Re: Overdue Update

[Guest guest]

Kristy,I am glad to hear the surgery has helped you in more than one way. The less pain -- the better! ;-) Thanks for your well wishes. Take Care,Chelle

[Guest guest]

Kristy, you might be on to something.

I've been seeing a podiatrist too for tendon damage (plantar fascia) and I've noticed that the more my foot pain diminishes, the better my VPD gets!

I believe the inflammation in my foot was adding to my vulvar problems, somehow

Who would have thought,

Subject: Overdue UpdateTo: VulvarDisorders Date: Monday, November 3, 2008, 2:40 AM

Hi everyone,

It has been a while since I have sent an update and I am sorry that I have not been back to update. The reason is because I have been so focused on tending to recovering from the surgery on my foot.

I had surgery on my foot 4 months ago (18 weeks). Sometimes I can't believe that it's been that long since the surgery, especially on the issue with my fibromyalgia. It has also been 18 weeks since my fibro has bothered me. I am amazed at how long it has been long like this and I am hoping it stays this way for a long time to come.

Well, I know you are wondering what on earth the surgery of my foot has to do with my fibro so here's the deal. (this is a repeat but may be of benefit to new members of the list)

Shortly after I started seeing my Podiatrist earlier this year I saw an ad for one of the other Podiatry practices in town in the phone book that said, "Fibromyalgia and Fatigue are common with foot imbalances". Well, when I first saw that ad it didn't make sense to me as to what the connection was.

Well, I had the surgery on my foot but I have to tell you that before I had the surgery on my foot I was nervous about what the surgery would do to my fibro. So I went and got a massage done two days before my surgery.

The day after I had my surgery I did not flare from my fibro at all so figured that it must have been related to the massage I had. Three weeks after the surgery I got a surprise. My fibro was still quiet so now I knew that it wasn't the massage. The reason that I knew that it wasn't the massage is because if it had been the massage I would have started to flare again. The reason is because the massages only last me about 3 weeks and then need to have another one.

Well, later on when I could finally get out a bit more and then went to the pharmacy to pick up one of the medications I stood and read thru a part of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fibromyalgia. It was the beginning part of the book where it said that fibromyalgia could affect joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

After I read that it made sense what happened. The surgery that I had on my right foot was to fix a couple of problems I had, one of them since childhood. The issues that needed fixing were my Achilles tendon that had gotten tight again (I had this issue fixed as a child but it had to be done again because of over time-I have problems with this as a result of one of the other problems I had since childhood: Cerebral Palsy, which mine is mild but still finds ways to create problems) and an issue with the big toe I didn't know I had going on. The issue with my big toe was also a tendon issue and it was causing my toe to go up instead of straight forward when we walk.

So my Podiatrist took care of both problems for me, and with the issue with the Achilles tendon he told me that while I didn't want to have the surgery done it had to be done (I knew that which is why I was getting it done so that I could walk better).

Because of the issues with my right foot, my body was using other ways to tell me that something was going on one of them being the fibromyalgia.

So why do I feel that the fibromyalgia is quiet now? Because the problems in my foot are now fixed.

Now because of what has happened to me I am now more aware of just what kind of problems can occur in the rest of the body if there's an issue with the feet and lower extremities such as shortened leg (which I also have in addition to the foot issues). Because of this awareness, now when I meet people who say they hurt in certain areas such as the back for example I will ask them when the last time was that they had their feet checked.

The reason for this is because of the fact that when there is a problem with the feet it can cause all kinds of problems with other parts of the body such as in the back area and all the way up to the neck and even to the head.

I have been walking on my own power for almost 3 months now and noticing a huge improvement in the way that I walk. I have been trying to transition back in to a shoe on that side and it's been hard. On Tues I tried to wear my shoe out for a bit because I had a doctor's appointment that day. I figured that by trying to wear it outside the house it was now safe. And I found out after 2 hours that my foot was not ready to do it so it was a good thing I had my boot in the car because I needed it.

I will be seeing my doctor again for the next check-up on the 5th after I see Urology earlier in the day to rule out bladder problems to see if they could be an issue for the pubic bone pain I've had for 2 years. I will keep everyone posted on how this turns out.

Chelle, I read about your issue that you are contending with and I hope you get an answer soon as to what to do. I also think it's a good idea about talking to Dr. Conway about this. You will be in my thoughts as you figure out what to do next.

Kristy

[Guest guest]

,

If you would have asked me about 10 years ago if I thought my feet would have had any thing to do with the rest of the problems with my body I would have said no way.

Thanks to my Podiatrist, I have learned my lesson. I know better now. What you have said about your vulvar pain going away as the foot pain goes away thanks to the treatment for the plantar fasciitis makes sense.

My vulvar area has also been quiet too (now if I can get the pubic bone pain to be quiet too) and I thought it was just because of one of the medicines I've been on this past year and also related to another thing I've been doing this year (in addition to other things I've already been doing), getting a newer make of the Hanes panties which is even softer than it used to be. As I continue to do better from this surgery I will keep an eye on this aspect to see what happens.

But as you say who would have thought that about the kind of things that foot problems can cause for the entire body. And with that, I am now on a mission to make as many people aware of it. It is true that until different things start to happen that when it's found out that it's related to the feet that it's easy to take that for granted as to just how much our feet do. And because of that not realize the role that Podiatrists play in helping people until something happens to their feet.

If you would like to e-mail me off list any time so we can compare each other's progress feel free to do so any time.

Kristy

From: Kristy Sokoloski <sokokl (AT) yahoo (DOT) com>Subject: Overdue UpdateTo: VulvarDisorders@ yahoogroups. comDate: Monday, November 3, 2008, 2:40 AM

Hi everyone,

It has been a while since I have sent an update and I am sorry that I have not been back to update. The reason is because I have been so focused on tending to recovering from the surgery on my foot.

I had surgery on my foot 4 months ago (18 weeks). Sometimes I can't believe that it's been that long since the surgery, especially on the issue with my fibromyalgia. It has also been 18 weeks since my fibro has bothered me. I am amazed at how long it has been long like this and I am hoping it stays this way for a long time to come.

Well, I know you are wondering what on earth the surgery of my foot has to do with my fibro so here's the deal. (this is a repeat but may be of benefit to new members of the list)

Shortly after I started seeing my Podiatrist earlier this year I saw an ad for one of the other Podiatry practices in town in the phone book that said, "Fibromyalgia and Fatigue are common with foot imbalances". Well, when I first saw that ad it didn't make sense to me as to what the connection was.

Well, I had the surgery on my foot but I have to tell you that before I had the surgery on my foot I was nervous about what the surgery would do to my fibro. So I went and got a massage done two days before my surgery.

The day after I had my surgery I did not flare from my fibro at all so figured that it must have been related to the massage I had. Three weeks after the surgery I got a surprise. My fibro was still quiet so now I knew that it wasn't the massage. The reason that I knew that it wasn't the massage is because if it had been the massage I would have started to flare again. The reason is because the massages only last me about 3 weeks and then need to have another one.

Well, later on when I could finally get out a bit more and then went to the pharmacy to pick up one of the medications I stood and read thru a part of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fibromyalgia. It was the beginning part of the book where it said that fibromyalgia could affect joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

After I read that it made sense what happened. The surgery that I had on my right foot was to fix a couple of problems I had, one of them since childhood. The issues that needed fixing were my Achilles tendon that had gotten tight again (I had this issue fixed as a child but it had to be done again because of over time-I have problems with this as a result of one of the other problems I had since childhood: Cerebral Palsy, which mine is mild but still finds ways to create problems) and an issue with the big toe I didn't know I had going on. The issue with my big toe was also a tendon issue and it was causing my toe to go up instead of straight forward when we walk.

So my Podiatrist took care of both problems for me, and with the issue with the Achilles tendon he told me that while I didn't want to have the surgery done it had to be done (I knew that which is why I was getting it done so that I could walk better).

Because of the issues with my right foot, my body was using other ways to tell me that something was going on one of them being the fibromyalgia.

So why do I feel that the fibromyalgia is quiet now? Because the problems in my foot are now fixed.

Now because of what has happened to me I am now more aware of just what kind of problems can occur in the rest of the body if there's an issue with the feet and lower extremities such as shortened leg (which I also have in addition to the foot issues). Because of this awareness, now when I meet people who say they hurt in certain areas such as the back for example I will ask them when the last time was that they had their feet checked.

The reason for this is because of the fact that when there is a problem with the feet it can cause all kinds of problems with other parts of the body such as in the back area and all the way up to the neck and even to the head.

I have been walking on my own power for almost 3 months now and noticing a huge improvement in the way that I walk. I have been trying to transition back in to a shoe on that side and it's been hard. On Tues I tried to wear my shoe out for a bit because I had a doctor's appointment that day. I figured that by trying to wear it outside the house it was now safe. And I found out after 2 hours that my foot was not ready to do it so it was a good thing I had my boot in the car because I needed it.

I will be seeing my doctor again for the next check-up on the 5th after I see Urology earlier in the day to rule out bladder problems to see if they could be an issue for the pubic bone pain I've had for 2 years. I will keep everyone posted on how this turns out.

Chelle, I read about your issue that you are contending with and I hope you get an answer soon as to what to do. I also think it's a good idea about talking to Dr. Conway about this. You will be in my thoughts as you figure out what to do next.

Kristy