Help

I have been suffering a numb thigh with a terrible burning sensation for the past  year.  During the day it is just numb with a dull ache.  As soon as I lay down at night I experience a tingling sensation, a bit like little electric shocks all over the front of my right thigh down to my knee.  Also during the night it goes extremely numb and then the burning.  In August I had Shingles on my back which came around to my tummy.  I had a scan on my back of the L1 and L2 lumber region and there is no hernia or pinched nerves.
1. Could this be from the Shingles although I've it for a year or more and only had the shingles in August.?
2. Is it the normal Meralgia Paresthetica.?
3. Is there any cure?
I am taking Clonazepam 10 drops at night which does help a little and Zaldiar for the pain of both legs!.  I can only really take these at night as they knock me out.  

Also I have pain in my left hip and knee.  This is like constant tooth ache with sometimes stabbing pulsating pains.  It is very difficult to sleep at night as I cannot lay on either leg and even laying on my back I get the problem with my right thigh.  My left hip hurts when walking and I can't lift my leg very high (for example... putting on my panties)......   I live in France and it is difficult trying to discuss issues with my GP. He has now referred me to another GP which I think may speak English.Can you please offer me some help or even suggestions that I can translate ready for this doctor on Tuesday 2nd November.
Many thanks.
Yours desperately....

[Garth L Nicolson, PhD]

Yes, it could be possible that this viral infection (Herpes zoster) caused the problem.  In addition, your infections may have resulted in other co-infections or opportunistic bacterial infections.  Together these infections could be the cause of your problems.

In a follow-on study of patients that had viral infections, when these subsided and then later reappeared as other symptoms, we often found bacterial co-infections.  This may have occurred when the viral infections reduced the immune system's capacity to suppress other common infections, or the co-infections were present all along and were being held in check by the immune system.  In any case, the co-infections actually became the main problem in causing systemic, chronic signs and symptoms, rather than the initial virus.