Post-Partum Femoral Neuropathy
I am just posting to see if any women out there have been affected by this?
My son was born 6 months ago and after 3 hours of pushing I had my beautiful 9lb 9oz baby boy. What happened later though was a bit of a shock. When they transfered me to the wheelchair to be brought down to my post-partum room I fell to the floor. I did not have control of my right leg and could not walk. After neurology and physical therapy consults I was told that I injured a nerve plexus involving my femoral nerve and that I would require months of PT (which I did to walk normally again). I lost all quadracep strength and my knee buckled when I walked unassisted. I am so much better now, but have a little ways to go. From the few women I have found out there affected by this (1 in 10,000 births) it takes about a year to feel like yourself again. Just seeing if there is anyone else going through the same. Thanks
Re: Post-Partum Femoral Neuropathy
Thanks...am getting there. My cousin is a midwife and I told her to look into it. My neurologist has only seen it 3 times before.
Good luck w/ nursing school.
Yes, I had the exact experience giving birth to my daughter on 1/30/2008. My right leg was affected the most. The only thing you didn't mention was numbness, did you not experience it as well? It took me months to be able to walk normally again. It took one year to get full feeling of my right leg back, a week to get feeling back from the waist down in the other areas fully. It took two years to get my knee jerk reflex back. Did you have an epidural? I had one for twelve hours and had pain in my right leg during the entire procedure, I just thought it was normal. I have recovered but get phantom tingling in both legs and feet from time to time. I had an emg at IU Med Center and they determined both femoral nerves were damaged, the right one more severely. The doctor pointed to the epidural as the cause, but it was not published in his medical report. My question is whether you have had more children or talked to anyone about the possibility of this happening again? Also did they recommend natural or c section? It was such a nightmare that I can't even believe my husband and I are even considering. I couldn't carry my daughter for months until I was cleared medically, also we had to move it with my parents for three months in order to take care of her properly. The hospital was very harsh, they told me if I couldn't walk in a month to come and see them...
Hi,
I had the same experience almost a year ago with my daughter. It has taken several months of PT to get me walking again. I had both legs affected. My right came back within a month, but I still have numbness in my left. I am walking normally but slow. Has anyone had another baby after this? My husband and I just found out we are pregnant again, not planned, total surprise. I am so nervous about it happening again. I only pushed for 45 minutes, but I was stuck at 9.5cm for 3 hours +2 station. They think that is what caused it. My daughter is 10 months old now. Not sure if I should go for the c/s????
Thanks
I am a little late here - but in case anyone is checking this thread anymore. I have also suffered from a femoral neuropathy. I just gave birth 3 weeks ago. The top part of my leg is completely numb from my mid-thigh to may ankle. I also couldn't walk for about a week after I gave birth.
The muscle strength has come back with some physical therapy I've been doing at home but I think I may need to start more formalized PT sessions to see more progress. My knee reflex was totally dead when they tested it at the hospital and my knee does buckle on me occasionally when walking. I go up and down the stairs like a two year old - where I can only step up with my right leg and then I bring my left leg up then up to the next step with my right leg and then bring my left leg up.
It's been awful. I cannot carry my baby around b/c I don't feel steady enough on my feet and I certainly cannot carry him up/down stairs. So once we are down stairs we are there for the day since my husband went back to work. It's awful. I am holding out hope that it gets better and I'll have full feeling and function one day but everything I read on the internet indicates otherwise - I haven't seen anyone who has said they got full function/feeling back. I try not to be too upset about it and like the other posters, am not sure what I'm going to do for baby #2. We definitely want another baby but I am scared that this is going to happen to my other leg or get worse or who knows. I will definitely have to talk to my doctor about elective c-section at that time.
Hi everyone,
I was the original poster of this and sorry I have not checked back in quite some time.
I did have significant numbness too. I had an epidural, but do not think it was the exact cause of this. The PT helped quite a bit. I did PT and muscle stimulation w/ PT for 2 months into recovery. After 3-4 months I was able to carry son; after 4 months able to do stairs normally and was back at work; after a year was able to wear heels again. I gained my reflex back at about 2 years (doctor said did not really need it, but got back).
I am due with my second baby in a few weeks. I am concerned that this could happen again, but my doctor feels it was the position I pushed in and the time I had to push. She feels that this time around should not happen and to try to switch pushing positions more.
For those who are going through this now I hope you all have a speedy recovery. I am 100% myself again. I felt pretty normal at 6 months and 100% at a year. Seeing a physical therapist for this is very important. Helped so much.
Nice to see that you had a second one without the same problem.I think some bumpies can be relieved to hear this.