Going on 8 years of Plantar Fasciitis pain, with PF surgery, now diabetes

by Mark B.
(Bay Area, CA)

I had heel spur surgery on both feet in 2004. A rare benign tumor was called PVNS was found and removed in my right foot, but I don't think it is related to my current pain in both feet.


I wore boot casts for nearly a year and that atrophy most likely lead to my PF. I tried all the normal treatments including night splints, custom insoles, electro-shockwave therapy and cortisone injections.

I believe I had 5-7 injections and that is what most likely lead to this being a chronic case of plantar fasciitis. I had the release surgery in 2008 on my left foot only. It did not work.

I bought Z-Coil shoes in 2010 and they helped a lot but my pain continued to worsen a little bit more every day. The shoes help but not like they did when I first got them. I took various NSAIDS and opiates over the years and now take 210mg morphine/day (3 x 60mg ER, 1 x 30mg ER) and 6 10/325 Norcos.

I plan on asking for a higher dose when I see PM (Pain Management) in a couple of days. I can not stand for more than a few minutes without extreme pain and I now use the electric cart while shopping because I can barely walk.

If I push myself and shop without the cart I will have extreme pain for the 24 hours or more. I'm back on the night splints and have been instructed to wear them for 6 months.

I'm only using the night splints on my left foot as I hope to be able to see if they actually help by comparing the pain relief to my right foot, if there is any. There are two treatments that I can not afford at this time, but I'm glad they exist as they give me hope other than amputation (not that they would amputate, but it's something I would seriously consider if offered).

One is a device that would be implanted into my back that would send a signal to my nerves to dull the pain and the other is called Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy where they somehow recycle my own blood and then inject the "healing power blood" back into my feet. If anyone has tried either treatment I would appreciate your feedback.

I also have a burning pain when I wear shoes and a pain that feels like a toothpick is being jammed into my toenail but these pains are believed to be related to my recent diagnosis of Diabetes.

I tried some medicines for that pain but they made me feel uncomfortable and now I'm trying Lyrica. It's secondary compared to the deep throbing pain and stabbing pain from the PF. The doctors took me a lot more seriously after
I had a Bone Scan which apparently proved in a way that I'm not just making this up.

I've applied for SSDI as I could not handle the last inside sales job due to the pain and medications limiting my ability to multi-task. I used to be able to type and listen and now I can only do one thing at a time.

Also I had prostate cancer and a total knee replacement within the last 3 years. I had lots of arthitis in my knee but it was replaced due to a previous injury.

That's my story.

Any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated. I'm 44 years old.



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Joshua Answers:

Hi Mark.

You're a complicated case, that's for sure.

And a perfect example of the Downward Spiral of the Pain Causing Dynamic.

Plus you have Diabetes. Plus you've had cancer.

It's safe to say that aside from the purely physical factors, you are seriously nutritionally insufficient and deficient.

Which, of course, American hospital medicine doesn't look into, much less believe in.

Yes, you have Tendonitis, Plantar Fasciitis specifically in the lower leg structures. But you have a lot more going on than that.

See: What Is Tendonitis

I don't expect that Plasma Rich Platelet therapy would do much for you. It's worth a shot, no pun intended, it definitely helps connective tissue structures heal.

But a lot of your pain and problem is coming from nutritional and thus systemic issues. The Plantar Fasciitis Surgery didn't work because your foot pain was just a system of a bigger issue.

Corticosteroid Injections never fix anything, and getting 7 isn't great. Generally they limit it to three injections for any particular problem.



So, I have some questions:

1. What is your vitamin D level? If you don't know, get it checked ASAP.

2. Do you supplement with any vitamin/mineral/nutritional supplements?

3. What does a day in the life of your diet look like?

4. What did the bone scan show?

5. Confirm for me that your medical professionals didn't tell you how to cure diabetes.



So that's a start for this conversation.



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Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com
















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Comments for Going on 8 years of Plantar Fasciitis pain, with PF surgery, now diabetes

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Dec 03, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		PF and corticosteroid injections crippling old lady
by: Rebecca

The pain in both feet has been going on for approximately 6 months. First went to the GP a couple of months ago. She didn't say anything about PF but suggested I tried a few exercises - one is resting my toes on the stairs and lowering my heels stretching the calves and another is like a lunge movement then pushing my heel down. Did this, no effect. Every time I got up from bed or a chair I had a job to stand. In my job, I am on my feet all day and frequently in pain.

I went back to my doctor who advised I saw another doctor to give me an injection which should help. Saw the doctor today, he said he would give me an injection in both heels and what I have is PF.

Yes, the injections were painful but he assured me I would have immediate relief. The injection is an anti-inflammatory and steroid combination.

I didn't question anything. I left, drove and shopped for 3 hours, despite pain shooting up to calf and still is. After looking up other people's experiences, I am now worried as I was not informed about resting up to 48hours, I was not informed of not driving for 4 hours and not informed keeping dressing on.

One leg feels like it did before injection and just about bearable, the other foot and calf is excruciating painful.

Even resting it, it's twice as painful than before I had the injection.


Dec 11, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I had PRP on my plantar fasciitis
by: Beaw29

I've had PF for over 3 years. Started with the feeling of stepping on glass for a few weeks then nothing serious for a few months & then extreme pain and the time I could walk/stand without pain decreased quickly.

I saw my PCP after about 8 mos. then tried conservative methods. Nothing. Podiartist had me do physical therapy, cortisone injections, night splints, walking boots, yada yada yada. I also have it in both feet.

We did PRP twice on my left foot with no improvement. Had release surgery on both feet (different times) along with Gastronemius Recession (loosening my tight calf muscles).

Just saw the pain mgmnt doc today as I still have pretty bad pain when on my feet for more than a few minutes.

Surgery did help with the pain that I had constantly. Now it just feels like there's a nail in the side of my heels & mostly just with standing & walking...not just being awake. Sorry I can't report better results from PRP but it's my experience.

Good luck!
Nov 13, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Burning pain two weeks after Plantar Fascia release
by: Allison

Hi!
I have had foot and back pain for about a year or so, turns out it was from PF.

I had PF release surgery on September 20. It is my right foot, I have a little incision on the outer part of right foot then I also have two minor cuts on the inner arch right before the heel. I also have a heel spur but she did not remove that.

Still two weeks later, I have a weird burning pain in my foot and if I try to put any weight on it I get a shocking pain all through my ankle and bottom of my foot. Recovery seems like it will take a while!:(. I go back to the doctors Oct 24, that is if I get released to.

The burning-numb- shocking pain really concerns me because I do not want any permanent damage. Any thoughts?


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Allison.

Burning pain is common. There's a TON of Pain Enhancing Chemical from the Process of Inflammation in there. And 'releasing' the plantar fascia ligament really means 'severing' the connections.

So once there was a bridge with struts and cables, and now there are no cables, maybe even no struts.

Your foot has to at best, adapt to that and at worst, survive that as best it can.

Surgery is serious injury, and there is pain involved from that. Weeks and months of pain and problem are entirely common. And that's even -if- the surgery actualy reduces the original pain that was there (that you got surgery for in the first place.
May 24, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Was plantar fasciitis surgery and pain worth it?
by: Adaline

I had my surg.done 03/08/2013. Day one severe pain which was intense/constant.I could not get any relief pain meds were ultram 50 mg/vicodin 7.5mg 325.unable to sleep/eat/use rest room for personal care/unable to sit on the toilet/severe pain.Day two was identical to day one pain pain pain.

Day three was identical to day 1&2 pain pain pain so exhausted.Day four MD appt.again pain pain pain needed to use a wheelchair for mobility.I am a total wreck.MD say everything looks good.I begged for for morphine just three MD said no.continue wirh the vicodin and ultram/antibiotics.

my appt for thursday was rescheduled for Monday per MD.I went home and prayed that's all I could do things then started to get better.I went back On Monday well guess what I did not use a w/c I was able to use my walker with my boot on everyone @ the MD office was amazed @ my progress.also was I. I do give all praise to GOD.

I go back on Monday 3/25/2013 for removal of stitches.Very important to note that I no longer have to take the narcotics for pain only OTC meds.

TELL ME ABOUT THE POWER OF GOD HEALING POWER. PLEASE BE AWARE OF ADDICTION WITH PAIN MEDS.
Aug 22, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Re: 2
by: Anonymous

Also, I tried Gabapentin and it helped with the burning pain but I felt extra cloudy-headed. The nerve/burning pain is a distant second to my main "feet in a vice" pain. I also tried Lyrica and now am on Cymbalta (for pain and depression). What else... Oh, yes, a day of my diet is pretty good these days. Today: 1) Good breakfast of oatmeal with nuts and fruit with Milk. 2) Turkey sandwich for lunch with applejuice 3) Spaghetti dinner with bread and milk.


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Joshua Comments:

One of the many symptoms of vitamin D deficiency symptoms is depression. So there's another reason to get your level up to where it's supposed to be.
Aug 22, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		RE:
by: Anonymous

Thanks everyone for commenting. I have tried a dairy free diet for 45 days with no help. It helped my mom a lot with her arthritis. My vitamin D IS low. Good call. I tried supplementing 8000mg/day vitamin D. I was supposed to continue it but I forgot. I'm going back on it because I have a deficiency but it did not help the pain. I've experimented with gluten and I don't appear to have an alergy. I don't recall exactly what came up on the Bone Scan other than it being "lit up" and showing all signs of PF. The was no "mass" or PVNS. I will look into magnesium. Please let me know what you know about it if you see this message. Thanks!


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Joshua Comments:

See: Magnesium For Tendonitis
Aug 20, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Burning pain solution
by: Rita

Hi Mark, you are going through a lot. But don't give up. My foot pain is same way as your. For burning pain have you tried Gebapentine? That help me little. My foot pain kicks in more with movement when it does it last 2-3 days level 10 pain.

I can't even imagine going without elective scooter. I can't do anything beside light cooking.

I have tried everything including alternative medicine but nothing is working. I got steroid injection now pain managements saying I should try nerve block. My cousin suggested to find good orthopedic specializing in foot/ankle perhaps in Stanford get foot MRI and find the cause before nerve block. I wish u good luck and hang in there.


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Rita. Sticking my nose in here...feel free to ignore.

I assert that you have NOT tried everything.

For instance, what is your Vitamin D level?

How much Magnesium do you supplement with?

Are you gluten free?

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