My fucking feet are driving me nuts!!

[Gingernaut]

I'm 48 and I'm in the middle of yet another health, fitness and weight loss drive.

I have lost over three stones but need to increase my levels of fitness, tone up, build up stamina yadda, yadda yadda....

I need to lose about another 3 stones as I am less than five feet tall, petite with very small bones - a sparrow skeleton hidden by a penguin body.

Over the years, I have tried different gyms, but have always had to bow out.

Apathy mainly, but in recent years, I have acquired swim ears (requiring the perfect ear plugs which don't seem to have been invented yet), post viral labyrinthitis (leaving me too giddy to be safe on equipment) and I even managed to sprain my arse (coccydynia anyone?).

Now however, I am thoroughly fed up.

I have had trouble with my feet over the years.

Being so fat for so long, my gait has adapted so I waddle like a penguin. This has resulted in problems with my feet as I stand and walk with my feet pointing out almost in a ballet position.

Bilateral plantar fasciitis (the injection!! ), a variety of orthotics to accommodate that, followed by a left Morton's neuroma with another set of orthotics and a left bunion all of which have left me with limited shoe options.

No heels, no flats, very few sandal options, nothing with toe posts, my DMs require special care to breal them in, or else they'll break me.

I have finally joined another gym.

I have taken advantage of the three free personal sessions and have now taken on a personal trainer.

And i have acquired another, right sided, Morton's neuroma.

I am in fucking agony with a pebble or blister sensation under my right foot as I walk. The toes alternate between stinging, pins and needling and numb and I can wear only two pairs of trainers.

I have seen the doctor who has referred me to the podiatrist for yet another pair of orthotics but this will take 6-8 weeks.

Meanwhile, all the good work the personal trainer has done is slowly coming unravelled.

I can't do the treadmill, I can't do the cross trainer, I can't do the rowing machine, I can't do the leg press, i can't do lunges, press ups and so on and so forth.

Yesterday was awful. I went limping around the local park and had to stop a couple of times as my feet (bunion's playing up as well) were so painful.

I don't want to stop now.

Would I Be Unreasonable to consider going private for possible surgery?

I can afford it, as I was left a large inheritance.

The alternative is a 6-8 week wait just to see someone who's only going to give me another pair of orthotics (I already have a pair for neuromas) and then I have to report back in 4 weeks time to see if they're working.

I'm fed up, in pain and don't want to have to do that all over again.

Would I Be Unreasonable?

Has anyone else had something similar?

Would they recommend a particular course of treatment?

This place is starting to turn my head.

www.cryosurgery.co.uk/cryosurgery/

[MindSweeper]

If you can afford it and it'll improve your life why not!

[GoldFishFingerz]

Cycling? Swimming?

[Gingernaut]

Wow, MindSweeper, that was fast.

That's what I'm telling myself.

Actually volunteering to pay for surgery without my GP referring me is a scary step.

[Gingernaut]

Cycling - the labyrinthitis means my sense of balance is poor. The pedals on the gym cycle hurt me as well even when we managed to set the bloody seat low enough.

Swimming - the ear 'thing'.

[RattataPidgeyRattataPidgey]

I'm sure you've heard and know this, but weight loss is 80% diet. I understand you want to build muscle and get fitter as well, but this doesn't sound too practical right now. I've had something that either was or mimicked Morton's neuroma, and by God, I don't know how you went out for a walk round a park. I was told to just stay home until it got better. Instead I went and asked for some crutches (gave myself horrendous back and neck pain, but whatever, I couldn't just stay indoors for weeks).

So I guess my main message is - I sympathise greatly, but maybe you need to separate the issues with your need to lose more weight. Just a little. I understand it would make it a lot easier if you could continue to pile on the exercise, but it's not strictly necessary. It could be very convenient though.

[RattataPidgeyRattataPidgey]

Also from a quick look on that website it seems the evidence for the procedure is lacking, and you'd be out of action for a considerable amount of time. That makes it rather less appealing compared to the alternative, surely.

[idontlikealdi]

If it's that bad will your dreams not refer you for surgery. I have one on my left foot and luckily it only hurts in certain shoes. When it does hurt though it is really fucking painful.

My dr has mentioned it as an option but wants to try the steroid injections first. I've put it off for now as I'm a wimp.

What sort of shoes are you wearing? Have you got enough space in the toe box of your gym trainers?

[MumOnTheRunCatchingUp]

I'd do it!

You don't just need good feet to exercise..... But you need them all through life

Do it op.... Get researching success stories

[Gingernaut]

Yep.

The diet is working and the exercise was producing noticeable results too - I felt better in myself (although not at the time I was in the gym) and could see the difference fitness wise.

Just to add to the awkward, an RSI means crutches would be extremely difficult to use.

I'm sick of being limited by my own body and constantly being told "can't, can't, can't" is frustrating.

To find my body apparently finding excuses to do stuff most people take for granted is fucking frustrating.

[FinallyHere]

Agreeing with PP re mostly diet (I'm back on the low carb waggon, myself) but getting your feet sorted is a really great thing. Its a different approach to the one you have been following, but there are the people who sorted out my feet www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006NZA93Y/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Amazon told me i bought this in 2011, I didn't realise it was so long ago. Not an instant process but certainly sorted me out, hope you fund what works for you

[Gingernaut]

I have four shelves of hundreds of pounds worth of shoes, of which I can wear a pair of day glo orange trainers and a pair of grey trainers with a pair of generic, shop bought orthotics with a metatarsal pad which improve things slightly.

Hopefully, they'll do until the podiatrist's appointment comes around.

[PragmaticWench]

I've had a Morton's neuroma and it was excruciating, like icy fire at times. If I had another I'd be going private if necessary, just for the pain. You have added reasons, you'd be mad to wait, it won't improve.

[Gingernaut]

In my PP, I already have no sandals, no heels, no flip flops, no flats.

Cosy Feet, Ecco, Rohde, Reiker, Padders and Seibel.

All big, clumpy, ugly shoes.

Have to go - I'm preparing for a night shift.

[RattataPidgeyRattataPidgey]

Do it op.... Get researching success stories
This is not strictly the way to go about weighing up the risks and costs vs benefits...

[Gingernaut]

Do it op.... Get researching success stories

This is not strictly the way to go about weighing up the risks and costs vs benefits...

With you there RattataPidgeyRattataPidgey

I think I've put this in the wrong part of the forum and given it the wrong title.

What have other peoples' experiences been?

Surgery? Orthotics? Physiotherapy? Private? NHS?

[Spring2016]

I find my most comfortable shoes, for my feet, back, hips and even neck (widespread osteoarthritis) are Nike athletic shoes, with custom insoles inside. I have some of your aforementioned clunky looking shoes, they are ok feet wise but cripple the rest of my body.

[Gingernaut]

Yup.

Got the Nikes.

The dayglo orange pair are very office appropriate....

[LozzaChops]

Can you balance enough to do seated resistance training?

I'm with you on the bilateral p.f, good grief it's miserable.

Swim ear - I also had this for the first few months of swimming. I did eventually find earplugs that worked for me but I persevered because I loved the swimming so much. I couldn't drive after a swim or anything because I got sudden extreme dizziness to the point of hitting the deck. If you can find some that work I think swimming would be ideal for you, although labyrinthitis as well...I can see the complications.

[happylittlevegemites]

Podiatrist to the rescue ;)

Personally, if you came to me with a bag full of orthoses and insoles - assuming they were appropriate and you've being wearing them - I'd be tempted to pop a steroid injection into that sooner rather than later. But then I'm in private. If that doesn't help, then surgical excision (by a pod surgeon or orthopod).

I've not yet seen any good evidence that the cryo thing works.

[FrogFairy]

I also have have problem feet so understand your misery. If there is a chance of improvement then go for it.

I am sure you have probably already tried them but I would like to add to your list of fugly shoes Crocs, Skechers Go Walk and DB Shoes.

[happylittlevegemites]

Actually, I think DB shoes are pretty good, especially their summer sandles as they have closed heels which is good for fitting orthoses.

[Foslady]

Can I just say thank you OP, I now know why I'm in pain with my heel now 6 weeks after the damn gym session

[Gingernaut]

If it's your heel, then seek help for achilles tendon problems or plantar fasciitis.

Neuromas cause metatarsalgia which is pain in the forefoot/toes.

I have discovered a fresh hell.

The bobbly paving slabs the LA use to signal to the blind that they've found a safe place to cross.

They. Hurt. Like. Fuck.

[Gingernaut]

No. I'll tell you what hurts more than that - the dayglo orange trainers have decided they don't like me now either.

The right bunion, which until last night was minimal is currently doing my head in.

In spite of loose laces and fabric uppers, the Nikes have become desperately painful.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

When I went to the GP, she conferred with a colleague and they came up with blister plasters.

I'm barely able to walk. I just want to cry.

[cabbagefordinner]

After months of what felt like walking on a pebble in my shoe, an ultrasound showed it to be a Morton's Neuroma. Couple of weeks later I had an ultrasound guided cortisone injection. It was cured within 48 hours and I was back running in 3 weeks. Although cortisone is supposed to last 5ish months it has never come back in 18 months.