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Old 05-07-21, 07:17 PM  
bfit
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
OT: Weird Foot Problem

I have written here before over the last several months about my struggles with a broken foot. I had a broken bone, a neuroma, and a cold injury from over icing my foot. Everything has healed now except the cold injury. It's been 6 months since I was at the ER with frostbite, and my toes are still sensitive and sore. When I'm cold they turn purple, and when I'm hot they are flaming red. When I sit for a long time my toes feel swollen. I've seen three doctors and tried literally dozens of remedies. My doctor thinks I will get better, but she's really not sure. No one even seems to know what the problem is exactly. Has anyone ever heard of or experienced something like this? I am just about at my wits' end.
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Old 05-07-21, 07:40 PM  
Erica H.
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Could you have chilblains? I have chilblains on my fingers and it sounds a little similar to what you're experiencing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilblains
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Old 05-08-21, 05:12 AM  
DCW
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Are you seeing a specialist or a regular doctor?

Have you gotten a second opinion?
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Old 05-08-21, 05:55 AM  
DCW
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My apologies I should clarify. Are you able to see doctors that has a medical school? Oftentimes,medical school hospitals, physicians see more challenging and different cases.

Is a wound care specialist part of your treatment team?

I hope you get some answers soon and a complete recovery.
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Old 05-08-21, 07:38 AM  
Jane P.
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You have my sympathy. I have a chronic problem in my right foot from an accident years ago. It is totally different from yours, but I know what it's like to have to deal with something that never completely heals.

I think you need to look for a doctor that specializes in treating frostbite cases. You may have to consult with such a specialist over the internet, if there's no one nearby.

I wish you the best on this.
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Old 05-08-21, 08:33 AM  
eam531
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Erica H. View Post
Could you have chilblains? I have chilblains on my fingers and it sounds a little similar to what you're experiencing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilblains
Erica
What Erica wrote!!!!

It sounds to me like you have a classic case of chilblains, brought about by the frostbite. It is amazing how many doctors (GPs and internal medicine) are unaware of chilblains. Podiatrists see them frequently, in cold climates. If you are currently seeing a podiatrist who is unaware of chilblains, I'd find another one.

I have Reynaud's syndrome, a circulatory disorder which makes me prone to purple, swollen fingertips and toe tips when my hands and feet are cold. My Reynaud's was diagnosed by a rheumatologist, decades ago.

Reynaud's can cause chilblains, and has done so with me. The chilblains have been exacerbated by moving to a cold climate. This past winter my hands were okay, but I got bad chilblains on my big toes and second toes on both feet. The swelling made my skin split, causing open sores. It has taken a long time for that to heal, and I still have residual purpleness.

I am NEVER without warm socks and shoes/slippers inside the house. I wear warm socks to bed year-round. The only time my feet are uncovered is when I shower. But that has not proven to be sufficient. So I will be seeing a doctor, armed with photos I took when the swelling was bad. I want to get some sort of pharmaceutical intervention that will open the vasoconstrictors in my capillaries that stops the flow of blood to my extremities. Vasoconstriction causes the purpleness and swelling.

Get this seen to, because chilblains are more than an annoyance. They can seriously impact your quality of life.
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Last edited by eam531; 05-08-21 at 08:34 AM. Reason: grammar
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Old 05-08-21, 08:50 AM  
Erica H.
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eam531 View Post

I have Reynaud's syndrome, a circulatory disorder which makes me prone to purple, swollen fingertips and toe tips when my hands and feet are cold. My Reynaud's was diagnosed by a rheumatologist, decades ago.

Reynaud's can cause chilblains, and has done so with me. The chilblains have been exacerbated by moving to a cold climate. This past winter my hands were okay, but I got bad chilblains on my big toes and second toes on both feet. The swelling made my skin split, causing open sores. It has taken a long time for that to heal, and I still have residual purpleness.

I am NEVER without warm socks and shoes/slippers inside the house. I wear warm socks to bed year-round. The only time my feet are uncovered is when I shower. But that has not proven to be sufficient. So I will be seeing a doctor, armed with photos I took when the swelling was bad. I want to get some sort of pharmaceutical intervention that will open the vasoconstrictors in my capillaries that stops the flow of blood to my extremities. Vasoconstriction causes the purpleness and swelling.

Get this seen to, because chilblains are more than an annoyance. They can seriously impact your quality of life.
This is me exactly except my hands/fingers are affected. I have Raynaud's and I have to keep my hands very protected/warm all the time due to the chilblains. They get quite tender/painful and I have to be careful of sores. I can't take meds for it since the meds lower your blood pressure and I already have low BP. DH talks about moving all the time because my fingers get so bad but I can't see moving just for that. My kids bought me a rechargeable hand warmer for Christmas and I love it!

Hope you get some relief for your feet.

Erica
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Old 05-08-21, 02:30 PM  
eam531
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Erica H. View Post
This is me exactly except my hands/fingers are affected. I have Raynaud's and I have to keep my hands very protected/warm all the time due to the chilblains. They get quite tender/painful and I have to be careful of sores. I can't take meds for it since the meds lower your blood pressure and I already have low BP. DH talks about moving all the time because my fingers get so bad but I can't see moving just for that. My kids bought me a rechargeable hand warmer for Christmas and I love it!

Hope you get some relief for your feet.

Erica
Thanks, Erica. Very glad that you love your hand warmer. How thoughtful of your kids to get it for you. I always wear knitted mitts in the winter when I'm in the house. For me the Reynaud's is much worse in my feet.

The rheumatologist I consulted all those years ago suggested meds, but also noted that my BP is low, and as you said, these meds lower one's BP. So his suggestion was to always keep my feet covered, which I have been doing. Except now that isn't enough. I was hoping that a different med would have come along in the interim. Maybe I need electric socks. :-)
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There is no way of telling people they are all walking around shining like the sun--Thomas Merton

People have done all kinds of remarkable things because they thought they could. People routinely fail to do quite ordinary things because they assume they can't--Reinhard Engels

Stay gold, Ponyboy--S.E. Hinton

Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try--Ryan Bingham

Disclosure: I have a personal relationship with a fitness instructor who has appeared in some videos.
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Old 05-08-21, 07:40 PM  
bfit
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Thanks for all of your replies. I am getting medical attention for this. I've seen my GP several times plus a podiatrist plus a dermatologist. My GP thinks it may be Raynaud's, the podiatrist said it could be "complex regional pain syndrome", and the dermatologist thought it was chillblains although I have never had any sores or cracked skin. None of this was a problem until I had frostbite so it has to be related to that. It is affecting my quality of life which is why I'm so frustrated. I'm working with my GP on finding a medication that could improve circulation, but it's challenging because most of the medications lower blood pressure and have a lot of side effects. I have not actually tried any medications yet though.
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