This is a problem that occurs, infrequently, to me, which is nonetheless frustrating every time it happens.
One or the other of my legs will feel as though it is dead, and gradually start feeling painful, with the intensity of the pain gradually increasing. I’m wondering if this is a pinched-nerve sort of occurrence, or what exactly this is.
Alex
not a ‘pinched nerve’ as much as a blockage or at least a slow down in blood flow. At my age iI get that in my arms sometime even when it’s not laying over some ‘edge’. So I asked the DOC she said, " yep it’s an age thing, don’t worry too much unless it happens too often or lasts too long."
Once I woke up with both legs in that condition (fell asleep in a chair, drunk). Had to drag myself around the house with my arms 
What’s really a miserable situation is when you wake up in the middle of the night with both arms completely dead, and try to turn over without the use of the offending extremeties.
Makes for a very irritated spouse, and some very worried dogs.
FixedBack
That sounds like a circulation problem. A limb falling asleep is a nerve that gets “Pinched.” Not to worry anyone but my boss recently had small clots in her legs and one traveled to her brain and now she lost vision out of her right eye. Get it checked. Especially if there’s pain.
mr john: what age would that be?
There’s all kind of symptoms thrown around here. Someone has to look up the pinched nerve thing and post a definition.
As always, for personal medical problems the best advice is “See your doctor.”
If this a problem that worries you and your doctor rebuffs your concerns with " Yes, it’s a age thing." GET ANOTHER DOCTOR.
I hate it when doctors completely blow you off. My mother, having problems walking, accepted it as AN AGE THING and that eventually she would have to have hip replacement surgery.GAWD save me from the martyrs in my my life. She was to the point of not being able to go anywhere and getting around the house was very painful. I told her to go to the doctor or I would put her into a home and sell all her beloved trash for a quarter (she’s a pack rat). The Doctor prescribed therapy and this is a woman who has not had a phsycial non-housework related work out since 1944. She hated it and it wasn’t helping. She resigned herself to the pain. Finally someone recommended she go to a chiropractor. Afterall, what could she lose, she was barely walking at all. He discovered what her own doctors missed, that one of her hips is lower than the other and it was because of a horseback riding accident she had when she was 14. (He didn’t tell her this, he’s not physic,she told him) He didn’t promise anything, but they did adjustments on her and she is 75% better. She will never be 100% because she does not know how to take it easy.
Ready for armchair quarterback diagnosis?
It sounds as if the circulation is sluggish. You may want to try stetching and yoga exercizes. Easy to do and no special shoes from Rebok or Nike required. And you can do it while watching TV. Or maybe your underwear is too tight 
Back problems have names like “sciatica” and “spinal stenosis”. There is pain described but not much detail on numbness or “deadness”. I’m just reading the Merck manual, I’m not a doctor. These will nag you for long periods and improve, get worse. The circulation related problems may need immediate care.
FixedBack
“Moderate strength is shown in violence, supreme strength is shown in levity.”~~G.K.Chesterton 1908
I shoulda posted a winky face.that’s what the doctor did when she said that. I was talking more about the occaisional ‘leg asleep’ type deal. Definatly if you have a recurring ‘pain’ or sensation see your doctor. ESPECIALLY if it is in your left arm . There is a little understood phenomenom called ‘displaced pain’ Pain in the left arm,especially the upper part can be originating in your heart! So it may be serious or it could be you need a new chair.,
Manduck, next time lay down on the floor in the spilled beer like any self respecting drunk,this younger generation,don’t they learn anything?
Sunbear here are some links. I thought the pinched nerve idea was a lot a hooey as far as ‘leg asleep’ goes.Not for sciatica,or maybe so acording to one of these, sciatica is a PAIN ,leg asleep is an irritation or sensation.And the pinched nerve is in the spine. Leg asleep is lack of circulation to a nerve,causing numbness ,the pins and needles is the return of sensation with the return of blood.
If you sit with an ARTERY pinched it cuts the circulation. Try this EZ fun home experiment. Wrap a tight rubber band around your wrist for 5 or so minutes.(don’t pull a manduck,stay awake, you may need that hand someday)when your hand is numb cut the band enjoy the tingling sensation as your hand is cured of dandruff. ( i accept no responsibility if you do this) now on to the links,Ihope
.http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/chiropinch.html
http://www.americanwholehealth.com/library/altmed/touch5a.htm
http://www.boston.com/globe/search/stories/health/how_and_why/061598_1.htm
I subscribe to Shirley Ujest’s view of blow-off MDs. Some 15 to 20 yr ago, when my lower back started giving me a problem repeatedly, an MD said it was just age. Thereafter, I decided, as a result of several symptoms, that the cow’s-milk allergy I had as a kid had returned. Thereafter, no milk, no lower-back pain. At 68, I can sit in front of this computer devil all day long, lift whatever I want to, or run down steep hills. No back problems.
Ray
Seems you have figured out your problem. Maybe we should stick to this topic and expand it to OLDTIMER problems.
Such as backpain. I seem to have a new type of back pain in the middle of my back. I haven’t changed mattresses lately, and it’s a pretty hard sturdy bed. When waking up I have moderate back pain. It goes away when I walk around. It’s nothing like lower back pain.
Yup,ol’sun, i got that too.it’s just the back muscles are tired of holding you up all day. A few simple easy back stretches at night before retiring help me some. Oh, and SIT UP STRAIGHT! DON"T SLOUCH LIKE THAT! YOU"LL BE CRIPPLED BEFORE YOU’RE 40! goodol mom, why didn’t i listen to her? Uh,sun we are talking about a night spent sleeping ,right? See, sometimes if you…mmm maybe you should talk to your mother about this.She’s better at explaining this kind of thing than I am.
You’d be surprised how many of us here are over 40, even though the average age on most boards is closer to 20.or under 20?
Yup, the problem is just plain old sleeping on my back.it does not bother before sleep or the rest of the day, only just after getting up. Yes, we do have two people in the bed, but it’s a big bed and we both have plenty of room.