Bad Doctor Day :(

[Stranger]

Hi everyone!

Well, the first thing you should know about me is that I'm an incredible wimp. So when I got some nagging pain in the joint of my toe, I started freaking out right away. But I do that about every little thing, so I didn't actually think it was serious. I'm only 26, and pretty active - I exercise at least 4-5 times a week, doing anything from 20-minute mini-workouts to long runs, hikes, bikerides, and serious cross-country skiing in the winter. My experience with injuries so far has been like this: go to physiotherapist, get assigned exercises, do them, watch the injury slowly get better. So now that my toe hurt not even while running, but while walking too, I decided to see a podiatrist (foot doctor) for some exercises.

He said that I have toe arthritis caused by bone misalignment (the bone that runs inside the foot is higher than the first toe joint where they connect, which causes jamming during toe-off). He said that it will not get better, that there are no exercises I can do to fix it, and that the only solution is to take antiinflammatory drugs and buy rocker-bottom shoes, but it is a "progressive condition" that will eventually get worse over time and might even require surgery down the road.

This gave me a huge shock - being a total wimp, I'm absolutely terrified of surgery, but I'm also scared that this might be the end of my active lifestyle. I know there are other people who are way worse off, who have cancer and all kinds of horrible things, and here I am freaking out about a toe. But... moving in the outdoors makes me happy... nothing else gives that much meaning to my life. Without exercise and fresh air, I feel permanently half-asleep. Toe-off action is a huge part of xc skiing (my favourite sport), and running in rocker-bottom shoes doesn't sound too viable. I suppose I could still cycle, although I don't even have a good bike right now. I feel so discouraged - I'm way too young to get arthritis, and I've been putting so much effort into my health, with this kind of returns

I was wondering if you might have good advice, or something that could help me snap out of this anxiety... thanks, friends

 

[Sci-Fi]

That kind of sucks and understandable how freaked out you are over it. Your doctor did give you some advice on what to do to help ease the pain and help. Not like he said you have to quit doing what you enjoy right? If you have to have surgery in the future deal with it then, no need to worry about it now. Keep enjoying life, go get those shoes and take the anti inflammatory medication when you need to. This isn't the end of anything, just think of all those amputees out there who still enjoy sports. I'm always amazed at their courage and strength to keep doing what they enjoy and not let it get in their way. You just have a toe to worry about, something you can work around right now and worry about later when your condition worsens. Just take a little extra care for now to help ease the stress you put on your toe, like if it's the foot you post weight on, shift that, use the other foot. Maybe go see a foot specialist too and see what they suggest. There might be some kind of brace you can use. Just don't stop enjoying the outdoors and don't let it get you down.

 

[beautifulsorrow]

Maybe you can see another doctor about it
Its like for example when the doctors would tell you that you should stay home from school for like a week or something but you feel fully recovered in a day or two.
Like Sci fi said son't let it get you down and I would say do whatever you're able to do and don't just give up on it all
Good luck man

 

[SophiaGrace]

I'm getting surgery on my toes soon on the 29th. A bit nervus about it.

 

[Stranger]

Thanks for replies everyone, especially Sci-Fi! I feel a little calmer already You're right - it's not the end of the world... I can still do the sports I love for a while, and later I might have to switch to things like biking and swimming, but it's a way smaller adaptation than what disabled atheles have to go through.

@ SophiaGrace - wow, you are braver than me to be just "nervous" about surgery! I'd be climbing walls by now! It sure is a tough period to have to push yourself through... I guess the good thing is it will be over soon, and you'll be able to leave this whole episode behind in a few weeks. I hope it goes well for you! Still, I'm amazed that you are not that scared! Do you also like to exercise?

@ BeautifulSorrow - thanks for the kind words

 

[Bob Arctor]

I deal with a chronic pain issue that many people have sought surgery for (which often makes things worse). I was seeing one doctor for 3 years for the same problem, and he was a specialist. After going on a number of rounds of different medications and not seeing any improvement, I got a second opinion from a different doctor in the same field who referred me to a physiotherapist. The physiotherapist, aside from treating me on a regular basis, taught me how to treat myself with regimented exercises, like you mentioned.

This type of chronic pain is something that some people are able to cure themselves of completely, but many others have to continue dealing with for the rest of their lives. Only time and perseverance can tell, but one thing is certain: my pain is a million times better now than before I started doing the exercises. I was able to turn something that controlled my life into something I only think about once in a while. Our conditions aren't physically similar, but the advice I'd give to anyone in your situation is to shop around, because doctors don't know everything

 

[SophiaGrace]

I've had a lot of surgeries in my life time...so yeah, only nervous. I don't exercise much. My toes are still a little stiff but the surgery went well.

 

[HappyYogi]

See what the natural health community would say.

I healed my thyroid on my own using specific Kundalini exercise and herbs. My doc would not believe it. She wanted me on drugs.

I know diet can lesson imflammation. Also herbs. Certain foods increase inflammation and others decrease it.

Look at supplements and/or creams that may reduce the pain.

Before you despair look further.

www.curezone.com is a place where I found tons of help.

 

[Stranger]

Hi everyone! Just an update... I got the foot surgery! Here is how it happened...

First I spent a week just lying in bed and freaking out about the prospect of having to get surgery, or never being able to run or walk long distances again. I was just weak with worry, sometimes crying, but by the end of the week... I somehow got over it! I went back to the podiatrist, and after he told me the co$$$t of the surgery, I made a few trips to other doctors and finally got a referral to a different podiatrist who agreed to do it totally under the provincial health plan. I'm so grateful! So by July, my surgery was booked, and by the end of August, it was done!

It was not nearly as scary as I imagined. They required a person to be with me there the entire time, which was a little stressful to arrange because I have no family in this city, but a friend agreed to do it, and I was sooo glad she did because I just spent the hour-long wait chatting away with her instead of getting nervous! The surgery itself was totally painless - after a couple shots of local anesthetic and sedative, I felt so comfortable... I vaguely remember happily watching the doctor saw the bone in my foot and feeling content with the lack of pain... Even better, the recovery period was such a blissful break after the crazy weeks of preparation... I had been making arrangements, catching up on work, stocking up on food and necessities, asking people for help... and after, it was just a week of sleeping and relaxing at home with pain meds that put me in a good mood... wow. This is worlds away from the awful experience I expected!

And the best part is, my toe seems to be healing fast. If everything goes well, I'll be able to walk again in 1 month, and later hike, run, ski, do all the things that make my life good, for years to come. I'd also like to thank everyone who commented on this thread for your support - you made me feel so much less alone when this problem crashed into my life!


PS @ SophiaGrace - how did your surgery go? Did you get a good outcome?

PPS I did try a bit of alternative medicine, but quickly understood that it's not helpful for this particular issue. The problem is bone misalignment... and no amount of supplements or exercises is sufficient to change the position of foot bones in an adult. Orthotics might, and that will be a part of my follow-up treatment plan. Lol I think I'm a total believer in traditional medicine now

 

[Sci-Fi]

Good to hear that it all went well. See not as bad as you imagined, but it's that the best way though. Go in thinking the worst and come out thinking, wtf was I so worried about?