Continuous leg pain especially at night

[Megan111243]

I have suffered with severe leg pains especially at nights. Usually I get very little sleep. Sometimes the pain is very severe. The doctors have given me very strong pain killers but they don't always work. Actually mostly they don't work. I do get fed up with this. Also my husband as I very seldom to to bed with him.

[cyberbarn]

i am really sorry to hear your leg pain is causing you so many problems. Sleep is so important for healing, and it is a downward spiral where the less sleep we get, the less chance for the body to heal itself, so the more pain we are in, which results in less sleep.

What investigations have you had? Presumably the Dr didn't just hand out painkillers without looking at why you are having this pain?

Pain in legs can sometimes be referred pain from another part of the body. For instance if a nerve is being pressed on or squeezed in the back or hips then instead of the pain being felt there it is felt in the leg. There are different patterns of where the pain is felt that map back onto where the problem might be.

There is also different kinds of pain, neuropathic, which is pain from the nerves themselves, and nociceptive , which is from tissue damage. Both take a different type of treatment. Sometimes it can be muscles that are causing the pain.

Have you see a physiotherapist? If you have and that didn't help it might be worth discussing this with your Dr and asking for a referral to a pain clinic.

I hope you can get some relief soon.

[Megan111243 in reply to cyberbarn]

Thank you. But our doctors have been told about my leg pain many times and all I get is stronger pain killers. My legs bruise so easily and they look awful.perhapsbinwill take your advise and go to a physio. Once again thank you.

[Defenders]

Hello, I’m prescribed Gabapentin for very severe leg pain. Do you know what the cause is of yours? Mine is caused by severe degeneration of my lumbar spine.

[Defenders in reply to Defenders]

I’d wait to go physio until the underlying cause of your pain is found.

[cyberbarn]

Have you ever heard of the condition Ehlers-Danlos syndrome? That can cause easy bruising.

ehlers-danlos.org/informati...

If you think you might have this, you can look at the RCGP toolkit for more information and take the link to your GP to discuss it further. Physios often know about this condition too.

rcgp.org.uk/clinical-and-re...

[Shazza1968]

Hi Megan What sort of pain is it sciatica or something else?

[Babaika]

I have been in severe pain for 15 1/2 years now 24/7. Been to 5 pain clinics many doctors and zero help. Taken tons of pain meds. Non worked for me. I also can’t sleep at night I take a prescribed sleep aid I go to sleep but wake up in a couple of hours later then awake rest of night. I was in a terrible motorcycle accident in 2006, been in pain since. They say my lower leg and foot pain are now caused by diabetic neuropathy. Haven’t found any help for that. I also lost my left leg and have phantom pain not relief for it either. My wife and I haven’t been able to sleep in the same room for almost 15 1/2 years. I can’t sleep therefore she can’t sleep. Wish they would put more money in pain studies. Sure need something to help with the neuropathy starting in hands too. Hope you can get some relief, living with constant pain sux. Neuropathy, phantom pain and phantom sensation are my demons.

[Hidden in reply to Babaika]

Oh my goodness how on earth do you cope? I take tramadol but they make me feel really sick and very tired with a headache but as for hand pain I’ve been told about tens gloves so will try them but I’m so sorry your having to go through this but good you have a supportive wifeTake care 😊

[Megan111243 in reply to Babaika]

Oh I am so very sorry to hear of your very painful experiences. I know some nights I just wish i could just take my legs of and put them back on in the morning. But the experience you are having with phantom pains does not bear thinking about. I do hope you do get help but it is amazing just how many people are up at three in the morning or earlier. I do hope that one day you and your wife can sleep together again.Thank you for replying.