Mrs. D.

I found the Mark thread. That is such great news. Sounds like he really noticed after a month.
It's been 5 EXCRUTIATING ones for me. I think I can hold out another month, I pray! And have some hope that things could improve.

When they do, you'll have to add me to the Mark testimonies of the miracle of 'D'.

Maybe I will come back here and record things.

For the record, I started 10,000 i.u. a day of D last Thursday when my levels were at 10.
I went to a tanning bed for 4 min. on Thursday, and 4 min. on Friday. Sunday I sat by an open window in the sun for 20 minutes (it's too cold here to go outdoors!).
I went 6 minutes, today, Monday.

I still have the Tarsal Tunnel-like symptoms and Plantar Fasciitis. I have severe burning in the backs of my ankles that go up to my calves by day end. I feel some burning pain all the way up to my buttocks at times. I don't seem to have it elsewhere in my body. Sometimes my wrists feel a bit funny, but I do push-ups nearly daily and that may be the culprit.

I do not shop or do anything that requires lots of walking. I use a walker when I go to the drs, etc. That way I have a seat to sit on if I need to rest, because the pain becomes intense if I have to stand or walk for even short periods.

Most of my day is spent sitting, though I have 4 small children to care for and do what I have to do.

I am still taking hydrocodone for the pain. I took 6--750 mg pills today. It takes the edge off, but does not make it disappear completely.

I'll try and keep a log here as I can for anyone in the future that it may help.

Thanks.

Thanks, Daniella for the welcome.

Ok, here's the longer version....

I am 35, weigh about 125#, 5 ft 6.
Back in the summer I was working out a lot.
The only 'new thing' going on at the time was we bought a treadmill. I was running a lot. I've worked out most of my life, but have had to take breaks with babies (I have 4 little ones). So in a way, I was still working back into a workout program (gave birth to last baby in Aug. '08, so it had been a year). I'm not sure if any of that has anything to do with the pain.
I also lost about 25# between April and August '09 on purpose.
But because of the steady but 'slow' loss, I was not concerned about that being an issue.
So it all started with heel pain. I thought I just wasn't stretching enough, or warming up good enough. My chiropractor thought it could be plantar fasciitis. She sent me to a special shoe store to have my gait checked and make sure I'm wearing the right running shoes for me. I was, but they recommended I use some arch supports in the shoe.
Chiropractor showed me how to tape up my arches and I began a targeted stretching and icing schedule.
Pain didn't leave. So she started using ultrasound therapy on the arches. 9 sessions, and no improvements. In fact, pain continued to spread and increase. Foot x-rays showed nothing significant.
Finally one day while shopping, they became so sore I could hardly take another step. I wondered how I would get to the cash register, much less make it out to the car. That was my last real shopping trip.
Chiropractor was concerned that it was more than plantar fasciitis and referred me to a podiatrist.
Podiatrist did standing foot x-rays. Found a hyper-pronated subtalar joint. Which with the pain I was having could signify Tarsal Tunnel. He taped me up differently that past dr. but no improvement. When I explained to him that I used to be a very active person and now am sequestered to the couch and in intense pain at night, he sent me for a nerve conductivity study.
OUCH!!!!!!!!!!
EMG results were abnormal and the findings were what they see repeadly in patients suspect for problems in the tarsal tunnel. I had low amplitude lateral plantar response, low medial plantar sensory response, low amplitude abductor digiti quinti response, and increased insertional activity.
There was no evidence for polyneuropathy, and the proximal conductions to the spinal cord level were normal.
BUT my pain was not. And everything I read online about Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome sounded exactly like me. I was in so much pain and desperate that after getting a 2nd opinion from another podiatrist as well as a sports medicine dr, decided the right thing to do was try surgery. Only on one foot to start.
He found I have an extra foot muscle and had a venus network of veins wrapped around my tibial nerve. It looked promising. But did not end up any better than before (that I can notice).
Podiatrist sent me to a Pain Management center. They wanted to put me on Lyrica. I'm not ready for that. For many reasons. I want to get to the 'root' of this problem. Pain Dr. also ordered a lumbar region MRI. Results were fine.
My family dr. started me on hydrocodone back in November to help me deal with the pain. I started getting ear-ringing a few months later. It continues. So dr. willingly ordered me a brain MRI to make sure all was ok there. Thank the Lord that was ok, too.
I have since seen a neurologist to see what he could tell me about what I"m feeling and other possible disorders it may be other than Tarsal Tunnel. He said I 'look good' according to his evaluation. That aside from the abnormal EMG and what I tell him about pain, I am fine. He ordered up a bunch of new bloodwork. One of those tests was the Vitamin D.
I am waiting on some of the other results to come in before discussing the D with the neurologist.
I am hopeful though that is is merely the D and I will be back to normal soon.
I have never had foot problems before now.
So this pretty much leaves me with the neuroloigist's thoughts on what else this may be after all of the blood results are in.
So, I use a walker if I go out anywhere, because I cannot stand or walk for long periods. I use it for the 'seat' on it. I also have had to hire helpers to come in to help with cleaning and things around the house. They help me with the kids when needed as well.
I'm so praying this is just Vit. D deficiency related!

Cherilyn PS the pain is tender, burning, just awful, on heels, backs of ankles, up into calves. My whole foot is pretty sore in general.