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I have been suffering from PF since July now, and I've done just about everything but it hasn't helped. It's worse in my right foot. I've had 3 corticosteroid shots in my right foot & 1 in my left. I've done PT with ultrasound massage and iontophoresis (sp?) ... it's the electrical stimulation. I also have the 'advantage' boot that stretches out my calf & achilles, but that hasn't done much except increase my flexibility. I've also purchased DANSKO clogs but once again ... they haven't done anything. I was also on prednisone for 5 days, taking it 5x a day which was 25mg a day, and all I got from that was heart palpitations and I've done the Lidoderm patches which did nothing - still got a box of those. I'm now trying acupuncture, and I've had 1 treatment but I have not seen any improvement so far. I have another one tomorrow; we'll see how that goes. I am staying far away from surgery. Can anyone suggest anything else? Please and thank you.

I just had the shot 1 month 10 days ago, and the pain came back a few days ago. Now what
Doctor told me that it will take it away forever.
I quess not. I don't know what to tell you

Dear LB9385,

I have done everything you have done and more!! If I do nothing and I mean no exercise whatsoever, I can tolerate the pain in my heel (actually it is far beyond my heel now). Plus I have to wear my tennis shoes from the moment I wake up until I go to bed. You can only do a maximum of 3 cortizone shots, (I've had them all). I know you said you want to stay away from surgery. I am going to schedule endoscopic suregery hopefully in January. It is the least invasive and I have spoken with others who have had it with great results. I wish I could be more encouraging but I do believe surgerys is the only option for me at this point. I refuse to have pf rule my life and not allow me to wear the shoes I want and walk as exercise if at all possible. Since making this decision at least I have hope for a cure. I have tried all else. I will keep you posted and good luck.....A lot of people are cured of this with all the traditional methods, I am just not one of them.
Lynn

Thank you for your replies. Lynn, when I said I wanted to stay away from surgery, I meant the fascia release. I've read many horror stories about it not working and making it worse. I think my only option, like you, is for endoscopic surgery or arthroscopic (I think it's the same). I had another acupuncture appointment a few days ago in which I had to bring the MRI report. The report says "No MRI evidence of plantar fasciitis." So, I now have 2 opinions from 3 different doctors. The acupuncturist said I have degenerative arthritis from reading that report, so I'm completely confused now. Degenerative arthritis is also known as osteoarthritis. But, I'm thinking, if that was the case, wouldn't it have shown up on both sets of x-rays I had? I don't know what to do anymore. I feel like if I go to another doctor, they are going to tell me something else. Has anyone gone to an orthopaedist or just a podiatrist? Any luck with either one? Thank you.

-- Lauren

Hi Lauren - I have also had PF for well over a year now - actually 1 1/2 years - bilaterally - I, like Lynn, have done all of the "traditional" methods for curing it - have spent thousands of dollars on co-pays, prescriptions, more New Balance sneakers than I would like to even look at, night splints, icing, stretching, PT - you name it, I have tried it! I am going for nerve testing on Tuesday to see if perhaps it is coming from somewhere else as my doctor says that it has gone on for way too long for it to be PF. My podiatriast said that if that report comes back negative for nerve problems, then I will have an MRI.

I DO NOT want to have any kind of surgery - have not heard or read anything that would make it seem like a total solution. From what I understand, even after you have the surgery, you have to wear custom orthotics as the plantar fascia needs to be supported after surgery - Well, I have been down that road already (to the tune of $500 - not a penny covered by insurance) and I absolutely cannot wear them - They just feel like I have huge ridges underneath my feet - so that, at this time, is not an option for me!

I am sorry that I can't be of help to you - I really wish that I had some words of advice for you or some miracle cure - from all the people who are suffering from this, you would think that somehow, somewhere there would be an answer!

Sue

P.S. Hi Lynn!

Hi Nini - I can't believe that you are hurting again! Is the pain as bad as it was before the shot? Did you call your doctor?

Sue

I have PF bilaterally and am in so much pain, which sounds like the rest ofyou here. I'm doing the PT and they can't believe they aren't helping me. I had a cort. shot in 1 foot, the shot was so horrible that I haven't been back for more. That was my first visit to an orthopedic dr and I only saw the PA, I wasn't happy with the appt. She immediately suggested the shots. I have to go back on 1/6, hoping to see the real dr. I hurt so bad, I can barely work, I'm on my feet all the time. What I read says it should be worse in the morning and get better throughout the day, yeah right. Mine hurt terribly all day long and right now it's 9:19 pm and I'm in excruciating pain. Has anyone been given anything to help with the pain so that they can function? I have to work, there is no way I can stay home. I have tried so many different types of shoes, just bought another pair of sneakers. My daughter loves it cause she keeps getting the ones that I can't wear. I have been suffering with this since May. I really don't know how much more I can take. I never wear high heels so that isn't a problem, I'd basically wear anything that will help the pain. Even though I should be wearing boots for my job they are allowing me to wear sneakers but they need to be black and I can't find black ones that are helping. Any ideas?

Well i sound like everybody and its really nice to realize that I am not the only one in this much pain. When I go to the doctor they seem to not believe me that I am in sooo much pain. I am a hairdresser so I am on my feet all day, I only work 3 days but I am a Mom of 4 one which who had a stroke and has cerebral palsy so she keeps me very busy. I have gone to 4 doctors , the first one said that nothing was wrong WITH me. The second said I shouldnt be a hairdresser and wanted to do surgery but said if I went back ti hairdressing that it would probably still hurt me, but he said he wouldnt give me any kind of dissability. The next doctor seems to be trying but totally stuck so thats why i went tot the 4th but he agrees with the 3rd. I have had 2 cort. shots, i have therapy 2 times a week for months, i where a night brace, i stretch, ice and have great shoes, i have inserts for my shoes but it just keeps getting worse. I am having pain in my whole foot, they said i have bercitis, fascitis, neve intrapment, heel spur. i walk weird so my hip and back has been bothering me. I feel like this is DISTROYING my life. all i do i cry at home at work , wherever. i feel like i cant be good mom, wife because i am in constint pain. From all the pain my blood pressure is way high , had to go to the er last week because i felt like i was gonna pass out, my pressure was 180 over 110, so i am on meds for that, the doctors said i only have high blood pressure because of the pain i am in . My family doctor wants me to start an anti depresant because i cry all the time. I AM NOT DEPRESSED I AM IN PAIN, the ER doc also gave me ativan so when i am in pain i can take it to calm me down. but it knocks me out and i have a child with CP, so what am i to do with her. . My 3rd doctor and therapist say i shouldnt be a hairdresser also but again the doctor doesnt want to give me dissability. My life is falling apart. THANKS FOR LISTENING

LB9385 wrote: Can anyone suggest anything else?

yes, i can suggest what helped me after several years of constant pain: yogatoes. (what are yogatoes? very funny-looking foot-stretchers that you wear lying on the couch or in the tub, for maybe 15 minutes a day to start.)

nini wrote:I just had the shot 1 month 10 days ago, and the pain came back a few days ago.

nini, are you the waitress? i've done that, and i can't imagine doing it w/ pf. since the shots didn't work for you, i hope you're ready to consider something that doesn't involve a doctor's office.

Lynn wrote:I am going to schedule endoscopic suregery hopefully in January.It is the least invasive ...I have tried all else.

lynn, you haven't tried yogatoes, which are completely non-invasive! i really wish you would, but if not, i wish you success w/ the surgery.

shayes37 wrote:I have spent thousands of dollars on co-pays, prescriptions, ... night splints, icing, stretching, PT - you name it, I have tried it!

I really wish that I had some words of advice for you or some miracle cure - from all the people who are suffering from this, you would think that somehow, somewhere there would be an answer!

sue, i was one of the sufferers, and here's my answer: yogatoes were in fact a "miracle cure" for me. you've spent $1000's on traditional medical advice that hasn't helped, i hope you will now consider spending $50 on something unconventional that may help you as much as it helped me.

tghostlaw, amnpkl, lauren - please read my story here (scroll down for my username, ginapf, and follow the link inside my post):
http://www.plantar-fasciitis.org/talk/topic9-15.html

i had terrible foot and ankle pain for many years, and now i don't anymore. my only purpose in posting here is to let people know about something non-invasive, effective and inexpensive that few medical professionals know about, that has helped me and many others.

best, gina

Lauren, Sue, Nini, Gina, and all of you!

OK I just tried to post and for some reason I don't think it went through so if it comes up twice, just ignore one of them. I'll try to remember everything I previously wrote, DUH! Sue, did you have your test?? How did it turn out??? Gina, ok I know you have made mention several time of yoga toes and are a big supporter of them. Let me tell you what I have found out about them. First my doctor said DO NOT use them!!!! He said they can cause or worsen bunions, cause further nerve entrapment, and hammer toes among other things! Now I know what works for one may not work for another, but please take caution!!! I spoke with a friend of my neighbors who said she tried them and it caused more pain!!! I have read the "testamonials" on the website and if they are true they may work for some of you. I will never try them and I think caution beware!! I have tried most things to alleviate this pain, but will not try yoga toes and would not suggested them. I am glad they work for you though.
Well I took the plunge and scheduled endoscopic surgery for Feb. 4th. I have personally spoke with 4 people who have had it done, three with good results, the other one is only in her third week so it is to early to tell. I will have the surgery on Wed. and back to work on Mon. I do not stand on my feet all day, but I am not sitting all day either. They make a small incision on one side of your heel and another one on the other side. They feed a camera through with a small scapel and actually slice the tendon to lengthen it. I will be non weight bearing from Wed to Fri. and in my trusty cad walker (walking cast) for three weeks after that. No exercise for 8 weeks. Success rate is about 90%, but so far according to the other people I have talked to it has been great. Time will tell!!! I know how difficult it is to be in pain but all of you hang in there, ice, wear sneakers, and pray!! For some of you it may just go away....I have heard of that, I just don't want to wait forever to see if it does!! I feel connected to all of you and it is good to know there is support out there. The suggestions that many of you have made have been most helpful. You can never have enough informaion! Keep posting!
Lynn

Hi Lynn - So glad to hear from you! Yes, I had my test on Christmas Eve (yuck) - was not terrible - just felt as though they were sticking pins in my feet/calves. But for both feet, it was only 1/2 hour. The man who did it said that my doctor should have the report by Friday. Called my doctor on Monday, and still have not heard anything back! I will be trying his office again as soon as I finish this. He had said, last I saw him, that if this report comes back okay, then he will order an MRI for me, but also said that he really does not think that there is anything structurally wrong with my feet. Regarding your surgery, will you need PT afterwards? Also, will you need to wear custom orthotics after also? Do you already have them? I tried them (to the tune of $500 that insurance will not pay) and they just made my feet feel as though there were rolls of dimes under my arch - pretty uncomfortable! So I pretty much threw them back at my doctor! When reading all of the posts about this, it just makes me so sad that there are so many people out there like us - just suffering so terribly . . .
Thanks so much for thinking of me! I really do appreciate it!

Sue

I have had pf for a year and a half now. Last February I got a cortisone shot and it lasted for about 8 months, but pf returned in November. The PA I saw gave me the oral cortisone this time and it helped while I was taking it but then the pain has returned, maybe not quite as bad. Over this year and a half I have made some observations of my own pain. For one thing, it is better when I take fluid tablets, a.k.a. hctz or hydrochlorothiazide, they are normally prescribed for blood pressure but I just take them as needed for "hormonal" fluid retention. Also seems better when I take claritin for a couple of days which is probably because of it blocking histamines which cause inflammation. I am definitely overweight by about 40 pounds and I wonder if this is usual or do thin people get it too and it seems to be higher incidence in women than in men which makes me wonder if it could be connected to those pesky hormones some of the ones that men have too. I haven't seen any kind of research that addresses any of these other issues except weight of course and shoes but I know millions of people who wear crappy shoes and never get pf so I am thinking there is more to this than meets the eye. If anyone has some similar observations I would be interested.

I came here looking for hope with my problem. At first my right foot felt like someone had been hitting the heal with a hammer. After some advice from my doctor(when I went for another problem) he recomended the Strassburg sock, stretching exercises and a Berkinsock othotic insert for my shoes. The Strassburg sock was uncomfortable and I didn't sleep so I used a thing called Futura which is more comfortable but flimsy, stretching exercises I do and I have used other shoe inserts other than the Berkinsock. Anyway my foot still hurts and the pain has gone from the bottom of the heel to the edge of the heal all around. It hurts most when I am driving. It feels like my foot has been draging on rough dirty ground. I take lots of Ibuprofen and someone said Fish Oil helps so I take that. This has gone on since October. I was wanting to run a Marathon in March. I'm not going to make it. I run 2 miles most days and get up to 6. There was a period in December where I didn't run at all for 2 weeks due to a nasty cold, snow on the ground (I have fallen enough with and without snow). Sometimes it hurts when I run and sometimes it doesn't so much and it is like it's there but doesn't really bother me that much. Ice foot wraps don't seem to help. I would like to get back into racing this year. I have run 1 or at most 2 for the last 10 years. I used to run more when I was in my 30's. I am now in my 60's and have had some faster training runs in the last year that I have had for several years. My weight hasn't changed. I had something like this several years ago but it was only temperary and went away when I threw away the motion control shoes I was using at the time. Regardless of the cause I could use suggestions on a solution.

I have been suffering from PF since August of 2008. I have tried many of the things I have seen on this post. However, recently I have found something that seems to give me relief. I bought an ankle brace from a company called Mueller. (I bought this at Walgreen's for about $9.00). My doctor had previously given me some heel cups, they are clear with a blue spot in the middle of the heel. I decided to treat my ailment like a broken bone. First, I put a sock on my foot (my right foot is the bother), then I put on the ankle brace. It is covered with velcro so I pull it rather tight. Then I put my heel cups in my New Balance tennis shoes and keep them on until I go to bed. (My doctor said he could write me a note stating that I needed to wear tennis shoes if my employer needed one. My employer is fine with the shoes, but for some of you, this may be necessary.) Then I take 2 Advil every 4 or 6 hours. I have been sleeping with the brace on, trying to immobilize the foot as much as possible. I am doing the stretches everyone prescribes and I try to massage my foot a couple of times a day. At night I loosen the brace as my feet seem to swell a bit when I sleep. I think I'm going to continue with this for 6 weeks, that is how long a break usually takes to heal. My foot feels better this week than it has for months so I'll keep it up.

I hope something like this helps others. I've been reading all the postings and it seems hopeless at times! I sure hope to have this thing cured soon.

I came here as I said before looking for hope. I may be in the 4th month with PF. I may have had it longer than I thought. It seems like my right foot got real sore on the outer edge of the heal when I drove with flip flops or slippers on before it started hurting when I ran and then pretty much all the time. Yesterday a van could not be driven and one of the people I work with wanted to go to the library so I walked. It hurt but didn't get worse. Sometimes when I run it doesn't hurt at all and sometimes it hurts a lot. I have been trying some of the information I have read here. I like to run and would like to return to a normal running routine again.