Let me start by saying I am fairly new on here and don’t know the ropes yet. I’m not really sure whether to post in a discussion or a blog, so I apologize if this is in he wrong place.
This hasn’t been a great week. I went to the foot doctor on Monday. My husband was off so he came along which was really nice. The doctor said I have tarsal tunnel in addition to the plantar fasciitis he has been treating me for. He said tarsal tunnel surgery is much more involved and has a significantly longer recovery period than plantar fascia release surgery. He said he would like to treat with injections and physical therapy with the hope that it will resolve without the need for surgery. He injected a nerve block and a steroid. Both injections were extremely painful and my husband held my hand. I really appreciated that.
I have been off work for a month on FMLA which runs out on December 13th. After that I may lose my job. I have been there for 15 years. It sounds like my foot problems are not going to resolve by Dec. 13th. In addition to that he wants me to go to PT four times a week, which will cost $160 per week out of pocket for copays. Cause you know, on short term disability at 60% of my pay I can afford that.
Needless to say all of this has triggered a terrible flare and I don’t even want to get out of bed. I have severe muscle spasms all over. I have IBS. I have terrible headaches.
So what should I do?
Should I return to work without surgery and try to tough it out?
Should I lose my job, have the surgery and try to survive on my employer’s short or long term disability benefit?
Should I just give up the fight, quit working and start the battle for SSDI? We really can’t afford to lose my income.
Oh Darcy I feel your frustration which is quite normal for someone in your place. Fibro frustrates us too. The answer to your question I am afraid is going to be up to you in discussion with your husband and your doctor. Have you asked your doctor if he/she feels that you will be ready to go back to work Dec 13th? I think that is where you should start. And should you not be ready Dec 13th I would hope that your doctor could write a letter asking for an extension to your leave.
Oh I am so sorry to hear of your utter frustration and confusion. Unfortunately fibro is not easy to treat because it has many symptoms. None of us has all of the symptoms so it's a matter of trying to find the appropriate combination of med for you.
Please keep us updated. I really hope your doctor is patient with you in this search.
I feel your pain, hang in there! If you can get long term disability for your surgery, I would suggest that road! While on that I would start the SSDI as it is a very long drawn out affair! Starting on my second year , with 1 denial, waiting in hearing! Just ang in there, God will see you through. I believe that he doesn’t give us more than we can handle! Good luck’ keep your chin up, this time will pass.
Wow, this is a tough one! And I know those foot shots are painful, worse than getting a shot anywhere else. I hope they've helped you out some, Darcy.
Are you at the point where you can't walk at all? Can walk some but not far? Does your job or commute involve a lot of walking? Could you use a medical device like a wheelchair to help you at your job? I know it sounds like an awful choice but I've used the motorized scooters at the store and BOY are they helpful!
If you feel that walking and wheelchair are out, maybe you should consider looking into getting disability. Because fibro tends to get worse, not better. And if your company let you go because of this, you probably could get unemployment.
I'm so sorry that your feet are in this sorry state, Darcy. It's impossible to get around on massively painful feet. I truly hope the shots prove to be helpful. Do you have foot inserts? I don't know if they'd help your condition or not. They are useful for some foot issues.
I'm wishing you the best. Please keep us posted on your progress.
Hi Darcy, I'm so sorry to hear life's brought you to this point!! From what I can find out your choices in foot surgeries sound an awful lot alike ones my FIL had on his shoulder (of course it was called something else). From what you describe here his would have been the release surgery, it had weeks of physical therapy and then months of stretches at home. Can't remember how long he had to take off work, but than again a shoulder is very different than a foot - maybe more especially for mobility. I don't recommend just trying to tough it out - health problems only get worse not better and pushing our bodies (maybe more especially with this disease) only drives us into severe flare ups that can take a long time to try and recover from.
I hear ya on the money issues - currently I can't get into my doctor or afford much as far as treatment goes. We stretch and sacrifice to get me a root (Kava) that helps me cope with the pain - can't take most meds anyway. My heart aches for you! Don't give up! It's hard, really hard!! Personally I'd look into the options of short or longer term disability from your employer/unemployment and disability. I've apply, but am still waiting - I've heard just about EVERYONE gets denied the first time. I have a friend, who has a friend that actually has the same doctor I do. She was able to get a lawyer for the second application and they where able to work it so that the lawyer got paid out of the "back pay" or something. And even if you go that route, you may find in time you can go back to work.
I do have to walk all day at work on hard concrete floors. I would not be able to use a wheelchair or even a walker for safety reasons. I work in a very large medical lab. I have several different orthotics including prescription orthotics. I have been having foot problems for several years now. I already had surgery on my right foot, followed by months of physical therapy. Once that foot improved my left foot started giving me trouble. I am currently wearing a walking air cast and using a walker to get around at home. I can't walk more than a few steps without aid. Hopefully this is not a permanent problem, but as long as I stay at my current job where I am on my feet all day I don't think it's going to get better. Thank you so much for your caring advice. It's so nice to have friends here that are so nonjudgmental and caring. It really does help.
When you wrote about having to walk on concrete floors suddenly I was reminded of my early teaching days when I had to walk on concrete floors covered with tile and I could certainly feel that on my back and the calves of my legs. Then on along my teaching years I taught where I walked on wood floors and that was quite a change on my body.
But when this involves your work you just can't change it. Somehow you must modify the way you do things to save your body.......if that is possible.
I also had shoulder surgery about seven years ago. It was very similar as far as the immobilization, long recovery and physical therapy. I was off work for three months with that surgery. I also had the plantar fascia release surgery on my right foot two years ago. That time it took about three months before I could return to work and about a year to completely heal.
I guess I am lucky that I am covered by my employer's short term disability pay for now. If I lose my job I would probably be eligible for long term disability if my doctor says I can't work. I'm not really sure how it all works.
What is root Kava? I am not familiar with that. I am currenty on four different prescriptions that I would not be able to afford if I lose my health insurance. I have health coverage for myself, my husband and my daughter through my employer.
Thanks so much for your advice and taking the time to reply to me. It is such a huge help to have such wonderful and caring friends on here.
Hi Darcy, I feel for you. I have plantar fasciitis and it took about a year of PT and finding the right shoes for it to feel better. I also work on a hard floor in a kitchen at a school and am on my feet all day. The shoes I finally found are not made anymore; new balance changed them, so now I can’t find a pair that doesn’t hurt. I got custom orthotics and they still hurt. I fell in May and had rotator cuff surgery in aug. And now am going to PT for that and it hurts so bad. Have been out of work since aug. And still cannot go back. I am still waiting for my short term disability to go through and we need the money. Can’t lift over 5 lbs. yet so that means no work yet. Praying that you find relief for your feet. My dr. Said the surgery is a last resort because of the time it takes to recover and it doesn’t always work. Big hugs going out to you!
Hi Darcy, I also have plantar fasciitis and tarsal problems with my feet and fibro and lymphedema, I had several injections in my feet and eventually after a year of those, physio and laser treatment I had both feet operated on planter fasciotomy, after recovery they eased alot but unfortunately the plantar fascitis came back. I think years of pounding hospital floors damaged them and so through this and my other conditions I became too unwell to work and had to leave on Sept 2011. I now struggle to walk more than a few steps with a stick and can’t drive. it’s a struggle as I hand a disabled 16 year old daughter to care for and I find it physically so difficult. Surgery on your feet might be beneficial for you and I’m not trying to dissuade you from doing it but just want to warn you that surgery isn’t always the answer. Has your podiatrist made you some orthotic pads to wear in your shoes? they have helped me a bit.
This group has really helped me and I’m sure you’ll find it supportive too. Good luck with whatever you decide re surgery. Take care
April x
First Darcy, I know how you feel. This is a difficult question but you need to make this with your husband and all of your drs input. Make sure that the doc understands your situation…I was on short term disability and my shrink sent me back to what he called “face the music”. My job gave me 2 choices resign or be fired! That was Jan 2011, I filed for SSDI a year later after unemployment ran out. My shrink should have placed me on long term disability, I was not thinking clearly like most of us with FM and did what I was told. It has been difficult for sure…but not the stress of working, we moved to a warmer part of the country which helps and there I found my Docs that finally diagnosed me after about 15 years of hurting!
I have my hearing Jan 8 2014, we have had money issues for sure but my husband is awesome. I have had 2 door surgery ‘s this past year Achilles’ tendon with large bone spur removals this is 4 month recovery just to be able to do basic walking.
I am learning how to pace myself so I either don’t end up in bed for weeks, or have a severe anxiety attack. I tried to help in our community by being on a committee for our pool which mets once a month… Was too much for me. I am trusting that God has put me where I need to be with doctors that are finally helping me.
So so sorry Darcy. I'm in the same boat as you as well as facing another brain surgery somewhere in the next couple of months. I'm thinking I will do the plantar fac* a bit before and do the MVD right after so I can do the whole recovery at one time. They're both gonna be awful...can't get away from that but I have back-up here and we've all had experience with the "bed-ridden"
I don't work anymore and haven't for a long time (outside of the home, I watch my Grandbabes). Got turned down for disability because it's been so long since I have worked and given them any taxes so that's what they told me, have to wait for the retirement age.
Along with helping with my g-babes I do some housework on wood/stone floors and then I have an indoor greenhouse with cement floors that wrecks me as well. I have no shoes that I can wear, slippers and sometimes Crocs. I've been through the whole orthotic thing, couple of times, make my feet hurt worse. Now I have "Bakers Cysts" in several places on each foot that make footwear even more impossible. Broke my right foot back in April and did a month of PT without much help...recommended that I see the Podiatrist and get some surgical work done to at least alleviate some of the other ouchies. I've done the injections and after a while they lose effectiveness.
I walk like a 90 year old but I don't go out much so who cares! I just want to get rid of some of the hurt...somewhere and my feet just kill and stab and cramp and sometimes refuse to let me put any weight on them...so I don't.
The best thing I have found for the cramps and stabs and so on is the same thing I take for my restless leg syndrome...Requip and Flexeril and massage.
You've got your plate full my friend and I sincerely feel for you. My feet took me out of the workplace in 2004 and I have been living with my children ever since as I am disabled whether I fit the govt. criteria or not. I do what I can when I can, try to do the things I love and often plan an R&R prior to an "outing of love" so that I can do something that makes me feel great even though after I'm in bed for a week...LOL But worth it. Gotta pick your battles.
I will keep you in my thoughts Darcy and you pick through this very carefully with Hubby and Dr.s to get you the best care and have Dr. work the extension thing...if work doesn't go for it you WILL get unemployment and that will give you a chance to recover fully.
I have been of on short term disability and am now waiting to here from my ltd. My ltd has a company that will file my ssd for me. I have had to make quiet a few changes since being of work as far as money goes I took my 401k and what my mom had put back {she lives with me] and paid of my land it can be very hard but it can be done I had 2 lawyers tell me it would be easier to get my ssd if I was out on ltd from work.
Hey Darcy, sorry it took me a bit to get back to you (this brain fog makes me so frustratingly spacey!!). My husband gave me a brief thing to post in the Natural Healing group...
"Do not bother with kava pills they are a waste of money. There are a bunch of sites selling bogus kava pills and other such products that are completely worthless.
There are several different methods of making kava, I find that a lot of them are wasteful. Through my own trial and error I have found that kava by rex's instructions work the best.
Fruit makes the best chaser in my opinion. And you will need a chaser as the drink does not taste good. It taste like mud with pepper in it. Yum! :) Some people try mixing it with other things to make it taste better but most are unsuccessful. It is not really a taste that goes with anything. It just taste bad. Having a good chaser is a better option in my opinion.
Do not heat the kava. It will destroy the properties and make it useless. Some people serve it cold although I prefer to serve it at room temperature. You basically jug 4-6 oz at a time with 10-15 min in between each shell (chug) so as to gauge the effect.
There are different strains that have different effects. Strains high in DHM like the ISA strain work great for pain and sleep. Other strains have a more "heady" like feel which is not as helpful for pain but works well for anxiety."
Like everything it can interact with some things (my understanding it has largely to do kidney stuff and even then it depends on the stuff you get, what your taking, etc). The "noble" Kava strains don't seem to have that problem. This is the one I'm using right now http://www.bulakavahouse.com/collections/vanuatu-kava-root/products... it does a LOT to reduce my pain and relax my muscles. You'll need to drink plenty of water, but it works for me. =)
Thanks so much for the wonderful advice. It helps to hear from others who are going through this. I had never heard of MVD so I Googled it. Sounds frightening! It is so kind of you to take the time to help me when you are dealing with so much yourself. I pray your surgeries help and give you some relief. I see the foot doc again tomorrow so I will talk to him about what my options are. I am beginning to have a better understanding of how the SSD and work disability work thanks to all the helpful replies I have received on here.
I know what you mean about the shoes. I was wearing a style of Saucony but they stopped making them too. I have a terrible time finding shoes that I can wear. I have custom orthotics also but they didn't help and they sometimes hurt. The best insoles I have found for me are Spenco Q factor arch supports. I hope physical therapy is enough so I don't need surgery again. I had my right foot done and it was a success. I also had rotator cuff surgery seven years ago but I hate the thought of another surgery. The recovery is so long. I can't help but think that chronic tendon problems are linked to fibromyalgia.
My doctor has made the padded orthotics but they bother my feet after a short time wearing them. I've had custom orthotics, prescription orthotics and some I have found online. The best ones for me are the Spenco Q factor arch supports. The group is wonderful and I am amazed at all the caring and support I have found here.