Following a couple of joint injections in my right foot in August things have gone steadily downhill. Now have significant issues with tendon running across my ankle and am not able to walk. Pain severe so have had to go to GP for stronger painkillers.
Had hoped that starting Enbrel in the springtime would have resulted in a better response - and I have had some days after I started when I felt terrific but the last 3 months have been just such a struggle and rheumatology appointment not until next year.
Oh, Aurora! I’m so sorry to hear this. I can relate to foot pain: it makes absolutely everything so difficult, doesn’t it? If you are going to go to the GP for heavy duty pain killers, I think you should call your rheumatology nurse and discuss whether it’s possible to get some help earlier. You should be feeling improvements by now, but clearly you aren’t. Makes me wonder whether a burst of steroid would do you good.
Hang in there, and lean on us any time you need to.
Aurora,
Have you tried physical therapy? That may help until your rheumatologist appointment. Sorry you have to wait so long! I had a few cortisone injections from a podiatrist 2 years ago for plantar fasciitis, seemed to make it worse. I later found out from my foot and ankle orthopedic and also my rheumatologist that at times the injections do more harm than good. In 2 years I have had 2 surgeries on that foot and still not right. Can’t prove the injections made it worse but I avoid them now. The PT has been the most helpful, maybe your GP can order therapy if your insurance covers it. Good luck and hope you feel better soon.
Thanks for the kind words folks. Have been seen by a physiotherapist and have been put in an ankle brace to allow the tibialis anterior tendon inflammation to subside - have bubbly crepitus up my leg when I move my ankle which is a bizarre sensation. Hopefully things will start to ease soon else I will contact the rheumatology nurse to see about some intra-muscular steroid as that was mentioned as an option with the last joint injection but it was hoped that things would settle. Thanks again for all the support.
Imagine fine bubblewrap - all those little pockets that can go pop - imagine squeezing those, and with a little squeakiness added in. Moving my ankle and it has that squeaky bubbly sensation up my shin, and when I gently rub the tendon it can be felt beneath the skin. Normally my tendons get a swollen and boggy sensation - fluid squidges around - but this was a new sensation to me.