Are my symptoms normally seen in peroneal neuropathy?

Question

Hi doctor,

I got peroneal neuropathy after bariatric surgery. I have lost 97 lbs in the last six months, and all of a sudden, I was diagnosed with peroneal neuropathy in my right leg. My right leg was numb from the knee down all through my toes, but now the numbness has subsided and only my big toe and a little bit towards my ankle are numb. I still cannot lift my foot, and I am scared to death that there is something else wrong with me. I have a lot of pain down my buttocks and outside of my thigh down my calf and my ankle. Does this sound like normal symptoms of peroneal neuropathy? I have had an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of my lower back that showed slight bolds disking on the left side and spinal stenosis on both sides of my lower back, but the neurologist said that he did not think that could cause the foot drop. I also had a nerve conduction test and an electromyography (EMG). I am just so scared that I have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) even though both neurologists told me I do not have it.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com. Foot drop and impaired sensation on the outer side of the leg below the knee are possible common peroneal neuropathy. But the same can also happen by the involvement of partial sciatic nerve involvement or lumbar plexus involvement or the involvement of roots coming from the spine. Foot drop alone without impaired sensations on the outer side of the leg is possible by the above said involvement along with the involvement of the spinal cord or the involvement of the leg area in the frontal lobe of the brain. The differential diagnosis is lumbosacral radiculopathy. Pain down the buttocks and outside of thigh, calf, and ankle is more suggestive of the involvement of nerve roots near the spinal cord. I would like to see your NCV (nerve conduction velocity), EMG (electromyography), and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) images.