Charcot Foot

[allikait]

I have been at this Charcot foot thing for a year now. In a cast on my right foot for 13 weeks. Then into one of those lovely CROW walkers. Very difficult mobility. I am a high school teacher and had to buy a mobility scooter to get around at school and for teaching. Within only a couple of months my left foot acted up. My poditrist put me into a CROW walker in that foot also...so I am double booted. I see no positive change in my left foot. Fear I should actually ask for a cast...My biggest question is should I cahnge doctors? Is an orthopedist best? I just want it to get better.

[flosemae]

Hey, yes you should be seeing a podiatrist...they are wonderful with Charcot...I broke my right foot and the ortho drs never caught the Charcot in that foot...so that foot deformed and got shorter...then it finally quit swelling and being red but was deformed...then I broke the fibila in the left leg and I saw an ortho dr for that and he chose not to cast it so my left foot started deforming also...I finally went to a podiatrist and he xrayed my feet and found Charcot in both...he put me into a non wt bearing fibro glass boot up to my knees (on left foot ) the deforming stoped after 6 mths I was put into an Arizona Brace...I wear it dly..it protects my ankle...please see a podiatrist...you are doing the right thing about staying off your feet at work...I am an RN and had to retire because I cannot walk long distance..I hate this thing called Charcot...Are you diabetic? Is your feet deformed? Both my feet have midfoot Charcot...I am so sorry you have this also...I tell everyone I talk to about the forum of owwwmyfoot...go to dlife and then got to forum owwwmyfoot ...there is a couple on there that Marty, the husband, has had surgery on his foot...his wife talks about their surgeon Dr. Bernstein...she also talks on this forum ...look at Joyceful on this forum and you will see them talking to each other...Joyce is from Canada and is moving to the U.S. to have surgery by this surgeon in July...well I have once again talked to much....Hope to read about your progress on these forums...Kathy

[allikait]

Thanks for the advice. I have just made an appointment with a second poditrist to get a second opinion. I wish it were easier. Just bought a new house because we have a split level and it is too difficult. The new one has an amazing master up a level, but I have already called to get a stairlift put in...this was cost prohibitive in our split level home.

[kdramirez]

I'm new at this Charcot thing! And I already don't like it!! I've been a diabetic for 43 years now (I'm 52) but have basically kept things pretty easy going all my life with just a few ups and downs. About 6 years ago, I started breaking bones in my feet. First it was a crack in my right ankle; then a couple of back-to-back toes; and finally a break after a pretty good fall at a restaurant. We mostly joked about it because I tend to be a little clumsy. However, about nine weeks ago, my foot was a bit swollen and a little painful (no heat though). So I made an appt. with my podiatrist and he x-rayed finding two small breaks in my right foot. He also diagnosed Charcot.

I went in last night and was informed I will have to wear this brace thing (Arizona?) for the rest of my life. I was totally devestated!! I work in a very professional office and enjoy looking nice. The thought of wearing this brace and tennis shoes for the rest of my entire life has me in a tailspin. Yes, I know it's petty, and I should be glad it's not life-threatening like cancer would be, but I need some inspiration! I'm really, really down about all this.

Can anyone share what I can expect in the future? Will I ever be able to walk or ride a bike or get any type of exercise to keep my blood sugars in line? Will I EVER be able to wear normal shoes, even occasionally? I'll even accept flats! Or maybe someone can suggest a place to special order "wide" shoes? I'm wearing my walking tennies right now that I have been purchasing in "wides". The brace seems to fit in nicely with no extra problems.

I just need some encouragement and HONEST feed back about what my future holds. Thanks for letting me vent and get rid of some of my totally self-centered anxiety.

KR

[nepaica]

[quote="kdramirez"]I'm new at this Charcot thing! And I already don't like it!! I've been a diabetic for 43 years now (I'm 52) but have basically kept things pretty easy going all my life with just a few ups and downs. About 6 years ago, I started breaking bones in my feet. First it was a crack in my right ankle; then a couple of back-to-back toes; and finally a break after a pretty good fall at a restaurant. We mostly joked about it because I tend to be a little clumsy. However, about nine weeks ago, my foot was a bit swollen and a little painful (no heat though). So I made an appt. with my podiatrist and he x-rayed finding two small breaks in my right foot. He also diagnosed Charcot.

I went in last night and was informed I will have to wear this brace thing (Arizona?) for the rest of my life. I was totally devestated!! I work in a very professional office and enjoy looking nice. The thought of wearing this brace and tennis shoes for the rest of my entire life has me in a tailspin. Yes, I know it's petty, and I should be glad it's not life-threatening like cancer would be, but I need some inspiration! I'm really, really down about all this.

Can anyone share what I can expect in the future? Will I ever be able to walk or ride a bike or get any type of exercise to keep my blood sugars in line? Will I EVER be able to wear normal shoes, even occasionally? I'll even accept flats! Or maybe someone can suggest a place to special order "wide" shoes? I'm wearing my walking tennies right now that I have been purchasing in "wides". The brace seems to fit in nicely with no extra problems.

I just need some encouragement and HONEST feed back about what my future holds. Thanks for letting me vent and get rid of some of my totally self-centered anxiety.

KR[/quote]


Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but your life has changed forever you should not walk or stand for more than 30 minutes straight without stopping to check your feet for swelling or other problems. You probably shouldn't exercise or partake in any activity that puts stress on your feet. My charcot was brought on by walking on a treadmill.

I don't know how severe your case is but I will never wear a normal shoe again on my right foot and I may end up having it amputated. At best I will be wearing a crow walker. Riding a bike, swimming, hiking, long walks, etc. are gone forever.

[kdramirez]

Well, I just returned from three weeks in Kenya. All seems to have gone very well. I wore my brace at all times, except sleeping. I was careful whenever I did walk. I also used my ultrasound bone stimulator every morning and evening. I think I did very well considering the rural circumstances. I will be going into my podiatrist on Thursday and am going to insist on an x-ray, even if I have to pay for it, just to get a snapshot of where I stand (no pun intended!). I think, all-in-all, everything went very good for me. God surely blessed me in allowing me this trip.

[nepaica]

[quote="kdramirez"]Well, I just returned from three weeks in Kenya. All seems to have gone very well. I wore my brace at all times, except sleeping. I was careful whenever I did walk. I also used my ultrasound bone stimulator every morning and evening. I think I did very well considering the rural circumstances. I will be going into my podiatrist on Thursday and am going to insist on an x-ray, even if I have to pay for it, just to get a snapshot of where I stand (no pun intended!). I think, all-in-all, everything went very good for me. God surely blessed me in allowing me this trip.[/quote]


Good luck with your visit on Thursday.

The problem with disease is that it sneaks up on you very quickly. I went on a long trip right last year. We toured the west over a 5 week period. It was great fun for the family. While I was on this trip i took care to not over do it and i always wore my boot. At the end of the trip it looked like all was fine with the foot and the doctor let me out of the boot. Shortly thereafter I had another charcot attack and two months later I was in the predicament I am in now where there is no hope for anything resembling normalcy with my foot.

[kdramirez]

That DEFINITLEY is not good! I'm hoping for a good report tomorrow. But what about life thereafter? Everytime I get a little ache or twinge in my foot, I start to wonder if I broke it again. It seems like there should be something someone could come up with to at least slow down or stabilize this process! They have cures or fixes for a lot worse things! How do you survive day-to-day without driving yourself crazy every time you take a step? I need to work on the mental aspect of this as well as the physical. I refuse to just sit in a chair the rest of my life and watch the world go by! And with my luck, even just sitting, I would break something!!

If anyone has any advice on just "daily living" with this condition without losing your mind, I would be MOST appreciative!!

Kathy