Achilles' tendonitis for Laurie

[Guest guest]

> I went to a doctor last year about the tendinitis and he gave me a

> shot which helped for a few weeks.

Most likely cortisone. I was about to get a shot of that when my pain

*finally* disappeared for now(knock wood).

Back in 1999, from walking barefoot on concrete floors (thanks to my

white-glove stepmom who doesn't allow anyone with shoes to walk on her

floors) I developed plantars fasciitis in the left foot. No matter what 2

different podiatrists in 2 states did the pain continued until one morning I

woke up and it was gone. That took over 4 years of stretching exercise,

meds, heat & ice. A few months after that I turned my foot the wrong way

when exercising and got the Achilles' tendonitis in the right foot. Again

with the meds, stretching, ice & heat. It got so bad I was walking with a

cane on *good* days, and on bad days I could barely put weight on it.

Eventually my podiatrist said one of hte last things to try would be a new

set of orthotics for my shoes, so he made new molds and in a few weeks I had

the new orthotics for the shoes. Those things hurt my feet more than walking

barefoot, but I kept them in, anyway. The doc said if the pain wasn't any

better by my next visit he would start me on both injectable and oral

steroids.

In less than a month the pain was gone. It's now about a month later and

although I still have some arthritis pain & stiffness when I wake up, once I

put those shoes on my feet and start moving around my feet feel as good as

they did a decade ago. The past 2 weeks I've gotten back into walking

outdoors for exercise, something I used to do almost 20 years ago.

The Florida doctor told me I would have to lose 50 pounds to make the pain

go away, and that was when I was 20 pounds lighter than I am now. I *gained*

almost 50 pounds when I was forced to stop my regular exercise & walking

routine because of the foot pain and my neiritis in my neck, which also

happened 3 months before the foot. My local doc, a BIG guy himself, said

losing weight *might* do some good, but there's no guarantee. In my case,

the pain went away without losing any significant amount of weight and I'm

still 20 pounds heavier than when I first got the fasciitis in 1999.

>That's why I

> was asking for hints as my new doctor seems to have very little idea

> what to do about it.

By now you probably know all about the stretching exercises, the advice to

wear shoes at all times and to make sure those shoes have a slight heel to

them (about 1 " ), alternate heat & ice on the bad foot, to get up and walk on

it, even though it hurts like heck. I also strongly suggest you check with

your medical insurance to see if they cover custom orthotics for your shoes.

Mine cost about $400 plus doctor's office fee but my insurance covered about

half of that. I do believe that it was the new orthotic that finally got rid

of my foot pain. If the insurance *doesn't* cover it, then the next best

thing is a store-bought one of good quality. My doc always recommends Spenco

brand, that it keeps its shape the longest and has the firmest arch support.

Good luck. I *do* know what you're going through and would never wish it on

anyone.

Sue in NJ

way behind in email again