I remember when I was first diagnosed with MF - suspicious that every pain, burp or pimple was part of the disease.
Eight months ago I stepped on something that pierced the sole right on the ball of my foot. It bled, but neither I, nor my PC doctor could find it. Since then I have been unable to exercise as I have for the past 30 years. Anytime I walked very far or was on my feet very long - particularly in dress shoes - I would be lame for a day or two.
To make things worse, I had a pain develop in my neck. My neck has crunched and made gravel noises for years and years, but now it was hurting. The doctor had me get X-rays and then I went to PT. The PT exercises made the situation much worse. My doctor sent me to have an MRI and then I went to a neurosurgeon. He sent me to pain management. I had three courses of epidural shots into my spinal column. They helped for a week or so, but then we were back to serious paralyzing pain.
Well, between my lame foot and my very painful neck I was not a very happy camper. I was very limited and was constantly grunting or exclaiming in pain.
I would have liked to have blamed MF. At one point I thought, "This pain in my foot can't be some small thing I stepped on. It must be part of my gouty-arthritis." I also thought, "This pain in my neck isn't from having a bundle of shingles dropped on my head from a story up - it must be because MF is breaking down my neck bones.
Glad to say, both of these have been resolve for me in the space of about three weeks. The neurosurgeon offered me a three vertebrae fusion or Gabapentin. I took the Gabapentin and the worst of my pain was gone almost immediately.
The shingles dropped on my head didn't do me any good - and maybe MF is making my "Facets Disease" worse - who knows? But the problem had a solution and I am blessed.
Then, a spot on my foot swelled up and finally burst with pus. That didn't fix my problem, but I kept drawing salve on the spot for about two weeks, then one day the spot felt rough when I passed my finger over it. When I looked, the plastic shard glinted at me and I was able to pick it out with my fingers.
My foot is restored! I'm back to exercising and full steam ahead activities. It wasn't gout, it was a small foreign object in the ball of my foot. Now it is gone and I am good to go!
Gradually I have learned that it is not always the MF - and that is a good thing!
Certainly you should get everything checked out. But don't give in to "This is part of MF and I am going to have it for the rest of my life." No! Hang in there. Keep looking for solutions. Many of the things that trouble you have solutions.
