My feet have discovered a new way to hurt

General
#1

As someone who has PsA, I'm no stranger to toe/foot/heel/plantar fasciitis pain, but, this one is a new one. I've been in major flare for a few weeks now because of a disruption in my meds. Fingers, ankles, knees are swollen, and neck and lower back are screaming, too. Even my jaws are hurting big time. But the most curious, and maybe the most troubling, is my feet. I had major trouble walking last night, and today is a little better, but I still wouldn't try going out of the house yet.

They are VERY tender to touch, and weight-bearing is awful. If you can imagine how it would feel to wrap your feet in a bandage that's WAY too tight, then wait a few days and unwrap them, that is exactly the sensation (although I haven't been practicing foot-binding!)

Has anyone else ever experienced this? If so, any ideas about what brought it on or how to prevent it? ANY suggestions will be appreciated. My feet never exactly feel great, but this particular symptom is a new one for me.

If this flare doesn't ease up some soon, hmmm...don't know where to go with that thought! lol I know DH is as sick of hearing about it as I am of dealing with it. Anyway, it's a bad one. Thanks for your input.

#2

Byrd there is a discussion about this on the FMS site and it was started by Geranium entitled 'heel pain'. Another moderator had her do some exercise with a sock every morning, she says it helps. Sounds like you need something to break this pain cycle!

#3

OMG! So sorry, Byrd! Haven't had that particular pain in my foot but sounds extremely painful. I think SK has a good idea; hope it helps!

#4

HUGS Byrd!!! I wish I had a solution for you, but can only offer hugs.

#5

You've described it better than I could have myself. Aside from the plantar pain and the joint aches, it's kind of like the insides of my feet are pressurized. My feet are swollen: they look puffy, not extreme, but they feel like they are about to blow up. I had an MRI that showed bone marrow edema, and I wonder if what I'm feeling is the inside of my bones under pressure. Who knows?

What to do? Well, the way they feel screams "stay off 'em!" to me. I've also got deformity happening in the arch, and that's the same as my rheumy told me, pending advice from a foot and ankle surgeon. And it takes a year or so to get a consult with a foot and ankle ortho. Fortunately (?!) I am going to see my knee surgeon about my world class Baker's Cyst in 10 days. I will ask him, and maybe he will have some good ideas.

Meanwhile, I have tried contrast bathing. It made my feet feel far worse, so I abandoned that. Swimming (gentle motion without the weight bearing) seems to make them feel better. Foot hokey pokey (Put your big toe in, Put your big toe out, Put your big toe in, And you shake it all about... LOL) is uncomfortable, and doesn't seem to do much good.

I guess that's not much help, is it? ... maybe I'll just give you a {{hug}} as well.

Seenie

#6

I have been having foot pain for several months now. Wednesday I went for my actemra infusion and he said your toes look bad so he injected them again. They hurt so in turn by protecting them it makes my other foot, hips an knees hurt. I have been forcing myself to exercise and they start o feel a little better. I also take methotrexate and prednisone. When I am really miserable I add Vicodin to the cocktail. It is so nice to have a place to share all of our aches and pains. I hope you start to feel better soon!

#7

Seenie has listed the normal things things to try, the only thing I would add to that list is walking on your tip toes or raising and lowering your sielf on the edge of a step on the balls of your feet also helpful is laying on your back and pulling knees to your chest and then pointing your toe straight ot. If these exercises don't work the new (short lasting) pain will take your mind of the foot pain.......

As far as getting shot up, don't go through the pain of THAT until you get the lower back undercontrol (SI joints etc) as thats likley where the pain ins coming from.

I've also gotten relief from Tens or a chiropractor preceeding his adjustments with tens. Sometime your hips are out trying to get a good position for your lower back....

Also try alternating ice and heat over your lower back. (20 minutes each) from L4 down. If you have a flector patch use it. Its acctually a pretty normal pain cycle for spondylitis versions of PsA

#8

LOL, yes, there's nothing like a new pain to take your mind off the old pain! You make me laugh, tnt.

Seriously, though, you've mentioned Flector patches a couple of times recently. Not familiar with these, I looked it up.. Interesting. But I notice on the flector website that it says not to use it if you use oral NSAIDs.

Or is this just a CYA move on the part of Pfizer?

Seenie



tntlamb said:

... If these exercises don't work the new (short lasting) pain will take your mind of the foot pain.......

...

... If you have a flector patch use it. Its acctually a pretty normal pain cycle for spondylitis versions of PsA

#9

hi byrd have you tried a Strassburg sock for the fasciitis. ? They really work. I looked at the picture and made my own for about 5.00 I wore it almost every night for 2 weeks and PF cleared off. Some nights I just had to take the dam thing off it drove me nuts ( well more nuts ) I stll get some heel pain but nothing like I had. I don't know why more docs don't reccomend these sox. They work. If you can sew it's easy peasy. I made a wide strap to go around my knee (just under) abotu 4 inches wide used velcro as a fastener stitched a loop that held 2 D rings onto the front of that. Bought a pair of knee sox at the dollar store and attached a long piece of cotton so that is was under the heel ofmy foot. it was about 4 inches wide too I attached at that point and at the end of the toes. Can't get it out right now to measure as hubby is sleeping from night shift. That strip(the foot part) was about 30 inches long 4 inches or so wide under and over the toes then it tapered down to maybe 3 inches . Put the sox on , strap the D ring strap around and just under your knee and pull your foot forward. slip through the D part oh yea you must add velcro to the long strap and the end to anchor it. it keeps your foot pulled forward so the fascia can heal during the night. It is sorta comfortable but you will wake and adjust it. I am not kidding that sock worked!

you can buy them for 40 or 50 dollars in canada. I don't know what you would pay in the USA

#10

So sorry for your pain. When my feet/ankles flare I notice I can never go without shoes. Do shoes help you walk better by distributing the weight on your feet. It seems to work for me. It doesn't take all the pain away, but it helps.

Hugs and prayers your way.

#11

Well, thats a big maybe. My pain Doc says it this way. With the Oral 5% goes to the joint and 95% of the rest to the body. With the Patch 95% to the joint, 5% to the body. Placement is critical. Now I don't take my RX NSAID when I have the patch, but I do take some aleve. I started using to avoid getting my shoulders shot up again. (its getting to be a habit)

They are rethinking the whole patch thing. Originally they thought it would avoid stomach problems but surprisingly it only did so for a percentage. There are two families of NSAIDS. (He calls them 1 or 2) Generally One will cause stomach problems, and the other will cause far less. So now its a matter of combining the the styles (patch oral IM etc) into a program. NSAIDS are still the most effective treatment for acute problems. Its art not science

Anyway I'm a believer in the patches for specific pain areas as an addition to pain management NOT a replacement for anything.



Seenie said:

LOL, yes, there's nothing like a new pain to take your mind off the old pain! You make me laugh, tnt.

Seriously, though, you've mentioned Flector patches a couple of times recently. Not familiar with these, I looked it up.. Interesting. But I notice on the flector website that it says not to use it if you use oral NSAIDs.

Or is this just a CYA move on the part of Pfizer?

Seenie



tntlamb said:

... If these exercises don't work the new (short lasting) pain will take your mind of the foot pain.......

...

... If you have a flector patch use it. Its acctually a pretty normal pain cycle for spondylitis versions of PsA

#12

Seenie, oh yeah, I've seen those, in fact doc. recommended to me but I found the orthotic inserts to help enough to not need the sock thingie. Also for the plantar fascia pain, as DMaraJade says, keep those shoes on except when sleeping! It does really help.

I think your explanation of the pain makes a lot of sense. Just sorry you guys have this on top of everything else. It's really hard to wake up to a new pain on a routine basis. At least the old pains you've gotten used to, kinda sorta.

#13

Nope, Petunia, wasn't me, that was 2Trees who told about the Strassburg sock. Credit where credit due! I was intrigued, though, by the concept and I wanted to know what it looked like. So here it is.

Now, 2Trees has mentioned it before: people with PsA all seem to be smarter, nicer and sexier than average.

Aside from its other benefits, wearing a Strassburg sock would just add to my SQ!!

Thanks, 2Trees, for letting us in on this secret.

Petunia Girl said:

Seenie, oh yeah, I've seen those, in fact doc. recommended to me but I found the orthotic inserts to help enough to not need the sock thingie. Also for the plantar fascia pain, as DMaraJade says, keep those shoes on except when sleeping! It does really help.

I think your explanation of the pain makes a lot of sense. Just sorry you guys have this on top of everything else. It's really hard to wake up to a new pain on a routine basis. At least the old pains you've gotten used to, kinda sorta.

#14

another thing with PF is you must never ever go bare foot. Always wear supportive sandles or shoes not flipflops of any girly slides.I even take my inserts out and put them into my slippers and have orthotic sandals.

thanks for posting the picture Seenie. I put the strap right under the foot to the back of the heel so I had more foot/ankle support because just have the toe pulled forward made them hurt like hell and pulled my homemade soc off.

#15


Okay, if the socks come in fishnet, I'm in !!!!! ; )


Seenie said:

Nope, Petunia, wasn't me, that was 2Trees who told about the Strassburg sock. Credit where credit due! I was intrigued, though, by the concept and I wanted to know what it looked like. So here it is.

Now, 2Trees has mentioned it before: people with PsA all seem to be smarter, nicer and sexier than average.

Aside from its other benefits, wearing a Strassburg sock would just add to my SQ!!

Thanks, 2Trees, for letting us in on this secret.

Petunia Girl said:

Seenie, oh yeah, I've seen those, in fact doc. recommended to me but I found the orthotic inserts to help enough to not need the sock thingie. Also for the plantar fascia pain, as DMaraJade says, keep those shoes on except when sleeping! It does really help.

I think your explanation of the pain makes a lot of sense. Just sorry you guys have this on top of everything else. It's really hard to wake up to a new pain on a routine basis. At least the old pains you've gotten used to, kinda sorta.

#16

LOL Luv the foot hokey pokey and the fishnet comment!

Thanks for the giggles AND the great ideas.

I'm wearing my tens unit, TNT. Thank heaven for those! I imagine I overuse it, to be honest, but it does help so much.

I've never heard of the Strasburg socks, but will investigate. From your description, 2trees, I can envision how you put those together. How creative of you! Thanks for letting us in on your ingenuity!

DMara, you are so right--shoes help immensely. It's probably been 30 years since I've gone barefoot. And I'm very careful about which shoes to wear. Right now I'm in Crocs at home. Can't stand anything that fits to the contours of my feet, and the Crocs seem to give a fair amount of arch support. Would love to get my Birki's back out, but I think they would even hurt these days. I'm using my orthotics when I have to go out. Went out for a couple of hours today, and was VERY happy to get back home. When you hurt this way, it's scary to think of someone accidentally bumping into you. Plus, I'm losing my balance very easily because of the foot pain. I know people are thinking, "That poor old lady," or "That poor old DRUNK lady." lol And I'm thinking, "Hey, I'm not an old lady!" lol Aggghhhhhhh!

Seenie, I, too, was new to Flector patches and had to look them up. TNT, I have Voltaren gel here. I didn't try it because I didn't think I could bear rubbing my poor feet right now. But patches might solve that problem. Are there other advantages to the patches?

I told DH today that I'd try anything short of bleeding chickens or other small animals; however, I might try shaking gourds or sleeping with a knife under the bed! He offered his 44. Your suggestions make much better sense!

Thanks, everybody, for your support, encouragement, info and hugs. You guys are the greatest!

#17

One of the advantages Byrdie (I have fond memories of my jr high girl fri patchesend 45 or so years ago byrd feeder) with the patches over voltaren is a lot less naked time ( voltaren stains) Voltaren is cheaper.

If folks think you are tipsy anyway, might just as well take advantage........

#18

Oh, tnt, I thought about that the other day, but can't even have a dang drink cuz of MTX! Drat PsA! One of the gals at PT asked me the other day, "Are you behaving yourself?" and before I even thought about the answer, it was out of my mouth: "I have no friggin' choice!" lol

So Voltaren stains? Is that clothes or skin--or both? Does it wash off, wear off or is it permanent?

My ankles already have a grey-blue ring around them from the Plaquenil. So now my knees and feet will all match huh? The fun never ends!

I've never had the brownies, but it might be time!!! grrrrrr

#19

Byrd, I have found OTC Sports Cream just as good as Voltaren and no staining.