To tell my Gp and physio they are wrong?

[Iwannabeacrocodilehunter]

I started suffering with plantar fasciitis early in the year, and as unpleasant as it was, it was generally bearable after the first few minutes in the morning, or after being sat down. I come to know that horrible pain, very very well.

However, the past 6 months, the pain changed to mostly affect the nerves in the bottom of my foot and the nerves that travel up the inside of my ankle. The pain comes on suddenly throughout the day, regardless of what I’m doing (I can be asleep) and it shoots about like I’ve had acid injected, and burns the inside of my foot and ankle. The pain is excruciating.

After doing my own research (yes I know) I have come to the conclusion that I am dealing with ‘Baxter’s Nerve Entrapment’.

However, three GPs and a physio seem to absolute DENY the existence of this condition, and keep telling me it’s PF. One even said ‘I don’t think it’s Bolshers’.

Am I being unreasonable to demand (politely) they look Baxter’s up. Or perhaps take a print off for them? I can’t afford to go private and no one is taking my concern seriously.

Is Baxter’s Nerve Entrapment not a thing in the UK?

I've never heard of it. Maybe ask them to refer you to podiatry/ a foot surgeon for assessment.

You are not a doctor! I know you’ve researched and come to your own conclusions but self diagnosis isn’t the best thing to do.

Sorry, I’m not saying this in a rude way, I just wondered if you are a doctor (name suggests) and if Baxter’s nerve entrapment is not a known issue with most doctors?

Good idea to ask for referral. I will do that thank you.

I do understand I’m not a doctor, but when I type my symptoms into Google, Baxter’s Nerve Entrapment comes up…and it’s the only thing that I read that resonates with me.
Its then frustrating when professionals Pooh-Pooh what I am trying to tell them. I just want them to consider it.

I think you should ask to be referred to a podiatrist. Would you be able to afford a single visit to a private one? Where I live it's about £40 - £60 for an initial visit which I appreciate may be out of reach for many people but if this is just about within your reach it may be worth considering.
I went to one on this basis and they referred me on to the NHS specialist at my nearest hospital, so it was the cost of the initial visit well spent.
If you can't go this route then do keep asking your GP or physio to refer you on.

I would, I've had to fight for treatment when I knew what was wrong and gp and specialist dismissed me. I was right and the treatment was life changing.

You may be right but a quick Google shows that the treatments are the same for both - are you strapping your foot everyday? Doing calf stretches/exercises? Taking NSAIDs?

Fighting for a diagnosis might be useful if the treatment isn’t working after a reasonable amount of time but until you can show you’ve been doing all of the above I would save my breath

I think I could manage that, especially if it was just an initial appointment. I thought that if you went private, you had to stay private for the whole treatment, so that would be worth looking into. I’ll do that now. Thank you for posting.

Well I've just googled it and it's definitely a real thing so you're not being unreasonable for that alone.
I think you might need to pay to see a private specialist. My trust in GPs is rock bottom after they blatantly denied damaging me with a medication - since vindicated by a consultant so they have to believe me now, but it took a fight.

I saw a neurologist privately and he took me straight on as NHS after the initial consultation so I didn't have to self-fund my MRI.

I just want someone to actually consider that this might not be PF. I feel I’m being written off and so I have no hope left in the minimal treatment I have had.

Every time I go to physio and he asks ‘any improvement?’ I want to scream ‘no! Obviously not, because you’re treating the wrong damn thing!’

Oh, another bit of advice. If you do go private, contact them beforehand (I emailed) to make sure they're indeed aware of the condition so that you don't waste your time and money.

Yes I am doing everything. I am strapping; stretching, icing, taking NSAIDs what I can’t do is roll or massage as it sets off the nerve pain. I feel if they could give me the injection of the anaesthetic, I could (a) walk property again and (b) doing the massage that is needed.

I’ve been doing all this for 6 months and the nerve pain is still unbearable. It also makes me feel unsteady as sometimes I can’t feel my foot at all for a second.

That’s amazing. I’m clearly going to have to self fund initially.

Will do, thank you.

Thank you all. I’ve just emailed a private clinic with my suspicions about Baxter’s and a request for a consultation. Fingers crossed.

I don’t have the condition you are talking about, but I did have crippling pain in one foot and the doctor, whose consultation was over the phone (!) said it was ‘a matter of pain relief’. I went privately and got a proper diagnosis and treatment. I know you say you can’t afford it, but if there is any way you could manage that, you might at least get someone who can be bothered to listen to you. I sympathise. Good luck.

Dr google?

Thank you. I have now looked into private care. I hope you have had a fast recovery too.

I know this is probably telling my grandmother how to suck eggs, but DSis who had very persistent PF causing serious pain found it made a difference when she got some trainers from a shoe shop which really knew what it was doing in terms of shoes to cater for sporting injuries and podiatric conditions.

4 qualified health care professionals vs your googling….,
get a private opinion.

I’ve bought Vionics and Hoka. Both for feet. It has made a difference to the original PF definitely, but not to the nerve pain.

but thank you.

You're very specific about something that might have many causes. It would be better to actually reduce that specificity of diagnosis when speaking to a doctor or podiatrist and focus instead on the detail of the actual symptoms, it sounds like that is getting lost a bit in the conversations. E.g. "I have pain higher up in my foot, and it hurts when I'm not putting pressure on it, so I think a nerve might be inflamed." Write down clearly how the pain presents; is it tingling / numbness / stabbing, as well as when it occurs, how often and how long for. Show them a week's diary of when it occurs. Steer clear of specifying neuritis etc, let them actually help.

Have you been tested for diabetes and B12 deficiency yet?

I’ve had PF on and off for about seven years and recognise the kind of pains you say, but mine are pains that come and go, not constant over seven years. When I get a flare up it is almost always because I haven’t been wearing laced up trainers or walking boots 24/7. I don’t have slippers any more. I only have lace up shoes in house, too, that anchor my heel. Pretty difficult in summer and never bare feet.

i had acupuncture from a nhs podiatrist and shoe splints. I can self refer to the podiatrist if I get a flare up. my lovely GP said he would refuse an injection if I was offered ti him as its quite unpleasant but try everything else

Hope you get resolved soon. No fun.

Not one of those professionals has even asked me to take a shoe off. Two were over the phone.