Morton's Neuroma

[smcguinn]

Thanks, Lorena.

With this, as with anything else: Knowledge is power.

Take care.

Sherry

[zacca]

Hi Sherry I know what you mean, it takes over your life, I didnt realise how much until you sit and evaluate it. Not only the endless appointments with the dr, physical therapist,going to the pharmacist etc but the treatment at home,icing,stretching,exercises,creams,massaging,and electrotherapy.I always sit in the evenings with my feet elevated.I cant work, for 3 years now, I am lucky I have a husband who supports me, how about you?I cant go for a walk, dance,go shopping except for a short trip to get groceries. I can swim for which I am thankful as it is the only exercise I get. I swim most days although since I got this neuroma I only use one leg/foot.I can still drive the car for just a short distance on a good day. I do get good days and bad days, do you?Not every day is the same.Some days I am so depressed and others I am more positive and tell myself there has got to be and end to this soon- Yes I am from the other side of the pond!I live in Spain, I was born in England but emigrated 10 years ago.Where are you from?I guess things are done differently in other countries, but I would imagine there are more similarities than differences when it somes to medical treatments in the western world.Take care and let me know how you get on next week. Zacca.

[smcguinn]

Good to hear from you Zacca.

Yes, good days and bad days. Emotional highs and lows.

Like you, my level of activity has been drastically reduced: I can walk, but for short distances only. I can drive, but not without pain.

Both my husband and I work. I am an advertising copywriter and screenwriter (or trying to be). My husband is a senior editor at a tech magazine. We live in the Chicago area with our four cats. My husband is extremely supportive, thank God. Recently, he went out and bought a kind of Tupperware tub that is big enough to hold both my feet. We fill it with ice and a little bit of water. Basically, what I do is freeze the hell out of my feet! I keep them in for as long as I can, take them out, put them back in, etc. I will do this over the course of a couple of hours, at least, and I think it has really helped with the inflammation. Try this. If nothing else, you'll get some short term relief. Anything that works, right?

I'll keep you in my thoughts and yes, I will let you know how it goes when I see the podiatrist next week. I have a feeling I will have to get another cryosurgery, this time for the neuroma on my right foot.

Keep your chin up.

Sherry

[ndone]

I have a couple of suggestions for you. My husband has suffered as you have with Morton's neuroma. He has surgery, did not help, nothing so far has helped, BUT he recently was given a med called Lyrica for the pain and it has made a big difference and we have sent his records to a Doctor in Michigan, Dr. Fallat, to see if he is a candidate for Cryogenic neuroablation or what's called cryosurgery. If you type in Crogenic Neuroablation and hit go you will get his article. There are VERY few podiatrists who do this be sure and spell it the way I did. Also cryosurgery will give you alot of info when you type that in. Lyrica is a new med for nerve pain. Let me know how you do.

[ndone]

Hi sherry, read my post and see what you think, Lyrica can help, there are side effects that go away after time but My husband has really noticed a difference, we'll be off to Michigan as soon as he is approved for the Cryo, we live in North Dakota, but if it helps it is worth the trip. Terry

[zacca]

Hi Sherry, have been thinking about you and wondering how things went for you this week on your visit to your podiatrist?It is bad enough having one neuroma but to have them in both feet is horrendous.Having plantar fasciitis in one foot was awful, never did I imagine I would get it in both, although I have since found out it is quite common.Things are just the same for me with the neuroma, I got a few days relief after the injection a couple of weeks ago but its back to how it was before now.We have some other things in common! We have two cats and one of our sons is a screenwriter!Anyway, hope all went well for you, Zacca.

[smcguinn]

Hi Zacca (and Terry),

Thanks so much for thinking of me. Yes, I saw my doctor on Wednesday and it was "business as usual." She thinks that the neuroma in my left foot (where I had the cryo) feels smaller. But it's not small enough for me! I still feel as if I'm walking on a "shelf" when I step onto a floor barefoot. The one in my right foot isn't as prominent. YET. So we are going to wait a couple of weeks to see where we're at. I will have the cryo again if she thinks it will help. All I know is: I don't want alcohol injections OR invasive surgery.

This may help you: At night, I freeze the hell out of my feet in a tupperware-type container that my hubby bought. We add a layer of ice and just a little water and I literally freeze them for an hour or more. Keep your feet in till you can't stand another minute, than take them out. Keep doing this in intervals for as long as the ice holds out:)

Also, check out this site: http://www.drweil.com/drw/ecs/index.html

Search for "Morton's Neuroma" and read what Dr. Weil suggests. I'm actually trying this, but it's too soon to tell if it's helping or not. Any port in the storm at this point, you know?

Zacca, feel free to email me at home if you'd like: [moderator note: e-mail address has been removed].

Take care. And keep repeating to yourself: "We will not be defeeted!"

(Thanks, Terry, for the Lyrica suggestion. Will ask my doctor.)

Sherry

[ndone]

Hi Sherry, where did you have the cryo and how did they do it? I think this will be our last try at fixing my husbands neuroma, we will have to go to Michigan though. If you could expand on your experience with this we would really appreciate it, I know the Dr. in MI is the one who perfected this procedure. We can not do much else without insurance. Thanks Terry

[smcguinn]

Hi Terry,

I'll be happy to tell you everything know. My husband and I live in the Chicago area, Elgin, IL to be exact. My podiatrist as offices in Elgin and three other locations. Her name is Dr. Esther Lyon. Check out her website: drestherlyon.com

I was sedated by IV and it was wonderful. Very relaxing and didn't feel a thing. Dr. Lyon says that she cannot understand how a doctor can use just a local with this procedure because, when done correctly, the nerve must be stimulated with a probe, and that can get pretty uncomfortable.

So that's what she did: She enter through the top of my foot with a thin-guage needle and stimulated the nerve to find out where to best freeze it. I vaguely remember her asking if I felt this or that, and I know I answered, but I swear: Was never in any discomfort. (I am a big wuss and would admit it if I was.) Not sure, but I think she freezes it for a couple of minutes, stops and then repeats the process.

The whole procedure took maybe twenty minutes to a half hour, tops. I went home in a surgical shoe. Some soreness afterward, but very manageable. Now, some people can revert to their regular footware almost immediately, but apparently, I have a tendency to swell up, so it took me a bit longer. This was done around 8/24 and I still have some slight swelling that I'm trying to correct with some very aggressive icing.

I am going to see her in two weeks, and if she deems it necessary, I will have it redone. I have a neuroma on my other foot, as well (the fun never ends), but this one doesn't seem to be as "active," at least not yet. Am just icing and watching for now.

I hope this helps you and your husband. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this procedure, even if I have to repeat it, as it is much preferable to surgery and alcohol injections, in my wuss's opinion, anyway:)

Please let me know if you need anything else.

Much luck.

Sherry

[ndone]

Thank you for the info, that was very interesting! I e-mailed your doctor's office for info will see if I get any reply. Let me know how it goes, and if you get a second cryo. Terry