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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Anyone want to try and diagnose me since doctors can’t?

177 replies

FcukedUpFeet · 01/03/2025 18:38

So I’ve seen several doctors and so far they don’t have a clue, so I thought I’d try and see if anyone on here is bored on a Saturday night and wants to give it a go?

in October last year I went on a hiking trip. Feet got cold and wet, no damage or blisters, just wet. A few days later I got sores on my toes, no where else, just the toes. After 6 weeks, I took some pictures and went to the pharmacist. Pharmacist said chilblains and sold me tiger balm. This didn’t work. Toes started getting very cold and going purple. Sores continued on toes. To be clear- not the feet. Literally just my freezing purple toes. By mid December I gave up on the tiger balm and tried to make a doctors appointment. Except it was too close to Christmas so the appointment wasn’t until the middle of January. By now the sores are either healing and pealing, or rubbing on my toes and bleeding. Doctor looked at my toes and said they’d never seen anything like it. I queried Raynauds syndrome but was told they didn’t think so. The doctor googled Raynauds while I was there and said because my toes aren’t going white, and fingers aren’t affected, it’s unlikely. They checked my pulse in my feet and it’s fine. So I was sent for blood tests.

Blood tests came back to say my white blood cell count is low, not dangerously low, but not where it should be. That’s all it found. So doctor said I don’t need another appointment yet, just another blood test. I had another test on Friday and I’m just waiting for the results. But the doctor clearly doesn’t know what it is. So wise mumsnetters. Any idea what the fuck is wrong with my feet? They’re so painful, shoes hurt and rub until my toes bleed. I’m living in multiple pairs of granny slipper socks and my toes are still so cold they’re purple!

I can add pictures if people want to see (they’re really gross so didn’t want to add at the beginning)

OP posts:
Teddybear23 · 03/03/2025 12:54

I also googled and found - chilblains, blue toe syndrome, gout and gangrene!! You’d have to look up each one to see what they are and how to treat. Good luck 🤞

oldmums · 03/03/2025 13:24

Chilblains and fungal infection,
it's hard to get rid of fungal infections

Eldersib · 03/03/2025 13:26

I have this and it’s chillblaines (confirmed by a podiatrist). They will heal up but need to stay warm and on soft shoes. I have foamy insoles in all my shoes. Once the weather warms up mine start to heal up. This year I had it less badly than last year as I know what it is and how to manage it.

2 pairs of thermal socks all winter and I still get them! Mine do not itch. I had to see a podiatrist to find out what they were as they don’t itch. However the toes do peel

Eldersib · 03/03/2025 13:30

Ok also for everyone saying the balm should have helped, no that’s for preventing them or them getting worse. The sores need to heal and when it’s really cold, I find that it’s just hard to heal them up. Mine can be really deep in my toes (a blood blister) that then bursts or nearer the surface. The tiger balm can help manage it but nothing heals mine apart from time and warmer weather ie not constant exposure to cold

FcukedUpFeet · 03/03/2025 16:07

Thanks for all the help! As many suggested, I contacted a local podiatrist today. They asked for a description of symptoms and photos and (drum roll) say it’s Raynauds which has caused severe chilblains. Doctors don’t have blood results yet but I’ll be requesting it formally diagnosed now as many of you have said it’s important to have on my records. So pleased I asked on here, I’d have never thought of contacting the podiatrist without the suggestions, I thought they were more for breaks and fractures than illness of the foot!

thank you!

OP posts:
Anotherparkingthread · 03/03/2025 16:18

FcukedUpFeet · 03/03/2025 16:07

Thanks for all the help! As many suggested, I contacted a local podiatrist today. They asked for a description of symptoms and photos and (drum roll) say it’s Raynauds which has caused severe chilblains. Doctors don’t have blood results yet but I’ll be requesting it formally diagnosed now as many of you have said it’s important to have on my records. So pleased I asked on here, I’d have never thought of contacting the podiatrist without the suggestions, I thought they were more for breaks and fractures than illness of the foot!

thank you!

Did your fingers or toes go white at any point? I have Raynaud's and you can feel it. It's like a soft pins and needles and then the colour drains out of the finger or toe for a period of time. If this happened and you didn't treat it then maybe, but honestly Raynaud's comes with a sensation and you would know it's like a cross between severe numbness and mild pins and needles.

Raynaud's over a certain age also needs to be investigated as it's caused by a restriction in blood flow and if it onsets later in life it can my a symptom of much worse health conditions, and not true Raynaud's.

FcukedUpFeet · 04/03/2025 15:15

@Anotherparkingthread my toes never go purple. My fingers sometimes go bright red when my hands go white but that’s the opposite of Raynauds I think? I never feel pins and needles in my toes, they’re just sore? I’m mid 30s so not sure if that counts as later in life?

OP posts:
Idontwannadance1 · 06/03/2025 10:36

Sorry if I have missed it but would seeing a podiatrist help?

Idontwannadance1 · 06/03/2025 10:38

Sorry ignore I’ve just seen your making an appointment. Good luck

DearDenimEagle · 06/03/2025 15:37

FcukedUpFeet · 04/03/2025 15:15

@Anotherparkingthread my toes never go purple. My fingers sometimes go bright red when my hands go white but that’s the opposite of Raynauds I think? I never feel pins and needles in my toes, they’re just sore? I’m mid 30s so not sure if that counts as later in life?

Confused..the first post says “Toes started getting very cold and going purple. Sores continued on toes. “

FcukedUpFeet · 06/03/2025 18:46

@DearDenimEagle sorry, I meant my fingers never go purple. My toes are permanently purple at the moment 🤦🏼‍♀️

OP posts:
FcukedUpFeet · 06/03/2025 18:48

Just another update, I saw the doctor again today who has said she wants to put me on a medication which will help the Raynauds and lowers my (already low!) blood pressure. She’s also referred me to rheumatology for my feet and haematology for my low white blood count. Feel like I’ve really got somewhere. Thank you for all the help!

OP posts:
DearDenimEagle · 06/03/2025 20:27

I’m glad you’re getting somewhere. I hope they can help you.

Sturmundcalm · 07/03/2025 09:12

FcukedUpFeet · 06/03/2025 18:48

Just another update, I saw the doctor again today who has said she wants to put me on a medication which will help the Raynauds and lowers my (already low!) blood pressure. She’s also referred me to rheumatology for my feet and haematology for my low white blood count. Feel like I’ve really got somewhere. Thank you for all the help!

I got put on that type of medication for my raynauds (with low blood pressure) but stopped it because it made my face flush really badly...

TheFatCatsWhiskers1 · 07/03/2025 12:35

I'm glad you're making progress with it @FcukedUpFeet. I'm seeing a GP the week after next about something else (although possibly related) after mentioning to another HCP I suspected I have POTs or MCAS. Unbeknown to me she wrote to the GP to ask them to get in touch with me, which is just as well as I probably wouldn't have booked the appointment.

I got the start of another one last week but I've been wearing three pairs of socks and it hasn't turned into much. My toes are still going white > purple > red though. I also don't get it in my fingers that I've noticed.

FluentOP · 08/03/2025 18:35

I’m thinking maybe Trench Foot (Immersion Foot Syndrome).

jrc1071 · 08/03/2025 19:21

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AndreaB220 · 09/03/2025 10:36

Hope you not still going swimming, if its fungal it could be contagious

FcukedUpFeet · 10/03/2025 15:16

@AndreaB220 i wear swim socks

OP posts:
Happy2ndtime · 10/03/2025 22:49

I suffered with sores and splits on my feet for months. It started out as athlete's foot but wouldn't respond to the usual ointments. I also tried everything the various GPs I saw prescribed without success. Then my "foot lady" who comes to our house to look after my feet and my husband's said one of her other clients who had had a similar problem had used something called Footmender Diabetic and it had sorted her problem. I'm not diabetic but paid Amazon £30 + and it worked!!!Joy!!
You can now be prescribed Footmender by your GP....

six666 · 10/03/2025 23:28

It looks like COVID toes to me. I had exactly the same, GPand practice nurse laughed when I mentioned COVID toes and insisted it was athletes foot, none of the treatments for that made the slightest improvement, private podiatrist wasn't sure but gave me cream for chilblains which didn't help, in desperation I consulted a pharmacist who agreed with me that it looked like COVID toes but said nobody really knew much about it so there was no treatment but it would likely go away eventually which it did (after almost a year of me only using tea tree lotion on them)

six666 · 10/03/2025 23:38

FcukedUpFeet · 06/03/2025 18:48

Just another update, I saw the doctor again today who has said she wants to put me on a medication which will help the Raynauds and lowers my (already low!) blood pressure. She’s also referred me to rheumatology for my feet and haematology for my low white blood count. Feel like I’ve really got somewhere. Thank you for all the help!

It doesn't sound like Raynaud's to me but I'm no expert just very sceptical about blindly accepting what medical people say. If you already have low blood pressure you might want to have a think about taking medication that could potentially lower it even more....

SparklyBrickViper · 11/03/2025 13:41

Can I recommend Akileine Winter Cream when they are very sore tender. (Amazon sell it). It’s very soothing - whilst you wait for medication further medical care.

I have something similar and when they are sore they are sore!

FcukedUpFeet · 24/04/2025 18:36

just wanted to do a quick update because so many of you were so helpful, I saw the rheumatologist today and have been sent for tests as she thinks it’s lupus! Not the answer I wanted but at least it’s getting checked

OP posts:
CamillaMacauley · 24/04/2025 18:49

FcukedUpFeet · 24/04/2025 18:36

just wanted to do a quick update because so many of you were so helpful, I saw the rheumatologist today and have been sent for tests as she thinks it’s lupus! Not the answer I wanted but at least it’s getting checked

Glad you seem to be getting somewhere. Out of interest have you tried asking ChatGPT by telling them your symptoms and showing them a photo? I find it very good for this sort of thing. It diagnosed dh’s weird skin condition after the GP had no clue!