Leg pain bothering me at night for over 2 months

Hopefully somebody here has been there, done that for this, or can recommend the right type of doctor. My primary doctor has been useless for this. It started in early September and hasn't let up. It really bothers me badly at night, and I am awake several times each night because of it. I feel like I am jinxed. I started cpap April 30th, and I have had compliance issues off and on since June, mostly from non-related problems messing with my sleep (2 weeks of heavy coughing, another 5 weeks of heavy coughing, leg pain for 2 months, congestion, etc. All things that bother me, and cause me to wake up, and often take off my mask.

It is my right leg, upper thigh (front and inner area). I can walk without pain, and lift my leg to the side without pain. But if I have to bend and lift upward, it hurts really bad. Basically anything that requires my foot to get 4 or more inches off the ground with the knee bent. As in going up stairs (usually better after the first few), getting my leg in and out of the car (really bad, taller vehicles easier as lower vehicles require me to lift it up and in and up and out.) It also hurts putting my leg into a pair of pants while standing up. This never hurt before. Now I have to sit down and gently slide my foot into the pant leg and left the pants up from the floor.

But the worst is rolling over in bed (rolling from my right side to my left side) which I do when I am uncomfortable. And any kind of side to side movement of my leg in bed as I have to lift it a little. So, if I need to move over a little, I have to pick up my leg a little, and it hurts really bad.

I am female, 40 years old, and this is new as of about 2 months ago. I went on a trip in late september and early october. I started before that. It didn't bother my hiking that much except for a few places. But it sure hurt getting in and out of the car. And going up stairs in hotels. The pain rolling over in bed has gotten worse as it did not hurt that much last month, and now it is very bad and several times a night.

Has he ruled out DVT?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_vein_thrombosis
Another possible: my MIL had leg pain due to a pinched nerve in her BACK.

Why don't you see your own doctor and let him refer you to the right specialist if he doesn't know what the problem is?

It certainly doesn't sound Cpap related though, more likely a back thing, or just a pulled muscle.

Get a hip x-ray

I had something like that, not quite those symptoms, and the problem was a pinched nerve, probably from an accident some years ago. I also knew a fellow who had issues from a pinched nerve in his neck. In his job he knew a fellow who had the same type of pinched nerve problem for years, chose to put off doing anything about it, and suffered a lot during those years, and now the pain, limp is permanent.

Moral being that one does not want to keep aggravating, damaging the nerve from trying to just suffer through it, and hope it will quit.

It is time to see a doc and let him decide, which tests are needed, what is going on.

FYI: They knew a lot about how to get reduce the pain with drugs. Drugs to heal up the aggravated nerve. Then stretching exercises which basically kept the muscle cramps, pain away. Glad I went to see doc.

If your primary doc is baffled by your pain; DEMAND a referral to someone who will not be.
This is what he is paid for; do not let him blow you off.

Agree with suggestions to see your doc and be properly evaluated. Also agree with do not accept "oh it's probably just ___" from the doctor. Ask what it could be, then ask for the tests to rule those things out. Wait and see is not a good answer either, as you have already done that. Let us know what you find out.

Why don't you see your own doctor and let him refer you to the right specialist if he doesn't know what the problem is?

I have asked her twice about it, including this past monday. She doesn't think it is a big deal and either doesn't know or doesn't care. I wasn't impressed. I'm not going back and paying yet another copay just to get a referral unless I really have to. I am going to do some more looking online and then call the 24 hour nurse that is offered with my insurance. They can also give me a list of doctors in my area that I can call. That is how I got an appointment with an ENT last year when I had 2 trips to the ER with vertigo. The ER doctor recommended an ENT to check my ears.

Thank you for all the replies.

I won't rule out a pinched nerve as I do have sciatic problems sometimes. I have a hard time relaxing, so my back gets tense. I have a prescription for muscle relaxers for that, and I did have a lot of back pain off and on during the past month. At the end of my trip, sleeping in hotel beds caught up with me, so that took awhile to resolve. This leg problem started before that, but since I have a history of back pain and the other pinched nerve, I will add it to my list so that I can discuss it with the doctor. I am planning to get a list of doctors I can call and see if I can get an appointment for next week.

I looked at the website for DVT, and I don't have any symptoms for that, so I think that is probably not a risk. That one sounds very scary. My mom suggested bursitis, and I looked at some webpages, and that may be a possibility. One of the websites mentions it being painful to get in and out of a car. So, that is one of the movements that bothers me. If it is inflamed, then I probably need medication to help it. If the nurse thinks that may be it, I may call my regular doctor and see if she will go ahead and prescribe something without me going back in.

I will also go ahead and use a muscle relaxer tonight (it's been a few weeks since I have used one, I try to limit them). And I have a back massager that I will start using daily and see if that helps too.

I felt like I was awake every half hour last night, so I really need to get some better sleep. Now that I have good nights with my cpap machine, the bad nights feel much worse than they used to. Regardless of what actually caused the problem.

Thanks again! You guys are great!

zoocrewphoto wrote: But the worst is rolling over in bed (rolling from my right side to my left side) which I do when I am uncomfortable. And any kind of side to side movement of my leg in bed as I have to lift it a little. So, if I need to move over a little, I have to pick up my leg a little, and it hurts really bad.

Sorry I don't have any suggestions for treatment beyond those already made. You might try experimenting with a pillow between your legs when you roll over. If you could lift your leg by rolling it onto a pillow instead of using your muscles to lift it when you turn that might ease the pain. Something like that has helped me with an injured knee. I hope you find relief soon.

Hi, I do know one thing... hip arthritis is usually felt in the inner/front part of where your leg reaches the rest of you (groin area), and it just could be that you're having not-so-advance notice of it. You really need to check it out if only with a new doctor, or even the ER.

New doctor; Changing doctors is quite often the solution to better care.