Question:
Pain in outer thighs when laying down

I have pain in my outer thights when laying down. It feels like pins and needles, but it hurts. Anyone else have this?    — Nelson D. (posted on October 21, 2002)

October 21, 2002
I have had numbness in the outer part of one thigh for about 18 years. After my RNY and subsequent weight loss, it turned from numbness to pain. Some nights it is so bad that I have to take a pain pill. I did some research and it appears to be caused by damage to the femerol nerve. My orthopaedist thinks that is what it is also. The nerve becomes trapped and there is pressure on it causing the numbness and tingling sensations. He told me that I need to see a neurologist to have the diagnsis confirmed and then usually a back doctor would treat it but there really isn't a lot that can be done other than surgically cutting the nerve. I believe the medical term for this condition is Meralgia Paresthetica. Do a search on Yahoo or any search engine for that and you will find a website with a message board.
   — Patty_Butler

October 21, 2002
I feel your pain! I started to have numbness on my right outer thigh right before surgery, and then after surgery it HURT too. I had surgery 8/7/02 and my leg still hurts sometimes, just not as severe as it did. My PCP said that it is slight nerve damage from the weight loss. He said losing lots of weight in a small period of time stretches your leg nerves..weird I know!
   — fropunka

October 21, 2002
I believe Patty and Rosie hit the nail on the head. I have it too and it is horrible. I am 8 weeks out and just hope and pray that everything will just go away soon! Some people say that it can take 6 months to a year to go away! I hope it doesn't take that long, but I just have to wait it out I guess! Hope things get better for you!
   — sammygirlwpc

October 21, 2002
I too have this, I am 5 weeks post-op. The pain is in my hip. When I sleep in bed, and wake up it hurts, sometimes, all day. But when I sleep in the recliner, no pain! Weird, huh? I haven't lost a lot yet, so I don't know what is causing it.
   — Tammy .

October 21, 2002
Yep - "lateral femoral cutaneous nerve".
   — jen41766