Hello, and welcome to Day 12 of NaBloPoMo! It’s time for another exciting update on my foot. What? You do consider this exciting, right? Let’s move right along.
If you haven’t already heard all about the saga of my foot, you must be a fairly new reader. I’ve been suffering with plantar fasciitis in my left foot since April of 2020. To be more precise, it didn’t get really bad until September of 2020. So “only” fourteen months. SIGH.
Plantar fasciitis is the weirdest ailment. Here’s how every day of my life has gone for the past year: Wake up. Attempt to get out of bed. Think: “no. I must have a broken bone. Must go directly to the ER for an x-ray. I’m going to be in a cast. Maybe I’ll even need surgery. ARRRRRG”. Thirty minutes later: running happily down the street.
Once my foot was loosened up, it didn’t hurt anymore. It would hurt again during the day any time I stood up after sitting for a while, but the plantar fasciitis never kept me from running. HOWEVER…
I also had a pain on the bottom of my foot, towards the outside, and that was what flared up any time I tried to run too far or too fast. I couldn’t seem to convince anyone that it was a separate thing- the doctors I saw kept treating me for plantar fasciitis. I admit that it was confusing, but I just felt that there was something else going on, and finally asked for an MRI.
With the MRI and a new doctor, I finally got a diagnosis that made sense. Plantar fasciitis AND peroneal tendinitis, at the point where the tendon attaches to the bone on the bottom of my foot. AHA! I knew it.
I started a series of shockwave treatments to treat both issues, one every week. This involved a real leap of faith, because for the first three weeks I didn’t see any change in my foot. I’m paying $125 a session, and of course insurance doesn’t cover it. But my doctor was extremely confident in this treatment, AND he said I could continue to run, so I decided to trust him.
For each treatment, he would increase the intensity. I had my fourth- and most painful- treatment on Tuesday. I have a high tolerance for pain (I get my cavities filled without novocaine, for example), but I really had to focus on my breathing to get through it. I had to remind myself that childbirth was worse. Possibly.
When he finished, my doctor said that we would have a three week break, so that “the magic can happen.” OOH! I like the sound of that! He said I should definitely see a change during these weeks, and at the end of that time I would probably need another treatment.
I’ve already started to see little moments of improvement- a couple times where I stood up and expected to feel pain, but it wasn’t there. I know it’s not going to be cured in the next few weeks, but I’m starting to feel a glimmer of hope.
When this is all over- hopefully- I’m going to do a deeper dive into shockwave therapy, why it works, and the exact kind my doctor used. I haven’t done it yet because I don’t want this to be yet another “miracle” cure for plantar fasciitis that doesn’t pan out. My doctor says this has worked for 100% of his patients though, so that post should be coming.
At this point I can’t even remember what it’s like to just get out of bed without limping, hopping, desperately trying to navigate my way to the bathroom. But one of these days… eventually… I’ll be able to do it. And I’ll be able to increase my running speed and distance, without my foot holding me back. I’m excited! Just waiting for the magic to happen.
Do you have a high or low tolerance to pain? – I think women tend to have a high pain tolerance.
Ever had shockwave therapy?
25 Responses
so happy that this has worked. I had considered laser therapy for my neuroma. But it was not covered by insurance and no guarantee that it would work. The pain has lessened considerably… But I have a very high tolerance for pain. I have raced with stress fractures’ and broken bones lol
Oh boy, you do have a high tolerance for pain! It sounds like your neuroma pain has gotten better without expensive treatments- sometimes these things do resolve themselves.
It is quite exciting that this is working for you. I’ll be really interested in hearing final results (hopefully soon!).
I broke my left leg quite spectacularly about ten years ago and ever since then I put too much weight/pressure on my right leg and I have developed plantar fasciitis in it. After lots of physical therapy and an acknowledgement that I can never wear cute shoes again, I have it mostly manageable so it only bothers me when I really overuse it.
Arg! Isn’t it the WORST? I gave up on cute shoes long ago.
Fingers crossed! It really sounds like things are working. Unfortunately I think your experience with having to cycle through doctors to get the right diagnosis is pretty typical.
I will definitely let everyone know if this works. Didn’t you tell me your husband had PF? If mine can be cured, anyone’s can be cured!
I have a very high tolerance, I believe. My first baby arrived three days early and labor was over & done in less than three hours…with no time for pain meds. And I went on to do it two more times (but with some pain assistance, LOL). The two brief episodes with PF were really painful, though. It felt like I had a thumb tack lodged under my heel & it sent a nasty jolt of !OMG! through my arch. I’m hoping this all continues to work well for you!!!
Yes, it’s really crazy how much PF hurts… especially considering that a few minutes later you can be walking around normally. I’m very glad your experiences with were brief!
well, at least it doesn’t last as long as childbirth! LOL So glad to hear that you feel it is working. Fingers crossed for you that you do get your miracle cure
Yes, that’s a good point! It probably hurts as much as childbirth but is much, much shorter.
I haven’t had shockwave therapy, but I don’t think I actually have that high a tolerance for pain. My mom does, though.
I’m so glad that it seems to be working for you (like it did for Coco).
I find my feet speak to me a lot more now. Why is it that we lose fat as we age from the places we want it?
Sounds like you found a great doctor. He’s a keeper!
Ha ha… yes, if I’m going to lose fat from somewhere why can’t it be my stomach?
Yes, I’m loving this doctor- he’s a podiatrist so he can’t help me with everything, but anything foot-related I will be going to him!
I’ve got a pretty high pain tolerance but it really depends in what context. I have high tolerance for dental work.
Feet are another story. I battled a few plantar warts for years. They were painful and getting worse. Sigh. I spent 2 years getting bi-monthly liquid nitrogen treatments and it did nothing. Finally I got sent to a dermatologist. He told me the treatment he was proposing he only did a few times a year and it was the most painful procedure he did. We went ahead with these injections with a particular caustic ingredient ($600 spread over two treatments; thankfully it was covered!). It was the most pain I’ve ever experienced. I do NOT swear very often, but I COULD NOT HELP MYSELF. The dermatologist did not seem surprised!
First a needle getting shoved into your feet over and over again (10X/foot), and then whatever the chemical agent was injected burned like crazy. I couldn’t sleep from the pain for several days and after two weeks when it was just starting to feel better I had to go back and have a second treatment done back inside the same spots.
Want to hear the punchline. It didn’t work! It actually made them worse. What finally cured them was a specialized blend of cancer treatment creams + high-strength salicylic acid (the typical SA treatments did nothing).
Ack! That’s a horrible story. Weirdly, I’ve had two plantar warts but they went away by them selves! CRAZY that I had that experience and you went through all that to get rid of yours (oh and btw I agree they hurt like crazy- it felt like stepping down on a piece of glass.). But, some people have plantar fasciitis and it goes away by itself, and look how much I’m going through to get rid of mine. Feet are weird.
So happy to read that it actually does work and you see an improvement. I am not quiet sure what exactly you have but I need to look it up. There are so many days I get out of bed and can’t put any weight on my foot and feel like I am going to fall. Then I limp around a bit and later it is all fine. It does sound similar. So I am looking forward to read about the “miracle” post.
Hmmm! You might have plantar fasciitis. Is the pain around your heel? Sometimes it just goes away, and sometimes you need some fancy treatments. If yours is plantar fasciitis, I’ll have some suggestions for you!
Oh my, what an ordeal… especially since you’ve been dealing with this for so long and had to “push” your doctor to get you a diagnosis (for separate issues). I feel like doctors are so easy to “dismiss” your symptoms these days and it’s hard to get them to listen and really get to the bottom of your issue.
It sounds though that this shock wave therapy (which I have not have to have, thank goodness!) seems like a glimmer of hope! I am keeping my fingers crossed that it’s working (esp. for the pain you have to endure!)
Thank you San! It has been an ordeal… finding the right doctor is definitely half the battle.
So happy to know that the therapy works and you feel better.
As every man I have a low tolerance to pain.
Keep on running!!!!
Ha ha, thank you! Although you’re a man, I’ll give you a medium tolerance to pain, because you’re a runner.
I really hope you see results soon. I had my son without an epidural and I’m not sure I’d rank that above shockwave therapy on the pain scale. 😉 My Achilles is not 100% — it’s still iffy after a run — but I expect pain or a twinge more often than I feel it! I hope you get to the same point soon!
According to my doctor, the healing continues after the treatments end. Hopefully yours will keep getting better.
Gosh, I’m glad you finally found something that is hopefully going to work for you but it sucks that it costs so much and isn’t covered by insurance! Argh. But I’ll cross my fingers and toes that you can write the follow-up post because it healed your plantar fasciitis!
I have an extremely, extremely low tolerance for pain. 🙂
Ha, okay well then I hope you never need shockwave therapy!
Thanks for the good wishes… I also hope I’ll be writing that follow-up post one of these days.