Hi everyone, my name is David and I live in Edinburgh. I am so desperate to find out what is wrong with me. I haven't been able to work for over 1 year now. I have suffered with severe depression and my life has been hell.
I feel like my life is over at age 34. I can't get the help I need. I've tried and tried. I don't have enough money for good private health care and the times I have tried that approach, I was not helped, but only sucked dry of money.
I have been cheated, failed and still not informed of what is wrong with me.
Many times I have thought of killing myself, lately...even more so. I'm trying to pick up the pieces of my life and just as I start to get somewhere, I can't walk without servere pain and I can't stand without severe discomfort.
My life has been on hold for 3 years now, I can't go on much longer.
PLEASE HELP ME... details follow as instructed by the guide:
where does it hurt = right foot, small toes and then mid big toe eventually. Soon the pain does go to the left foot, but not as bad. Then pain starts in my ankles ( where it feels sprained ). then my knees get very sore, then eventually I get groin strains on both sides, but it always starts in the right foot.
how long has it hurt for = 3 years and 2 months
how bad is the pain = rating 1-10 ( 10 being extremely bad ) starts at 3 then gradually rises to 8, then flucuates between 6 & 8 while I'm walking
what where you doing when it started = Walking - I was working as a waiter in a restaurant
what have you done for it so far =
- I have had an x-ray = all clear.
- I have seen an osteopath = says it isn't bone related
- I have visited an orthopedic DR = no help, no answer, suggested insoles
- I have seen a 2 different podiatrists = both gave me silly insoles that never worked
- Tried no shoes for long periods
- Tried wearing bare foot shoes, vibram five fingers, supported shoes, proper fitted expensive shoes = no difference
- I have rested for long periods = never helped
- I removed the hard plastic-like hard skin from the ball of each foot, it gives slight relief, because when putting pressure on foot, that area hurts alot, as though there was a pebble in my shoe.
anything relieve it = not walking or standing
what have you been told about it so far = nothing
is it affecting your ability to work or play sport = I can't play any sport, except I can cycle conformtably, I have not worked for over 1 year now
do you have any other sorts of symptoms = burning heat from the small toes, burning heat from the big toe, popping and cracking in toes - ESPECIALLY big toe and usually worse in the morning. The following come after / while walking - pain in lower legs, sprained ankles, painful knees, groin strains in both sides.
what country you are in = UK
Sometimes i have dreams that my feet are normal again and I can run, walk and play sports without pain, some mornings before I step out of bed I beg for my feet to be normal, but they stay the same 🙁
I will give my very soul or everything I own to the person who can help me or even just tell me what is wrong - I may not own much, but I swear and you have my word that the person or persons who assist or give me valuble information leading to the discovery or treatment for my pain, I will forever be indebted to and will see to it that they are rewarded - that is my promise
Hi David, and welcome to Healthypages,
Only medically qualified professionals are able to offer diagnosis, and all other people can do is offer suggestions that you could look into to see if they are possibly similar to what you describe or feel.
Based on your description, the first thing that came to my mind was Gout...
[url]Gout | Health | Patient.co.uk[/url]
... especially as you say "popping and cracking in toes - ESPECIALLY big toe"
which sounds like the information on the patient uk website:
What are the symptoms of gout?
Gout usually occurs in attacks. An attack typically develops quickly over a few hours. It usually causes severe pain in one joint. The base of the big toe is the most commonly affected joint. Walking can be very painful and even the weight of bedclothes can hurt.
as well as it talking about the build up of uric acid crystals which could account for the popping/cracking you describe.
However, this condition can be quite common, so I would have thought that your doctor would have spotted such a thing and does the necessary tests.
Off the top of my head, I can only think of Sciatica as a possible other cause of pains in the legs and feet...
I'm sure other people will have some other suggestions you can look into... but at the end of the day you are probably just going to have to keep going back to your doctor ()and persisting with them till they do something about it, or ask to see a different doctor.
Wishing you well, and keep us posted how you get on.
All Love and Reiki Hugs
David I agree with what Energlz has said about us not being able to diagnose. But While both gout and sciatica could be potential causes your symptoms don't fit the normal pattern of either disease. Of the two gout is slightly more likely. I know you are very young for about but it does happen. I have a fiend who had to take retirement from work with gout at the age of 40. Are you healthy otherwise? Normal weight and blood pressure? Normal cholesterol? I presume you are not diabetic or you would have been investigated more throughly.
Some form of neuropathic pain crossed my mind, and I wonder what pain killers you have been offered or are taking.. But have you had any sort of spinal x ray or MRI scan?
Was there one particular incident that triggered the pain first time or did you just wake up one day with the pain? The lack of diagnosis isn't that rare sadly. Pain sometimes juts doesn't have an obvious cause. My son missed a term of school with pain in his knee that had no cause ever found
There are many complementary therapies that could help with the pain and depression even if you never get a label for the what the problem is. I suspect you may NEVER find out - and I wonder if accepting that is what you need to do?
As regards therapies that could help hypnotherapy would be something I would recommend because it would potentially give YOU control over the pain. I say potentially because hypnotherapy isn't right for everyone and even if you were the easiest person to hypnotise, the success of otherwise of therapy would depend on how you sued the tools you were given.
I do hope you can find the answers you are looking for
Hi David 🙂
Although you are feeling disconnected and powerless at the moment, never, ever, compromise your own spirit. Making a connection here is a great start to getting support and awareness in regard to your ailment.
I'm in total agreement with Energylz, that based on your description, this could be Gout. But to be sure you should take this new found knowledge and be tested by a doctor. Gout is an accumulation of uric acid causing extreme pain in the joints, especially the big toe. When uric acid collects in the joints it forms long, needlike crystals which causes inflammation and pain.
If it is Gout, it's possible you may be dehydrated....make sure you're drinking lots of water.
And as you wait for the doctors results, it won't hurt to add celery, cherries and even avocado to your diet. 🙂
Sending you love and healing :grouphug:
*Tashanie, sorry, didn't see your great post 🙂
Hi David
Really sorry to hear about your plight. I don't really have anything to add on what it might be as I just don't know but until you find a solution you might wish to have a look at mindfulness meditation.
Many people use it for stress reduction and to live a happier life, but it was originally developed with the idea of people who had to endure pain, to help with managing the pain.
There's loads on the net about it and I think it may be even being offered on the nhs.
I know what its like to have a condition that noone seems to be able to cure, but with time and persistance I managed to control it, there is hope and many options but I do understand how down it can make you feel.
Meditation will also help you deal with these feelings of sadness so I really do recommend it.
These resources I think are more aimed at the stress reduction but are free and a good place to start:
[url]Free Mindfulness[/url]
[url]Free Meditation Podcasts | UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center[/url]
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Love and light
StormJewel
research myofascial pain patterns, trigger point pain patterns, see if it sheds any light on your condition
regards
BGFL