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Old 04-19-2007, 04:32 PM
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Wing42 Wing42 is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Diego
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15 yr Member
Wing42 Wing42 is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Diego
Posts: 365
15 yr Member
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Jakatak,

I didn't have a neuroma. My PN started as itching that rapidly turned into incredible pain between the metatarsal heads, mainly between the 3rd and 4th toes in both feet. A podiatrist evaluated that I didn't have a neuroma, but he didn't know what was wrong. The pain of that exam was memorable as he deeply probed with his fingers between the metatarsal heads.

In the old forum, I urged you to try everything else before surgery. Surgeons exaggerate their success rate. To many surgeons, greatly increased pain is still a success because the thing was removed cleanly and didn't grow back and you didn't die or loose your foot. Maybe your surgeon botched the surgery, but maybe not. Increased pain and phantom pain is fairly common after nerve resection as patients report in the various forums and blogs. Here's some links:
http://www.myfootshop.com/Discussion...2%3Bt%3D000614
http://www.triplecitizen.com/AT/foot.htm
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/neuro/messages/30626.html
This isn't the whole story. Many other people report complete or partial success and are happy with the results of Morton neuroma removal. Either it was botched, or you idiosyncratically reacted poorly, as some do.

The thing with surgery is you can't take it back. The issue is, what to do now. I would treat it as PN whether it is or not because what helps PN also reduces inflammation and promotes healing in general. That would involve a big commitment from you to do whatever is needed for the rest of your life to live a good life and to get healthier. You'd have to be unstoppable and be willing to try different things and never give up. If a doctor is all doom and gloom, you'd have to find another doctor.

There'll probably be no single magic thing that makes it better. You're probably going to be dealing with this for a while. Who you are and how you approach living with very sore feet is the choice you have now. Part of that would be seeking pain relief, but it would also involve doing what promotes healing, learning to be happy, being on an emotional even keel, and having a rich, active, and rewarding life in spite of the agony. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but it's up to you to get to it.

Your story breaks my heart. To be clear, I'm not blaming you or anybody else for your pain and suffering. What I'm saying is that this is your one life to live. You have choices, pain or not. You can choose happiness, pain or not. You are not the pain, not the disease, not a patient. That's the process in pain management: from patient to person. We each have to find our own way to do that.

You are at rock bottom now. I'm confident you can dig your way up from this misery if that's what you are totally committed to do.
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David - Idiopathic polyneuropathy since 1993
"If you trust Google more than your doctor, than maybe it's time to switch doctors" Jadelr and Cristina Cordova, "Chasing Windmills"
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