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Post RC..... Thigh neuropathy in both legs, and pelvic pain while walking.

jc3126
0 Recommendations

Hi all, I have not posted since before my RC on Oct. 12..... I have just been too wiped out. Thanks to all for your support during my RC.
I have little to no feeling at the top of the thighs. I understand that this is probably due to nerve damage during the RC, or due to the positioning during the RC. From what I read, this will either resolve itself, or not.
My other problem presented itself 2 weeks post surgery. I had been walking everyday, first at the hospital, then at home. I was able to walk 100 - 200 yards, but then became tired. The pain seemed normal for the situation, uncomfortable, but not intolerable. Starting last Monday afternoon, I experienced severe pain in the pelvic area when trying to take a step, and am still having this issue today. I can stand with no pain, but cannot lift either foot off of the ground unless I support my weight with my arms. With my weight supported by my arms, I can lift either leg normally with no pain at all. I am now using a walker to take even the smallest step.
I went back into the hospital, where they did tests for blood clots, infection, abscess, etc..... They could find nothing wrong, and sent me home to wait and see.
Does anyone know anything about this sort of problem?
I am now almost 3 week out, and have had all of the various drains and tubes removed, and am beginning the bladder training process. It is good to be home.....
John

Explore topics in this discussion:

Exercise Surgery Pain Stent Physical therapy

9 replies

roadrunner

Welcome back John,
So many feelings going on, the pelvic area and the nerves muscles seem to have a difficult time after surgery,,my husband had the same, I ran him back in as well, to check it out, time seem to heal all of the issues, but still keep an eye on it,the left leg was a big issue,had to lift it into bed as the nerve and muscle were not working together,,,later, it got the message and returned,,I hope things improve,maybe ask for a physical therapist as we did,they came to our house.

Hope this helps,
Ginger

jj803

Hi John,

I'm glad you have already had this checked out. It is encouraging that nothing was found in all the studies, though I am sure it doesn't help the frustration level. I hope these issues resolve themselves in the near future. Best wishes,

JJ

nancynursez637

Several things pop into this old nurses mind. One do you by chance have a ureteral stent someone forgot about? ask your doc, second, then i would seek a physical therapy referral for evaluation of your ileopsoas muscles, which attach at the back near the waist and drop down through the pelvis just inside your hip bones and attach to the sacrum. You might be overdoing the walking but an evaluation of these muscles and your low back would be good places to start as long as you do not have a stent in place.

NancyN

gauge

John, congrats on being on the other side of your RC!

I can't say enough about doing physical therapy after an RC. My PT told me most of her patients were there because of lack of proper positioning during lengthy surgeries. I am sure that is the reason I had a back spasm for four months. Guess the docs really put our bodies through some intense gyrations during that type of surgery. Never knew positioning during surgery was so important.

Also after my RC the muscle on the inside of my left thigh started to shrivel up. Even though I could walk, there was damage to my obturator nerve, which is in the left leg, during the surgery and my inner thigh muscle was shut off from the electrical signals it needed in order to work. Doc told me it would grow back around a quarter inch a month (or half I can't remember) It took several months and it came back.

You are right, time will resolve a lot of the "collateral damage" issues from the surgery. It is early for you still. It will get better. Good luck.

EricAndre

John,

I had the same problem with my legs. Lost feeling from the the knees up on both legs. Don't worry it will come back by itself it is just the nerves that are shell shocked by the operation. However it takes some time. be patient. Exercise help speed the process. I was told to used ice cubes (Did not feel a thing) and imagine how it would feel if I had no problem. That exercise was great . Somehow it retrained the nerves to behave as they should.
I would take an object feel it in my arms and put it in my leg trying to feel the same as the feeling I had in my arms. Also I would gently make a self massage on the
legs. The only problem is time. It is a long process so don't make it hard because the feeling on your legs will come back. Maybe not as fast as you would want but nature takes time.
Be well
EricAndre

jc3126

Thanks for the info, you guys are the best..... I sure hope that these issues will resolve themselves with time. I can live with the loss of feeling, but dread the thought of using a walker forever.
My ureteral stents were attached to my catheter, and came out with the catheter..... Quite an experience.
What exactly does a physical therapist do in a situation like this? I am already doing a kind of self directed evaluation/exercise program to be able to notice any change. PT is about a 90 mile round trip, and almost out of the question now.
John

DRB

John -

I was just reading about your pelvic pain after your RC. It is so weird that I came across this today because my husband is having the same problem. He had his RC surgery on Oct. 7th (just the week before you did). Everything was going good but about 3 days ago he started complaining about this horrible pain in his lower back and upper thigh. It really is hurting him pretty bad. We put a call into the doctor and he wants us to come in tomorrow so they can do an xray of the kidney. We hope it's not the kidney...but something is causing this pain. I hope more people reply to your discussion. After reading some of the other comments, looks like it could be the muscles.

Stacey

jc3126

Stacey,
I think that there is nothing like information from people that have been there and done that.
For me at the hospital it was a good news, bad news situation..... glad that they could find nothing wrong with me, and sad that they couldn't decide what is wrong with me.....
My pain is only when I try to lift my leg to take a step..... Anyway, good luck.....
John

Keith1

Hi John,
I think if you could make it to see the therapist once, he/she could set you up with exercises that you could do at home.They may be different from the ones you are already doing.
Claudia might have to give you a hand with some of them. I wish you well.
Keith

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