Welcome Morgan,

I am so sorry for what you are going through. I was a three mile a day kinda gal before my foot issues. It is so hard to lose the use of your feet. Before you have surgery on the nerves in your feet I have important questions. Is your podiatrist trained in how to work on nerves? Did they do a fellowship of some kind specifically for this? Are they a member of the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons?

The reason I ask is some people get worse with neuroma surgery. The technique can make a huge difference in whether you develop a true stump neuroma afterwards (you can anyway) which will be just as painful. Nerves must be handled in certain ways surgically for optimal outcome and to prevent or minimize new axon development. I have had nerve surgery and know well that sometimes it is necessary, but having the right practitioner makes a difference. There is much debate over Morton's "neuromas" and how best to treat them. A second opinion is always an option if you are unsure.

On surgery, 500mg Vit C a day is current ortho recommendation for CRPS prevention, 900mg neurontin pre-op helps prevent chronic pain, and the antibiotic minocycline attenuates glia to help avert chronic if used after surgery for a week. I Just posted some links in a response to the NEW to CRPS Ten year old thread. There is one of Dr. Pradeep Chopra. Lots of good info in there. Sorry I just got up and don't have the link in front of me...

Sending Healing Love, Littlepaw

Hi Littlepaw, thank you for the insight into treating the neuromas. I'll have to ask about that and I see this doc Monday.
Have you had any neuromas removed? I heard they can grow back, but I have not heard that they get worse. I guess with any surgery, it is the surgeon who is the most important factor, as you said.
I'm sorry to hear that you used to be a runner too. I feel like a dog looking out the window at a big lawn, but not allowed to go play on it when I see a nice trail for running. Have you found any substitute for it? I have an elliptical, but it is still too much for my feet. I will surely try again. And then again. Have you found anything that can be as good a cv workout without using feet?
I am still not believing this is what the issue is, being that there are so many issues found in the scans. But my foot pain may be exceeding what is normal for what they found in them. At what point do you know for sure that CRPS is what the issue is? Pain is so subjective. If you were a runner, you must have also had a very high pain tolerance. At what point did you know it was a pain disorder? I guess I just can't believe this.
Thank you for your insights!
To the 2 nurses, I feel for you! One of my very close friends is a nurse and is having some psych issues. She said that there is such a stigma associated with "those" patients that she is afraid that someone may find out at work. It is such a challenging career that being in pain through a shift is overwhelming. I hope you can find a type of nursing that does not require all the hard physical work that is normally demanded of you.
Have a nice Friday everyone. : )

Hi Morgan,

The trick with Morton's neuroma is that it is not really a neuroma but a fibrous thickening in response to compression. Cutting the nerve to remove them can cause a true neuroma to form in response to the injury. This can happen even with the best technique. The following link gives info on both so you can see what the potential is. It is from Washington Univeristy which has probably the best nerve program in the US.

http://nerve.wustl.edu/nd_neuroma.ph...erve_disorders

The potential to grow a true neuroma from the nerve trying to heal itself by sending out new axons is one of the reasons to avoid a cut-out procedure, that and you lose the fine innervation further down. Some surgeons treat this as a nerve decompression and release ligamentous restrictions on the area. Steroid Injections can shrink the morton's neuroma and atrophy some of the fibrous problem. Ultrasound guidance will give the best results. Phenol and other neurotoxic injections can cause other problems.

I would not give up on a treatable cause contributing to your pain syndrome. It sounds like you have reasons for your pain that can and should be addressed. You could have developed CRPS in response to the problems and it could improve with treatment of underlying pain contributors. Or it could stick around, Impossible to say. But CRPS is a diagnosis of exclusion. I think you have to treat what you can and see what remains. I appeared early on in my journey to have CRPs but it was a nerve entrapment and nerve injury resulting from an orthopedic surgery. I had a neuroma-in-continuity resulting from retractor damage that had to be resected. I was much better afterwards. My CRPS came after another procedure I sadly needed further down on the same foot some months later. Nerves had just been through too much. That was why it easy to tell for me. Symptoms were prety clear month out from my last procedure.

I spend a lot of time on the bike at the gym and a LOT of time in the pool. Aqua work is the best. There is also an elliptical called an Arctrainer which gives legwork but less ankle stress. I am so hapy to be off crutches and now walking a mile, I try not to stress about what I used to do. 8 miles of hardcore high incline/decline without blinking. Hiking was my real thing. Ah well, we have to adapt.

If you don't like what your podiatrist says get another opinion. Foot and ankle orthopedics is good. Physcial MEdicine, Rehabilitation guys sometimes do a lot of foot stuff. I see one who does running medicine, knows about Morton's. does ultrasound injections etc. Finish your shots before surgery, unless they're phenol...

You can find nerve savvy podiatrists herehttp://aens.us
Good luck and keep us posted.
Sending Healing Love, Littlepaw

Hi Littlepaw,
Thank you for the exercise ideas. The heated pool is always a great feeling thing, isn't it? I'm sorry you've been through so many surgeries. You must be so happy to not be using crutches anymore. I think it's great that you are walking a mile a day! It may not be the "crazy hike" thing you used to do ; ). But it is a lot to do on hurting feet.
Thank you for the neurosurgeon link. I think I just about passed out from the pics they have posted on their home page though! Sheesh! My foot doc is definitely not on there. I am just giving this podiatrist a second chance. The first visit, he just said, " I looked at your tests and I don't know". He barely even examined my feet! But the doc who does my ultrasound neuroma steroid injections said to try him again. She was incredulous that he was so dismissive as she believes he is the best. He seems like a clown to me. But he has a last chance Monday and hubby will be there. Sometimes, I find it helps to have a line-backer looking fellow with me ahem, "encouraging" the doc to do his best.
; ). I guess having dismissive docs who downplay the severity of the pain is common. Having someone there to testify to the disabling effects of the pain seems to help. Have you heard of this with other people or experienced it yourself?
I have to schedule the second in the 3-part series of foot injections. The first set have already decreased the pain to about a 7 and it was just Wednesday that I had them. They don't seem to be shrinking permanently, but seem to come back 4 months later with a vengeance. I am thinking of the permanent surgery because the pain of getting them done is intolerable. Spine injections, I don't even flinch. But these neuromas a whole different animal. Do you have ideas for other options to get rid of the neuroma pain (or Morton's non-neuroma)? I am fine with surgery that leaves me with no feeling in my toes. Any ideas would be great since you clearly have more knowledge that this clown, I mean, podiatrist, who I see Monday. If he has no idea again Monday, he gets fired. Ohhh! I'm feeling like Donald Trump! : )
Although I'm not running a mile today, i AM going to the rabbit shelter where I volunteer to help with today's fundraiser.
Thank you for telling me that you are active and still run. You have really helped to inspire me and to give me hope that I will do that again too. I really appreciate your support and sharing of your knowledge. You are a great help!
I hope you have a great day and a great run. It is beautiful here in PA and I hope you are also having fabulous spring weather!