Nerve damage from c-section?

[CoventGarden75]

After a failed induction I had a c-section at 42 weeks last year. A few weeks later I went out and about and developed a limp on my left leg while walking - no pain, just a limp, it disappears when I rest. The limp occurs every time I walk / exercise for more than 10 min. It's been going on for a year now, and after various investigations and hope doctors would fix it, I've just been told that it is NOT MS, I have a brain inflammation and nothing can be done. It's been a shock, I was very active before the c-section, and it's hard to accept that I am now disabled and struggling to walk to work. A small thing in the grand scheme of things, people are dealing with much bigger problems but I am scared of carrying my DD in the sling (risk of falling over due to lack of leg control) and having difficulty copping with it. I'm trying to understand what's going on: I now suspect a never damage from the c-section. Has anyone experienced a similar thing?

I'm so sorry, that sounds awful. I had an elective c section with dd2 and ended up with a big patch of numbness on my right thigh. I was told it was nerve damage and would go by 6 months. Actually it started to fade after a few months but took about a year or so to go, but it wasn't as debilitating as yours.

I had numbness around the incision for around 6 months - it has gone now though.

They have told you you have a brain inflammation, is that correct?

That would suggest it's not related to the Cs ...

Do you have proprioreception in that leg? Could it be damage to the sensory branch of the nerve as it enters the spinal cord?

Hi All,

thanks for sharing your experience Xmasbaby11 and finallyonboard, glad your issues have resolved themselves in the end.

skipton I guess when I said nerve damage from c-section, I meant from the spinal block. I had an MRI (brain+spine). The spine was fine but they noticed an inflammation in the brain, saying the brain was sending the wrong signal to the leg (or something along those lines), to carry on exercising as this wasn't causing any more damage, mentioned the need for a lumbar puncture to assess what was causing the inflammation and referred me to neurology but there, the consultant said lumbar puncture would not help. I think they were looking for MS, but I didn't meet the criteria (or not enough yet). He said the heat was causing the limp but hot showers (as he suggested) do not create the problem . Not sure what proprioception is , basically, after 10 min walking, I have a foot drop (can't keep is flexed), I can't lift my leg/knee nor do a leg curl. After resting for a bit, all comes back to normal. It's so confusing. Sorry for the essay, I obviously needed to get it off my chest

Hmmm.. Definitely needs further exploration. I can see why they investigated for ms (and glad you don't have it.)
are they doing any further tests? I think this is where you need to do the polite but pushy thing and politely insist on getting a definitive answer. Write down a list of questions and take them to your appointment- consultants can be intimidating and it's easy to forget and get flustered.

I'd ask:
Explain to me what you mean by inflammation in the brain
What causing that?
Is it from an infection?
How is that causing the limp?
Why am I ok after a quick rest?
Where do we go from here?
Would physio help? If so please refer me.

Thanks skipton, that's very good advice. I did get a bit brain dead in front of the consultant, but I was pushy, not in the polite way, more in the melt down type of way as I was really expecting some solution, or at least a next step from that appointment. He kept saying there is nothing he can do, that if they were any medication available, he would give them to me. Anyway, he's referring me to physio, asking for a repeat MRI to see if there is any progression (in August I could walk 20 min before the limp starts, i'm down to 10) and I should have a follow up to review the results in 4 months.

So frustrating when doctors say, "you're fine, you're strong" well yes that's left over from past work outs, I know my fitness is deteriorating because I can no longer exercise, I am compensating to keep going despite the limp which create an imbalance and further problems: a time bomb basically.

I will definitely make a list for next time, and maybe bring DP with me, he's a lot more clued up than I am, and very very politely pushy. Thanks again for your support

I now believe that perceived I was accused of being unfit mummy but instead went through a traumatic emergency c section and ten days in hospital. I went through hell apart from my little boy. I did the best I could to get him against me and bond with me naturally and not loose him.
Hallucination's started imminently after he was born. I walked though hospital looking for my baby he was in nasty cot next to my nasty iron bed thing. This whole experience has tested me and my family to them I am so sorry I cant pay back but say sorry and thankyou

You sound like you have medical background...I was a nurse 16 yrs treated like piece of meat emergency c section at Alex I am still traumatised..

I have considerable numbness below incision and bladder weakness