Feet Problems--Terry/Amy's Pam

August 23, 2003

Terry,

Thanks for the update.I have never had Shingles but from what I have

heard they are very painful. Is it possible that they have developed

because of your weakened immune system? I have a friend here who has

been suffering with them for two months now and his doctor has said

they occur when the immune system is compromised or weakened.

I took your advice and went to see an acupuncturist. Living in Japan

does make life easy when you are looking for alternative eastern

medicine practitioners! There is an excellent acupuncturist about five

minutes from where I live.On the first visit last Wednesday I only

asked him to treat the pain in my foot but he looked at me and asked if

I had thyroid problems. I do not have a goiter but he said the neck

shape of people with thyroid problems is quite distinctive. He then

told me he had several GD and Hashimoto patients, some are doing only

acupuncture, others doing it in conjunction with ATDs. So, I asked him

what he might be able to do for me and I have just now come back from

my second appointment. He is treating me for both. The pain in my feet

has lessened and I have slept better these past three nights than I

have in months.

He said the thyroid meridian goes from the neck straight down over the

torso and down the leg. In fact many of the needles he has inserted for

my thyroid have been in the lower legs which I find interesting. Anyway

I will continue and see what,if anything, happens and will of course

report in on it.

I have made a note about the peppermint oil as that sounds like a good

pain relief option to have in my first aid kit!

Amy's Pam, thank you for the suggestion about Neuroma.that was a big

help. I had never heard of it (but then LOL again I had never heard of

GD either until I was diagnosed) so went and did some research and my

symptoms are exactly those listed for Morton's Neuroma. So I think that

must be what it is. There is no treatment listed other than orthotics

for shoes and taping for the feet and then surgery if it gets really

bad so I'll persevere with the acupuncture and see if I can get some

longterm relief there.

Terry, OT but is your daughter still in Kyoto?

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