Nerve pain in leg?

[DachsieMom]

Well, I had a successful surgery April 9. So happy to be alive! I am having major nerve pain in my left leg (thigh area) - feels like hot fire shooting up my leg every time I move it. Surgeon thinks it will resolve in 3-4 months but I will always have a numb area. Has anyone else experienced nerve pain? Does it go away? This seems worse than sternum pain. All else is good. Thank you.

 

[Jessica Marie]

Glad your surgery went well! Never had a heart cath done though so not sure about the pain. But I hope it resolves quickly for you!
xx

 

[Boomanchu]

I had one bypass when I had my valve so they took a donor vein from my left leg. It hurt like hell at first. Mine felt much better by about week four. I'm week 12 and still have some numbness but only feel a little pain if something presses in just the right place. And yes, it was way more painful than the sternum pain.

 

[Paleowoman]

I didn't have any nerve pain after my AVR, though the nerve just to one side of my sternum was numb after surgery and has remained so (now 15 months later) BUT I currently have nerve pain from the major nerve which runs from the jaw up the side of the face (due to a dental procedure) and I have been prescribed Gabapentin which is an antiepileptic medication which is given to help with nerve pain (there are other antiepileptic meds which are for that too). I didn't get the correct diagnosis for about three months which means that the nerve has been sensitised for a long time. If you don't get any improvement with the nerve in your leg I would highly recommend seeing a neurologist who has knowledge of nerve pain problems.

 

[epstns]

It is always difficult to predict what "minor complications" any of us may encounter. They do so many "unusual" things with our bodies while we are on the table, and some of them may have longer term implications.

In my case, ever since my valve surgery in 2011, I have intermittent pain in both shoulders - almost like a rotator cuff injury. Our theory (my cardio and I) is that when they "positioned" me on the operating table, they probably injured my shoulders by pulling things past their natural limits. Since nothing was broken or dislocated, it was not noticed in post-op exams. Actually, it wasn't until about 6 months out that I was active enough to "trigger" the pain. I guess it stays with me now, unless I decide to pursue possible surgical intervention (which I really do not want to do).

 

[cewilk]

It has been a 13 weeks since my 2nd OHS and this time they made an incision in my groin to access my femoral in case they had to use it. Once I began walking in the hospital, I would have this terrible, hot, stinging pain that would last until after a few minutes of walking around. Now at 13 weeks, I have no pain when walking or running, but a large numb area in my inner right thigh all the way up that it a bit sensitive to pressure. Not sure but it doesn't seem like it's getting any better but it really hasn't bothered me at all.

 

[epstns]

cewilk - your numbness may be a bit like mine. I had a bypass when my valve was replaced. They used my left interior mammary artery to connect to my left anterior descending artery. In other words, my bypass was entirely within my chest. To this day, 4+ years later, I still have a numb area in my left upper chest. They said it would go away within 6 months or so, but it never did. No problems, but it feels weird.

 

[rufus]

Hi,

How is the nerve pain now ?

I'm 8 weeks out and have the same problem as you. I am currently taking gabepentin which does ease the pain / horrible sensation but I feel it is just masking things and not actually making it better. It is starting to really get me down as it hurts to even wear clothes that are close to the skin.

If you have seen improvement please can you let me know whether it was jus patience or medication. Hears hoping you are feeling a bit better.

Rufus

 

[DachsieMom]

Happy to report that the pain is gone. I had home physical therapy (prescribed by my doctor, through VNA) which helped tremendously. The numbness remained for a while after the pain stopped, but now that is gone as well. I am about 9 weeks post op.