Post surgical Neuropraxia in legs and feet.

After my surgery I couldn't cross my legs without pain and when riding motorcycle I got sharp radiating pains down both legs. Gradually all the pain subsided and my legs are back to normal. It took more than 6 months.

Neurapraxia is part of Seddon's classification scheme used to classify nerve damage. It is a transient episode of motor paralysis with little or no sensory or autonomic dysfunction. Neurapraxia describes nerve damage in which there is no disruption of the nerve or its sheath. In this case there is an interruption in conduction of the impulse down the nerve fiber, and recovery takes place without true regeneration, as Wallerian degeneration does not occur. This is the mildest form of nerve injury. This is probably a biochemical lesion caused by concussion or shock-like injuries to the fiber. In the case of the role nerve, neurapraxia is brought about by compression or relatively mild, blunt blows, including some low-velocity missile injuries close to the nerve. There is a temporary loss of function which is reversible within hours to months of the injury ( the average is 6–8 weeks ). There is frequently greater involvement of motor than sensory function with autonomic function being retained. This form of nerve-impulse interruption should not be ignored and the patient should refer to a physician as soon as possible. In sports neurapraxia is common and happens to most athletes during their sports life-span. Patients should also refrain from playing sports or putting stress on the injured area.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuropraxia

Thanks to all for your post. My symptoms are like the explanation posted by Steve in Dallas. When I woke from RRP, from my thighs down on both legs had the same sensation as if you sit on your foot and it "goes to sleep". As crazy as it sounds I could move my my legs and had good muscle tone when I would lift my legs and push on the Dr's hand and when I would pull back with my leg on the bed against the doctors resistance. The problem was that when I went to lower my leg from lifted to on the bed, I had no control at all. It would just flop around. Some nerves had no sense of sensation and other had ultra-sensitivity to sharp touch. Because of the good muscle tone they tried to get me out of bed unsuccessfully on two occasions both of which I ended up being hoisted back into bed with a lift. For two days after the surgery I could not walk and was confined to bed. Finally on the third day the leg control came back enough to get out of bed and sit up in a chair. On post surgery day four I finally was able to walk down the hall with the help of the physical therapist on a walker. I was finally released on day five and came home with a walker.
Things continued to improve each day for the next couple weeks. Now after 9 weeks I am left with some numb spots on the bottom of both feet and burning sensations similar to felt by people with diabetes. The Dr.'s are telling me that the numbness and burning may go away in a month, maybe a year and maybe not at all. But from where I started on post op day one to now, if it doesn't get any better, I can learn to live with it and be thankful for every day.

Good luck and keep on fighting to all!!

Mountain,

The burning you described as something like that of diabetics is what I experience and was finally diagnosed with Peripheal nueropathy. Felt like shingles at first then the burning got much worse, almost like it was burning thru the meat and bone and skin. But now taking meds for that, and it helps somewhat. Not sure if nerves were damaged during surgery or what, but I am over one year post op. Your situation is different than mine with the exception of the burning. Lets hope that we both rid ourelves of this in due time.

Michael

Until I found this thread I had no idea that the fact that my feet often feel really odd could be relevant to anything.
I find that my feet often feel really hot especailly towards the end of the day, hot enough to be annoying when I am in bed and trying to sleep.

At the end of last year I even bought a whole load of new socks so as to have ones that are very very thin, having been wearing thick socks since I was 16.
It kinda feels like my feet are too full as well, it that makes sense, so I try to make the sensation go away by lying on my belly with my legs bent so that my feet are higher than the rest of me.
And now the hot weather is indeed making my feet bigger. Luckily I am at home and cane go bare foot a lot of the time.

I will mention it to the doc at my next visit though.

(At least when they first checked my PSA last year they also checked my blood sugars etc and they were okay, though with regard to diabetes my father-in-law is a diabetic and he has trouble with his feet feeling cold all the time.)

Alf

Orchyd,
Im my case, when I was one week post op I had been home for 2 days and was on a walker. During that time I gained more feeling in my lower leg and feet. Wednesday (7-07-10) will be 3 months since my surgery and there are still a few spots on each foot that are numb and the burning is to a level I can live with. I am on two drugs (Oxcarbazepine and Amitripityline) to help with the numbness and burning in my feet. The Dr's are telling me that they think that the everything should get back to normal but it may take as long as a year. The main thing to remember is take it slow and at your own pace. I am walking without a cane now but still walk quiet a bit slower than I used to.
Hope all continues to improve for you.