Three foot surgeries and now the doctor wants me to do a fourth

by Dawn Zaring
(Louisville KY)

I am now 39 and approx 5 years ago I developed severe pain in both feet. I have always worked on my feet-and was at the time a supervisor at a retail store. I exhausted all conservative therapies-and my left foot healed completely. My right foot was another story. I did have some relief after the first procedure that lengthened the muscle.

However, the recovery was painful, and when I returned to work the pain was as bad as ever. If it makes any sense though,the pain was different and moved from my heel into mostly my arch with pain radiating to my heel and the rest of my foot if I stood to long.

I had a 2nd surgery a year later because the dr thought my pain was the result of nerves caught in scar tissue. I also had bone spurs removed at that time. I had the same experience as I did with the first surgery. Through the next year the pain worsened and my entire foot hurt and I limped and walked improperly trying to keep my weight off whatever hurt the most.

A year later my big toe lost mobility so a 3rd surgery scraped the arthritis out-and this surgery was by far the most painful recovery. I am lucky to have a dr who has gone out of his way to consult with other doctors and to explore any other possibility for the pain.

I am a mother of 3. I used to have a life. I used to have friends. I only leave my house now for dr appts. My entire life revolves around measuring if participating in an activity is worth the pain that will follow.I am in pain sitting, laying down, walking-it doesn't matter. It hurts if the weather is hot,or cold, or rainy.

I have been trying to get approved for SSI for a year and have failed time and time again. I had to quit my job and because of the pharmacy in my cabinet-I am exhausted all the time, of course I never sleep well so that doesn't help.

I have gained weight from the inactivity-which only makes the pain worse. In the darkest hours of night, I contemplate taking a chain saw to the foot-but of course I don't. This situation has ruined my family financially, has changed our lives, and I feel guilty all the time for my husband who works so hard so I can stay home.

I went to the umpteenth dr yesterday, and he proposed a fourth exploratory surgery. He said no xray and no test was going to show if this was necessary or if it would help. He said of course there is even the chance it could get worse.

I have up until now done everything that a dr suggested-but now I don't know what to do. I was told that the internet would only confuse me in making this decision. But the internet is all I have-has anyone out there had multiple surgeries?

If so, did it help at all? I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this and share what they have learned with me. Good luck to anyone suffering with this pain-you are not alone.



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Joshua Answers:

Hello Dawn.

You say you're lucky to have the doctor you have, but I really have to challenge that. Really? Are you lucky?

I don't think so.

One surgery to lengthen a muscle: That really doesn't actually happen. And even if it did, was it the -right- muscle?

One surgery because the doctor -thought- nerve was caught in scar tissue (from the previous surgery). He thought? He wasn't sure?

Cases like yours are what really make me mad about the medical industry.

Exploratory surgery? Without any clue about what's going on it there? Really? You might as well just get a kitchen knife and go digging into your foot yourself.

Surgery causes wounds. Injury. Damage. Scar Tissue.

Was there anything actually wrong with your foot in the first place?

If three Plantar Fasciitis Surgeries haven't fixed your pain problems, I GUARANTEE that a fourth one won't.

Plantar Fasciitis usually isn't even a problem in the foot, the foot is just where the pain ends up.


Tendonitis is made up of a very predictable Pain Causing Dynamic.

It makes sense that after the first surgery the pain moved around, as your body adapted and compensated and the original problem that wasn't addressed by foot surgery continued to make things worse. No mystery there, although doctors can't seem to grasp the concept.

If nothing else, you have a huge Process of Inflammation going on right now.

As far as getting confused on the internet, that warning wasn't so much about you getting confused as you not looking for answers from anybody besides your surgeons.

What you have going on is reversible. You've had several surgeries, so that ups the difficulty level.

My suggestions, depending on how fast you want to get out of pain and how motivated you are to correct the dysfunction, are:

1. Get my 'The Plantar Fasciitis Treatment That Works' DVD and the Quick Start Companion that comes with it. This will show you how to lower pain levels and start rehabbing your leg/foot structures.

2. Or you could pull out the big gun and try The ARPwave System.


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