There’s no reason to think that this is due to lack of disease control. I’ve been on a biologic for some time, and it’s working. The steroid use was from pericarditis.
Why would non healing fractures do a “complete reversal” with the right biologic? I’m guessing that’s not what you were referring to?
What I was saying, when I had the midfoot pain, and was in the boot for 6 weeks, (or longer?) getting laser treatments, etc etc. When the new Biologic I am taking kicked in, it took care of my pain, because mine was caused by enthesitis. Not saying yours is the same, it sounds “BAD TO TTTHE BBBONE!” 
Wish you can find a magic cure like mine… Unfortunately bones in the foot do not knit fast for young normal people, and we are even worse, ut I wish you the best of luck!
Now that makes a lot more sense.
Yeah, right now my two main goals are for these to heal by whatever means necessary, including surgery, and to not break any more bones so easily.
Good plan of action!
Yes, it’s recognized that corticosteroids cause an increased fracture risk that may not have osteopenia associated with it. They cause the protein structure of the bone to be less resilient, so there can be plenty of calcium in the bones but they still break…https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26657825
The problem is that it doesn’t explain the second issue, which is that two out of three fractures are not healing.
Figured it was time to update this. I used a bone stimulator on the breaks that weren’t healing for 6 weeks, and then had follow up x-rays. The big toe break was healing nicely. The fourth metatarsal wasn’t healing at all. I opted to go ahead with the surgery to repair it, since it’s been broken since last October already. Thankfully my pain level is controlled right now, and I’ll be off my foot for the next 6 weeks.
Sounds like a good decision @Stoney - hope all goes well. I bet you’ll be very relieved once all this is resolved.
Or have you just had the surgery??
Just had it yesterday. I’ll also be using a bone stimulator on the area that was operated on to help it move along. So I’m using one type of bone stimulator on the big toe of the other foot to help it complete healing. I’ll have a new and different one for the repaired fracture. And then there’s a totally random third fracture, that half the fracture has healed. Just half of the fracture line is filling in. But that one doesn’t bother me at all, so we’re not touching it.
Best of luck with the ‘no weight bearing’. It’s always an emotional challenge really. And really hope things just heal up better for you.
So it’s been just over 4 months since the surgery. The bone has healed really well. But a few weeks ago I started having swelling on part of my foot, and really awful ankle pain. Weird ankle pain that wasn’t tender or swollen. Huh? Well, x-rays have answered that one. I have a broken screw already, and another one that’s loose. So yes, I actually have loose screws.
I’m scheduled to have all the hardware removed, except for the broken screw that likely can’t be removed. November 5 to be exact. This will be an easier recovery at least. Just a boot for a few weeks after. It’s just so frustrating. I had been making good progress on my recovery until the stupid thing broke.
Gosh that is so unbelievably frustrating. I really feel for you.
What the heck? Glad to hear that you know now, at least.
Seems to me they should have x-rayed you sooner if screws get loose / break. But the bone has healed well … so … looks very promising I think(?)
OMG Stoney, what an extraordinary twist! It like some strange plot of a medical mystery! I’m glad you know know the cause, and though I imagine another surgery would not have been on your wish list, I’m glad the bone has healed so well and hope it resolves with the last surgery.
It’s hard to stay “up” with news like that Stoney. Surgical screws should be forever…my bets are that they are made in China! (No, that wasn’t a racist remark) But seriously, there must be some quality control issues. It shouldn’t be up to you to make sure your screws weren’t made on a Monday!
I’m ticked off for you…but you will likely handle a set back better than most! Two steps forward…
I’ve been getting x rays done every month. I think it happened about a week after the previous imaging. It explains the new onset pain and swelling that I really didn’t have following surgery, just toward one end.
Yeah, that was my first question too. But the plate spanned a joint bc of the location of the fracture, and that meant that there was more minor movement possible. I think that over the last few months it was enough to shear off the head of the screw. I guess I would rather have it now than a year from now. But honestly, this will mean four surgeries in the space of the year, and multiple foot fractures. I had both eyes done for cataracts, the two foot surgeries now, and a total of three fractures in my feet. I’ve been using a bone stimulator of one sort or another since late April too, which at least healed the other fractures.
And here I was assuming that biologics fixes everything! 
It’s a real battle all around ‘cuz without mobility it is difficult to maintain muscle and stay fit. Hopefully you are on the way to a better “you” and can have a long season of remission from the bodily aches and pains. At least with the cataract surgery done, you “look” pretty good!
Gosh Stoney quite a handful, thank goodness you caught it early on. Feel for you, hope for a quick recovery. please rest all you can and let us know about your progress.
Two years of steroids at high doses on and off. I’ve had pericarditis which is now more or less controlled with colchicine, used as an anti inflammatory. It flares up though with one or two missed doses or other stresses, but it’s been almost 18 months since I’ve had to use steroids at least.
Otherwise the biologic does a good job overall. Fractures and cataracts related to steroids.