My mother had hip replacement recently and has a dropped foot. She is in major pain. What do you do for the pain. I have been using heat pads and ice packs and alcohol - drinks.
She is unable to sleep and doctors just say it will get better. U said you've had surgery 1 yr ago, are you still experiencing pain? Able to walk?
Hope ya feel better.
David
Hi Carrie,
I just found this web site and wanted to know if you still have neuropathy in both legs and if you ever found out what you have? I started getting drop foot in 2003. The doctors didn't know what caused it so after many test they ruled out MS, cancer, and many other type diseases, and they said I had C.I.D.P. I dealt with it for the next 3 years wearing uncomfortable braces or walking with a cane. In 2006 my liver and spleen became enlarged they thought I had Lymphoma or leukemia, again after many test no cancer was found. Meanwhile my whole body was taken over by neuopathy, I couldn't walk or use my hands or even breath. I was put in the hospital for a month and they finally diagnosed me with P.O.E.M.S syndrome/Castleman's Disease. They said it was all related to what started in 2003. Castleman's Disease is a pre-lymphoma, so they treated it like cancer so after 8 rounds of chemo and a stem cell transplant in August 07 I am much better. I still have major drop foot in both feet, but I can walk again. I found these great braces called the dorsistrap, google it. My case is very rare and hopefully you are better and didn't have to go through what I did.
Best regards, Becky
.
Try looking into a device called walkaide at www.walkaide.com
Try looking into a device called walkaide at www.walkaide.com
Hello I hope this post finds you. My husband has had foot drop for the last 1 and 4 months resulting from having had anterior hip replacement at the age of only 27. We are completley fustrated becasue no one ever has any answers. We are hopeful that the nerves will regenerate and heal as they are supposed to, but who knows. I wonder if anyone has had drop foot for years and saw some slight improvment. Let me know how your cousin is doing.All the best
Hi....Unfortunately I've had drop foot for over 4 years. I had emergency back surgery living in Dubai and came out of this with my back better but left with
drop foot. The doctor said in time the nerve would come back but after 4 years
nothing has changed. I was a very active athlete and unfortunately this has hurt me playing sports. Some sports I can't do at all. I've also been to several neurologists, pain management doctors, orthopaedics and acupuncture and nothing has helped. I stay busy during the day which helps not to think of the pain but I dread bedtime as that's when my leg and foot flare up the most and I can't sleep. My heart goes out to each of you dealing with this problem. Praying for you all.
Judy
I had a total hip replacement and when i woke up after the surgery my right leg was numb from the knee down. i was told by the dr, that a nerve was over stretched and it would heal in time. i have so much pain and some days it is unbearable. It never lets up and i get little sleep, my pt says the nerves are coming back thats why all this pain.. right now the bottom of my feet hurt so bad. its hard to even wear my afo or put pressure on it.. i take nuerontin but it does little good.. i wish they would find some thing to help it. my foot swells up and makes things even worse. i wish i could sue.. it makes me so mad.
Wish I could give you good news but I have been 2 -1/2 years trying to get through 1 day without pain much less the nights. Doctors offer you narcotics but all that does make you a zombie. My choice is to live as good a life as I can and deal with the pain. Trust me some days it is not the easy. Especially if I have been up all night trying to find some way to sleep. Getting out of bed in the morning knowing that I will have to find a way to move beyond the pain and try to be productive. Shame on the medical field for allowing a procedure that cripples people.
Hi
I am 36 years old and I have had a left foot drop for just over a year. It started one day when I had to walk about 2 miles ( I was also about 5 mos. pregnant) but then it went away. It came back though right after I delievered my daughter, last february, and has not gone away. I have had a total of 6 MRI's, 3 of my lower back, 2 of my sciatic nerve ( to rule out any nerve tumors) and 1 of my brain. Everything is coming back NORMAL. I really am glad that everything is coming back normal but I get very depressed and aggravated because it is just so annoying!!!! Also, I've had NO pain, (except for maybe a little twing in my big toe) some tingling and numbness in my toes. Doctors, I beleive are stumped. They have said I have idiopathic nerve damage (meaing no reasoning) or sciatic neruopathy is the latest. I have two young children and I just want to be able to walk normal again! I guess I should count my blessings that it is not serious, yet. I was thinking about acupuncture, herbal or vitamins. Has anyone every had any luck. God Bless and Good Luck to everyone.
Hi, I just found your comments last week. You may not be checking in anymore. Just wanted to see how you've progressed since your last posting. I've been dealing with foot drop for the past year and 1/2, caused in the exact same manner (Hip Revision), but have learned so much and am well on my way to recovery.
I sincerely hope you are as well. Please write if you would like to share experiences.
Hello, I have had an unfortunate accident that also left me with a dropped foot. February 12th is a date that I will always remember. I too for weeks screamed and cried due to the pain and constant burning in my foot. I have found that a constant regimeine of Lyrica, Keppra and a new machine called Empi has changed everything for me. I can move about without pain and the best part is that my quality of life has greatly inproved. Check theses things out and I hope that it will be a blessing for you bas well.
MG
Hi I have drop foot and would really like to talk with someone.. One on one but am not sure how to get to that point considering they dont want you to put email addys on here... Really need some one on one time about drop foot think im goin insane most of the time from the different feelings... Not to sure how to get back here either... lol
Hi everyone. Right ive had a right foot drop for over 10 years after a very bad accident. I have taken all the tablets going Lyrica Neurontin, Ampitripiline had nerve blockers, had a pain management course and now finally i'm getting a device called a spinal cord stimulator implanted into my spine from a pain management specialist. After this I am getting a tendon transplant so I can finally lift my foot. There is also a new thing out called a neve transplant maybe check that out. If you want to contact me you will find my email address at the bottom of this page http://www.orielzone.com/form.html
Hi there! Been suffering for footdrop since 1996 due to a vehicular accident. My left foot is almost paralyzed. Numbness & pain keep me awake at night most of the times. I've seen a lot of doctors, been to ortho, neurologists but did not get a lot of help to ease the pain. Been advised that there is nothing they can do as nerves have been damaged and repaired.
Been trying to think of going to acupunctr? I am always searching for an answer...for a cure, for all this pains. I am only 30 years old and I believe someday, I will find an answer. I will also discuss the options to my doctor mentioned on your email. Thanks!
I have foot drop from hip replacement May 2009. Can walk with a brace and am doing hydrotherapy twice weekly. Does the sciatic nerve heal? Apparently the nerve was stitched during operation, but I was taken back to theatre two days later - reopened and the nerve released. 6 months on I am not noticing any changes.
Hi Jani my aname is Jeanne and I used to be a TaeKwonDo Instructor. I had my own school and before that taught for the YMCA. Until the fateful day I had a one level L4/L5 fusion. The one decision in my life I wish I could reverse. This was 13 years ago. I came out of surgery in severe pain not my back but my right leg. The surgeon cut the nerve as best we can tell. At that time You could not find anyone who shared the same nightmare. My dream was to find a website such as this that we who had a common thread could talk to each other. I am writing to you Jani, because you mentioned meeting someone face to face, I too wanted the same thing. No one talked of the problem in 1997 but we are not coming speaking out. We tried suing which went no where. The dr who butchered not just me but many others moved from KS City to New York. I feel very alone my family does not understand (except one sister and my husband) He has put up with 13 years of worry about me. What state are you in Jani? I think it would be great if we could possibly get a support group going? A forum is nice, but putting the blame on the drs who do the damage and just walk away not helping a soul for fear of a lawsuit or just hurting their practice, as it should. I would be interested in what others thought. It is done with MS, cancer well I could go on, I think many just suffer in silence since there is no cure for nerve damage done by a careless dr. What happened to "FIRST DO NO HARM"? I will now be silent and God Bless all of you, we deserve it. Jesus did heal the lame and the paralyzed. Prayer is a terrific method of calming and letting others know we care. Sincerely, Jeanne
Hello, I am in pain one year after back surgeon and foot drop. My surger- buther cut sensory of nerve L5 and my foot drop. Surger- butcher hided, promised improvement after 6 months. Until now I still have foot drop and more pain then before surgery also I can not to find orthopedic who could make for my leg AFO to support. Usually suggest prefabricate AFO same as amazon sale, only for 5 time more expensive then amazon sale. No groupp support, no pain medicine,no pain management. I help myself mentally,spiritually, physically. Inflammation reduce garlic, canyon paper, turmeric
I am doing research according my condition nothing so far, stem cells is not in my case after butchery, if some body have foot drop in other case there a lot of options for treatments.
I still praying, praying..
i wish i had advice for you. I hope your drop foot will improve. My husband had hip surgery a year and four months ago and now has drop foot. I am so devestated, upset, fustrated and wish it would heal. We have had no help with DR except they keep saying that nerves repair themselfs in time. I hate what my husband is going through and I feel for everyone that has drop foot. All the best.
Hello,
my husband had a right anterior hip replacement march of 2009. He has drop foot also from the Ortho Dr over streching the siatic nerve. we have been told that it ''should repair itself" because nerves regenerate over a looong time period, ruffly 1mm each month. I hope your condition improves. Keep me posted as I will you if we discover any new info. All the best to you!!
Almost fifteen months now since surgeon damaged my sciatic nerve resulting in drop foot. Nerve conduction tests show very little improvement in past six months and have been told if no further improvement by January, 2011 I have a choice of tendon tightening to keep toes off the ground - no more brace - maybe a nerve operation or his advise - accept it and get on with it!!!!. Easy for surgeon to say. I am doing hydrotherapy twice a week to keep other muscles moving but really no improvement. The brace (afo) was custom made and fitted for me three weeks after surgery but without it can only hobble around. Still haven't come across anyone who has healed.
Hi,
I had a hip replacement in Feb 09 which caused complete foot drop in my right leg. It was very painful at first. Tramadol really helped for the nerve pain. I found my ankle started hurting a lot and would recommend a good pair of insoles, this really helped. I noticed while on holiday in July this year that my foot looked like it was lifting up (a tiny amount, like 2mm.) in the space of three months i can now walk without my foot support. my foot wont life as high as the other and i cannot raise my toes but i dont use an AFO now unless i am going out on the town! i can see it getting better all the time.
I could not move my foot at all for 18 months. nerve conduction tests showed it was severly damaged however MRI didnt pick up anything. they think it was probably stretched.
I just wanted to give people some hope, i had given up hope!
February 2009 must be the month for orthopedics to get careless!! I had a total hip done and the moment I came out of surgery I had pain beyond belief. It is now 18+ months later and I still cannot lift my foot. The pain is from my knee down. The only medications that can possibly help leaves me like a zombie. If you want to live anywhere near normal, the pain has to be dealt with. This has changed my life drastically. I was always active and now I am sedentary. I have to decide whether I want to suffer the consequences of activity or pass it up.
Brace wise I have gone from a AFO to a dosi brace but I have to be very careful walking. Since my surgery I have fallen, sprained my ankle twice, had 2 foot fractures and a nearly knocked myself out falling into a wall. Noone knows what it is like to have to "think" where your foot is everytime you move. My neurologist says I probably will never get use of my foot back due to the damage. I am currently looking into acupunture. Anyone had any luck with it?
My surgery was in May 2009 still no improvement but sciatic nerve was sewn through by surgeon. did hear of person recently who had been in excruciating pain for 18 months after surgery finding a doctor who released his nerve which was caught in the hip joint - instant relief from the pain although still has drop foot. I feel that maybe in some positions I can lift my foot from the ankle off the ground slightly but can't lift the toes - hopefully this is the start of something good.
My Mom has foot drop associated to her ALS disease and the fact that we weren't told about exercise just fitted for braces. They re-made her braces twice and never mentioned Physical therapy. Now hers is very severe, the doctors and nurses during an inpatient stay earlier this year said it's the worst they've seen. she has trouble falling asleep at night even with sleeping pills because we can't get her comfortable. it is very sad. They say there's no need in surgery so she just suffers and nobody has offered her any suggestions for relief. Isn't there some medicine or something? She's way beyond braces and PT.
I accidentally found this discussion board and am so glad I did.
I work for a medical device company and we are developing a new brace for drop foot that will allow for users to wear it under the shoe, with sandals, and even barefoot and still provide the lift and support required.
Like I said, we're in the process of refining the product right now - but it is scheduled to be ready for release by the end of this year! If you'd like to email me your contact information I would be happy to get ahold of you when it's ready. If others on this board - or if you know others who have drop foot - would like to do the same I would love to help out.
I really hope that this new design helps out those that have to struggle and be in pain.
Thanks,
Jessica
My email is footmind@gmail.com
Hi there,
maybe your foot drop issue has been settled by now.
But in case any of you who wonder how to treat foot drop problem,
I would like to share my story to you guys.
I had my total bone replacement surgery of my lef leg due to Osteosarcoma.
Limb sparing surgery was successfully done however I develop foot drop problem.
According to my doctor, there's nothing much he can do to fix it except to provide me AFO to aid me during walking.
The AFO strap deformed the shape of my shin after using it few months.
It was by accident that I had my acupuncture treatment for my foot drop problem. Initially, I went to the chinese traditional medical centre to get relief of my stiffed back. Instead of just treating my back, the acupuncturist noticed my walking problem and suggested me to try the treatment for my leg too.
Suprisingly, not even a day after he poked me with countless needles, my toe started to move upwards. I then continue few more treatments (about 4-5 times) until I can just keep my AFO somewhere I couldn't remember, hehe.
My point is..as this is something to do with the nerve problem, acupuncture might be the best treatment you can get to be free from dragging your foot while walking! Good luck people!
hi i think its amazing to hear all these stories... i never heard of drop foot until july 25 2011 after a second hip replacement.. woke up numb from knee down the dreaded drop foot.. and yes same responce from my dr.. well if it dont come back in three years, there are surgiries !! what three years.. iv'e worked in a paper factory for 21 years.. where a brace.. can i ever do my demanding job again? see a second nuero dr. on the 21 of nov.. another emg.. don;t know what to do... has anyone else gone back to a pysical job.after foot drop.. heavy lifting.. standing and walking a 8 to 12 hour shift 40 to 60 hour weeks.. bending twisting pushing pulling heavy rolls of paper up to 800 lbs... i loved my job.. now i can barley get around ... praying for a miricle.good luck to all with this horrible afliction.............
Had hip replacement on Oct 7, 2011. Woke up with drop foot. Hip is great but foot and ankle pain is unbearable. Wearing AFO part time. Full time makes the foot very heavy and sore. Just started neurontin this week to see if it will help the nerve pain. I have had a total life change. I cannot sit comfortably to watch tv or read because of the constant pain or sleep well at night without taking pain meds which I try not to do. Orthopedist just keeps telling me foot will come back but nerve damage takes a long time to heal. Nobody understands the pain I am in! This is a nightmare!!!
Anyone start getting tingles and pain after urnating. I get tingles, the pain starts from my both my knees goes up my thighs, up the sides of my body and out the sides of my arms to the elbow when I urinate.
Tingles are felt when urinating then it turns to a burninging, it's a icey hot cold feeling, it feels as if it is running thru my blood. Kinda like when they say "this will feel cold going in" at the Doctors. This is way more instense and hot more than it is cold.
Now I do have A kidney stone and a hernia I have had for years. Anyways anyone have the above symptoms when urinating?
I had a Tethered cord release in 1987 at the age of 11 and as a result had drop foot. It got so bad that I was walking on the side of my foot.
So I ended up having a Posterior Tibialis Tendon transer (took a muscle from the back of my calf and moved it to the front so I could lift my foot up). But I had walked on the side of my foot so much that I was used to it so the surgery didn't matter bc I was still twisting my anke. My ankle wasn't stable no matter how flat the floor was even if I was barefoot.
So the following year I had a Triple Arthrodesis (surgical fusion of the Talocalcaneal, Talonavicular, and Calcaneocuboid joints in the foot/ankle).
Although I can't now or ever wear high heels, I no longer twist my ankle or walk on the side of my foot. I can lift my foot up but I can't push down.
It was a life changing surgery.
Serenity
Hi! Im Keisha and I suffer from drop foot as the result of an automobile accident in May of 2008. I also had a hip and knee injury in the same leg. The pain over the yrs is horrible! Ive carried 3 children(was pregnant with the first at the time of the accident) and just the adding weight was too much to bear on that leg! The doctors cant do anything because they dont know what to do! Its hard because i cant even run and play with my children! Im only 26 and I was 22 at the time and I feel like my youth was taken away and my fashion!
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Nuerologist said it was the only way to get it back. I still have it a year later. I have been to 4 doctors who say there is nothing they can do.I walk alot to, its part of the job.I hurt all the time, and fall down all the time.I'm 35 yrs old, I can't be falling down all the time. Boots help alot and exercise to.
Hope you feel better
I had to have emergency back surgery lumbar infusion about 4 years ago when I came out of surgery I had foot drop. Doctor said it would come back will 4 years later and I still have it. Now I have what feels like a spranged ankle and hurts like you know what after I have been on it for a while. Cannot walk long distance or stand for long periods of time and I too fall, it is really frustrating.
Hang in there. I know drop foot hurts and I miss wearing cute shoes. But after having this for over 4 years I've managed to move past the shoes, I just
look forward to the days when the pain isn't so bad. Unfortunately its something doctors don't seem to know enough about and many don't care. But people with drop foot need to stick together and help each other work through those hard days. So if you ever want to talk I'm here. God Bless You. jk
The worst part of foot drop goes beyond the mounds of shoes I've collected but the constant fear of falling. I have tripped in the most of public places and hate it. I had a surgery and could walk fine up to the surgery itself. When I got out 13 years ago I could not move my foot up. The doctor ran... he never told me what happened. Tried to sue no luck. I feel for all of you who are dealing with this. For those who it just happened to, keep up the hope Jeanne
I also had surgery ( back ) , woke up with a dead foot. I was told it was foot drop and came out of the hospital wearing an AFO. The AFO kept my ankle from turning and kept my toes lifted somewhat but the brace itself caused me more pain as I developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome ( CRPS )
Hi,
I'm Carol, I got foot drop first and than I got CRPS II...they still don't know why but I have had multiple hip replacement surgeries and they said I had Peroneal Neuropathy. How is your foot drop and CRPS? Are you getting any special help for either?
I feel the same way...I miss wearing flip flops and nice shoes, heels....I hate having foot drop big time and now I also have a neurological pain disorder called RSD now know as CRPS (type II)...good luck to you!!
I am being told repeatedly there is nothing that can be done for either problem. I just go to pain mngt. and get hard core drugs that only take the edge off, I am never without pain. I did finally talk them into a different kind of brace which elemenated a lot of the pain the old AFO caused. With the CRPS it sometimes mirrors itself. I am a lucky one (sarcasim) the 1st 3 toes on my right foot is almost as bad as my "bad foot" .Life isn't always fair and I am one to testify to that. I hope you are getting some relief.
Deb
Hi again Deb,
Thank you...I'm actually going into the city to Hospital for Special Surgery to see a RSD Pain Mgmt. doctor...I was going to get Ketamine...low dose infusion and than long story short that didn't happen. I have a Dynamic Walk brace (AFO) by fillauer, it's way better than the plastic white afo's...they're awful and this one I can flex my foot down with, so I love it. Thanks for getting back to me. Btw, are you on facebook?
Sounds like our braces may be similar. I went in and told them what I had in mind and they did it. It only has the 2 steel rods up each side , with a velcro closing on the top. it attaches to the shoe with the anklr hinges. To insure my foot dosen't turn they put a narrow leather band that closes with a buckle. It is much more comfortable and MUCH cooler than the plastic AFO. I do wish Dr.'s/ Reseachers would put a little more time and effort into Foot Drop. As far as technology has come, seems there would be a solution and aslo for the RSVP. I almost got a stimulant implant put on my spine but after much testing I wasn't a candidate a nd not sure I would have done it anyways. Just thing how many ways that could go wrong! I hope you find relief and pass it along. Yes I am on Facebook but I am not good at finding people and not sure I want my full name here but you can try my email addy dibber_dabber@yahoo.com.There is an underscoer between the two words. Just let me know in the request who you are so I don't delete you. If friending me is why you ask, I may be way off base...lol.I am a lot.
Best of Luck,
Deb
Hi Deb! I was doing some research about drop foot braces and came accross this discussion board.
I work for a medical device company and we are developing a new brace for drop foot that will allow for users to wear it under the shoe, with sandals, and even barefoot and still provide the lift and support required.
Like I said, we're in the process of refining the product right now - but it is scheduled to be ready for release by the end of this year! If you'd like to email me your contact information I would be happy to get ahold of you when it's ready. If others on this board - or if you know others who have drop foot - would like to do the same I would love to help out.
I really hope that this new design helps out those that have to struggle and be in pain.
Thanks,
Jessica
My email is footmind@gmail.com
Jessica, YES please send me any info you can. This sounds like an answered prayer.
Anxiously awaiting,
Deb
Deb,
I just talked to the owner of the company about you and we'd love to have your help in testing of the brace when it is ready. Would you be willing to give it a try and give us as much feedback (positive and negative) so we can make sure the product is the best brace available?
Please email me at jessica@footmind.com.
Thanks,
Jessica
Oh My Yes I would love to if there isn't a great deal of cost to me. If I can help find something to help not only myself but probably millions of others I am more than willing to give it a shot.
Thank you so much,
Deb
painful days, sleepless and even more painful nights, this is what footdrop is made of...i dont like this at all nor the dr. who "overstrtched" the sciatic nerve,,i thought they were supposed to protect this nerve! then to act as if he did no wrong, no help at all, doesnt know how to treat it! had ity not been for a relative telling the dr. what could help, id be in worse pain! There has to be help for this disabiling thing callled footdrop i so hurt, and angry! i just dont understand how this happened! why ??? carelessness is all i can say, and at this point i stil dont know who perforned the surgery the dr. or his assistant?/ they mnake fun and say my "butt was to big! whoa, I hope we all can find at least a happy median to this problem! pain stinks i walked in to the hospital and its ashame i couldnt walk out! two hip surgeries one in 2009 in nc,thumbs up Dr. p, one in savannah ga, thumbs down Dr. MW...