Good morning to Lucy and Moses. Lucy, I think we've replied to each other before. Very sorry to read about the broke foot bone, I constantly worry about falling myself. I've now had drop foot for six months due to hip replacement surgery. I understand greatly about the braces that come almost to the knee and fit into the shoe; torture. Luckily a home health aid told me about a nicer version. Similar to your ace bandage idea. They are on eBay, maybe under AFO foot brace. You can see it there. Soft Velcro band around the ankle, little strap fits under the shoe laces. The two hook together. Man, I was soooo happy to find this thing. Even so, at age 67 having foot drop is horrid stuff. I need to be very stable at this age, and it leaves me very off balance.
I do need to add that at my last dr appt, last week, the drs saw a bit of improvement. Said it could take a year to know anything. Had also been told many folks do not recover from foot drop. Oh, I've gradually had my Gabapentin (mine is generic Neurontin) increased to 900 mgs a day; it's very helpful. I was a bit concerned that was too high. Dr told me dose could go as high as 3,200 a day, but I would never need that amount.
Good day to you both from Kentucky. May we all get well from this wretched problem.
Good morning to Lucy and Moses. Lucy, I think we've replied to each other before. Very sorry to read about the broke foot bone, I constantly worry about falling myself. I've now had drop foot for six months due to hip replacement surgery. I understand greatly about the braces that come almost to the knee and fit into the shoe; torture. Luckily a home health aid told me about a nicer version. Similar to your ace bandage idea. They are on eBay, maybe under AFO foot brace. You can see it there. Soft Velcro band around the ankle, little strap fits under the shoe laces. The two hook together. Man, I was soooo happy to find this thing. Even so, at age 67 having foot drop is horrid stuff. I need to be very stable at this age, and it leaves me very off balance.
I do need to add that at my last dr appt, last week, the drs saw a bit of improvement. Said it could take a year to know anything. Had also been told many folks do not recover from foot drop. Oh, I've gradually had my Gabapentin (mine is generic Neurontin) increased to 900 mgs a day; it's very helpful. I was a bit concerned that was too high. Dr told me dose could go as high as 3,200 a day, but I would never need that amount.
Good day to you both from Kentucky. May we all get well from this wretched problem.
Hi again Lucy. Darn, I was afraid you would have the same reaction to the metal brace as I did my first one, which was plastic but designed the same way. None of my jeans would have worked with the darn, hurtful thing. I hated it, and it also hurt me as yours does. That's where I was too, gladly willing to pay for something better. Man, those insurance companies make out like bandits. Please let me know how it's going trying to find something better suited. It's one of those cases where we have to take care of ourselves, the medical community can only do so much.
My Peroneal nerve is also involved with my drop foot. Thinking that's the one going down the outside of my calf? Unsure of all the terms. Yes please keep in touch. It helps to compare notes with others going through this awful junk. At times I feel bad complaining when others are going through much worse. I'm covered with blessings in my life and if need be, can live with drop foot. Praying it will get better. I know it can take a long time. A nerve heals at the rate of one inch a month, IF it's going to heal at all.
Hi Katrae: I checked out eBay and saw the many different styles of the braces. At the present time I am awaiting an exchange on the awful one I have. Medicare is involved witih this so don't know how it'll go if I refuse the new one on order.. I'm willing to give it a try but it will still be very unsightly and uncomfortable I am sure. the company they deal with only uses this ungodly one..
I just take it day by day now .. what else can I do. I go see the neurologist Thursday but don't expect much from him. the Gabapentin helps along with Lortab but I am not a pill taker and hate the thought of long term use on both.
Medicare was involved with my first plastic brace as well. It all got so messed up with the order being forgotten, etc. I told the employee to forget the whole thing. So both my braces came from eBay at a much reduced cost to me. Medicare was going to charge me a co-pay of something like a hundred dollars for the hard plastic version. I paid forty dollars, gladly, off the internet. As I said, it was torture. Should have returned it. By then I didn't care about paying eighty dollars for the soft ankle brace.
Isn't that the truth, "day by day"? Thank goodness for the medication but would love the day to come when I needed none of it. When you're standing, does your foot hang limply? Or can you hold it straight? Are you doing any exercises for the foot? Much of my foot/ankle/calf area are numb. At first I couldn't stand for the area to be touched. Couldn't even use bed covers. At the six month mark this has improved greatly. We can only pray things do improve, no matter how slowly.
Katrae: I just hope this new brace I'm getting will be better but I seriously doubt it since it's along the same line as the one I have now. Yesterday, after wearing it for a few hours I was in agony with sharp pains in my heel. You see, I have to take out the inner sole of the shoe which does have some support. I am keeping my fingers crossed I don't run into a genuine big deal hassle if I decide to return the new one and request my copay of $138 back!
When I stand with feet flat on the floor I look perfectly normal. When I lift that leg leg my foot hangs. I have no feeling in the foot. I have partial numbness of the ankle and up halfway to my leg just below the knee on the outer side of the leg. My leg and foot are very sensitive to touch - even the bedsheets are aggravating so I have to wear a long support sock to bed each night.
I am going up to Tennessee in November and dread the process of those long walks and waits at the airports. I am so proud at times but I think I'll have to request wheelchair assistance for me and luggage since I'll be traveling alone. Ahhhhh what a pain !!
Let's keep in touch .. sounds like we're in the same boat !! Have a good day .. I'm gonna' try but it's raining cats and dogs outside. Where do you live?
Have a good one !!
Hi Lucy. Thanks for all the info on what you are going through. Sure sounds familiar. My numbness is also along the outside of my calf area; heel/ankle are the worst. The inside of my calf feels almost normal; crazy. When I first was recovering from the hip replacement, I couldn't do much with my foot either. Yet I was in so much pain with recovery of the surgery, wasn't sure how much trouble was going on with the foot drop. (Like you, at first, couldn't even stand for a sheet to touch me. Was hugely afraid of anyone bumping me. All this is much improved at the 6 month mark.) At about the 2.5 month after surgery, I had an EMG test. Little needles were put into my foot/ankle/leg. Very uncomfortable. My foot/leg should have been "jumping" when electricity was applied. I know this isn't very medically-correct, but maybe you get my drift. Anyway, my body showed no reaction; very upsetting. The technician said my nerve was affected about the spine area. Really hated to hear this, but he did tell me the nerve had not been severed. I feel it was nothing the surgeon did out of the ordinary. I'd been diagnosed with nerve damage a few years ago from being an active runner for many years.
The next appt. I have will be in late January. That will be the 10 month mark. There is mention of another EMG test at that time. When will you have some answers on why the doctor pinched your nerve behind your knee? So very painful!! Seems your problem started then. I've been told the nerve heals from the top down at one inch a month, if it will heal at all. BTW, I see you are from FL. I'm from KY and 67 years old. Do you mind saying how old you are?
HiKatrae:
Wow .. what a day this has been. Had my appt. with the neurologist. Nothing new to report but kind of depressing. He said the brace is doing what it was intended for. he told me to not get depressed (ha) and to start doing exercises on my foot and ankle until I can get referred to a physical therapist. He said it's going to take a long long time for my condition to correct itself and there is a chance it won't get better at all !! He already did the nerve conduction studies and EMG testing a few months back which showed no response at all ... totally dead !! He gave me a new RX for 600 mg of Gabapentin which I will not take since they are like horse pills and I'm happy with the 400 mg in a capsule form. He told me I need to get off the Lortab .. not good for people he says ... Whatever!!
When I was there last month he ordered a ton of lab work. I thought that was pretty unusual and what bearing it would have on nerve damage... Well, in my case anytime anything is done it's like opening up a new can of worms and in this case that's exactly what happened. He told me I tested Positive for Lupus... Great!! he said that didn't mean I actually have Lupus but I need to go see a rheumatologist... It just never seems to end for me. Boo Hoo... Come join my pity party!
I am 68 yrs old .. it just seems like the older you get the more you have to deal with and these are the golden years ???
So, this visit today really didn't do much for me in the way of getting help .. it's just a wait it out situation .. He said I don't need to see a neuro-surgeon. Again he said my problem is from my back... He refuses to believe my problem is from when my primary doctor pinched that nerve in the back of my knee .. Of course all doctors stick together and no way is he going to tell me that it's a possibility the nerve pinching caused my problem.
So, that's where I am right now ..No better no worse but want to get on with my life on 2 stable feet on the ground without a cane or walker or ugly brace on my leg...
He didn't say I needed to have a followup visit so I guess that's it ...
Aww heck, I know the feeling. Two months ago I was told similar, my surgeon said many folks do not heal from drop foot. It was crushing. Now his asst. said she saw a touch of improvement, but I've learned to not get my hopes up. The neurologist I saw a few years back said the same to me, no follow up appt. needed. Not words we want to hear.
My foot exercises mostly consist of ankle rotations, 20 times each direction (I have to rest in-between). I also use something similar to an elastic band around my foot and make it lift up 20 times, this is suppose to help the calf muscle. The third move I do is to tilt my foot to the left 20 times, then right 20 times, and hold it each time for a few seconds. Must say too much of this can cause extra nerve pain. BTW, I take the "horse pills" Gabapentin (Mine is the generic, Neurontin) 600mg, three times a day, lol. They can make me sleepy, but mostly help the tingly/burning/buzzing pain. Oh me, I'm seriously going to miss my Lortabs when they are gone. Trying not to take them daily now, saving what I have left for things like bad days, trips, etc. I'm thinking Florida is also cracking down hard on prescription drugs, but at this age feel we need them badly. Who cares about becoming addicted headed into late 60s/70's???
Meant to say earlier how sorry I am about your brace fitting inside the shoe. It seems you are walking right on top of the hard metal. How will the new one be different? Hopefully some type of cushion. At least it's making it able for you to walk. I think of folks in wheelchairs, they would love to be where we are now.
The most I learned from my EMG was that I "moderately severely" damaged. Sorry, not saying that well. Sounds like we had the same reaction to the test, "no response".
Oh heck, Lupus? Hopefully you'll never show any real signs. I have a friend with this problem and she seems to do fairly well. Really don't know much about it. LOL, yes, I'll Boo Hoo right along, this is a CRAZY time of life. Truly, I hope to pass on within the next ten years. I'm not cut out for the golden years!
Oh man, the doctors do stick together, no doubt about it. Seems way too fishy to me that all this directly started with the hard pinch behind the knee. Why in Hades did he do that, what was he testing for??? At our age the drs need to be extremely gentle. That's what I did my best to impress on my surgeon, THREE, times before the hip replacement. My nerves/body are fragile!
Heavens yes. At this age we need to be stable on our feet most of all. I fell about a week ago for the first time, knew it was coming one of these days. Even had the ankle brace on. Came down hard on one knee, SO afraid I broke something. Thank God I was okay........this time.
Got a phone call this afternoon that my "new" brace had arrived via UPS. I rush there ... Oh dear .. Since the bar is now in the back instead of on the side it is almost impossible to get my foot into it. the tech had to literally take his hands and bend my foot into it because since I have no feeling in the foot I couldn't help in any way. I had wishful thinking once I got home and worked witih this thing I could possibly use other shoes with it ... Nada!! Plus it hurts with burning and tingling of the soles of the foot since there is absolutly no support at all. I cannot put anything in it to cushion because it then makes the shoe fit much tighter and hurts worse. So I am afraid this is going to have to go back and get my copay back and I am not looking forward to this because I fear a real hassle. I'll get one off eBay like you did or have the physical therapy place get me one ... Oh such problems...
I already fell from this drop foot going into the chiro's office ... Broke a bone in my foot .. should be totally healed by now. As for these doctors sticking together .. it's so typical. But in his heart I know my primary knows what he did but can't explain why he did it and what purpose it would serve...
Well, you have a good weekend .. I'm gonna try ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by katrae
Aww heck, I know the feeling. Two months ago I was told similar, my surgeon said many folks do not heal from drop foot. It was crushing. Now his asst. said she saw a touch of improvement, but I've learned to not get my hopes up. The neurologist I saw a few years back said the same to me, no follow up appt. needed. Not words we want to hear.
My foot exercises mostly consist of ankle rotations, 20 times each direction (I have to rest in-between). I also use something similar to an elastic band around my foot and make it lift up 20 times, this is suppose to help the calf muscle. The third move I do is to tilt my foot to the left 20 times, then right 20 times, and hold it each time for a few seconds. Must say too much of this can cause extra nerve pain. BTW, I take the "horse pills" Gabapentin (Mine is the generic, Neurontin) 600mg, three times a day, lol. They can make me sleepy, but mostly help the tingly/burning/buzzing pain. Oh me, I'm seriously going to miss my Lortabs when they are gone. Trying not to take them daily now, saving what I have left for things like bad days, trips, etc. I'm thinking Florida is also cracking down hard on prescription drugs, but at this age feel we need them badly. Who cares about becoming addicted headed into late 60s/70's???
Meant to say earlier how sorry I am about your brace fitting inside the shoe. It seems you are walking right on top of the hard metal. How will the new one be different? Hopefully some type of cushion. At least it's making it able for you to walk. I think of folks in wheelchairs, they would love to be where we are now.
The most I learned from my EMG was that I "moderately severely" damaged. Sorry, not saying that well. Sounds like we had the same reaction to the test, "no response".
Oh heck, Lupus? Hopefully you'll never show any real signs. I have a friend with this problem and she seems to do fairly well. Really don't know much about it. LOL, yes, I'll Boo Hoo right along, this is a CRAZY time of life. Truly, I hope to pass on within the next ten years. I'm not cut out for the golden years!
Oh man, the doctors do stick together, no doubt about it. Seems way too fishy to me that all this directly started with the hard pinch behind the knee. Why in Hades did he do that, what was he testing for??? At our age the drs need to be extremely gentle. That's what I did my best to impress on my surgeon, THREE, times before the hip replacement. My nerves/body are fragile!
Heavens yes. At this age we need to be stable on our feet most of all. I fell about a week ago for the first time, knew it was coming one of these days. Even had the ankle brace on. Came down hard on one knee, SO afraid I broke something. Thank God I was okay........this time.
You might need a larger shoe? I've seen this mentioned on some other posts about drop foot and the brace must be the reason why. Lord, hate anyone has to go through such a mess. Thinking I'll be in tennis shoes the rest of my life. Gonna look great with a dress, although I rarely have a dress on these days. I have started to manage a sandal in the house (no brace and dangerous), sort of an Earth Shoe with an elastic band behind the heel. My pain is much more under control, I think. I encourage you to take the larger does of nerve meds.
I'd remembered you broke a bone in the foot. Didn't know the circumstances. Sounds like it's healing with no after affects, that's really good.
Want to wish you luck with any plans about taking the brace back, trying for a refund. Really good to have the physical therapy guys to talk with. I had therapy for about six weeks, but with a forty dollar co pay for each visit, had to give them up. They were a great support team, very helpful. Bet they can give some great help and pointers. You have a good weekend too. Rain moving in on us, and wouldn't you know.....we have a big campfire night planned for Saturday. Guess we can all move to the wrap around porch, lol!
When I bought these expensive Easy Spirit shoes I did try a 1/2 size larger and naturally the shoe floated on the right foot .. I refused to spend that kind of money $70 for a shoe that didn't fit one foot. As you know I live in Florida and I'm either barefoot or with sandals on and this big closed shoe is just about killing me. Right now (don't laugh) I have a sandal on with my invention of wrapping the ace bandage around the bottom of the shoe several times and t hen around my ankle... I still have to be careful since the ace must be stretching out..
the only effects I'm having from the fracture is the swelling which is pretty bad.
I am on a Medicare Advantage Plan - maybe you've heard of them. I am not on straight Medicare and normally I would have a copay of $20 every visit for therapy but this place says just come and we'll waive the copay. I don't think it's legal what they're doing ... not my problem but first I have get the referral to go there.. I'm on an HMO and seriously considering changing to a PPO which Blue Cross/Blue Shield has for us seniors.. That way I could go see some good doctors (if there are any left) at Shands in Gainesville or Cleveland Clinic ... I just don't feel real confident with the doctors in my area because no one is really telling me anything. Every one says the nerve damage is coming from my back. Well, I would have thought the 26 visits to the chiro stretching my spine and getting that disc off the nerve was the answer but these guys say no. They also tell me I wasted my $2500 for this treatment (Medicare does not pay for any of it) so I think I got royally screwed.. If it's coming from my back tell me what to do ... but no one tells me anything..
I will try to take the higher dose of the Gabpentin later if I don't choke to death trying.. I swear they're like horse pills !!!! I will also ask my primary if he'll refill the Lortab. You are right in saying at our age who cares if we become dependent on a pill .. I take the most 3 a day but have dwindled down to 1 or 2 due to my short supply...
As for rain, we just got a whopper of a storm. It came down in buckets with bad lightning. Crazy weather all over it seems.
Hope you stay and high dry so you can enjoy your weekend plans..
I can sure understand about the swelling and shoes too big for the other foot. Been through the same thing from the hip surgery. Stayed in a compression stocking for about five months! Hated the thing. Finally my swelling is down to a minimum. In the beginning I actually bought a cheap pair of tennis shoes that were mismatched and on sale. Believe it or not they were two different sizes and worked perfect for my messed up foot problem. I also understand the costly shoes, same here with my Saucony brand, but have found them cheaper on.....you guessed it, Ebay.
Love the ace bandage invention. It makes me think a bit about my ankle brace, with the second piece fitting under the shoe lace. Apparently the more help a person needs, they position the strap piece lower into the shoe laces. As a person steps, it lifts the forefoot. Oh me, bet you were barefoot a great deal, always in sandals. Putting on a lace up shoe is tiresome and time consuming!
Same here. I've been on an Anthem Blue Cross Advantage plan for a couple years now. It is a Regional PPO. Hah, thanks to obama wanting help funding obamacare, my plan has now been dropped! I am sick! It has also hit folks in Ohio and another state or two I can't recall. Now I've got to start over. I pray it doesn't happen in your area. Hey, as you say, "not your problem". Get all you can from the therapy outfit, their help is invaluable.
My nerve damage is also from the back, where the nerves come out from the spine, best I can figure. That's why if the nerve is ever going to heal at it's slow process, it will take a year or more. Doctors have told me there is nothing they can do to heal a nerve, the nerve has to heal itself......if it will. That's hugely upsetting about the chiro, oh dang! I've thought about trying one, but it's costly and not sure it would help in my case.
My nerve pill is huge as well. Mine can be broke in half, which is helpful at times. Please let me know if you can get more Lortab, they are extremely helpful to me except for the wretched side-effect of constipation. At the time of my hip surgery, I was taking 10 mg every four hours.....even that was not enough for all my pain. My foot would have spasms, and shooting pain out the nails! Thank goodness things are slowly better in the nerve pain department. The hip surgery did help a great deal; except for the drop foot insanity!
As for the swelling I can only assume it's from the fracture because before I broke the bone and was only dealing with the numbness and drop foot my foot was not swollen at all.
As for my ace bandage invention, went to my sister's today and she tried everything under the sun to try to figure out some invention to get the foot held up without that
awful brace. We had a good laugh. I am pretty sure I'll be returning this 'new exchanged" one because it's almost impossible to get the shoe and brace on with the new design of this thing.
I wish I could find a Medicare Advantage Plan that's a PPO. So far so good on Florida with the advantage plans.. Possibly in a few years there will be some major changes but so far for next year we're still ok with even better benefits.. Go figure. Florida is a highly populated retirement state with lots of seniors but I do expect changes.. I do not like the HMO and the only PPO I can get on is the new BC/BS Advantage plan but there are some things I don't like about it.. I just don't know what to do yet.
My Lortab is 7.5 mgs.. I called this morning for a refill and kept my fingers crossed. Naturally she said she had to check with him and thank goodness he refilled it ... !! Now I can rest easy for awhile and use them only when necessary to stretch it out.
Last edited by moderator2; 10-05-2012 at 06:57 PM.
Good morning Lucy. It was a crazy weekend, still recovering. On top of it all, pulled a muscle in my lower back carrying a heavy flower pot into the house for the winter. When will I ever learn. Still suffering.
How is it going with the brace situation? Anything new going on? My walking was at it's worst this weekend. Another upsetting situation. Hated for all our friends to see me this way. Thank goodness I had no falling episodes. Thinking a lot was due to being overly tired, and some new tennis shoes I had on.
Found out the local senior center, and the library will have people in next week to help figure out a new insurance plan for next year. Still think it won't be as good as the BC/BS Advantage plan I've had for a few years. Read where many seniors will still have their Advantage plans and even with better benefits, as you mentioned. Don't know WHY my area had to be in their dang "test group". One thing is for sure, there's no way Medicare can go on as we know it and still take care of the huge Boomer generation coming in.
P.S. Wanted to say huge congrats on the Lortab refill! That's wonderful news and takes a bit of pressure off things. I've skipped mine the last two afternoons trying to conserve what I have. We'll take a short vacation this month, want to be sure to have plenty at that time. They are sooo helpful! Sure would be nice to have them for my lower back problem and plan on taking one this afternoon. BTW, my nerve pain is somewhat under control with the 1,800 mg of Neurontin these days. A nice side effect is the drug is helping me fall asleep faster at night, getting more rest.
Doing my exercises religiously. Seeing an extremely small bit of improvement and praying it will continue.
Anyway, the Lortab issue was not as I expected. The gal called in a mere 30 pills with instructions to take one a day and witih NO refills. What a mess. So that took a phone call to straighten it out so an adjustment was called into the pharmacy ..
I've swapped braces again and I'm sending the tech crazy with all these changes.. I should be getting yet another one (smaller foot plate) any day now. The thing is not comfortable and hurts but it can't be helped. Glad to hear your foot pain is getting better. Mine isn't too bad except at night when I take the brace off and get into bed.. That's when the stabbing pains start.
Well, have a 'careful' day. We're having beautiful fall weather this morning but it won't last long before the humidity creeps back in and makes us miserable. As for our medicare Advantage Plan - no changes for us next year so we'll stay with the one we've had for a few years now. At least they pay our $96.40. BC/BS just came out this year with their plan .. is pretty good and a PPO which is good but I don't like their out of pocket or copays... We have so many to choose from .. after all Florida is a seniors paradise !!
Take care ..
Last edited by moderator2; 10-10-2012 at 07:21 AM.
This is so wonderful about the Lortabs, and then to be able to correct the issue for more pills with refills. Unheard of in KY since the KASPER drug law took total effect last month. It's very frightening here now, pain medication is very hard to get. Everyone is being sent to pain clinics, and even then some folks are being treated as criminals/druggies. I pray it will all be corrected in some fashion soon. So thankful I'm not in need of this type med right now.
The smaller foot-plate sounds very interesting. This might take care of several issues. Especially nice it should be there in a few days, not a long wait. Have you any idea why the foot pain comes at night, not so much during the day? Even with my Neurontin I can move my foot and feel the discomfort, it's always with me. In your home are you always using a cane/walker?
I'm self-employed and spent most of my life with no insurance. So even a higher co-pay seems a luxury to me. Medicare takes their money right out of my Social Security, I think it's around $95 or $99 dollars a month right now. On top of this I'm paying $43 a month to Anthem BC/BS for a Regional PPO, it has additional coverage and drug coverage, best I can figure out. Have no idea what I'll have to go to next...............
This is so wonderful about the Lortabs, and then to be able to correct the issue for more pills with refills. Unheard of in KY since the KASPER drug law took total effect last month. It's very frightening here now, pain medication is very hard to get. Everyone is being sent to pain clinics, and even then some folks are being treated as criminals/druggies. I pray it will all be corrected in some fashion soon. So thankful I'm not in need of this type med right now.
The smaller foot-plate sounds very interesting. This might take care of several issues. Especially nice it should be there in a few days, not a long wait. Have you any idea why the foot pain comes at night, not so much during the day? Even with my Neurontin I can move my foot and feel the discomfort, it's always with me. In your home are you always using a cane/walker?
I'm self-employed and spent most of my life with no insurance. So even a higher co-pay seems a luxury to me. Medicare takes their money right out of my Social Security, I think it's around $95 or $99 dollars a month right now. On top of this I'm paying $43 a month to Anthem BC/BS for a Regional PPO, it has additional coverage and drug coverage, best I can figure out. Have no idea what I'll have to go to next...............
I have read where many states are cracking down on prescription meds and also about those pain clinics. In Florida many of them have been shut down. I have no idea why my foot pain starts when idle in bed .. I do have to use a cane all the time .. not only for balance but because of the total numbness in my foot .. Today I got energetic and actually got on the riding lawn mower and mowed the front. Felt good to be out and semi-active again but I have to be so careful. As for the Medicare plans ... we are very fortunate here so far since we have so many to choose from and I have no complaints thus far other than it being an HMO and having to deal with referrals.
