How do they prsscribe those a patch's how many mgs before you cut
them up...Bob said tonight when he called his heel was hurting and
knee..He's gotten shots but i've been wondering if he should ask his
Dr. about them..He tried them a long time ago but ,he couldn't remember,
the size. It seems like it helped you,good thinking Mel..Oh how long
do they help all night or what...Glad that part is feeling better..
Hope you sleep well. hugs to all Sue

Hi Roxie:

Most people get one disease; we get a basket full of all sorts... Sorry this is such a big load to have to carry. I am glad that you have a loving husband to help you through all of this.

I do think your idea of getting a Psychiatrist is very good. It helps to have someone to talk to and someone who can help you sort this out... I also wondered if your doctor had explained that Prednisone may have some effect on depression and your emotions? I don't know if you have experienced a wide range of Prednisone effects, but it can also make you highly irritable or euphoric, in addtion to increasing your appetite...

It makes me highly irritable and I tend to get very emotional at times. Since you probably are on a short term dose, hopefully, this will let up quickly...

Regardless, you do have a huge amount on your plate to deal with. I hope you are able to find someone who is easy to talk with and who can help you get some relief from all of this stress. Also, a lot of psychiatrists are very good at pain management. Perhaps you will find one who can put together a means of pain relief...


We will be thinking about you,
Cathie

I'm just glad I was able to do SOMETHING, besides show videos and make you guys laugh from time to time.

Hey, I made a contribution, now didn't I??? lol

Glad they worked. They didn't do a thing for Alan's feet (his neuropathy I mean). So I confiscated them and I put them on my knee or my back (when I wake up crooked).

Right now, here in Brooklyn, I just woke up to a freezing cold day outside (thank god, it's nice and toasty in my apartment).

I know, when we walk to Dunkin Donuts, I shall be crooked as a tree trunk.

Oh, I just can't wait till May. I'll be walking upright with the best of them.

bye for now.

Melody

Hi Roxie,

Do you know the name of what your heel problem is?

Could it be plantar fasciitis? If so, a podiatrist can make orthosis custom tailor made for your feet. With the orthosis/orthotics placed in correct shoes appropriate to your gait and posture, the pain of PF can be completely relieved.

If it is PF I would never concede to surgery. I think the conservative methods above work very well. I also found this link which altho' a surgical type procedure is less invasive: http://www.drfettinger.com/pdf/ESTWarticle.pdf

Steroid injections are not without risk as you can develop such things as steroid arthropathy, tendon rupture, septic arthritis etc.

Quite near where I live is a retail shoe shop run by podiatrists who assess ones gait, via filming posture and foot load etc walking and running on a treadmill. Once they have carefully looked at all the factors they then know what shoe is the correct one. They have never been wrong for me. I had very severe Plantar Fasciitis before going to them which cleared up once I had new orthosis/orthotics and new shoes. Unfortunately they don't have a full range of styles, mainly sports shoes....but the relief has been worth practically living all the time in sports shoes.

Megan:

I'll never forget (years ago), when I got up in the morning, planted my right foot on the floor and when I tried to walk, I almost died. I said "Alan, I can't walk, there's something wrong with my foot".

This was over 20 years ago. I didn't even get to the podiatrist. We had our doctors within driving distance to our home, so we just drove there. I limped in and said "there's something wrong with my foot". He took an x-ray and told me "you have a heel spur". I was QUITE obese at the time, so naturally I said "well, if I lost weight, would that help"??? And the guy said 'it would make absolutely no difference".

I have never forgotten that conversation.

He put me on the table and gave me a shot. (Back then, there were no ultrasound treatments with the shot (maybe in the podiatrists offices, but not in my primary care guy's office).

Then he said: "you need orthotics". Thank god I had insurance because I remember they were a lot of money. Well, weeks passed by, the orthotics came in, I wore them and felt much better.

Then as the years flew by, we moved, I got a podiatrist and the heel spur thing came back. This time I saw the x-rays and I said 'oh my god, what the heck is that on the x-ray". The podiatrist said 'that's a double heel spur, you can hang a coat on that one". I just looked at him. I came in there not able to walk one bit. I had misplaced my original orthotics over the years.

So he did new impressions (and I remember asking him "if I lost weight, would it make a difference?? " and he replied "no, it won't".

So I had my second pair of orthotics.

I wore them every day. I also lost weight. S L O W L Y. That's how I do it. I wish it could do it like Alan does, but my body works in it's own way.

Two or so years ago, the heel spur thing hit again. I could not walk. That's when I got another shot, and did the ultrasound. I remember asking the doctor "can't you just go in and snip this sucker and get it out?"

He replied "no, we don't do that". I have always wondered why.

Well, to just make a long story short. I lost a tremendous amount of weight, AND I NEVER HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH MY HEEL SPURS (OR DOUBLE THINGS), again. I have no idea why. I no longer wear any orthotics. I'm sure they are in the closet somewhere but I haven't worn them in years.

I do however, wear my CROCKS every day.

I have no heel problems whatsoever.

So, whether it's the crocks, or the fact that I lost weight, who on earth cares?? One less pain to deal with is how I look at things.

take care,

Melody

Melody, being overweight is the major cause of heel spurs, you are right! Also, they are almost always self-limiting....that is, they will go away by themselves, although it may take 3-4 years for the body to adjust and the pain to stop. I always hate to see people get surgery -- it makes the docs a lot of money, so they recommend it -- when weight loss and time will take care of things. And orthotics help many people. I had steroid injections for mine years ago, and it helped temporarily, although I don't think I would do that again now that I am more aware of the possible side effects.

Sue: (and anyone else who is not familiar with the Lidoderm Patch.

Lidoderm patches are manufactured by Endo Pharmaceuticals. Here is what one looks like:





Each patch measures 4 inches by 5 1/2 inches. (and this is completely different than the Fentanyl patch by the way). You cannot cut up a fentanyl patch. The fentanyl patches come in different strengths.

This Lidoderm patch is infused with 5% of Lidocaine. It's a good size patch.
You cut it up as you need it, and then put the rest back in the little pouch it comes in. I've been doing this for years. These patches last a long long time also.

In the beginning, Alan used to take one patch, cut it in 10 strips and wrap each strip around each toe. It worked for a while (on his neuropathy) but after a while it stopped. So now I just use a patch for my arthritis.

For a person's heel, I would just put the patch to the place on the heel, draw a pen around the place to cut the patch, cut the patch, peel off the stickie thing, and just apply the little piece to the bottom of the heel.

The rest of the patch is perfectly fine and can be used when needed.

These patches (oh you can use up to 3 patches at a time). I've never done this, but that's what I was told. And the rule for wearing these is:

12 hours on, and 12 hours off.

So there you go!!

Melody

Hey Mel,
I wore half a sheet of the Lidocaine patch last night and put my sock over it so it would stay in place all night and I slept all night long without pain!! It was SOOOO nice to be able to sleep without pain. It hasn't hurt half as much all day either......and I removed the patch this morning when I woke up. So tonight I'm going to use the other half patch. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for that wonderful suggestion!

Hi Megan,
I don't know the name of my foot ailment, other than the dr. said I have 2 very thin tendons and that's what's causing the pain. I'm going to see a specialist soon so after I find out the exact name I'll let ya know. I hope I can just get inlays to use in my shoes and the dr. doesn't think I need surgery......cause I can't do another surgery anytime soon. I'm just glad that Melody's suggestion of using the patches helped with the pain so much!

Wow, that is such good news!!

I can't seem to keep the patch on wherever I put it.

For example, yesterday, my right knee was hurting, so I put a patch. I pressed it into place. I have my pair of trousers on over the patch. The patch gets all stuck to each other. It never stays where it's supposed to stay.

I have even used the Johnson Dressing thing (that you peel it and place it over something so the something doesn't fall off.

Doesn't work for me. This Johnson and Johnson product came with the Fentanyl patches. Alan was afraid the Duragesic patches would fall off in the shower so each time we applied a patch, we placed the Johnson and Johnson thing over the patch. Stayed put for 3 days (or 2, because Alan's doc prescribed it for a change over 2 days).

But when I put the Lidoderm patch on my shoulder (well, it does stay on the shoulder, okay). But god forbid I put it on my sciatica, well, in a few hours, I find the darn thing stuck to the inside of my pants.

Oh well. trial and error , as they say!!!

I'm very happy you slept with no pain. Thank god for small favors.

Melody