Medical advice sought: Sudden onset burning foot/feet, excrutiating pain in big toe

In My Humble Opinion
41

I read that, too. That symptom consists of lesions similar to what people get when they have frostbite. Thank goodness I don’t have that.

Oh please, use all the fucking, goddamn, piece of shit bad language you want to in my threads! :smiley: It’s wholly justified in too many ways to enumerate. Thanks for the good wishes.

I picked up my five prednisone pills a while ago and I’ll start them tomorrow morning. The doc’s office and the pharmacy said take in the morning with food. Apparently they can get people all hyped up. I’m already pretty hyper and my sleep is crap, so the earlier the better.

I want to get back to walking! I had finally made it a habit that I look forward to every day-- it’s taken me my whole life to get to that point. I have always hated P.E., sports, exercise classes, and anything that requires movement and leads to sweating (except one thing that is probably off the table forever). Not to mention I throw my elderly (even older than I am! :eek:) neighbor’s paper up on his porch when I walk by so he doesn’t have to come down to the street to get it.

I’m on IB every 4 hours today and the pain is level 2-3. Have to take my dog for a short walk in a bit and that will test it. Doc’s office said not to take IB any more while I’m on prednisone because the combo can cause stomach bleeding. She said to take tylenol, but I never buy it and don’t have any. The few times I’ve taken it, I don’t feel like it did any good. It’s always something <channeling Roseanne Roseannadanna >.

42

Be sure to search old Dope threads on gout. There’s been a lot of good info posted.

43

:smack:

Why didn’t I think of that? Thx.

44

I have had several attacks starting when I was about 40. I did not know what it was at the time, and when told I had gout I said “No, that’s something my dad gets!”

While it sounds like you have been stable on whatever meds and conditions you are living with for a while, AIUI our chemistry does change as we age. In my case, it just eventually caught-up with me. I have managed to sort-out what works for me in terms of preventing attacks, altho I could not pinpoint specific triggers: more exercise, more water, no soft drinks, less alcohol, less animal protein, less sugar. I suspect there is not a one-size fits all remedy. For me, the big one is proper hydration - dehydration is a gateway for lots of little things to start happening, like dominoes. Otherwise, I adjust as life happens: one day a meaty meal, next two days vegetarian. Pee is yellow, start pounding the water. I have not eliminated anything from my diet, but I do have to pay attention. It’s been several years since my last attack.

I will say that stress can be a trigger even when doing everything else right. These days stress is definitely a factor to keep an eye on - it is probably throwing all of our body chemistry out of whack.

I will tell you colchisine has, for me, severe GI side effects. While it does treat the situation, you cannot be more than 20 feet from a toilet while it is doing it’s thing. Just be prepared for that if you are prescribed it.

It is the worst pain I have had to endure - unrelenting and no relief. I am told by a friend his mother experienced both gout and childbirth and said gout was more painful.

45

The pain you’re describing sounds just like my gout. Sorry to hear it, because I know how painful it is. Your Dr. can absolutely treat it. I take 200mg Allopurinol Allopurinol: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects - Drugs.com
every day, and it works. Also, if you look into dietary gout stuff no one is going to mention yeast. You’ll hear all about “rich” foods, shellfish, etc. But I cut out everything I should have, and had another episode. I also had 10 gallons of homebrew fermenting in the basement, 2 containers, each with a nice thick layer of yeast and stuff at the bottom. Out of nowhere my doctor asked me about yeast. I said: “Yeah, there’s lot’s in my basement waiting for ingestion. You’re about to take away the only hobby I really enjoyed, aren’t you?”

But since being aware of the yeast factor, and popping 200mg Allopurinol every day, not a problem for probably the last 5 or 6 years.
Don’t chop your toe off with a shovel like I wanted to. If it is gout, it’s treatable.

46

Just make sure that you are fully over the symptoms before starting allopurinol. It can temporarily increase the uric acid levels when you first start taking it so can precipitate an attack. Glad your doctor prescribed the prednisone.When you really truly need antiinflammatory medication, there is nothing better. Also, don’t be freaked out if your sugar goes up because it will spike while you are on the prednisone.

47

Indomethacin is really hard on the stomach, and guess what? My dad had had a bleeding ulcer, so no indomethacin for him. The doctor did, however, give him some samples of Celebrex, which was a fairly new drug at the time, and he said that worked quite well.

48

There seems to be some good medical advice here, and I have none further to offer except for the general idea of being your own patient advocate if there is no one else there to do it for you.

I’m reminded of the time I went to my PCP with extreme pain in the chest area, definitely not heart-related, but I thought it might be appendicitis. My doctor at the time – very competent (he was the head of Family Practice at a major hospital) – but also very medically conservative, correctly diagnosed it as a fractured rib. And prescribed Tylenol-3 for it.

After yet another sleepless and painful night, the next day I managed to somehow stagger back into my car and roar back to his office. I was so freaking mad and in pain that I don’t remember if I even made an appointment – I was ready to just barge in and demand something that freaking worked! In the end, after all the appropriate cautions, he prescribed Demerol, an opioid that can make you high as a kite, but goddam, I was finally able to sleep at night. By the time it was used up, the fracture was healed, and all was fine.

49

You are so right. One of the hardest things about living alone and being completely without family is handling your own medical situations alone. I was always an excellent (sometimes life-saving) advocate for the men I’ve known. None of them were ever that for me, and back then, didn’t have to be. I am as diligent for myself as I have been for others. I don’t put things off. I never want to hear a doctor say, “If only you had come in sooner…” But when you already feel like shit and you’re scared and emotionally disoriented, it can get difficult. Especially in the middle of the night. :frowning:

In the past, when whoever I was with had a medical concern or an emergency (and there have been a few white-knuckle nights in the ER over the last 40 years), he could just surrender to it, knowing I would take care of everything-- getting him wherever, calling 911, taking care of his pets, calling his children, locking up his home (if we didn’t live together), going to his home to pick up whatever he needed, and on and on. He was in great hands and could just concentrate on being sick and getting well.

I have never had that luxury (even when I was married, because my husband was ALWAYS sicker than I could ever be). When I had my lumpectomy five years ago, my good friend (not boyfriend-- just a very close friend) picked me up and drove me home, but he *didn’t even come in the house! *Both times when I had cataract surgery, my next door neighbor took me.

I know people can’t **always **count on their children or partners, but **many **can. I was estranged from my mother for 40 years, but when she needed someone (as she had alienated her siblings, nieces, nephews, etc. all of whom lived near her) I stepped up because there was no one else. I moved her to my city, found an assisted living residence, made sure she was okay, visited her, did her laundry every week, dealt with staff and doctors, and ultimately with the funeral home. I did it because it was the right thing to do, not out of love, sad to say.

Sorry for the early morning whine-and-cheese fest, but this is one of the most troubling issues I see in my future-- no one to “take care of things” for me the way I did for others. I see my mother’s fate as mine, with no daughter to come crawling out of the woodwork. Maybe fate will surprise me.

50

Just as another possibility: My wife had a terrible pain around her big toe joint. An x-ray showed she had a tiny stress fracture. Her foot is now in a cast.

51

Wow! That’s interesting. Thx.

52

You might want to look at intentional neighborhoods, which seem to be forming in at least some west coast cities. The idea is that neighbors are available to help each other out, share tools, etc. Seems sort of moshav-like.

53

I feel I should say something in response to what I thought was a very moving personal essay, even if only to make that observation. You do seem to be doing a good job of looking after yourself, though, and I wish you many more years of good health so you can continue doing so.

Living alone, as I do too, has its upsides and downsides. Sometimes it’s more important to have a few good friends or neighbors that you can rely on than to have extended family in the area. I have a niece and nephew in the general area though not at all nearby, and though they are kind and generous people, they have families of their own and I rarely see them except on the rare occasions when my brother arrives like a hurricane on one of his rushed whirlwind visits from the US. My son is wrapped up in his own life and issues. My strongest support comes from my wonderful ex-wife, who is a pillar of emotional strength and sensibility. We’ve become very close over the years, helping each other out with many things, although if we’re together too long, I begin to remember why we got divorced. I swear we would still be happily married if we lived in separate houses and only saw each other once a week! :smiley:

Hope your gout or whatever it turns out to be resolves itself soon. Part of my point about patient advocacy is don’t put up with needless pain and demand what you need. I’m also a believer – though many including some doctors would disagree – in pharmaceutical solutions to temporary emotional issues. I have no problem with Valium or Xanax for stress, SSRIs like Prozac for mild depression, or zopiclone for insomnia. The other parts of patient advocacy, whether on behalf of yourself or someone else, is being informed about tests and treatment options, making informed decisions, and insisting on them. Medicine should be regarded as a collaboration between doctor and patient, not an infallible edict from the doctor alone.

54

Wolfpup, thank you for your wise and thoughtful reply. :slight_smile: For some, living apart is the ONLY way. The guy I dated after my husband died had a house in town and I lived in the country. We went back and forth with my two dogs. It was ideal.

Susan, I have my eye on a retirement community where I plan to move in the next 10-ish years. I’m already known there.

55

I got COVID toes! ANd clicked the thread to suggest this. I had them for 3 weeks- couldn’t figure out why my 5 year old shoes were giving me “blisters” and hot spots. Almost like ingrown toenail sharpness but nowhere near the right places. I couldn’t have sheets on them due to too much pressure. And finally 6 days ago I read a european article on COVID toes in Italy, and go get a test (negative after 3 days). But my low oxygenation and first migraine last week can all be explained. I felt 1000% better by test time.

So COVID toes are really surprisingly painful!

56

UPDATE: prednisone is doing the trick. This morning I will take pill #3 of 5. Pain negligible-- level 1-2. I might be able to walk this morning. :slight_smile:

57

The books are enjoyable. Not great literature, they follow a fairly simple formula, but it gives an interesting view into a period not many of us (certainly not us USAians) know about. Ordinary people doing ordinary things. And then, of course, somebody dropping dead.
The TV show is a mixed bag, the first season or two were pretty good. Then somebody got hold of it who seriously hated the books. And the characters. And the setting. And pretty much every thing else.

58

Yeah, don’t ever invite Brother Cadfael, Father Brown, Miss Marple, or Jessica Fletcher to… well, to anything. :smiley:

These days I like a simple formula. I don’t want any rude surprises. That’s why I’m rewatching all of Father Brown and Miss Marple. I think I’ll watch the whole Brother Cadfael series again, too.

Since I’m here I’ll update a bit more… the prednisone has taken care of the pain. PCP’s ofc put me on 20 mg/day for 5 days. That’s a pretty hefty dose. My post just above was at 4:33 am when I awoke pain-free but otherwise feeling like crap. Edgy, stomach upset, GI distress. At that point I had only taken 2 pills. I broke pill #3 in half (it was scored, not time-release) and only took 10 mg. I have a call into the PCP’s office, but unless she’s violently opposed, I don’t plan to take any more. This isn’t like an antibiotic where you have to finish the course. Dr. Google says that being on it for only two days won’t cause withdrawal.

59

I have gout. I keep it at bay, usually, by not eating beef or pork and other triggers such as shellfish. Tart cherries (I get the dried ones at Aldi) seem to be prophylactic. I took cherry extract pills I got at Walmart for a while and they seemed to help, but who knows? Indomethacin does work wonders for the pain. My problem is I take a lot of other meds that sort of preclude long-term treatment. So far, I’ve only had two intolerable events in about four years. I sure wish this Covid stuff will back off so I can travel to an Aldi to restock on the cherries!

60

:cool:

That’s fantastic! Hope this is the first and last time you need them.