Hi! I'm so excited to be here and learn from you. I also hope to encourage someone else. Here is the short intro and I will follow with a longer one for anyone interested:

I have had severe pain in my feet/ankles/calves for 5 months.
First diagnosed with bilateral Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome in November '09.
Had one Tarsal Tunnel Release surgery.
No improvement. In fact podiatrist is now saying I don't fit into any normal foot pain category--that it has to be something more.
Have since had MRIs of brain, spine and feet.
All is 'well'.
Only abnormalties are my EMG results and PAIN.
All bloodwork has been good so far except for Vitamin D.
It was a 10 last week!!!
That is a pretty severe deficiency--wouldn't you say?!

My question for you veterans is:
What are the chances that my severe pain that no dr. knows what to do with, be completely related to this deficiency? Have you seen people on here with D deficiency have relief for undiagnosed conditions?

LONGer story soon to come.
Must take care of my 18 month old...

Hi welcome to our family though I am sorry about your pain. I am not familiar with vitamin deficiencies but I am sure others will chime in. My condition though now has spread is inner ankle/foot/calf and at the start they thought I had TTS and wanted to do that surgery which I did not do. I have PN and RSD. WHat did your emg dx you with? Did your doc start you on D? Are you on any meds such as neurontin,lryica? Did you have any injury or how did this pain start? Or it was out of the blue? Sending thoughts

There is a chance. We had a fellow here who improved with Vit D.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...119#post293119

This link has a recommendation for new mothers, or pregnant women for D status, including that for the baby.
http://www.grassrootshealth.net/

I see you have a baby. Some things really depleted during
pregnancy are essential fatty acids. These go from the mother to the developing brain of the infant. So taking Flax oil and fish oil may help you. Magnesium levels need to be good for this, and B6, as they help with nerve repair.

Some women develop hypothyroidism after a pregnancy. One sign of this is carpal tunnel and foot neuropathy. (this is what I had.) A good evaluation of your thyroid status should be done to rule this possibility out.

These are just beginning things to consider. Keep in mind there are over 100 causes for neuropathies. Eventually you may find your answer here.

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.

Thanks, Mrs. D.

I'm waiting on my B6 levels to come back.
My B12 was 587. Does that give any clue as to what my B6 will be?

I did not have my mag levels checked, but have started a magnesium with a calcium supplement. My calcium level was 9.3.

I have taken a prenatal fish oil supplement for several months now.

I will check out that vitamin D link. I also saw you posted some videos that I plan to look at.

Thank you so much!

Cher

Typically most magnesium supplements mixed with calcium
in tablet form are oxide. Please read your label, and see.

If so you will need other magnesium. Epsom salts soaks help,
locally, in lukewarm water, too. I have a magnesium thread with food sources and how to pick a supplement that works.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread1138.html

You know, once inflammation starts, it perpetuates by itself.
The cytokines that cause inflammation sometimes don't turn off.

Another thing you can try is grapeseed extract. 300mg a day.
This squelches inflammation and promotes healing.

The feet are very slow to heal. Very.

Are your feet swollen, or discolored in any way?
Have you tried Lidoderm patches yet?

Mrs. D,
I'm taking Metagenics Cal Apatite with Magnesium.
It has 600mg Calcium to 300mg Magnesium and 378mg phosphorus for a serving. It also says MCHC 1500mg.

I will look at your supplements page, thank you so much for the link.

I have magnesium gel as well. I wonder if that would help to rub on my feet?

I will read up more on the things you advised, thank you so much for taking the time to respond.

I also wanted to tell you that I got my thyroid checked and thankfully it's fine.

Cher

Mrs. D,
the link to someone that had improvement from Vit. D didn't work.
Would you please repost it?

Thank you.
Cher

Okay, I looked up your supplement and it does not have the dreaded useless Magnesium oxide in it. So it should work for you.
Many combo products do have this in it and people count on it working and it doesn't.

The link works for me if you click on it. (don't copy paste it).

Yes, if you have magnesium in a topical form (this is becoming more common today), I'd rub some on. I'd check your label for it and see how much is in there. If it is like 100mg/gram, you can cut back on the oral magnesium while you use the topical.

The usefulness of the magnesium is to open the blood vessels up that are constricted by the inflammatory compounds called cytokines. When the little blood vessels constrict, metabolic byproducts build up and nutrients and oxygen cannot get thru either. So the inflammation sort of cycles on itself and doesn't go away.

I found Lidoderm patches very useful (and I still use them) for nerve pain. These are RX only. 1/2 of a patch is enough for one foot. Placed properly they can block the nerve signals and give relief. I found that for my meralgia paresthetica I had for many years after my c-section, the nerve actually stopped firing after 14 consecutive days use, and I went into a remission!

For your foot problems I'd place the patch above the area where the surgery was done. (around the ankle). This may work for you. Interrupting the nerve on its way to the spine, is better than putting the patch over where you feel the pain.

Also I'd caution about heat. Heat will activate nerve pain and make it worse, IMO. My MP will activate again in steam rooms, or hot baths. So I have to be careful with heat..

My chiro who is very good, cautions against excessive heat --she is the one who steered me clear of it.

Some people like menthol containing rubs which can minimize burning. I like Biofreeze, but others here use their favorite type like IcyHot.
Biofreeze has Ilex in it which is a powerful antioxidant, and I was given it during some PT for a tendon injury. I use it on my feet now when I have alot of burning (which comes and goes).

If you don't have discoloration with your foot pain, or swelling, that is a good sign.

Pronation is a big cause of foot pain. My son had that too in one foot when he went to college . The sudden long distances he had to walk all day, from class to class really started an acute pain in his right foot. I took him to a good podiatrist who found nothing "wrong" in the ankle, and a set a orthotics fixed the problem. He still will get twinges jogging, so he gave that activity up, and now has an elliptical in his basement instead.
Ellipticals are far better and less stressful on the feet than
treadmills!

I have to say, after all your pregnancies your body may be just reacting to that stressor.
You know when a woman is pregnant, and for a time after, the body makes a hormone called relaxin. This relaxes the tendons and makes them more stretchy, and loose. This is mostly for the
pelvic tendon so that delivery of the head is possible for the baby. But relaxin relaxes everything, and stress injuries are possible in some women who may have excess of this hormone.
Relaxin has been linked to fibromyalgia (patients seem better during pregnancy). But relaxin increases 10 times in pregnant women, and may loosen joints in some more than others. Low back pain has been linked to it according to some medical sites.
I do know that most women change shoe sizes after pregnancy and that may be due to loosening of the bones in the foot and the swelling pregnancy may bring.

The foot is really complicated. Here is a good site showing anatomy! Using these pictures helps to place Lidoderms BTW.
Scroll down and the nerves in the foot are shown in yellow.
This site also gives alternate ways to lace your shoes if you have a high instep. (this was helpful to me too)
https://www.northcoastfootcare.com/f...t-anatomy.html
https://www.northcoastfootcare.com/footcare-info.html

Have seen you over there - this is a great board. Hope someone here can help you.