Charcot Foot

[Globirdie]

I guess we are a very limited group of people with this disease. I am a member of a yahoo group on DPN and it amazes me how may times I mention the symptoms of this disease and get such a "wow" responce I did't know that .

What really scares me is that my doctors did not even mention it or notice it until I was in such pain sure the neuratian and lyrica helps with the "Fire ants syndrome". If this disease can move fast and furious why does it take the doctors so long to do something about it.

My 1st footdoctor was new and because Iwas uninsured and could not get the exrays I was destine to be deformed and in pain until Iwas able to find a job with benefits. the 2nd foot doctor said that is could be andmore tests were needed he felt that he flare up was over and we wouldhave to see what the test were then maybe a stock shoe might work..So for weeks I wore ill fitting and painful shoes. Then by chance Ifound a ortopecdic foot store that had stock shoe (sure they were expensive) but I could walk again. and the start of ulstes went away because of the correct shoe size and room....

I guess what i am saying is for those of you who have a smart and quick fasting doctor putting you in a no contact cast beleive me the other side of that is even more painful and harmful you at least have a chance to walk right and be ok...my bones have deformed so much that walking from my room to the bathroom is far to painful and I wait for the ulstes to start and the amputation prosess is coming and I know it

Gloria

[UroDoc]

Thanks for posting , good luck

[thomasale]

First day for me at the Podiatrist today...I am scared. Diabeitic since 1989. Neuropathy developed in 1995. I broke my ankle this past July and got out of the cast Sept 19. I had resumed normal activities but had a setback with blisters after a walk. I assumed it was because I had gotten soft during my cast days. Within a week the blisters bcame an ulcer and today I went to the Doc and this is what he came back with. Not a pretty picture from what I can see.

I need to work...I will see him again in a week. He is treating the blisters and gave me a surgical shoe to wear...I hope (and he seems to) he knows his stuff!

[micdeo]

Hi,
I am a diabetic for over 30 years and very active. I just found out about charot foot and all the problems related to it. I have had foot surgery as a result of an infection of 5 metatarsial. I am going to a podiatris for about 10 years and I believe that his constant watching of my feet and the fact that he put me inform fitting shoes, has stopped the progress of this problem, but further vilegence is needed.
I have been off my feet for along periods of time due to ulcers. I have been lucky, all healed. But, Charot foot with the midfoot and tendon problems are a whole new ballgame for me. I will be proactive in dealing with this problem before it gets going as it seems to progress very fast. Even though I have fitted shoes I will look at the the different orthotics to address issues.
Your posting was a great help. Hope all is well and you are getting better.
I think that this is a real problem and knowledge for it should be spread among diabetics.
Mike

[nepaica]

Many doctors don't know about this disease. My diabetes doctor thought I had a foot infection. My family doctor sent me for an xray which showed that I had a fracture. The orthopedic doctor put in a boot but couldn't figure out why it wasn't healing. Eventually, he sent me to a specialist who correctly identified it as charcot.

[Tj12761]

Gloria,

You are right. We do need to get the word out about Charcot. It took countless tests including lymph gland, blood flow, x-rays, mris, cat scans, blood work etc until we received a diagnosis of Charcot foot for my husband. The doctors at the local hospital kept insisting it was an infection and we had to "let it run it's course". One even ventured a guess of Cat Scratch Fever!

Another hospital 30 miles from us made the diagnosis but by then my hubby had Charcot for over 4 months! Luckily though, there we found a USA top surgeon whose specialty is Charcot!

The Charcot foot was identified as early as 1703 by English physician William Musgrave and again by the American physician John Kearsley Mitchell in 1831, but it was Jean-Martin Charcot, a 19th century French neurologist, who first described the underlying pathology of the condition that now bears his name. In 1936 Charcot foot was linked to neuropathy as a result of diabetes mellitus.

Yet here it is 2009 and so many diabetics are shocked to learn about this condition after they develop it and doctors continue to rate as "rare"! This "rare" condition currently strikes 1 in 3 diabetics with neuropathy!

[nepaica]

[quote="Tj12761"]Gloria,

You are right. We do need to get the word out about Charcot. It took countless tests including lymph gland, blood flow, x-rays, mris, cat scans, blood work etc until we received a diagnosis of Charcot foot for my husband. The doctors at the local hospital kept insisting it was an infection and we had to "let it run it's course". One even ventured a guess of Cat Scratch Fever!

Another hospital 30 miles from us made the diagnosis but by then my hubby had Charcot for over 4 months! Luckily though, there we found a USA top surgeon whose specialty is Charcot!

The Charcot foot was identified as early as 1703 by English physician William Musgrave and again by the American physician John Kearsley Mitchell in 1831, but it was Jean-Martin Charcot, a 19th century French neurologist, who first described the underlying pathology of the condition that now bears his name. In 1936 Charcot foot was linked to neuropathy as a result of diabetes mellitus.

Yet here it is 2009 and so many diabetics are shocked to learn about this condition after they develop it and doctors continue to rate as "rare"! This "rare" condition currently strikes 1 in 3 diabetics with neuropathy![/quote]


Can you give me some info on this surgeon and what he did for your husband?

[Tj12761]

The Doctor is affiliated with St. Luke's Health Network here in Pennsylvania.

The surgery consisted of 3 fused bone grafts. Two on the outside of hubby's foot and one on the inside. The Achilles Tendon was also lengthened to alleviate the curve in the foot. After 3 months in an external fixator, hubby was put back into Total contact casts for a month then measured for shoes. While the shoes were being made, he was in a boot (not a CROW).

You can read one of the papers written by this doctor here:
Developing a Comprehensive Diagnostic and Treatment Plan for Charcot Neuroarthropathy Part 1 - February 2008 and Part 2 - March 2008 http://www.podiatrym.com/cme.cfm

And here:
Dlife Diabetes Community Everything But the Kitchen Sink (Off-Topic) » Owww My Foot
http://www.dlife.com/diabetes-forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12615&sid=a5c1bc78353b4cec04fb534c36435c77

[nepaica]

[quote="Tj12761"]The Doctor is affiliated with St. Luke's Health Network here in Pennsylvania.

The surgery consisted of 3 fused bone grafts. Two on the outside of hubby's foot and one on the inside. The Achilles Tendon was also lengthened to alleviate the curve in the foot. After 3 months in an external fixator, hubby was put back into Total contact casts for a month then measured for shoes. While the shoes were being made, he was in a boot (not a CROW).

You can read one of the papers written by this doctor here:
Developing a Comprehensive Diagnostic and Treatment Plan for Charcot Neuroarthropathy Part 1 - February 2008 and Part 2 - March 2008 http://www.podiatrym.com/cme.cfm

And here:
Dlife Diabetes Community Everything But the Kitchen Sink (Off-Topic) » Owww My Foot
http://www.dlife.com/diabetes-forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=12615&sid=a5c1bc78353b4cec04fb534c36435c77[/quote]

Thanks

[kdramirez]

I just was diagnosed with Charcot myself. And yes . . . after 43 years of diabetes and drs. always telling you the down sides of complications, why is this the first I am hearing about this?

Also, I'm having a bit of a vanity problem. . . I'm used to working in a professional office and the thought of wearing this brace forever really scares me. Can you send me the site for the ortho shoes you were talking about? Something about tennis shoes, a brace, and a nice business suit just don't work for me. But maybe I have no choice???

KR