Charcot Foot

[blake]

Is there anyone that has been diagnosed with charcot foot who is not a diabetic? My theory is that I caused neuropathy because of the repetitive motion of running and years of working out on a stair master. Then I had trauma to my foot which I couldn't feel which in turn started the cascade of events leading to charcot foot Does this this make sense to anyone with this condition?

[PeggyAlder]

My husband is 61 years old. He is not Diabetic. He is obese. He had hammertoe and bunion surgery 13 months ago. He was diagnosed with Charcot in July. He has had two bone biopsies and two white cell tags. He has also had two surgeons. He seems to make progress and then regresses. Our present doctor does not answer our questions about remissions and exacerbations. How long have you had this? What have you experienced? Thanks.

[blake]

I have had this condition for three years and for the most part have a very active life style playing golf three times a week and going to the gym. The charcot condition caused the collapse of the arch on my foot which is now healed but deformed to some extent. There are pressure points that are subject to infection and I am very vigilant about watching for problem areas. Since your husband is non diabetic, the lack of circulation is not a problem which is a strong positive. Nevertheless, without really being careful he will go from precipice to precipice.

[mountaincutup]

While I am not glad you have Charcot foot, I am glad I am not the only non-diabetic with it. I do have neuropathy, which I have always attributed to a back injury but just found out that it was caused by an auto-immune disorder. I am thankful that I don't have circulation issues but I have to watch my feet very carefully. I am 42 years old and attempt to be somewhat active. I am overweight and trying to work on it , but.........hard to exercise in a total contact cast. I guess I am somewhat vain, no more "cute" shoes. I have found some web sites with shoes that provide better support and accommodate custom orthotics. Good luck to you. Thankfully, I have had 2 great doctors and am healing, though my foot will never be normal.

[blake]

It takes a few months but your foot will heal and you can resume an active life style. Your vanity has to go on the shelf when it comes to foot fashion but you can find choices that work for function and style. The biggest problem that I have found after three years is taking care not to get an infection. The pressure points on your foot and toes will change and you can't feel the blisters as they develop. Treat any new shoe as a potential time bomb and inspect your feet a few times a day. With that said, things could be a lot worse and you can get active after your caste is removed. Good luck.

[joyceful]

Hi!
Just wanted to say that I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in 1996. I was tested for diabetes but it came back negative. I received no treatment for the neuropathy and then in 2003, I was diagnosed with Diabetes 2. I was able to control it with diet alone. Then I changed to another doctor in 2005 who did a couple of A1C tests that came back very good. So then the doctor told me she didn't think I had diabetes. Looking back now, I realize that was probably one of the stupidest things I have ever heard a doctor say but what was more stupid was that I believed her. Well, let's face it...it sounded good...I wanted to believe her...and common sense flew out the window. I went off my diabetic diet and drowned myself in sugar. (well, almost) Then in April, 2008, I was hospitalized with a blood count of 39 ( I live in Canada which uses a different scale than the U.S. Our normal scale is 4-7) I was in the hospital for 8 days and am now on 4 insulin injections a day. December 23, 2008, I was diagned with Charcot's Foot. I go back to the doctor Jan 6. After researching this on the internet, I am very awed by the fact I wasn't told by my doctor to stay off my feet. I have had x-rays done and am waiting for an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon.
I have been reading this forum and it is scaring me to death.. I thought the internet sites were bad, but what people are saying in here that actually happened to them...varies too much with what the podiatry sites are saying. I am certainly not looking forward to 2009 at all...

[blake]

I have had the charcot condition for three years and you just have to be careful of getting an infection and you should see your podiatrist once a month. With some caution and the proper shoes you should be fine. I remain very active, playing golf three times a week and work out most days. Keep a good diet and have a great 2009.

[joyceful]

Hi Blake,
Thank you for the encouragement. I did see my family doctor yesterday and I asked him if it is o.k. for me to be walking. He told me stay off my feet for the most part but that I had to walk some every day to avoid blood clots. He read the x-ray report, full of medical terms, and the only word I understood was the word osteopenia. I'll look it up and see what it means. They are scheduling a bone scan after which I will see the orthopedic surgeon. My doctor said that surgery is a last resort and that they will likely put me in a rehab program. He said I could be in that for a few years.
I don't golf but I am certainly looking forward to being on my own feet three years from now...
Again, thank you..
Joyce

[funky feet]

I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in 1997 after my third bout with Ebstein-Barr Virus. Most people get EBV as a child or adolecent, and only once. After the 3rd EBV I developed Peripheral neuropathy, without diabetes! I went on to be diagnosed with undifferientiated connective tissue disease, then rheumatoid arthritis, and about 2 years ago was told that I may develope DM, type II if I don't loose weight. Well...I didn't loose the weight and sure enough I developed DM. About 2 months after my blood glucose was ever-so-slightly above the ULN (upper limit of normal), I was diagnosed with Charcot's arthroneuropathy. My Rheumatologist did not diagnose it but the Orthopediac Surgeon, he sent me to, did. This Surgeon suggested that he would go in from the side of the foot and scrape down the excess bone tissue, not repair the arch as they seem to fail over time and the side approach has less time off the feet.
I decided against the surgery at the present time because of the need for income and no relatives around to help with the recovery period of being off my feet.
Since I need to loose weight, I have enrolled my self at a health club and have a trainer. Walk 40 minutes on the treadmill, do core weight training, and water aerobics. My sense of self is so much better now and I look forward to meeting with my trainer and eventually loosing enough weight to have a shorter recovery period if I decide to go with the surgery. I also have been wearing a pair of especially made for Me Orthopedic Shoes! This has really changed my life.
I wish you and everyone else reading this the best in their struggle with our Funky Feet.