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Original poster

Bone "lump" on foot - what could it be?

29 replies

Wenchelda · 17/05/2014 07:47

Hi, a couple of weeks ago my left foot started hurting - sore on the top as if someone had stamped on it or something - however i don't recall doing anything to it. A few days later i noticed a hard lump on the top, feels like its my bone sticking up. I thought i'd obviously knocked it or something and it would get better/go away by itself and the discomfort did ease after a few more days.

However today and yesterday when i've walked to work (so more walking than other days), my foot is hurting again and the lump of bone is still sticking up. It also hurts (and is quite difficult) to flex my toes up IYSWIM.

I stupidly googled and the first thing that popped up as a result of "hard bony lump on foot" was about a bone tumour so now i am panicking. Does anyone have any idea what it might be? Thanks.

OP posts:

Original poster

Wenchelda · 17/05/2014 14:00

Anyone?

OP posts:

elevenfifteen · 17/05/2014 21:30

Possibly a ganglion? I believe they can be hard. I hope you feel better soon x

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 17/05/2014 22:10

Sorry but when my mum had cancer and it spread to her bones, the first thing she noticed was a hard lump and it was definitely bone. Please just go and get it checked out. And then come back and tell me that I was completely wrong and I'll be very pleased.

Lonecatwithkitten · 17/05/2014 22:12

My ganglion is rock hard.

PPaka · 17/05/2014 22:17

A bunion

FrankSpenser · 17/05/2014 22:22

I just had a ganglion removed, and mine was a hard lump too. The lump itself wasn't painful but it did inhibit movement in my joint and the pressure of it in that area made it very uncomfortable and near painful.

FrankSpenser · 17/05/2014 22:24

And yes, I believed it was a weird lump of bone originally before Doctor diagnosed me

Original poster

Wenchelda · 17/05/2014 22:52

When I googled it mentioned tumours/cancer and now someone else has said it too. I'm terrified. I never imagined it could be something like that. I'm probably being ridiculous but can't stop crying and can't make myself see sense that it's probably something else :-(

OP posts:

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 17/05/2014 23:14

Oh god I'm sorry. I probably jumped right in without thinking. I do have experience of it though and it was the first thing I thought of but lots of other people have said ganglions and that's probably much more likely. Just get it checked out though, or you'll worry yourself silly.

To put a bit of perspective on it, I currently have a very painful back and leg which the doctor says is sciatica. I'd almost convinced myself I'd inherited my DM's cancer but the doctor said nope, it's sciatica, don't panic. Even he didn't think it was cancer. It's more likely to be a ganglion so please don't panic.

ummnotsureaboutthat · 17/05/2014 23:19

You probably have an osteophyte, which is a bony overhrowth at the top of a joint. It can be very painful and you may well require foot surgery. It is however not cancerous and you are not going to die!!!

trixymalixy · 17/05/2014 23:23

I have a haglund's deformity on the back of my foot. It's caused by shoes rubbing. Do you have shoes that rub in that area?

SirChenjin · 17/05/2014 23:25

If it's any consolation, I've had one of these on the top of my foot (about halfway between my big toe and ankle) for about 4/5 years now (definitely not cancer!) - it looks a bit like this image, but mine is a bit bigger and further up the foot. It actually disappeared once for a few days which completely freaked me out, but sadly returned.

Kif · 17/05/2014 23:31

I've had a bony lump in the roof of my mouth for like 3 years now.

I googled it - it has some long name - and the upshot is that it is normal - and the majority of people will eventually have some deformation there.

I got a bit freaked out for a bit - but I've now put it in the 'getting old' box!

Original poster

Wenchelda · 18/05/2014 09:47

Thanks for all the replies. I hardly slept last night as despite all the suggestions of other things it could be, I am fixated on the worst and can't stop thinking about it. I have loads to do today and a special day tomorrow as close relatives who I haven't seen for 3yrs are arriving so I should be so excited about that but this is just spoiling it. My mum told me I should see dr when I first noticed it and I wish I had now. But I honestly thought I must've knocked it or something without realising. I am a worrier anyway (can you tell?) and I know I'm not going to feel better until a dr can confirm its nothing serious. But I'm prob not going to see a dr tomorrow due to guests arriving and who knows when I will get an appt (does this warrant an "emergency-ring-up-at-8am-and-we'll-try-and-fit-you-in" appointment?) And of course I'm terrified of seeing gp in case she doesn't know what it is or can't confirm it's not the worst. Oh god..... Seriously how can I stop obsessing about this? I have 2 young children and want to throw up every time I think of something happening to me (or them). Aaaaargh I'm driving myself crazy .... Sorry for the waffling. I'm too scared to google anymore. If it was a friend asking me for advice I'd tell them to stop worrying until they'd seen a dr and that it's probably nothing but I can't take my own advice. I need to stop thinking about it but how can I???? I need heeeeeelp :-( (sorry again- I'll shut up now.)

OP posts:

figgypuddings · 18/05/2014 09:50

It looks like a bunion but please see a chiropodist who will be able to give a qualified opinion and help put your mind at ease.

Cinnamoncookie · 18/05/2014 09:52

Sounds like an osteophyte, but please get it checked. I have an osteophyte on my big toe joint which is related my osteoarthritis. A podiatrist told me it was a bunion (it isn't) and told me it was from wearing high-heeled pointy shoes (I never have), and I didn't get it checked until 2 years later, and that was when I found out about the osteoarthritis.

Navybluetutu · 18/05/2014 09:58

OP, you are fixating on the worst possible and most unlikely outcome. Why is this any more realistic than it being a cyst, a ganglion etc? You have no other symptoms of being seriously ill and so you most likely are NOT. Take a deep breath, tell yourself you will make a doctors app. next week and until then there is nothing you can do, so worrying will not help.
I think when this is over and sorted, which it will be, you need to address your anxiety. Maybe you need to relax more, talk to a someone, take up walking or mediation etc. This will then equip you for the future and help you to not catastrophise. Good luck, enjoy your weekend x

Original poster

Wenchelda · 18/05/2014 11:48

Thank you - navyblue you're right - I think i do need to address the anxiety. I've always been a worrier (though not to this extent before) so I probably should try and "fix" that. I feel so ridiculous about the way I am feeling/acting about this and know everyone that is saying it is one of these minor things are probably right but because I now know the other is a possibility (no matter how remote) I can't get it out of my mind. I am trying to think positive and will ring the dr tomorrow. Thanks again x

OP posts:

SirChenjin · 18/05/2014 18:05

I can highly recommend beta blockers if you do decide to go to the GP - I had a scare recently (not my foot lump I hasten to add), ended up sobbing uncontrollably to the doctor and explaining that I couldn't die as I had 3 children. I've always been a terrible worrier like you OP, but between the scare and other things just 'building' she prescribed beta blockers and I'm feeling so much more relaxed and in control - they are brilliant things. Even managed to go away for the day today without worrying about the usual stuff such traffic jams/road traffic accidents/finding a parking space at the other end/weather/losing one of the kids/dogs on the beach going for DC3 etc.

Original poster

Wenchelda · 18/05/2014 21:53

Sirchengin, I know I am going to be sobbing at the drs too. Going to ring for an appt tomorrow but I just know as soon as I start to tell her the problem, I'm just not going to be able to hold it in. Since I first googled on Saturday morning, I've had this horrible ball of tension/fear in my stomach that just won't go away. I feel like I want to vomit every time it think about it. Not heard of beta blockers as a treatment for anxiety- may be worth investigating, thanks x

OP posts:

SirChenjin · 19/05/2014 08:49

I know exactly how you feel - it's horrendous. Hopefully she'll be able to put your mind at ease today, and definitely ask about the beta blockers

Original poster

Wenchelda · 19/05/2014 14:20

Appointment is at 5. I'm so scared to go in case she can't reassure me. I feel sick. My leg is aching and all I can think about is the person who mentioned her mum (sorry can't remember name at mo) having bone cancer and it starting with pains in leg and a lump. I can't think of another explanation as to why my leg is aching. I'm so scared. Could do with some of those beta blockers now :-(

OP posts:

SirChenjin · 19/05/2014 15:19

OK - just slow down. The chances are it's aching because the bony lump is pressing on a nerve, or muscle pain because you're tensing or walking funny to compensate. Primary bone cancer is very rare, so it's less likely to be cancer and more likely to be something else such - just try and keep that in mind (easier said than done, though, I know..) and do not google bone cancer.

Will be thinking about you at 5pm - will you post and let us know how you got on?

Original poster

Wenchelda · 19/05/2014 21:58

Well I saw my gp, in floods of tears so couldn't even speak but my lovely mum came with me to translate my sobs to the dr. She said her first thought was a ganglion but It felt too hard for that. She was lovely and talked me through all the rational reasons why it's highly unlikely to be bone cancer etc and sent me for an X-ray. She said if they see anything sinister, I will find out tomorrow, otherwise results take 10-14 days. The guy doing my X-Ray was great too - I told him my panic and he said he couldn't see anything immediately showing up as untoward however he was only a junior radiologist and someone with more qualifications would look at it but he didn't see any reason to be so concerned. So that has reassured me and calmed me down a lot. Dr did prescribe me some diazopan to help me sleep but I didn't collect the prescription as feel much calmer after having X-ray done. Radiologist said it could just be some inflammation of the bone as it's right on a joint in a high use area. Thank you all for listening to me and "being there", as it were. It helps to know other people are kind enough to reply to my irrational mind x

OP posts:

SirChenjin · 19/05/2014 22:08

That's great - you must be feeling so much better, and it's fantastic that you were seen so quickly for an x-ray rather than having to endure the terrible worry for much longer. It sounds as if you've got nothing to fear, but you did the right thing getting it checked out - hopefully all will be absolutely fine. Take good care of yourself, go easy - and remember to ask for those wonderful little beta blockers if you feel you need them!

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