Childhood Osteomyelitis, Long-Term Effects as Adult.

Oldbluser your story is almost identical to mine. One leg longer than the other , hip damage on good leg .That's me . My pain went away for years during my teens to 20s but mid 30's hit me like a ton of bricks. The pain is still the same pain I had as a child with OM but there isnt any infection. SO WHAT'S CAUSING THIS PAIN ?? I really need to know if its nerve damage ? Osteoarthritis ? I'm using Fentyal pain patches that dont really work any more . What type of a doctor could figure this out as I have seen pain specialsts orthopaedic surgeons a rheumatologist .. Maybe a neurologist might give me answers ? I really don't know where to turn

Yes I empathise with you all the way, miss diagnosed, heel made from my left inner calf skin, growth of right foot stopped at size 1-1 1/2. Leg shorter, leg thinner. Right ankle joint bones have become fused. Scars all over the show of both legs and right foot/ankle area. Knee ops. Constant pain and taking numerous pain medication, including morphiein patches. Massive impact on my life.

Regards Elizabeth.x

I'm now 39 and have struggled with fatigue and energy problems ever since getting out of hospital in 1986 following osteo myelitis in my right shin. I was ill for around 3 weeks prior to being seen by a doctor, and was in hospital for 10 days before diagnosis and remained for another week after that before 3 months convalescing at home. I had an adult dose of antibiotics and since then have had dark/black lines under my eyes that grow and reduce depending on how rested I am, but I always have a flu like feeling of fatigue. I've been suggested by several disciplines of health care that the dark lines point to kidney issues. I wonder too if my system is still trying to recover from the illness and treatment. I know at least two others a similar age to me who contracted osteo myelitis within a couple of months of me who lived in the same area. They don't suffer the same fatigue or suggestion of kidney issues. I'd love for there to be a full understanding of how this condition affects people, especially in the long term. I wish people well in getting over this condition. The key I think is early diagnosis, or consideration of the possibility of osteo myelitis, and for it not to be put down to malingering or attention seeking. Adults need to also understand that internally it takes a long time for children to rejoin their peers, especially for academic performance. Strong prescribed probiotics are a valuable follow up to antibiotic courses which destroy healthy gut bacteria too.  Another unanswered question is that I was told this condition was rare, yet in my case three children contracted the condition in the same small area in Autumn/Winter 1986. I do wonder if partly it was the heavy crop spraying in our area that year. I have memories of walking in the fields with family and my eyes stinging and mouth full of the taste of the spray in the air. There was also a pollution event in Ukraine at the end of April 1986 and I wonder if that might have contributed to susceptibility to illnesses like this, especially in children like myself at the time.

Hi Jeanette, iv just come across this old post. How is your little boy doing 4 years later? When I saw you had wrote black circles on the x-ray , it reminded me exactly of the way my own Osteomylitis showed up as a young 5 year old . Back in the 1970,s the treatment for me was to cut out the infection on my shin bone .It kept reaccurinv until I was 9 years old when I finally had a drug shipped from America ( i lived in Ireland) That drug is still used today for chronic infection s it's called

AMPICLOX.

I've not suffered a recurrence of osteo myelitis since I suffered it aged 9. That's almost 30 years ago now, but it doesn't feel like it as I still feel like I'm surviving it. The main feature in my life since 1986 has been the constant fatigue which varies in terms of how extreme it gets. My 'batteries' go flat very quickly sometimes. People remark on how healthy my diet is when they see some of my meals, and I've done huge amounts of exercise, but since recovering and having the long course of antibiotics I've always carried extra weight, which has begun to cause extra wear and tear. I've also had issues with breathlessness and perspiration beyond what appears normal, so when compared to people much more overweight than myself I find I'm always left behind at the stairs despite apparently being lighter and fitter. Similarly when heating up even slightly my body will have what I can only call sweat 'crises' where it is as though a tap has been left on, when much more overweight people nearby will only be 'glowing' with a light layer of perspiration. These symptoms feel a bit like the mark of Cain. I've approached GPs sproradically to try and address these issues but find they're too vague to be something eligible to be looked into further. I thought I would try to describe some of these issues here as seeing others describe fatigue symptoms I wondered also if any of these other issues have been experienced by others. I do wish anyone suffering this condition, and recovering from it all the best, and I hope in the near future that medicine will be able to fully treat this condition to allow people to lead healthy lives free from mystery issues like the invidious fatigue that has followed me through life like an invisible ball and chains.