im numb

I had vsg June 25th, everything went well, and then last week i noticed as i was shaving my lower right leg felt a lil wierd, i dint pay much attention to it thinkn of maybe having my leg up while shaving i was cutting of circuation or something, the sensation went away, or maybe i just forgot about it. anyways last night i again in the shower noticed it again whie shaving although now the numb feeling is on both legs. my left leg front inner side of leg and back of leg from ankle to mid thigh are num as well as right leg mid calf 6inch area and belly is also numb. I figured maybe it will go away, but today it is still num. It does not hurt, just no sensations. It is like the skin is numb. Its a strange feeling. I called my surgeon to ask if i should just go to ER in fear of soething serious. and instead he tells me to relax, calm down and take it easy? i am so confused... perhaps this is common. He say not to worry about it and the sensation shoulld return, and to call and come in if i get pain. Has anyone else had this? and if so when will this numbness go away?

I cannot say for certain why you are experiencing numbness. What I can tell you is as I lose this weight and become more mobile as  I move more, my body is changing and and becoming more strong, more balanced and by far, more flexible. Perhaps with your weight loss you are moving more and your body is trying to catch up with your new movements.

I am embarassed to say before I lost weight, I never shaved my upper back thighs because i could not physically reach there. Now I am flexible enough to do that. In the beginning when I first started shaving, I noticed my one side was very stiff and it took awhile before i could move that side of me like I could move the other side. Time and continued movement took care of this issue. Now both sides of my body are flexible.

Since you spoke with your doctor, I would follow his/her advice.

Best,

Sharon

 Thanks :-)

So I am still waiting to have surgery - but can say that I've had two c-sections where I had abdominal surgery (and why I am waiting to have my wls because a 3rd baby is on the way) but after my first surgery my abdomen around the incision was numb because the nerves were cut. I slowly got sensation back over time. When I had the second c-section I am still waiting for sensation to get back and am thinking I may never get it completely back but it is not all up and down my leg just around the incision. Any time you have surgery this is a risk that you take. But because your body does heal over time it is very likely you will regain your sensations and your doctor's advice to relax is a good one. I also suffer from nerve pain and damage due to my weight and how I carry it. So when I am on my feet for long periods of time my upper thigh on one side goes completely numb. So your numbness may due in part to how you carry your weight. Now that you are losing if you have a panni it could be putting pressure on some of your nerves which is causing the numbness.

Bottom line there are lots of possible reasons for the numbness but numbness is rarely something to be worried about in those areas of your body. Moving and stretching is also a good way to get your body back into condition now that you are on the loser's bench.

Best of luck to you!

Brenda~

I also have a similar numbness.  Its my rught upper thigh.  At night I would have to move because it would get numb.  As the weight is coming off.  I dont have the numbness as much.  I keep forgetting to ask my Docs about it.   It only happens more when I am laying down not so much sitting or standing. 

There could be a number of reasons for this. Is it purely positionial (I.e. it only ever happens when you stand for more than 10 mins or sit in a particular way?) If so, then it could be pressure on a nerve because of a change in your gait... this happens to a lot of us transitioning rapidly from a SMO BMI... Our body just can not raise the muscular structure nexcessary to support our new body posture.

If it's not positional, it also could be a vitamin deficiency. I know for sure a B1 or B12 deficiency can cause numbness. Have you had labs done recently?

You are so smart! Thanks for this answer. Who knew? Thanks again! Best, Sharon

 I have not had labs done yet. Surgeon says he won't do me til end of October . Nut. Thinks maybe deficiency? Surgeon says just don't stress on it and it will go away on its own. He says if it hurts then call him. My numbness is not positional. I have it all the time. It's a weird feeling entire legs not numb just the skin hard to explain. 

((HUGS)) I hope they figure it out for you!