Hi everyone. I posted here about 2 weeks ago that I'd been diagnosed with heel spurs/PF. The podiatrist at that time, injected me with cortizone - somewhat unbeknownst to me (he didn't fully explain exactly what he was shooting into me). I was told to make a followup appointment for 10 days later at which time he was (from my understanding) going to access if the shot worked and start having custom orthodics made.

So, after this visit I started doing a lot of research on this problem and of course learned, as many of you are aware, that those shots may not be the best course of action. I began to wonder why he hadn't suggested any other alternatives, other than "never walk barefoot" (BTW, this has been very helpful actually). Plus, being shot in the foot ranked right up there with some of my least pleasant things that have happened to me medically. Seems so trivial but yikes, it was pretty painful even with him freezing the area first.

So, when I went back yesterday my intention was to have a discussion with him about other ways to treat this. When he came into the room he asked me how I was doing and I mentioned the shot worked well, for about 6 days then wore off. He took this as a good sign that I was responsive to this type of treatment and started to prepare his table for another setup of the shot. I stopped him immediately and said I wanted to discuss this further before letting him continue with this treatment. Now, I was very careful not to be confrontational about this, because I didn't want to seem adverserial - I just wanted to express to him that I had read a lot on the subject and had informed myself medically that there might be other ways to handle this.

Well, he started to question what I was saying as if I was just reading some bunk. I told him I had been online to many reputable medical sites and ALL of them mentioned the problems associated with steriod injections in the foot. He told me his course of treatment for his whole career (did I mention he isn't exactly young?) has been to give a course of shots spread over several weeks. Well, this didn't sit well with me, since I had read that these shots should only be given at most 3 times a year - IF THAT!

I told him I'd like to further research this (actually I'm thinking about calling another podiatrist and also calling my orthopedist to see what he has to say about this). He said, fine (I might add at this point he had a somewhat dismissive attitude brewing) come back in a couple of weeks and we'll see how you're doing. I mentioned that I thought he was going to start making the orthodics for me - and he seemed like he didn't know what I was talking about. So, I said, should I just try over the counter ones? To which he said, sure start with those.

Ok, so obviously I know now this doctor isn't for me regardless of anything because I didn't feel he was working WITH me on this problem. I felt he had his own agenda and since I wasn't going along with the program, so to speak, that I am better off not being there.

I guess this was more a vent than anything, to those who are in the predicament but it is also a request for others to give me some info on how their doctors treated them and what worked best for them. I'd like to go to the next doctor much better informed about other treatments, so that I don't get into the same situation again.

Thanks to everyone who responds! You guys are great!

Hi there, I really am not well informed about plantar fasciitis or the cortisone controversy, but I just wanted to say that I think you are absolutely right to dump that doctor ASAP! Anyone who does not discuss the treatment options, tell the patient what he is doing, and has only one method of treating everyone (not to mention lousy communication skills and a defensive attitude) is just BAD NEWS. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

Good luck finding someone better, and getting appropriate treatment for your problem.

Run far, far away from him and never look back! Do you like in Michigan? It sounds like you saw *my* podiatist!! My advice would be to ask a trusted health care provider of yours to recommend another podiatrist. When you get that name, make sure (you can do an online search) s/he is certified by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (this listing is for podiatrists ONLY). You also might want to ask your orthopaedic surgeon for a referral to an OS who specializes in foot and ankle, although at this early stage of your PF, I'm not sure if they'd help much--I saw my OS when I had major damage to a nerve from PF release surgery.

Just know that you are right to question your treatment--you're the one who has to live with the consequences, not the podiatrist. It is wonderful that you go into them as full of information as you do, and any doctor should appreciate and respect you for doing your homework. As for PF START CONSERVATIVELY. I cannot stress that enough. I'm 6 weeks post-op from surgery to clean up scar tissue and remove a major nerve that was cut during PF release, and facing more nerve surgery in the future.

"you're the one who has to live with the consequences, not the podiatrist."

Karyn, excellent point!

Thanks everyone for responding. I took the advice to look up someone who is affiliated with the society suggested and lo and behold, the name of another doctor who was recommended to me AFTER seeing the other doctor appeared, who is also in my town. I'm going to make an appointment to see him, most likely will request my records from the other doctor before going. I'm also going to try and find out how old this doctor is - unfortunately I think that the "old timers" tend to rely on old methods. I want to start conservatively and then if necessary work up to more invasive methods, not vice versa. I'm also going to call my orthopedist, whose specialty is back issues (hence me not using him for the foot problem) and see if he can recommend anyone - or give me the heads up on the new doctor I'll be seeing.

Thankfully, as far as the problem is concerned - considering how much pain I'd been in for a couple of years, it does seem that with the one shot and the wearing of my shoes all the time - that the pain has substantially abated, at least for now. I also bought some over-the-counter inserts which hopefully will help further for when I wear closed shoes (it is summer after all and I live in my Birkies this time of year).

Thanks again for all the input!

my podiatrist is almost exactly like yours! very dismissive, forgetting what we had talked about at my last appt (i had to remind him like 10 times about my orthotics - i finally just told him i'd get them made through my PT and then he had me fitted for them..) i'm thinking about seeking a second opinion as well because it's just totally frustrating....i think you should definitely find someone else :)

That experience of yours is somewhat similar to mine. I had an injury to my left foot which could have healed with time on its own, but the podiatrist I went to immediately gave me a cortisone injection. He never discussed what the side effects of cortisone are. Then for my 2nd visit, he gave me a 2nd cortisone injection. He told me that the injections would help my foot greatly. He even said that if I was still in pain, he would give me another cortisone injection in a month!

Well, those 2 cortisone injections did a number on my foot. My fat pad on the ball of my foot has atrophied due to the cortisone...this is permanent...I am practically walking on bone now and it is painful. Plus, the tendon(s) in my foot weakened which led to my arch getting flatter...this is painful as well. So I have been left with a worse condition than for what I went to see him for. At least my foot would have healed with conservative measures and I would have a normal foot now if I never had the shots. Now I cannot be on my feet for long. I would give anything to have my foot back the way it was before that podiatrist messed with it.

I am so angry. Why didn't he warn me about side effects of cortisone shots? All he said was that the cortisone would make my foot better. I was so naive and I was uninformed at the time. Seems to me that podiatrist who injected me is more interested in making $$$.

I would advise people to leave cortisone as your very last resort.

Thanks again everyone for giving me your input. I made an appointment with the new doctor. I fully intend to have a mutual discussion this time about other options and make it known that the cortizone injections are something I would rather use as a last resort. Most especially since I can see already that by wearing my shoes all the time, even as I get out of bed, that the pain has lessened quite a bit. So, I know that alternative therapies would probably work in my case and I certainly am motivated to use them.

Happy July 4th to all!

You are very wise to stand up to the doc as you did, and intelligently and calmly explain that you want to do more research about shots!! I was diagnosed with PF three years ago and the course of treatment from my old podiatrist is what turned it into a chronic situation!!

After seeing this doctor and his colleague for two years, I finally decided to find a second opinion. The old doc did the same thing- shots, then orthotics.

Well, three years later, I found an orthopedist who said that orthotics were not necessary for me. This is after three years of wearing them. I also found a new, young, enthusiastic podiatrist who explained that the orthotics from the old doctor were most likely the cause of my pain!! This is because my old doctor didn't bother to figure out why I had PF-- he just went about his usual routine for all his PF patients.

Each case of PF has different causes and has to be treated individually. In my case, I have very stiff toes and hamstrings, so when I walk, I twist my arches and the pain is mostly there. Also, the new doctor said that most cases of PF should go away within 8 months, without fancy orthotics and shots etc. So DEFINITELY continue to treat conservatively! And Birkenstock sandals, for some reason, are really good for PF.... wish I had all this info three years ago, I prob. wouldn't have chronic pain now...