Tarsal Tunnel

[livingwith]

Hi! my name is Carmella I have suffered with foot problems for almost fifteen months. My journey started in September 2006 with one family doctor, a podiatrist and three orthopedics,and one neurologist. I was diagnosed with plantars fasciitis, heel spurs and went through multiple injections in my feet. Also I was wearing a night splint boot at night for the plantars fascia which was very uncomfortable to sleep in. During the day I wore bledsoe ankle supports with all shoes and heel cups for the...Read the full article

[merry]

I have had one poditrist tell me that I had tarsel tunnel in my feet, but an orthopedic surgeon says it isn't. I have another doctor telling me that it is coming from scar tissue from an old back surgery.

I am trying to understand whether to have surgery or not. It is hard to tell whether you agree that it was worth it or there was toooo much pain from the surgery.

[vertigokitten]

Hello Camilla,
My middle name is Camille. Nice to meet you. I read your story and I was crying halfway through because I know how you are (were) feeling. I am also a South Carolina resident; Aiken, SC.
I think my foot pain started around 2003-2004. I had a job selling fine jewlery so I was on my feet all the time. I really noticed the pain was interfering with my life December 2005. Once I finally had insurance I ran to the first podiatrist I could find in Augusta, GA. (Mistake) Mr. good-looking told me I had plantar facititis, bla bla bla........ I believed this quack for 6 long months. Every two weeks I saw him, he would give me a couple shots in my feet that never helped, he not once gave me painkillers for my excruciating foot pain. The last time I saw him I had an emergency appt. in the middle of my shift at work because I was in such pain I literally could not stand it. Shooting pains in my feet especially my right foot along with numbness, tingling, and my third toe from the great would turn completly white as a sheet and turn downwards with no feeling. I made the appt, left work promising to return ASAP. I was crying hysterically when "Dr. look at me came in the room". He promptly informed me that there was nothing he could do for me because the problem was in my back. He referred me to a neurosergeon. WHAT!!!!!!! I was told I owed for my co-pay and in the middle of my crying in pain the lady said and I quote " do you really have to go back to work?" I should have told her and Dr. Bryant to Go blank blank blank themselves. I never went back.
Well to make a long story short my boyfriend (now my husband) at the time begged me to see Dr. Mackie Walker in Aiken, his Dr.
I called and made an appointment. I did some reasearch and I had a feeling I may have TTS. Well he did a sonogram and a nerve conduction test and when he gave me the results all in the same day I cried like a baby. He had me fitted with two three point harnesses and we were on our way, I also had a rx for percocet (I could not believe he would help me with the pain).
I continued to see him for the next couple months with not as much relief at work as I expected. I was also going to have a hystrectomy in July 07. I decided that if me being off my feet for 6 weeks did not help then I would have the surgery. Well low and behold my left foot pain and numbness actually got worse during this time of recuperation. I decided to have the surgery thinking I would be peachy-keen in 6 weeks. NOT!!!!!! The "surgery" went well, Dr. Walker is a very good and established surgeon; he even gives speeches all around the country on podiartics. I highly respect the man, even though I have recently paid for his bathroom remodeling job plus a new mercedes. LOL
My left foot pain is better when it comes to the nerve, but worse otherwise, and my right foot is horrible. I have to wear my splints 24/7 except to bathe and sometimes I still have to take a bath. My job fired me last Sept. because I requested a stool when I need to sit because of the pain. I was never able to go back because of the pain I was in . I just had to sit out my one year leave of abscence to keep my insurance.
Dr. Walker is puzzled at my continued foot pain but he has stuck with me and recently diagnosed me with fibromialgia and Chronic fatigue syndrome on top of my TTS. He also diagnosed my left foot with
rsd. The rsd finally went away and will not return, praise the Lord.
I, as of last week saw my second rhumatologist, to whom I am not happy with because he will not treat my fibromialgia and I believe he doesn't believe in chronic fatigue syndrome.
I feel I can relate to your story and believe was feeling your pain.
I know we are in the same state and I am looking for Doctors to treat me and my pain, I feel like a patient on "mystery diagnosis" even though I have a diagnosis.
Thanks for listening,
Alli

[sez083]

Hi there,

Im not sure yet but i think i may be going through the exact same thing. Luckily ive only had the pain for about 2 months. Ive seen a consultant reffered by A&E and he thinks its plantus fasciatus and referred me to physio. I was unhappy and went to my GP and im now seeing a podiatrist and awaiting an MRI on the 27th. The physio who im seeing doesnt think its plantus fasciatus and neither do i. He mentioned ligaments and nerves and i googled it and it came back with tarsal tunnel. I have a shooting pain that comes and goes that travels up the side of my ankle, I also have a small lump where the tarsal nerve is situated. When i put pressure on it it feels like a burning pain. Im praying it is not this as im in my first year of nursing training and is now scared this could jeopardise everything.
Is this similar to what u experienced the pain i mean.

Thank You Sarah

[vertigokitten]

Sarah, sounds like tarsal tunnel for sure. I am sorry and I hate that you have to go through this.
Did anyone give you the three point harness to wear? I have been wearing mine for over two years now.
I did not have the bump you have described, and when he went in my foot during tarsal tunnel surgery my vein popped out and he said it was huge, I can see how big the vein is on my right foot too.
I was told sometime in October 08 that my surgery was a "complete failure". He doesn't know if it was because of the fibro but he suspects so.
My latest news is now the rsd is in my right foot as well as my left, it never went away, just in remission I guess. He told me last week that the CRPS/RSD is very serious. I think he is trying to get me to believe how bad it can be because I have been in denial about the whole thing. I am also having alot of discoloration on my right foot. The bottom of my great toe and surrounding area is turning a deep purple and the pain in both feet is really very bad. I did not think my pain could be any worse, boy was I wrong. I am now taking Kadian with percocet for breakthrough pain. I cannot find a dr. in my area willing to treat me, I have seen 3 different rheumatologist's and 1 PM
Dr as well as a handful of other Dr's. I was turned down for treatment with a second PM Dr. too. Thank God for my podiatrist, he is the only Dr. treating me for my pain.
I wish you all the best with your pain and TTS. Keep us informed.
Alli

[Lisasjf]

Wow Ali I can't believe all the problems you have. I came to read this for the Tarcel tunnel. If you think treatment for this is bad wait till you get in deeper with the Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. I had both. I wanted to reply to you specifically to tell you how i got over the Fibromyalgia at least. Fibro is caused by a lack of deep sleep. what happens is you dont reach the R.E.M. stage or dream stage. With that your muscles never get any rest. They become tighter andtighter from simply being so tired and end up pulling on the connective tissue attached to your bone. Thats what causes the pain. What i'd first suggest is find a Chiropracter. Who will address your central nervous system. and very possibly help with a lot of pain you might feel. Second of all and this you need to do on your own. It's extremely important that you go to bed each night at as close to the same time as possible. You need to put yourself on a stringent sleep schedule. If you have problems falling asleep you can do one of two things either sleeping pills or what i did, since I'm not big on pills I heated up a glass of warm milk added half a bananna and a teaspoon of honey. It's a natural muscle relaxer. No matter which you choose you have to get to sleep the same time every night. then last but not least with chronic fatigue you have an absorbtion problem going on in your system. Your body isnt easily accepting the normal vitamins and minerals we get in our food every day and vitamins don't help much because your body has a hard time breaking it down. I actually went on a Juicing diet for 6 months straight. But I think you need to address the Fibro first. So for the pain get some Glucosamine sulfate. NOT the chondroitin. The sulfate is a salt base and is more easily obsorbed into your body. I had been taking up to 6 pills a day depending on how much pain i was in. I also didnt take it on days when i had no pain. I'm gonna warn you it took me 3 years For the pain from the Fibro to stop. For the Chronic fatigue like i said I went on a pure Juice diet, thats in a book called Juicing for life. I got rid of every chemical in my house that bothered me even so much as started cleaning my house with baking soda and Peroxide. Stopped eating any food that had any chemicals or preservatives in it, and went for vitamin drip therapy. I was under a doctors care for 5 years of the time I had CFS. Did some major research on the illness and with what i found. stopped all the Doctors care because i realized the drugs they give you don't do anything to help. In fact actually only make it worse. After 5 years of doing what i just explained I can tell you I no longer have CFS. My Orthopedic doctor did actually pick up on the Fibromyalgia with testing but i honestly don't feel it anymore. Good luck i really feel for you and wish you the best in getting well

[ghohio]

Glad to read this info. I've been dealing with foot/ankle pain for almost two years and have been treated for plantar fascitis for 18 months. I've had multiple injections, done the exercises, icing, night splint, custom orthotics. I recently went for an EMG and NCV and was diagnosed with tarsal tunnel. I see the podiatrist next week and I think the next step is casting for 6-8 weeks but I know surgery was mentioned so I was interested in what you had to say about this. I've read several articles that say the surgery isn't always successful. Just knowing that even if the recovery is a long process you can finally be pain free is a relief......I'm so tired of being in pain! I love to walk and I've gained weight because walking makes it worse. I hope you have continued relief and thanks for the info.

[sorefeet]

I, too, am a "you have plantar fascitis". I had this back in the 80's and thought I would circumvent the podiatrist and just get an insert. WRONG! I dealt with the local store that sells inserts- 7 months and $300 later (nonrefundable) I was no better. I also have gained weight due to lack of excercise- who wants to excercise when your feet hurt. I then went to a Podiatrist and was given Injections, PT, celebrex and taping. Still had the symptoms: Both feet tingling, burning, pain and throbbing. I work in a hospital and after being on my feet for 8 hrs I dreaded sitting down and them getting up again. I would limp down the hall. I felt like I was walking on hot coals. After 7 months of the podiatrist and me not getting better she ordered an EMG/NCV. Surprise! He said I have tarsal tunnel. Left worse than my right. I just got back and went on line to see exactly what this is. He perscribed Neurontin. Anybody take that for this? Did it help? I cried at the post that said after surgery she was pain free. I am tired of the pain. Will see what my podiatrist says on my follow up visit. Thanks for this site.