Ankle issues...LONG but please help! - Foot Problems Message Board

kristie1978 · 11-02-2008, 11:44 AM

Hi all!

Glad to have found this place, here's a quick intro. My name is Kristie, and I hurt my ankle almost 3 years ago (the first time) I work at an after school program and play daily with children.

My first injury happened when I was playing catch with a group of boys, I jumped up to catch the ball and landed on a tree root (hadn't a clue it was even there!) I heard snap,crackle,pop! All very loud, I thought the leg was broken.

911 was called (talk about the most embarrasing moment of my life!) oddly enough the ankle/leg didn't hurt at all. Anyway to make a long story short, I ended up missing about 7 months of work. I was first put in a splint at the ER, was in that for 2 weeks then just given a lace up brace and started walking with pain. I was able to suck it up for about 2 weeks of that before I was put in a "moon" shoe. Had that for awhile, then went in a short leg cast NWB for 2 two weeks. Somewhere in between that I had 2 weeks of PT before the doctor put a freeze on it.

After getting my cast off, I had my first surgery (arthoscopic) to clean it out. I was fine for about a year after that.

I ended up stepping off a step wrong at work and rolled the same ankle, I was taken to an emergency walk in clinic, no broken bone. I was given an RX for crutches and an ace bandage (didn't like that place at all).
That was at the end of the school year, so I dealt with it most of the summer when I was finally given the go-ahead from workers comp to see my doctor.

He was livid at the treatment I was given, and was put in PT to see if it would help, ended up having the ATFL reconstructed, he cut the ligament in half, pulled the two ends tight and stictched them together.

Still with me? Thanks for reading my novel.

I had the surgery exactly a year ago (10-31-07) and on the 29th of October, noticied a lump near the first incision site, about an inch from the bone on the outside of the ankle. It's bruised and swollen, I cannot remember twisting, rolling, or hitting it on anything at all. I can weight bear, so I think the joint is stable but it hurts like heck to walk and just throbs all day.

I'm trying to find out if I can still see the doctor ( I never recieved a settlement from workers compensation).

It may be months before I can see my doctor, does anyone have any advice or tips on pain relief?
Ice doesn't seem to help, neither does tylenol/advil/aleeve.

Thanks for reading!!

taape · 11-02-2008, 11:49 AM

Sorry to hear your having problems with your ankle again. Is your doctor too busy to see you? Have you tried to get an appointment?

If your case didn't settle then you should be able to see your doctor or a doctor if you request to change doctors. Do you have an attorney?

Something must be wrong and I wouldn't wait around for workers comp to get in gear. You can also go to the ER and tell them that your insurance is workers comp and they can not refuse you treatment. The insurance company won't like it but if your assigned doctor won't see you promptly then I'd go for it.

stepbystep89 · 11-02-2008, 04:18 PM

Kristie,

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

There area couple of things you could do: Go to the ER, or you could contact work comp and go to your dr. Which option you choose really depends on the amount of pain you have and how it is impacting your life.

When I have been faced with similar decisions, I have tried to consider how my daily duties are impacted - like taking care of children, driving to work, functioning on the job etc. I also try to decide if it is something that will get worse if I wait or something that demands immediate attention. I am sure you have already thought of some of these things, but they are still worth mentioning.

In the meantime, try staying off your foot and elevating it. Also, you can always go back into the boot if it makes your foot feel better.

Best of luck and Keep Posting!
Step

kristie1978 · 11-02-2008, 04:32 PM

Thanks so much to the both of you.

It's really becoming a pain in the neck, I have sent out an e-mail to my claims adjuster and I hope to hear from her soon.

I know the doctor's office will not schedule an appointment without prior approval from my adjuster. So it's kind of annoying to have to wait on the adjuster, it's not at that point that I cannot "deal" with it, so I'm holding off on the ER.

Is it common though at 1 year post-op to continue to have pain issues? Is this going to be a life long pain in the butt (...umm..ankle)?

Although, I do think work will be a bit diffcult, and they don't allow anyone to work on "light" duty so it could get intresting...

Thanks again!!
Kristie

stepbystep89 · 11-02-2008, 05:47 PM

I didn't have the same surgery or injury, but I did have an ankle fusion. My Dr. told me it could remain painful and swollen 18-24 months.

Is there anyway you could call your dr office and leave a message for him or for his nurse? Maybe you could ask them if it is normal, at least????