can't post links yet. but search on the Cleveland Clinic, Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program. If you want a chance of getting back control of your life, this is the program. 5 days a week 8 hours a day under direct doctor care. Mayo Clinic, and there is one in Indiana. The American Chronic Pain Association was founded by patients of the CCF program. They have meetings in cities all over the world.

This week I go to the peripheral nerve center at the Cleveland Clinic. Like the doctor said above the injection removed a lot of the pain. Fingers crossed I can get perminate relief.

Get out of the house, move around, do something fun. Agoraphobia and Social Phobia run rampant with MP. It hurts to move, and if I move for too long it gets worse.. so Getting trapped in so much pain out in public scares the crap out of people with MP.

Rob.

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.