I need to understand other people’s experience with this condition. I have been reading some disturbing things from WebMD, Mayo Clinic, Wikipedia, and NIH site. Can you help?
1 comment April 27, 2015
Well, April 10th will be 7 months since my third surgery on the right heel. I still have pretty bad scars and the one on the outside, which has been cut on three times, is still inflamed and swollen. I have pain pretty such all the time while I use it. I specifically asked the surgeon to not extend the incision that high up on the heel in order to avoid the tissue that had gotten infected on the first surgery. The incision for the third surgery,
on the outside of the heel, was to remove a suture or anchor that had failed on the second surgery and was giving me lots of pain (I had to wait a whole year before the surgeon would listen to me that there was a problem with the anchor). The anchor was very low on the heel, just above the heel pad, so why they had to make the incision so high I don’t know. I told them to avoid the infected area, but I can only assume that they forgot - probably did not even note it. On the inside, where the third surgery resulted in the first incision (the surgeon ingored my complains of pain on the inside, saying it looked fine until the third surgery,when he noted that there was lots of scar tissue and a bone excision had to be made), I still get very sharp pain when I ride too far (over 5 miles) on the bike or go up stairs or, really, stretch it too much. I am very tired of all the waiting and continued pain, I can’t even push off the side of the pool when swimming. I would strongly advice anyone to think very hard about having anyone cut on their heel and Achilles. Sometimes, I am afraid, it just does not work out. Especially get a surgeon that listens. I don’t think either of mine cared to spend the time or the energy to think about me as anything but an ordinary cut job.
15 comments April 8, 2015
I wrote this up for my new PT therapist, so I thought I would post it.
Tom Winter: Achilles Injury History
Nov. 2010: Ran last marathon
Injuried left leg knee on weight sled.
Meniscus surgery: March 2011: Dr. Keys, KU orthodepics, Orthoscopic, removed 15% of posterior, laterial surface.
Nov. 2011 pain in right heel area after run on sand beach.
Saw chiropractor for heel pain but treated mostly for calf tightness.
March 2012: saw Midwest orthopedics and got diagnosis of Achilles tendonitis.
March 2012: began PT at Select PT for tendonitis.
June 2012: no progress with PT, returned to Midwest and wore boot on right foot for the summer.
Oct. 2012: after another attempt at PT, saught out several orthopedic surgeons on possible solutions. Selected Dr. Kneidel at Carondelet Orthopedics for Haglund surgery. Calcaneus Bone was trimmed back on top and highly inflamed Achilles bursa was removed.
Dec. 2012: incision became infected and treated by Dr. Kneidel with antibiotics.
March 2013: No improvement, in fact, pain was much worse, including nerve pain.
March 2013: began PT treatment at pain managment clinic at Metcalf.
June 2013: Tried Platelet treatment with Dr. Patel at Rockhill Orthopedics. Began new PT treatment at SSO.
August 2013: Had Calcaneus excision surgery with secondary Achilles tendon repair with Arthex speedbridge method by Dr, Horton at KU university hospital. All work was done on the outside of the heel with some debridement of the tendon but no work on the interior side of the tendon. Tendon was diagnosised as being in very good shape.
March 2014: Told PT at KU hospital had reached it’s limit at six months.
June 2014: Pain had changed to two selected points on the heel: one on inside of the heel lower position of the heel and two spot on the exterior of the heel at spot where the lower anchor was placed into the calcaneus. Dr. Horton said manage with situation over the summer.
June 2014: Receive three lumbar sympathetic block shots by Dr. Syad from KU hospital.
September 2014: Dr. Horton agrees pain should be looked into again. Another surgery was performed: Suture on the outside was found to be a problem and the anchor was removed with bone from the calcaneus and on inside another spur was found with scar tissues and those where removed.
Dec. 2014: Pain continues while walking especially after going up and downstairs. Pain is now on exterior high up on incision at location of the first surgery’s infection location. Pain on the interior is low on heel at spot indicated prior to surgery.
March 2015: Walking more than 1 mile results in pain on both inside and outside. Incision on outside continues to be inflammed and red and very sore to the touch. Cannot wear shoes with backs due to nerve pain.
March 2015: Receive three lumbar sympathetic block shots by Dr. Syad from KU hospital.
1 comment March 25, 2015
As I have struggle thru my odyssey of treatment for my Achilles ailments I have done a lot of reading to try and find a medical solution or bolster my spirits. I thought I would list some of the books I found helpful and what I found in them that made them so. Maybe someone else will find them also to be helpful.
The Anatomy of Hope: J. Groopman: Oncologist and chronic back pain sufferer Groopman provides you with a realistic basis on which to build your hopes for recovery.
The Pain Chronciles: Melanie Thernstrom: If you have chronic pain that just won’t go away and you want to find someone who can voice your frustration and fears, this is the book.
Touch: David J.Linden: Great information about how the sense of touch (pain, etc.) works.
Why We Hurt: Frank T. Vertosick: more great medical information about pain.
Take Charge of Your Chronic Pain: Peter Abaci: Good practical advice on dealing with chronic pain.
The Wisdom of the Body: Sherwin B. Nuland: Great general information about human biology with lots of good tales about medical cases.
Compilcations: Adul Gawande: Really great book about medical cases as told from surgeon.
The Medical Science of House, M.D.: Andrew Holtz: More fun with medical diagnosis based upon the cases of the T.V. show ‘House’.
2 comments March 19, 2015
I ran a mile yesterday! Warm weather, sympathatic nerve block, and reading medical books emboldened me to try a run. It was not painless by any means but good feelings overcame the bad for the most part. If you are having nerve pain as a result of foot surgery you should ask your doctor about getting a pain management doc and looking into a lumbar sympathatic block. I got 10 ml of depomedrol in the spine in an attempt to block the pain signal I am getting from the nerves in my heel. The pain was sticking, prickeling, buzzing, etc. Relief from that really helps me focus on pushing the heel/tendon with mechanical issues, like stretching and walking. That pain is so much easier to deal with as it feels more in line with ‘regular’ injuries and recovery. Also another thing, I started walking barefoot; I think that helps in subtle ways with natural movement of the heel, as well as the rest of the foot. Also I am starting PT again next week. Also continuing the swimming and deadening the incisions, one on the side and outside of the heel, in the hot tub.
1 comment March 17, 2015
Well, it is now six months after the third surgery and I still have pain on both sides of the tendon, it is just like the pain has moved around with each surgery but never relief. Yesterday I had a pain management doctor do a lumbar sympathatic block on my to hope limit the feelings of pain; second time, did it last year after the second surgery. I complained on the hospital’s web site and got a response call and aired some of my concerns with the representative. I wish I would have been honest and told them I thought the surgery was botched but I want to be reasonable and, honestly, I feel still beholden to the surgeon: I don’t want to piss him off. I feel like the pain is not actually in the tendon itself but rather in all the scar tissue around it and entangling the nerves and causing more pain. Some times the pain feels so similar to the pain before I began the whole surgery solution and this just feels so depressing. I am walking some and just walking through the pain, I don’t know what else to do.
3 comments March 12, 2015
I have been reading a book called Touch by neroscientist Dave Linden and that made me think of the pain sensations I have been having in my heel. I saw some information on neuroma, enlargement of the nerve, and thought it’s symptoms appeared a lot like mine in my heel: burning, stinging, and strangely feeling like there was something hard under the skin. Rubbing particularly makes the pain worse as with neuroma. For example I can’t wear shoes with backs on them even after six months from surgery. This result is the pain described with neuroma. Does anyone have any information or experience with neuroma as a result of foot surgery, especially heel surgery associated with insertional Achilles tendonitis? Thanks.
Add comment March 5, 2015
I was wondering if anyone else has this sympton: when I walk I feel like a have a small pebble under the fat pad of the heel just to the left of where the Achilles tendon attaches. The pain is minor as I begin to walk but increase with distance (one mile) or with stretching (like going up and down hills or stairs). The pain can get very sharp when doing Achilles stretches like toe raises or heel drop on stairs. The pain is a stinging and burning which last up to an hour after rest. In addition, pain of an aching sort will accompany the stinging point in the heel and it makes an arch like shape up the ankle to the ankle bones. I described this pain to my doctor but they suggested that I continue PT and, in addition, try to deaden it with rubbing etc.; however, that usually results in more pain after the rubbing ends. I was wondering if anyone had specific pain as described and what their diagnosis was: more spurs or just scar tissue, etc. Thanks for reading.
3 comments March 3, 2015
I have had two Achilles\heal surgeries with at KU hosital; however, my outcomes have not been satisfactory. The first surgery was Aug. 2013. It was calcaneus excision with secondary tendon repair. The Dr. said the tendon looked good and he, or should I say his assistant, installed two anchors. He said it looked good. However, six months later I was dismissed from physical therapy after continuing to have continuous pain. The Dr. told me to continue PT on my own and obtain management from a pain mgmt specialist. This I did but continued to find no relief. After a year, I revisited the Dr. and we decided to do a followup surgery. In this surgery one of the anchors was found to be defective, and there to be additional bone issues and scar tissue on the other side of the heel. This surgery was done Sept. 2014, However, again, six months after I continue to have chronic pain on both sides of the heal. Again I discovered that the surgery as performed by an assistant. The incision has not healed and continues to appear inflammed and I can’t wear shoes as this bothers the incision. I am continuing to see the pain management specialist. I thought that the second time around that the surgery would be performed by the surgeon and not his assistant. I just automatically figure since there were problems the first time that the Dr. would want to get it correct; I mean we agreed before hand that the anchor and/or suture was the problem and, in fact, that turned out to be that way. So why not make sure it is done correctly, after all, I was left with pain for an extended period of time on the first surgery not to mention the additional recovery time due to the second. I really lost trust in my surgeon due to this decision, and, in addition, I am still having pain. Pissed Off.
1 comment February 26, 2015
Just saw doc again. They could only suggest a topical application of Nurotine and trying to desensitize the area by rubbing, which, while feeling great during, results in much more pain after. Since I have pain on both sides and pain is different I doubt if this will do the trick. Might work on the side that has pain where the incision is still red and inflammed (the side that has been cut on three time), but the other side (cut on only once) still feels like pain is deep into the heel: feels like I have a rock in my shoe under the skin. I am trying to get a leave from work as the pain really bothers me at work, bothers me all the time, but work is really hard. I can roll my foot on a ball for distraction but that only lasts so long. Walking helps some, sometimes; hard to tell what the outcome of a walk is going to be. Hurts to drive the car as I rest my right foot to operate the accelerator. I am taking 2 50 mg of tramadol twice daily and that helps some. I am trying to stop taking Gabapentin as I am have been having some terrible and exhausting dreams as a result of it. I go see my pain management doc on the 24th. I am at the end of a long and torturous rope.
3 comments February 12, 2015