[*Beth*]

Okay, yesterday the pain was excruciating. I'm lucky; my podiatrist is a sweetheart of a guy. I had x-rays done and found out that I have a bone spur that came as a result of the achilles tendon injury. No wonder it's so extremely painful.

The plan now is to increase my physical therapy appointments and be sure I wear shoes that have an insert that slightly lifts my heels. And take ibuprofen when necessary.

[*Beth*]

4th PT yesterday. The pain felt slightly lessened today - but I also took ibuprofen this morning. I really dislike going to PT; the place is depressing to me, especially when I'm already struggling with depression. I wish people wouldn't talk to me when I'm in the salt pool. A smile and a "hello" would be fine. I'm not there to yak it up, I'm there to heal. My next appt. is on Tuesday.

[~Christina]

Wear sunglasses, seriously when I want people to leave me the F alone I wear them and it works. It also allows me to roll my eyes when need be and no one can see it.

[*Beth*]

Ha - great idea!

[*Beth*]

Right ankle pain is excruciating. Ibuprofen eases the pain by half, for about 2 hours - then it returns full-force.Seriously, this is ridiculous.


In addition to the achilles tendonitis/bone spur, my feet and ankles are swollen from the hypertensive med. I'm seeing my GP on Monday and will basically insist that she prescribe a diuretic to get the swelling side-effect down. I cannot decrease the ankle pain when it is so swollen.

[~Christina]

My husband is on HCTZ was 25mg a day but only needs 12.5 now. He use to have a lot of trouble with edema.

Ask about Feldene .. It’s basically a 24 hour Ibuprofen. You take one a day. I gives a much better steady longer lasting pain relief.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

My husband is on HCTZ was 25mg a day but only needs 12.5 now. He use to have a lot of trouble with edema.

Ask about Feldene .. It’s basically a 24 hour Ibuprofen. You take one a day. I gives a much better steady longer lasting pain relief.

Thank you so much! I just saw my GP and she prescribed exactly that - HCTZ, 25mg. I haven't heard of Feldene, but I sure will ask my podiatrist about it. I'm crawling the walls with this pain - and not having much faith in physical therapy at this point.

[~Christina]

Glad you got the HCTZ , to take in the morning as you will be running to the bathroom a lot.

I’m sorry PT hurts so much. That’s why so many people drop out

I went for my spinal stenosis and oh god it was so awful. First visit they showed me numerous exercises. Then they told me what it would cost to come each visit and well that ended that.

I try to do them on my own but right now I just handle more pain on top of what I have.

I hope you find some relief soon

[*Beth*]

Thank you so very much, Christina. I'll tell you, I already feel better, due to the HCTZ. I can bend my ankles because they're not so swollen.

Years ago I tore my rotator cuff (shoulder) and phys therapy was really helpful. PT for low back pain and (so far) for the achilles pain - waste of time. I have the feeling at this point that I might find some good exercises to do online.

[*Beth*]

11/20

Cancelled PT this week. Walked quite a bit yesterday & the pain was vicious. I've added higher heel wedges for my shoes. Since the sandals I was wearing in the spring had 2" heels and the pain was gone, I'd like to repeat the 2" heel thing.

I took ibuprofen this morning and have pretty much stayed off my feet. The rest helps, of course.

I have an appt. for PT on Tuesday. I might give it one more try. If I'm again in more pain when I leave than when I walk in - forget it. It seems to me that there are some people who hang out at PT to socialize. That's fine, but if the actual therapy isn't helping me, meh. Not a place I want to hang out.

[*Beth*]

The diuretic has decreased ankle/foot swelling markedly. I have also stayed off my feet (and out of shoes) yesterday and today. So pain is moderate and only when I walk.

[*Beth*]

Def less intense pain now that my ankles and feet are not swollen. I just want to get to the point at which I can start taking walks, even if they aren't long walks at first.

The heel wedge shoe inserts don't help one bit, so far.

[*Beth*]

Usually when I get up in the morning the pain is gone until I walk. This morning it was hurting before I got out of bed. I'll take ibuprofen today. I'm pretty sure I'll give PT one more try tomorrow.

[~Christina]

The reality about PT is that you do have to go through pain in order to get your muscles and tendons to heal in the correct position.

Most PT’s advise a good quality sneaker when dealing with any leg foot knee back issue and certainly no heels.

I have a frozen shoulder, couldn’t afford PT twice a week so I have to do the exercises myself, and well it hurts, it will continue to hurt until I can get everything “ Thawed out” meaning everything stretched back into correct place and the inflammation calms down.

I know it sucks but keep going and you will get on the other side and be healed. I have been struggling with my shoulder for over a year but I have to keep working it, when it first happened many times I needed my husbands help to get dressed. Crazy !

[*Beth*]

Thanks for info, Christina! You've explained it to me much better than my doctor has, and the PT has never told me why I have pain during the therapy. What you've posted makes sense.

[~Christina]

Originally Posted by BethRags

Thanks for info, Christina! You've explained it to me much better than my doctor has, and the PT has never told me why I have pain during the therapy. What you've posted makes sense.

Glad I could help

[~Christina]

How’s your PT going?

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

How’s your PT going?

Thank you for asking, and it's not. I was going to attend one more session and ask for a more detailed plan about my pain issue. Decide if the PT herself has a clear picture, or . No one at the PT place has ever told me what the exact plan is or what I can expect.

Then the battery in my car went dead. Had AAA put a new battery in - and the starter went out. My husband is managing (a Big Thing for him) to give me rides to my T and Pdoc; thank the universe their offices are close to where I live (and where he lives; we don't live together).

Having my car towed in on Friday and we'll see what's-what, as far as cost. I drive a 2002 SUV, it's beat. If the cost is less than 400$, I'll pay it. More than that...the car is just not worth it.

The joke of all of this is that I own 3 pairs of cold-weather shoes that are nice quality...have cushioned soles. And I own 2 pairs of cheap-as$ed boots that have 2" heels and soles like rock. No cushion, at all. SO. It's the cheap crap shoes that give the best support to my foot and hurt the least. Somehow, this strikes me as amusing.

Thank you so much for your support (no pun intended ), Christina.

[*Beth*]

This is crazy. I'm 56 years old and can barely walk. My next plan is to purchase the inserts with hard bottoms (hard shoes seem to keep my ankle and arch supported). The inserts are called Good Feet...or Happy Feet...something like that. They cost about 50$. Yikes. But I have to be able to walk.

If those inserts don't help, it's back to the podiatrist and being a squeaky wheel. Everyone I have spoken to about this achilles issue says they have received cortisone shots. It outrageous that the doctor sends me off with a "good luck!"

[~Christina]

Sometimes cortisone shots can really help and other times it can cause more problems.

Your PT should be able to tell you what the goal is and kind of a timeline of steps.

As for having to change what shoes we can wear and what we can’t .. it just is what it is.

Are you doing exercises numerous times a day between going to Physical therapy appts??

If I don’t do mine for my neck at least twice a day my pain from spinal stenosis just gets worse.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Sometimes cortisone shots can really help and other times it can cause more problems.

Yes, that's what the podiatrist told me.

Your PT should be able to tell you what the goal is and kind of a timeline of steps.

Exactly. She has never given me any indication of a treatment plan, a timeline...nothing. I didn't know that she should have done so until a few days ago, from an article I read about PT.

As for having to change what shoes we can wear and what we can’t .. it just is what it is.

Ha, it's a good thing for me - cheap shoes from Target feel great!


Are you doing exercises numerous times a day between going to Physical therapy appts??

That is another bit of info I found out about from the article I read. So a PT is supposed to give the patient exercises to do at home...mine hasn't given me any exercises, or asked anything about me doing exercises at home. I found my own on YouTube, which I do.

If I don’t do mine for my neck at least twice a day my pain from spinal stenosis just gets worse.

Yes! Stretching and strengthening is so important.

When my car is (hopefully) repaired I'm going to go over there and ask the PT about home exercises and a clear treatment plan. It feels futile to me, to just go week after week, not knowing what to expect.

Thanks so much, Christina. Your support and info is truly helpful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[~Christina]

If your PT doesn’t really sit and listen to your questions and explain the goals and exercises than can be done at home and in what specific order, that’s a very important step then I think it would be wise to find a new PT

Hope you find relief very soon

[*Beth*]

I agree. I'm realizing that the PT place I was referred to SUCKS.
Thanks, C!