[Idealist]

I've never posted on this forum before. For the past six years I've been dealing with an illness with no diagnosis. Today my doctor told me that after talking to the last specialist I saw, they feel certain that I'm suffering from progressive neuralgia which was started by a cyst on a muscle. Supposedly, it caused the first actual nerve damage, and through some process with a big meaningless name, the damage has been spreading in a chain-reaction from nerve to nerve. Now it affects close to half of my body.

My question is: Is this what peripheral neuralgia is? And if so, what can I expect from it? The specialist said that the damage was irreversible, but the sypmtoms could be treated. I don't like the long explanation she gave me, and I'm not really sure that she's right. It just didn't seem to really fit, know what I mean?

Anyway, any insight into this would be greatly appreciated. I've studied a lot of diseases over the years, but when it comes to this I'm a newborn babe. Thanks in advance for your help!

[nide44]

Since this is a neuropathy forum, I'm not sure what neuralgia is-
or if its related to neuropathy.
But I'm sure someone here does. They'll chime in shortly.

[dahlek]

First off 'neuralgia' :
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/001407.htm
'Peripheral Neuropathy':
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/000593.htm
While similar in many ways, they are considered medically very distinct.

Also check out the 'trigeminal neuralgia forum' further down the menu, and read the 'stickies' at the top of each forum... IF you feel you fall into one category more than another...lets get clearer details to try and sort things out. I know you have lots of problems...and nerve pain in any way, shape or form is not a FUN thing to have! But first, there's that little quirky detail about 'terms'. I do know from experience that when a docs says: You have formuslaus norfitzlitz... well your mind sort of goes dead? I always ask for them to write it down...spell it out...so I can learn about it?
In the meantime...don't panic? And, yes, it HURTS!
Hope this helps - j

[mrsD]

always permanent. The peripheral nervous system does regenerate. It takes time and certain attention to nutrients to effect improvement.

We have a sticky thread above about "improvement"

Doctors have no clue generally about healing. They only identify and label.

If you try to discuss healing with them, they pooh pooh you mostly (there are exceptions).

I had a severe meralgia paresthetica...I had it for years as a result of a C-section surgery. And it did heal up. It is now a dull roar, which only stabs me very infrequently. But then I did things to enable that healing.

I would get the exact medical term for this "cyst"...
And find out what exactly makes it progressive, and permanent.

Your description from the doctor sounds a bit lame to me.
Here is a question-- and answer-- maybe you are the poster?
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/neuro/archive/16141.html

Cysts in muscle can come from trichinosis (pork parasite).

Also you can have a "stroke" in a blood vessel in the leg which then causes muscle death. The fibers do not come back when damaged this way. That muscle would be weaker, and perhaps have pain. But eventually the nerve pain should diminish.

I found using Lidoderm patches the most effective solution to my MP. Used for 2 weeks it actually put the nerve to sleep and the 100 bee stings I was living with went away. So there is something to be said for numbing it for a while. That may change the chemistry inside the nerve, and stop the pain.

[Idealist]

Thanks guys, for your answers. I guess I did get neuropathy and neuralgia kind of mixed up. I thought that they were pretty much the same. Like I said, I'm a baby here.

Formuslaus norfitzlitz? Dahlek, if they tell me I have that, I think a litte bit of fighting is going to ensue.

They say that my nerve damage started from a case of Diverticulitis. But when I was examined early on, it was found that I didn't even have any polyps to get infected. That confuses me.

Anyway, thank again to all of you. You've pointed me toward some of the first steps I need to take. I hope you are all having a fine day.

Idealist

[mrsD]

I am wondering since you had this diagnosis--(and I agree it seems strange too)

What antibiotics were you given, and for how long?

Some drugs cause neuropathies. (as well as tendon disease and frank ruptures)

Also did you have surgery for it? Abdominal surgery is one
trigger for damaging the lateral femoral nerve...which then gives you the nerve pain called Meralgia Paresthetica.

Dahlek is very clever...I think her made up disease is
funny!