Morton's Neuroma

[Retro]

Hi All,

I had a Morton's Neuroma in my left foot a few years ago. It was first treated conservatively with insoles then Steroid injections. When that failed I had surgery. My surgeon did go in from the top, cut the ligament holding the toes together and removed what he said was the biggest Neuroma he'd seen. 6 Weeks post op I was having really bad, burning nerve pain so was referred to Physio for ultrasound and massage to break down some of the scar tissue. The Neuroma is back or I have a stump Neuroma but now that I've been diagnosed with HMS and since it didn't work the last time the surgeon doesn't want to operate again because it's likely I'll end up having more problems due to scar tissue.

Now I have insoles for my flat feet which are modified to take pressure off the Neuroma too (there's actually a lump on the underside of my foot I'm also on Gabapentin (for nerve pain) which helps with the pain.

So that's my Neuroma story.

Lindsey

[Bones]

Hi Lyndsey,

I'm new to this forum as I have only recentley been diagnosed with HMS.

I had been suffering from numbness in my left toes follwed by severe radiating pain whenever I walked a long distance for a few years. I started running & training for a 10k in 2005 and this obviosly aggravated the neuroma (as well as knee pain).Eventually the pain got so bad that I stopped all exercise and even walking for a few minutes became unberable. My GP told me there was nothing wrong and that I should wear sensible shoes and socks!!!(I only wore flat shoes as I couldn't bear heels) . He would not refer me to a podiatrist but when I mentioned I had private medical cover, he referred me privatley. I had one cortizone injection which made it 10 times worse so underwent surgery in November 06 where 2 growths were removed.

Following surgery I was referred to a podiatrist to establish why the Neuroma had occurred and I was diagnosed with HMS last March and I was going to be fitted with insoles, however my podiatrist was then suddenly off work and my appointment got cancelled, not sure what happened to her but after a few months of phoning up I was told she would be off for the forseeable future. In the meantime I tried to forget about it but the pain returned with avengance a few months ago as well as experiencing neuroma pain in my right foot too.

Again my GP would not refer me, so I am seeing a different podiatrist privatley who has been very thorough. I have a stump neuroma in my left foot which he would not recommend operating on and he has confirmed that I definatly have a neuroma in my right foot, He also confimed I have HMS and lordosis of the lumber spine which have caused a combination of leg, knee & foot problems. I am being fitted for custom orthotics which I should get tomorrow and hope these help.

My story so far.....

I will keep you posted!

Sandra

[kerry-lou]

Hello all,
i have previously been told i had mortons neuroma (dec'08) and i finally got to the orthotics dept in bristol yesterday. they said they needed to to an ultrasound scan to check size and probably do a steroid injection. i have read before that steroids are bad for HMS sufferers as it kills collegen. is this right? has anyone had these injections for mortons and if so how did it go? i dont want to inject uneccesarily.
any advice would be great guys
thanks
kez
x

[barkingmad]

Hi Kerry-Lou,

i would listen to your doctors on this one..you are right steriods dont mix well with us, but this is hopefully an one off, so you shouldnt worry, its contra-indicated for us to have them repeatedly and in a short space of time.

Donna

[kerry-lou]

Hi
Thanks for reply, i think i am just nervous as i hate injections lol,
they say if its over a certain size they will operate (which makes me panic as i dont heal very quickly) so i guess its just waitin till app come through, it all takes sooooooooooooooooo long he-he
thanks again
kez
x

[Retro]

Hi Kerry-lou,

Sorry just saw this. Orthotics are enough for some people, some get steroid injections, surgery is an absolute last resort. Orthotics worked quite well for me but it's agony without them. Steroid injections work for some and not others, they did nothing for my neuroma but I think he must have injected me in the wrong place either with the steroid or local that I had first (or it's just one of those funny HMS reactions to locals) and a quarter of my foot was completely numb for a couple of days.

I eventually had surgery and had issues with scar tissue then the neuroma returned. My surgeon doesn't want to operate again because we now know that I have HMS and I had problems with scar tissue the first time anyway and the extra mobility is probably what caused the neuroma in the first place sooooo I'm stuck with it

Lindsey

[MrBeard]

Hi

I have just discovered that I have a Neuroma in my left foot, which I am having treated with Ultrasound sessions (which helped my Tendinitis), I hope it helps.
I am so glad to see the responses on this list so that when I go next I can be informed before the docs and surgeon suggest an operation.
Before I saw the podiatrist I have been using a Gel called Biofreeze. The first use helps a bit but continued use took away the pain completely and whilst I stopped so that I would have some pain for my appointment it has not come back fully - I wonder if the Neuroma reduces!!!!!!

Good Luck everyone

Graham
Oakham

[jax]

Hi Graham,

I'm not sure if my mom has this as she has a lump on ball of foot. We all thought it was a corn
but no treatments via chiropodist have worked thus far. (except for fungal side)
It is causing her a lot of angst and she limps around alot but also has varicose veins and sore knee).
Where do you get the biofreeze from by the way? Does it need to be prescribed?

Jax

[MrBeard]

Hi
Biofreeze is not a prescribed gel, I get mine from a company called www.lifes-treasures.co.uk, but there website shop is still under construction.
So I get mine when I see them at BSSK Mind Body Spirit fairs.

If you google it you will find various site like:
http://www.natremed.co.uk/onlineshop/shop.htm (I have never used this site)

If you're not sure, email me and I'll get you some next time I see them (almost every month)

Hope your mum improves

MrBeard

[jax]

Graham,

that looks very interesting - thanks. My husband uses Tiger balm occasionally if
he's done some sports.

Jackie

[kerry-lou]

hi all,
i have posted previously on my neuroma i now have one in my left foot too, i had a steroid injection that didnt do much and now i am on the waiting list for surgery i am soooooooo nervous, but i guess that its a last resort so just got to wait now i suppose,can anyone tell me how long it has to be rested after surgery?
i just hope its done by september as my youngest is starting primary school after summer hols.
cheers
kerry-lou
x

[Retro]

Hi Kerry-Lou,

Sorry I haven't replied earlier. Recovery time from the surgery is quite variable I think. Do you know if the surgeon is going to make the incision on the top of your foot? To cut a very long story short, I needed crutches for a few days which is unusual, got stitches out at about 10 days but couldn't drive until 14 days. It was still a bit dodgy at that point but I had complications with scar tissue and had to have ultrasound to break some of it down. It takes a good 6 months for the swelling to completely subside - expect to be wearing shoes at least a half size bigger than normal - and you might find that your left foot is permanently wider than it was (the ligament holding the two toes together is cut). It may also help to keep using the insoles you were given (assuming you were).

Unfortunately the success rate isn't all that good and a lot of people get a recurrence which I did My surgeon believes that I got the neuroma because of my hypermobility and won't operate again, partly because of that and partly because he's already operated on it. The scar's not exactly pretty but it will depend on how well (or not) you heal and scar.

Any more questions, just ask

Lindsey

[kerry-lou]

Hi, thanks for reply
I am not sure where he is going in, doesnt look like its gonna be anytime soon either waiting list is showing november/december. if its that long i may go mad its so sore. i havent got insoles. apparently the appointment is on its way i would chase it up but dont know where its going to be as i am being treated in a different pct to where i live so it could be anywhere. i dont heal very well at all but as its as they say having a serious impact on my qualityof life its best to try surgery, will be phonig tomorrow to try and find my appointment with insole people.
lv kez
x

[tigerbunny]

Hi everybunny,

I have Morton's Neuroma too; and so did my mum and my auntie. It was really bad in high school, when, of course, i was wearing 'normal' girly sorts of shoes. In my twenties, I had one steroid injection ~ my face blew up! I couldn't believe I looked like that from a tiny injection in my foot! Never again. I've had so many rounds of insoles of different kinds I can't even count (but I've also always had knee and back troubles).

I don't wear anything but court shoes (tennis shoes/athletic shoes with really good lateral support). I have a pair of blue 'flats' which are way too much heel for me, that I keep for wearing to job interviews. If my pain isn't too bad elsewhere, sometimes I can wear birkenstocks sandals, but only for one day.

The tennies look really silly with a dress, but I'm too old and in too much pain to care anymore! And my neuroma hasn't bothered me for years.

I do hope y'all have good luck with your treatment.

[kerry-lou]

Thank yu i only wear trainers really, i have some flat boots but my feet swell so cant always get them on lol i have never been one for girly shoes even in school. fingers crossed it will sort it not that i hold much hope, knowing what im like haha
lv kez x