Anyone ever had this problem? - Foot Problems Message Board

Agrits44 · 11-28-2003, 05:47 PM

First of all I am sooo glad I found this site and this will be my first posting.

Since last January, I have been on a mission to find out what is wrong with my ankles and feet.

When I am on my feet for a small amount of time, my ankles swell really bad and the pain is terrible. I can hardly walk and even in bed at nite, I have really bad spasms in them. One night my husbands foot barely touched mine and I screamed, the pain was unbelieveable.

I have been to so many doctors, I went to a Neuro. doctor and he checked me for Transal Tunnel, I had a nerve test done on both feet. I passed that with flying colors, so he had a vacular test done, no problem there either. He finally came up with, my smoking was causing it all. I went to another doctor who deals with diabetics, I was test for that, I am not a diabetic, he was no help but wanted me to buy his book. I didn't go back to him. I went to a bone doctor, who patted my foot and said, "Now, Terri, you know women going through menopause with have burning and aching feet." I told him that DO NOT BURN, they HURT, and this was NOT menopause, but I could show him menopause!, Needless to say I left his office in tears and pain, he gave me meds for steroids and pain pills.
I went to a foot doctor, he is as puzzled as me. But he was very up front and he tried a few things, like soft cast on both of feet. That helped for about 2 days and then I would swell so bad, I would call him and he told me to take them off.
He gave me a nerve block shot in my one of my ankles, no help what so ever. I was working at a Nursing home, but had to quit, when I would get home, I barely made out of the car and took me forever to reach the door. I was walking like the Tin man on the Wizard of Oz, who forget the oil can. And the pain was so bad I was in tears. The foot doctor told me I DID have issue with my feet but he just had no idea. At least he was honest enough to be truthfull. I am now back with my Internal Med. doctor. He ran blood test to see if I had arthritis, not that either. A few of the others doctors said it wasn't arthritis either.

So last I talked with his nurse, they are trying to figure out what to do next.

I am a 47 years old woman, I can't work, I have to make short trips to the store, I can't work in my yard like I use to. If I push myself to do like I normally would, for 2 to 4 days I am crippled. Does anyone know where I can look for help or has anyone else ever had something like this??

Sorry this was long

Ronk0747 · 11-29-2003, 07:18 AM

Hi Terri,

The first thing I would recommend for you is that you see an orthopedist, preferrably one that specializes in foot and ankle problems.

Podiatrists are OK for treating run-of-the-mill problems such as corns, callouses, bunions, hammertoes, etc. but are often clueless when it comes to more unique problems. I speak from experience here.

Internists are good at one thing: diagnosing problems that are treatable with drugs. Beyond that, they are not going to be able to do much for you.

That being said, I would have hoped that one of these docs would have referred you to someone that COULD help you, especially the neurologist.

I stress again before you do anything else, see an orthopedist.

Hope some of this helps.

Ron

phebe · 11-30-2003, 06:45 PM

Has anyone thought that your problem might be shingles? That is a possibility if you ever had chickenpox. Shingles can occur later in life, cause swelling in the feet and ankles, and be extremely painful.