Has anyone had experience with the excrutiating pain from neuromas in the feet. I have had 2 surgeries on my left foot and site injections with no relief. In fact, the pain has increased - sometimes waking me in the middle of the night. I am an avid walker. I can no longer wear my running shoes and have to wear Mephistos for walking. Still I have limped around more places than I care to remember. This has been going on for 10 years. Ice helps a little, but it is only temporary. I feel like I am walking on a big, hot marble. Do you know of any physicians - anywhere - that have been sucessful in treating neuromas? Thank you!

to this forum!

I see this is your first post!

I have not had experience with a neuroma myself; yet, they do have a reputation of being extremely painful!

I hope you obtain some helpful information!

Thank you! I appreciate your welcome!

Hi, Barbara. I'm Barbara too.

Sounds like what my feet feel like on a bad day. I know what that feels like...that pain, that feeling of walking on a hot marble. But I only have PN.

You've found a good place here.

Hello Barbarazme,
Welcome and sorry about your neuromas, I have one in my right foot and the surgical podiatrist at the VA hospital has been real helpful. The first visit she gave me a cortisone shot between the 3rd and 4th toe and had a pair of custom insoles made for me and they really help. I take Lyrica and Tramadol for pain relief of PN. The electrical shocks are always in the neuroma area in the evening.

I'm sorry for you and myself too!

I have them in both feet. The left foot had injections and has been quiet. The right foot has been operated on three times, and I had alcohol injections in the right foot when the foolish things grew back again(third time) into stump neuromas. These puppies are worse then the originals. I get the burning nerve pain a lot at night when I'm trying to sleep. The alcohol injections worked for awhile, but not so anymore. They hurt like crazy when I had it done and it was a series of five shots.

I've been told by two docs now not to consider anymore surgeries as they feel it would just make a bad situation worse. I think I have a touch of anesthesia dolorosa in the right one as well as stump neuromas (2) which just like to make me miserable. I stay in Birkenstocks and have custom orthotics, but mainly stay in Birks.

I don't have any advice to offer or names of docs. It seems as though this is one area that could use some help, but none to be found. I have multiple neuromas in each foot, between the second and third, and third and fourth innerspace of each foot. I mainly walk on a treadmill now, which totally stinks since I love the outdoors, and I workout in a heated pool too, to keep the stress off of my feet. I'm also on a steady dose of ultram 300mg each day, and I still get pain. At least I'm still here...

Ellena

Hello Ellena,
You have posted a most informative reply, my surgical podiatrist at the VA has informed me that surgery is completely out of the question due to my having PN, along with the info you have posted she has informed me that the result of scar tissue would only add gas to the fire of having PN. Since you have gone thru the surgeries my resolve is to treat the neuroma with kid gloves. The majority of articles I have read states that surgery is not a good option unless the neuroma keeps growing therefore disrupting the bone formations. Since having the injection I don't have the PN flair ups any more and that has been a big plus in pain control. Some good advice to all you ladies THROW AWAY THE HIGH HILL SHOES. Wishing you the best
Lanny

Neuroma patients as well as other PNers really should try
Lidoderm patches on the tops of the feet. One patch cut in half will cover both feet.

I am using them again since my right foot/knee has flared due
to the garden work/stone work I have been forced to do because the construction on our street/water mains etc.

This weekend was tough for me, so I got the old patches...between the Salonpas (anti-inflammatory) and the Lidoderms, I looked like a scarecrow digging out there!

I have been able to avoid oral/systemic pain meds using these patches.

msrd,
Did you forget to put a patch in the small of your back, when I work around the homestead like your doing they come in pretty handy, also don't over do it if your going to your vacation place this summer. I enjoy the wild life pictures you post. I also have Lidocane creme for the toe area. Take care and God Bless.
Lanny

That some pain from my knee is referring to the foot.

We live on a hill, and going up and down the slope and working on it...has been hard on my knee. I tried to decrease my SAMe to 400mg daily and thought I'd get away with it, but NOPE.

I've had to go back up to 600 in the morning and today it is better. But when I put a 1/2 patch behind my knee, I get some relief in the foot. Sunday morning my meniscal nerve activated (the doctor showed me this trigger point--which can be very painful long ago). It woke me up at 3am shooting away! I have some dislocated kneecap issues...the tendon there is touchy.

Here is a pic from Sunday... showing the new driveway apron, and the rocks etc put back. This pic is taken with me standing on the neighbor's drive...our home is 20+ stairs UP to the right. I still have to put the plants back in that I removed (and have coasting in flats). I hope to get that done this week, and maybe get the stepping stones back in. In winter living on this slope is slippery and dangerous.
So I am planning non-skid recycled rubber things to go on the top of the stepping stones (which we haven't figured out yet).
Most of the nice slate was smashed, but we did save some pieces.

The second picture shows back in beginning May, the work crew digging up our water service...the steps show up more in this angle with me looking down on them. About 36 inches of my garden along the street were dug up (we were lucky it wasn't more)... so this gives some perspective. The men are standing right where my car is normally parked.