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Referral to foot and ankle specialist

Posted , 4 users are following.

amanda91058
amanda91058

I am 26 weeks post ORIF for 3 breaks in my ankle, and also had a spiral fracture of my fibula and ruptured the lateral ligaments in my ankle. Still having pain most of the time when I walk as well as a ton of swelling and my foot is turned inward due to the ligament rupture. My current surgeon thinks my pain is being caused as a result of my foot being turned inward and possibly from one of my fractures healing in a manner that caused a bone to be longer then it was prior to the break. My surgeon referred me to a foot and ankle specialist and I get a call from their office to schedule an appointment. The person on the phone tells me that the doctor reviewed my records and wanted me to know ahead of time that he doesn't know if there is much he can do to help me. Then the next words out of her mouth are "you need to bring a disc with your xrays on it to your appointment so that the doctor can review them!"

I guess I am a little baffled as to how the doctor can come to the conclusion that he already has when he admittedly hasn't even laid eyes on my xrays!

The whole situation from the get go has been very frustrating as I have no patience and I am a very active person, but its even more frustrating to be going to someone for help and feeling like you are being written off before they even see you!

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • lissa89
    lissa89 amanda91058

    Posted

    Hi Amanda,

    I am only 3 weeks post ORIF but I am already so frustrated with the arrogance and rudeness from every physician, xray tech & M.A. They spend so little time actual looking at my injury I amazed they actually operated on the correct ankle. When I initially went to the ER they actually argued with me about which leg they should xray. Good luck and keep pushing for answers. If this doc won't help you try a new one or a chiropractor or even a physical therapist. Surgeons aren't the only experts on how to elevate pain.

    • lissa89
      lissa89

      Posted

      *alleviate pain not elevate pain
    • amanda91058
      amanda91058 lissa89

      Posted

      So sorry to hear that you have already been through all of that so early in your recovery! Sometimes I swear doctors think they know more about our bodies eventhough we live in them 24/7! I get irritated with the constant "are you pregnant?" I understand they have to ask especially if you are having xrays done or surgery. The day I broke my ankle they ran a pregnancy test while I was in the ER and it came back negative, just like I told them it would. My surgery was the next day and I was asked at least 6 times while waiting to go to the OR if there was any chance I was pregnant. Mind you I was at the same hospital I was at the previous day when they ran the pregnancy test in the ER!

      My current surgeon has been great to me so far and was sending me to this specialist for a second opinion because my surgeon has never encountered the situation I am in. From what he has told me normally either your ligaments rupture to keep your leg from breaking or your leg breaks to keep your ligaments from rupturing, however my leg broke and my ligaments ruptured. Unfortunately I have done over two months of physical therapy to try and tighten up my ligaments and straighten my foot out, but it has only come back 4 degrees.

  • Guest
    Guest amanda91058

    Posted

    11 months ago I broke my fibula in two places and broke my ankle ( talus) along with rupturing and tearing all of the ligaments in my foot and ankle. I had surgery right away and a plate with screws up my leg and two large screws straight through my ankle. I started physical therapy two weeks after surgery and was non weight bearing for 14 weeks. At 14 weeks I had the two screws removed from my ankle and continued physical therapy up until two months ago. My foot now points down and inward. I still have significant pain and swelling. In 4 weeks the rest of the hardware will be removed and my surgeon will be sending me to see an ankle specialist. I am very frustrated. Your situation also seems so frustrating and now I’m nervous to even deal with a specialist lol 
    • amanda91058
      amanda91058 Guest

      Posted

      Hopefully you will have better luck then I seem to be having!
  • kpower
    kpower amanda91058

    Posted

    Amanda,

    Forget this soothsayer doc (he already knows everything without even seeing you) and get another referral to a competent and amiable specialist.

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