Leg numbness, anyone experience THIS? long

DanaConrad

At my 18 week checkup, I notified my doctor that I've been having this strange numbness in my left thigh, around the outside.  It happens if I stand too long, lounge, or sit on that butt cheek. He told me that ligaments and pretty much everything in the body swells during pregnancy, there aren't any exercises I can do for it, and if I know a way to stand or move to bring feeling back, that's all I can do.

Flash forward to week 21.   It's numb at least mildly ALL the time.  Now, when I wake up, I have this strange pulling feeling, like if I was wearing a bandaid and it was pulling at my skin.  If I walk, I have to stop and do squats (like I'm peeing on the sidewak.  Yeah, I get those looks), or basically yoga.  If I stand still, it's worse.  I get a hot feeling, then a dull ache and pressure, then it feels exactly like I'm getting a tetanus shot.  If I don't squat or sit down, it's bad enough that my left feels like it's going to give out.  I go to the doctor the 16th again, but it's getting so bad I had to have my husband go get me a wheelchair to do our registry since stopping to squat the 4 or 5 times was doing nothing, and after crying because it hurt so bad.  It was really embarassing, but it hurts too much to stand. 

The weirdest thing is that I can walk a mile and a half, the quicker the better, for half an hour and it'll get bad enough and I'll only need to squat once, maybe twice.  But if I stand to make dinner for half an hour, I have to sit down 6 or 7 times, and that's waiting until the pain gets excruciating.

I'm just worried it's going to get bad enough that I'm going to have to stop walking overall, and even need a wheelchair most of the time.

I know people are going to think I'm being dramatic, or can't handle the pain.  And there will probably be remarks about not being able to handle childbirth if I can't handle a leg ache, but please keep in mind that I do still walk quite often, so I'm not just giving in to it, so please save the comments about that.  I'm just looking for someone who has dealt with this and either fixed it or maybe it just went away.  Maybe even a suggestion. 

I've tried sleeping on a pillow, sleeping on my right side, my left side, stretching.  I'm trying yoga tomorrow.  IDK what else to do.

I'm convinced this is my reward for not getting morning sickness.

mrs.kapow

If you're comfortable with the idea, I would look into a chiropractor. There should be some who specialize in treating pregnant women. It sounds like maybe you have a nerve pinched or something else going on.

I actually have more numbness/sleepy feeling in my legs after having DD because she was pressing on my tailbone during labor. My chiro helps a lot when it gets bad. 

christyhal

I agree, I would suggest seeing a chiropractor.  It does sound like it may be a pinched nerve.  Hope it is feeling better soon!

judahsmommy1

Anyone who would make derogatory comments about this just has no idea what they're talking about. It could be a pinched nerve. It sounds like it could be sciatic nerve pain. Either way, it's PAINFUL and it's no joke. When I wasn't pregnant I had an experience with my sciatic nerve that was so painful that my husband had to stay home from work to take me to the doctor. I couldn't do anything by myself. He lifted me out of bed, he helped me use the bathroom, he more or less dressed me... it was bad. I definitely agree about seeing a chiro. You can ask your doctor for one or you can call around. But make sure they have experience working with pregnant women.

MainelyFoolish

My preference is for physical therapists over chiropractors, but the idea is the same. If you have a pinched nerve in your lower back, it can cause the symptoms you're describing. Ask your doctor about a referral for physical therapy or other treatment.

nerdbaby

Didn't read other replies, so sorry if this is a repeat but it sounds like meralgia parethetica, or lateral cutaneous femoral nerve entrapment - I have it too, but on the right side.  

The short and sweet is that your big 'ole ute is putting increased pressure on your inguinal ligament (your uterus may shift to the left naturally), which then puts compression on the nerve that runs under this ligament, and boom.. numbness, tingling, and excruciating pain as the compression increases.  If I keep a brisk pace with nice long strides it helps the groin stretch and release pressure on that nerve a bit, but yeah, standing to cook or iron or even sitting too long to fold laundry is heinous.  Everything takes 10x as long.  You can see a chiropractor if that's your thing - I'm giving it a try, but honestly, there's not much they can do considering the baby's only going to keep growing and putting more and more pressure on the ligament.  There's a chance I'll get some relief once the uterus lifts out of the pelvis a bit, but it's just going to drop back down a week or two later, so yeah... Another option is a local nerve block.  I had to see a neurologist for a referral to a pain management clinic for this.. injection of lidocaine and corticosteroid at the site of compression.  Gives me a few days of relief and then it's back to the same.  I use that only when I have a conference or something for work where excessive standing is unavoidable - and it doesn't kill the pain entirely but it's better than taking percocet or neurontin, as far as absorption and transfer to the baby is concerned.

PM me or page me on this board if you have any questions or just want to *** to someone else who completely gets it.  And good luck!!! 

FamilyIsLove

My right upper thigh gets numb when I walk around a lot. I think it's the baby compressing the sciatic nerve or something. It'll go away with rest.

I suggest you see a specialist if it starts bothering you bad enough where you can't walk.