sudden onset foot drop

[LolaLouise]

As a nurse i should know the answer to this, but i dont, i hold my hands up.

About 10 hours ago i developed foot drop, my lower leg and foot is completely numb and tingley, i cant lift my foot properly whilst walking, walking feels clunky and off balance, i cant flex my foot upwards more than a cm or downwards all the way, i cant spread my toes at all, theres no pain in my lower leg/foot, however my thigh feels fairly achey. There was no injury etc, no prolonged time of being immobile or sitting with my legs crossed or anything, i was at work, throughout my shift i did 18k steps, but one minute ot was fine, the next it wasnt, but it got more pronounced as the shit went on.

Im going to contact my GP, but im not going to lie it concerned me from the persepective of walking was difficult, my job relies on me being mobile and active, and that it was so sudden, not a gradual feeling.

I know some of the causes of foot drop, but not many, and the ones i know are life altering long term conditions. Can anyone offer any reassurance of temporary conditions that start with a sudden onset foot drop problem.

Thank you.

this is emergency department time. sorry get a friend to drive you but don’t delay.

I’m a physio and would be going straight to A&E tonight with this..!

That's an A&E job.

Agree it’s not something to leave till morning. Go to get it checked out at a&e now, should be quiet on Sunday night. Get a cab if needs be. Hopefully it’ll be something mild and temporary but don’t take any chance.

A&E will see you quickly with this in case it's cauda equina. Not saying that's what it is! But they will want to rule it out asap so you won't be kept waiting too long. Hope it's something completely benign OP!

Yes, it's a red flag symptom and you need to go to A & E immediately!

I have complete right foot drop due to a massive L4/5 disc prolapse many years ago. My GP's registrar came out to me (eventually) and got in a right panic when he realised my foot had dropped. He called for an ambulance. Please don't leave this. Good luck!

I had this due to disc herniation at the start of the year. Do you have any back pain or spasms? Hopefully you've been seen by now - I did go to A&E and then got seen as an outpatient for an MRI the following day.
With physio/rest/time the strength in my leg and foot has improved but the numbness and pins and needles hasn't stopped unfortunately! I am mobile though.

No back or associated pain anywhere else, its just my left leg. My range of motion in myfoot is a little worse this morning so Ive called my GP waiting for a call back, we have a neurology hub GP's can directly refer to for same day reviews, to bypass A&E. As, A&E is where i work and i dont want to go in there if i can help it. Obviously i will if that is the advice, but i was there 13 hours yesterday, i know how busy it is, and going into work, and being seen by my friends and collegues, unless its literally life or death is really difficult. But i will go if i dont get a call back, if the GP advices it, or if they cant get me into the neurology/spinal hub today.

Thank you for the replies.

You must go - you are entitled to care like anyone else.

As a nurse, do you seriously not have any contacts - also medics - who might be more able to advise you than a random on MN?

Of course. But it was 11pm, i was in bed, id done a 13 hour shift that was filled with the sickest most in need of care patients, i was exhausted, i didnt want to message people who id worked with that day, i didnt know who was on shift that night and would be awake, my mind was going straight to the worst case outcomes that i know of, most of the HCPs i know are ED and the advice from them if anyone was able to answer at that time of night would be go in, i wanted more varied suggestions from more varied sources. Mumsnet has insights i couldnt get irl, yes, it also has questionable advice at times, but its not hard to sift through them to the legitimate answers.

Hi OP I hope you’re ok. As another physio I really think you need to go to A&E today for a scan to ascertain the cause of your foot drop. I understand why you’re reluctant but your health is important and if it was a friend I’m sure that’s the advice you’d be giving her

I hope you've been seen by now - if you know there's an alternative pathway then the GP can hopefully get you referred for an MRI.
I think (in my case anyway) disc issues don't always come with huge amounts of back pain. It didn't for me anyway.
It's hard to know the right pathway - as mine happened on a Friday night I did go to A&E but it was a massive long wait and I got referred to the same MRI/neurosurgery clinic as the GP would have referred to had it happened during the week. I hope you get seen and diagnosed quickly - it's really scary and horrible but I have made loads of progress in a short space of time I think.

I ended up in A&E, the GP called me back too late to be able to do the referral directly. It wasnt too bad, was there just over 10 hours, had CT and bloods, reviewed by spinal and not for them, came home in the early hours with an urgent referral to neuro, they said they will call me today/tomorrow with an appointment slot of outpatients clinic. Still none the wiser, my bloods and CT were ok. I cannot move my foot or toes at all now though, and the numbness/tingling sensation is all the way up my thigh.

Im glad you went to A&E let us know how you get on

Thanks for the update. That sounds quite scary, so I'm glad you've been seen and got the urgent referral. I hope you get a slot and it gets sorted soon. Take care.

RN and podiatrist here. This is an emergency situation. You have 24 hours to avoid permanent disability if its what I think it is.

A friends foot started dragging when an aneurysm issue flared up again. Get checked out.

That sounds frankly terrifying. I presume they could only get a CT out of hours, but shouldn’t you be having an MRI today, at the very least?

I have neuro app tomorrow they just called, so i imagine they will arrange MRI then if necessary.

It could relate to your back/spine or brain? Definitely need a scan. Can you push it through because you're 'in the know'?

Any news @LolaLouise?

Not good news - the person who called me yesterday with the apt for today got it wrong, my appointment is next wednesday. I was just coming to update the thread, how weird you posted at the same time!

Foot and leg are still the same, no better, no worse, no movement or feeling below my ankle, my foot just drags. Im really hoping it starts to improve tomorrow as i need to work fri/sat/sun and walking without falling/tripping is very difficult!

Working doesn't seem like a good plan??

If you can't walk without tripping you might not be able to work, especially if it's a role where you're responsible for someone else.
Can you phone 111 or neurosurgery back to try and hurry things along? Maybe explaining that the foot drop is worsening and you are having trouble walking?