Odd pain issues, what do I do?

[Fluffysmom]

I have neurogenic pain in my right leg, from under my ribcage down into my toes.  Sometimes its better than others; when its bad, I remember to take my Tegretol 3 times a day.  It's been doing fairly well.

I couldn't go to yoga on Saturday due to lack of sleep and feeling dizzy and off-balance.

Sunday I went on a ride, shopping and to lunch in Salem with my roommate.  I was fine, then when we stopped at the Outlet Malls, I started having a pain on the outside front of my thigh, above my knee.  It made it difficult to walk.  As the day progressed, the pain moved up into my hip and lower back, with not so much by my knee.  It wasn't the same as my usual pain, more tight and sharply aching.

I took Tegretol and a pain pill, and it seemed somewhat better.  By evening, I had a hard time sitting down or standing up.  Monday, my day after Avonex injection, was a world of hurt.  My right calf felt very tight, and it was hard to lift my right leg.  Not because it was numb, exactly, but because it hurt so bad that the muscles to lift it didn't want to fire or something.

Tuesday was bad, but I needed to prepare to stay in my apartment with Fluffy, so I shampooed the carpets very carefully.  Didn't seem to hurt much more, as driving in had been difficult anyway.  Foot to gas, foot to brake, painful, hard to do.  I'm walking like an old person, so I straighten up and feel a little better.

Prior to the start of this pain, I did nothing to strain or pull anything.  Fluffy has lost weight, so it's not from carrying him up the stairs, lol.

I'm having a hard time putting on or taking off my pants and socks, moving my leg when sitting down, etc.

It's been three days of pain, so I'm thinking about calling a doctor, but am unsure about who to call, or if it would even do any good.

Any ideas?

Kathy

[Quixotic1]

Kathy - I, too, thought of musculoskeletal pain when I read your post.  Remember that as our gait changes from weakness and spasticity, we change our posture and the muscles we use to support ourselves.  this can result in lower back pain and changes, especially in someone who already has it.

Also, the description of your thigh and hip pain suggests meralgic paresthetica.

If the pain is neuropathic and the Tegretol is not helping you might talk to your doctor about an increase in the dose, though Tegretol is not usually the first choice for pain other than TN.  the highest recommended dose of Tegretol is 1200mg per day.  I need 800mg to control my facial pain.

Quix

[jensequitur]

Hey, chica...  It might not be neurogenic pain.

I've started having some pain in my thigh muscles, and it's very similar to what you describe.  For two weeks I couldn't lift my right leg because the muscle that does that really hurt - I think it was spasticity.  I didn't find this out until I was driving!  I had to grab my pants leg and move my foot from gas to brake.  Scary.

I could lean on it with my forearm and massage it a little, and stretching it helped as well.  The pain seemed to radiate down to the outside of my knee, and go in a diagonal up to the inside of the thigh.

Stretching definitely helps with spasticity.  Try the hurdle stretch: stand up with one hand on a wall or door frame.  Grab the foot of the affected leg, and pull it back until it's almost touching your butt.  You'll feel all those muscles in the top of the thigh yelling at you.  Quix recommends a looooooong stretch.  I've never been able to make it more than five minutes - I seem to remember that she said fifteen.

Another good stretch is the lunge: While standing, put the affected leg behind you, with your foot flat on the floor.  Bend the other leg.  Don't bounce, or force it to stretch - just gently bend the knee so that you can feel the calf muscle pulling.  Keep at it.  

When my spasticity was really bad (broke a toe, so the calf started screaming at me) I had to stretch several times a day just so I could move around.  

These are stretches for athletes, but they should be safe for regular people too.

http   ://www.usatfadir.org/stretch2.htm

[Wobbly]

Hi there...sorry to hear your in so much pain... I too have Face Pain that the Dr and dentist can't seem to figure out..

If I was you,, I would call the Neuro office and let them know about the pain.. see what they say?  

take it easy
wobbly

[Fluffysmom]

Thanks, MeLissa.  I also have lumbar issues, which for years have confused the whole neurogenic pain issue, and now lead to my current confusion.  How confusing is that, lol.

I take vicodin 4x daily for the lumbar, thoracic, hip, and knee issues; its the only thing that has helped.  I haven't wanted to move to any more or anything stronger, but these past few days have been kind of lousy.  

Duh, I haven't tried ice.  I'll see if that helps.  If its that disc issue at 4-5, maybe ice will help.  I hope!

Kathy

[Ginosmommy]

I am still a newby here but I can't stand to see a post left unaswered by anyone! I have pains like this but they are associated with problems in my lumbar spine. I take tramadol for it 3x a day (double doses) because this is the only thing that helps.

I hope someone else can help here and I really wish you relief!

MeLissa