What causes neuropathy having numbness in the ankles after giving birth?
Patient: I am a 33 year old female 8 weeks and 2 days postpartum. This was my second child and they are 15 years apart. During pregnancy I had occasional tachycardia and a rug burn sensation behind my right knee and on my right calf when I rubbed or scratched. Around the end of my second trimester to my third trimester my thumb on my right hand developed a numbness (right is my dominate side). Since 1 1/2 weeks postpartum I have had peripheral neuropathy. I have been taking neurontin for close to 3 weeks now. I started with 300 mg then 600 mg now taking 900 mg and my neuropathy has went from the balls of my feet and toes to having numbness in my ankles. I am a RN and will have to be going back to work soon. Will this subside? If so how much longer until it does? Doctor: hi,your hand symptoms could be due to Carpal tunnel syndrome, and the leg and ankle numbness could be due to the stress and deficiency the body has gone through due to pregnancy, one thing I need to know, have you felt some improvement in symptoms due to the drug you are taking or its just ineffective. All these pregnancy stress symptoms usually settle with time and that can vary form few days to months .I would recommend you to continue treatment, which you are going through and see if things settle before making any decision on consultation, moreover watch for diabetes, if you have had or would have developed during pregnancy.I hope I have been successful in answering your concern.