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I started with foot pain over 18 months ago whilst on 7 mg of pred,
the poditrist was going to operate on bunion which had dislocated my second toe. My doctor refered me to orthopaedics so that I could have the op in hospital and have a pot put on to prevent any accidents whilst doing my caring role for my husband. After many months of appointments, x rays and ultra sound the consultant has said 'the ultra sound is has shown fluid retention on the 2nd 3rd and 4th metatarsal phalange all joints on the left side, nothing on the right.
X rays show a mild degree of hallux redid us, the right worse than the left. I think a lot of the pain is due to the the PMR which she is known to have and she is on steroids, a small dose of 3 mg.'
I went to the doctor to ask how to manage the pain but she is saying my PMR is under control at 3 mg, not to increase. I don't want to put up the steroids either, as in the begining of said foot problems I was on 7mg and with the decrease it hasn't got any worse. I am finding it difficult to walk, stairs particularly coming down them is very difficult.
Im having a PIP fusion and an extensor tenotomy on the toe which turns out is not dislocated but a hammer toe.
Any thoughts for me please
Any thoughts about why I'm in so much pain? The orthopaedic letter all looks to be mild symptoms, I'm getting worried that the pain is never going to be controlled, I've already been off work for a year, maybe I'll never return, I'm 62 yr old.
0 likes, 21 replies
EileenH angelcake61
Posted
It may be the pain is "learnt pain" - after chronic pain the body expects it and even mild pain can feel far worse than you'd expect. Hallux is also a VERY painful condition! How soon can the fusion and tenotomy be done?
I'd be looking for a stair lift if it were me if it is going to be very long.
angelcake61 EileenH
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My op is being done on the 24th March, but I was guessing that this won't relieve the pain. The hammer toe is not really causing pain but it's awkward to wear a ballet type shoe. I've been wearing knee boots beause I feel better having the full support around my feet.
i still feel/have the PMR pain in my forearms and my elbow which has a warm feeling. I tend to cope with this as it's not every day usually when I've done too much or its cold.
When they say 'mild' I think ' what would it be like even at moderate!
The consultant didn't tell me about all the findings, it was when I visited the doc she gave me his letter to her, so I haven't had the chance to ask him if anything can be done, I'm presuming not as he is only operating on the hammer toe and blaming the pain on PMR. I was on 7mg when it started and now 3mg , the pain is no worse so I also as with yourself and GP think it's the PMR.
EileenH angelcake61
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I found for a long time that I could only wear shoes that laced up around my foot and gave good support. Sandals were impossible and anything with a thin sole is still not as comfortable, no ballet flats for example. It took a long time for pred to make any difference - and do you know, I think the change in pain was as much because of improvements in the way I walk as anything else. My chiropodist has commented a few times about how much better my feet are now - no pressure areas with corns on and generally far less hard skin and stuff that I can now manage myself most of the year.
Google "Bowen therapy Mitchell Mosher bowen4life" and look at his videos - he comments how his podiatry patients improved as a result of Bowen and I certainly found it kept me upright during the 5 years of PMR with no pred and my feet definitely deteriorated when I came here and wasn't able to access it. Now I have a therapist again my feet have improved even more. It is worth a try and might help the PMR bits too.
If your elbow feels warm - has anyone considered it might be bursitis in the elbow joint? And my forearm pain in PMR was tendonitis - they could be linked.
angelcake61 EileenH
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angelcake61
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angelcake61
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pam7653 angelcake61
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My Rhumy said my Sed rate was 17. I begged him to up it to 7.5, which he did. It took 10 days to work. I still have some pain, but I can at least do things.
I'm not sure what has happened here either. Has the PMR settled in my feet as many have said it will. Doc said sometimes it does.
I feel your pain, it's driving me crazy too!
EileenH pam7653
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RD_Swede angelcake61
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Ouzel angelcake61
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I'd suggest going up on your prednisone and see if the pain gets a lot better. This won't happen overnight but in a few days likely. If it does then you might stay on that dose for awhile and then gradually go back down. I'd just not have surgery on something that isn't going to help and will only muddy the waters more. Because of your upper extremity symptoms and the fluid in your joints you should rule out RA as the cause of all of this as well. Good luck!
angelcake61 Ouzel
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He did blood test for RA and these have come back negative, but I thought maybe the pred would cause a false reading.
thank you for you advice, it is very much appreciated.
Ouzel angelcake61
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angelcake61 Ouzel
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Ouzel angelcake61
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pam7653 angelcake61
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I suggest if you have them where you live to try a Brooks shoe. I'm in the US. It has a roomy toe box that will accommodate your foot problems. I wear them and I seriously feel better wearing shoes when my feet ache so badly. It gives them support.
After all I've had 4 foot surgeries, mostly runs in the family. PMR likely picked this up as that's where my weakest spot is right now. Just guessing,but it's working for me right now. 😁
angelcake61 pam7653
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i am in the UKand I will look for the equivellant kind of store.
EileenH angelcake61
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I used to wear Birkenstocks with thick socks - if I wasn't wearing hill walking shoes...
angelcake61 EileenH
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