Toe problem

Poppyg1rl

Hi all,
I was meant to see my Rheumy nurse today for a methotrexate injection but, she is ill and will have to re arrange. My problem is my big toint joint on my right foot is on fire :sad: very red, swollen and so sore that last night even with amitriptyline, 2 50mg trammies and a celebrex I couldn't sleep as the toes kept getting knocked by the duvet...I know it sounds daft but in desperation I rigged up a large hardback book at the end of the bed to drape the duvet over so that it wouldn't touch the toe it worked for a while until the book fell over onto my poor toe :x I've managed to get a Dr's appt at 2pm but finding walking with my stick really difficult as my left knee is dodgy and trying to keep off the toe is putting pressure on the knee...fed up! Has anyone got any suggestions of pain relief until i see the Dr? currently I've got my trusty bag of peas under the toe (any pressure on top and I'll hit the roof) does anyone else suffer with this? I've had all my fingers, thumbs, wrists, knees and ribs before but not the toes
:roll: Thanks for reading, I know I'm rambling but I'm so tired and in pain xxx

valval

ice on it at least 20 min wrapped in a towel and i use pillows either side softer and do not fall over good luck val

keith1971

I've been having trouble sleeping recently too due to an extremely painful shoulder which is radiating pain down my whole arm. Apart from painkillers I have a few ice packs, 6" x 3", which I've been leaning on whilst trying to sleep. Definitely helps (a little!).

x

frogmorton

Poppy

someone on here 'invented' a cover-raiser using an old clothes airer, but you can buy things which are made to lift your covers off sore bits.

I do hope you get some help and a better nights' sleep.

bad timing for the appt with rheumy nurse :x

love

Toni xx

Poppyg1rl

Oh bless you all for your support and suggestions, Ive given up with the peas, couldn't stand the cold anymore so had an idea to use my hot wax bath to see if that would help and it's ok, I'll probably keep my foot in it till my poor hubby helps me hop to the Drs thanks guys xxx
Ps Keith, about 4 years ago my shoulder gave me a lot of trouble, I put it down to usual aches and pains you get with lifting heavy children. It turned out (after suffering with it for 5 months) frozen shoulder with bone spurs that had to be shaved off in surgery, I'm not telling you to scare you, just don't put up with the pain for too long without speaking to your GP or Rheumy, don't make my mistake. Best of luck x
Thanks everyone, I'll update after seeing GP xxx

stickywicket

OK Poppy, Mr SW & I have combined both our brain cells and all we could come up with for tonight was a cardboard box, preferably of the long, flattish variety. Cut out all of top and one end, place upside down on bed, insert toe (and foot) through cut out end and cover entire edifice with duvet. Not quite as classy as a good book but maybe less likely to collapse on you.

I really hope the doc can come up with something better, Poppy.

Poppyg1rl

Thankyou Sticky what a brilliant idea! My eldest bought a pair of converse shoes at the weekend and I've still got the box they're a size 11 so that should work thanks for that
I've just seen my lovely GP who saw and measured my toe and my toe is nearly twice the size of the other big toe :shock: he's given me oromorph (liquid morphine) to take with tramadol and paracetamol and 48 hours at least of bed rest :sad: it's a typical flare, i knew I'd probably get something as it's been a stressful time recently, ah well, I'm sure by this time next week the flare will have beggared off and I'll be back to as normal as I can be
Thanks everyone, you're all lovely and kind people Xxx

stickywicket

Right. I've stationed spy cameras all round your bedroom and, if there's any sign at all of you getting up, apart from quick(ish) trips to the loo, We shall be down in force to march you straight back to bed. You have been warned!

Hope it works, Poppy. Thinking of you.

frogmorton

Ok poppy

glad you went at least even though you knew anyway :sad:

Dont forget to 'make' something to hold the covers off your foot for bedtime....

Love

Toni xx

Poppyg1rl

Thanks Sticky and Toni,
This is where having 3 boys comes in handy...bless em, the younger 2 are working together constructing a 'contraption' using a shoe box and some garden twine? :shock: and Jack has just made me a cuppa
I promise Sticky to stay in bed tomorrow.
I remember being on Oromorph after my shoulder operation, it took a while to kick in then, I hope it works because I'm not sure I can go through another bad night. I'm not sure if I'm meant to take my amitriptyline as well? I know I'm ok to take my trammies and celebrex but forgot to ask re the amitriptyline. Sorry I'm rambling again! Thanks everyone, Sticky you're a star thanks to your suggestion Sam and Luke are busy making a Blue Peter contraption for my toe
Love and hugs xxx

stickywicket

Check with the doc or chemist re amytriptilene, Poppy.

Keep those mini-slaves at it.

Hope you have a good night's sleep.

Take care.

barbara12

Hi Poppy
I know how painful your big toe can be...SW has come up with a brilliant idea for the bed.
I do hope you manage some sleep tonight, and dont forget the rest bit
You take care and let us know how you get on.

mp1952

Hi poppy

Is there any chance it could be an infection in your toe rather than a flare up? I used to be prone to infections in my toes (swollen, red and painful) and was often at hospitsl twice a week having them dressed by the podiatrist..

I also can't bear the duvet on my feet, so in fact sleep with my feet sticking out now .. I tried various contraptions to use as a 'cage' to keep the bed clothes off my toes, but could never find anything thst worked..

Marion

stickywicket

Morning Poppy.

Hope you slept better and the toe is a bit better behaved today with all the BED REST it's going to get.

Thinking of you.

Poppyg1rl

Hi all,
A better night thanks to oromorph but the toe is huge today abd still has it's own heartbeat it's definitely not infected as the swelling and pain is at the base of the toe. I could barely get out of bed to go to the loo, thankfully hubby here today to help, he's out on business in Somerset tomorrow & Friday though so my Mum's coming over to help.
Got lots of books to read in between naps, so will be a good girl and rest. It must be bad if I'm happy to do that eh?
Love and hugs to all xxx

frogmorton

Hi Poppy

with that oramorph you will have little chance but to rest wont you?

Glad your night was better.

How did the double-sided-sticky-tape contraption work out???

Bless those lads.

Love and hugs

Toni xx

Poppyg1rl

Hi Tony,
Well the contraption worked up to a point!...they were a bit keen with the old Sellotape and it got stuck to the duvet OH took it out of the bed without me knowing anything about it. Naturally I told them that it worked and gave me a good nights sleep
You're right about the oromorph, it's knocking me out, but that's a good thing, as even with it I can feel the throb.
Xxx

stickywicket

Oh dear! Back to the drawing board? A stool? Or just some leg warmers and leave the foot uncovered. Sorry, I'll shut up!

I hope the bed rest will succeed anyway. If the doc said 2 days worth I reckon 1/2 day is too soon to judge. Bet you wish it'd hurry up & work tho'.

skezier

Hi Poppy,

I got a real bed cradle thing now but.... Its so cold with that in the bed i actually stuck my foot in a cat basket... with a bit of padding it works quite well....

no sellotape for your lads though.....

Shoe box isn't big enough.... you need a big solid box and well a cat basket is very good if you have one

the things we do......

Leaving tea, light and a cuppa. ((((( ))))) and a spare cat box Cris xx

tillytop

Sorry Poppy - just catching up with this.

Probably a daft thing to say but is there any possibility that what you actually have is gout? :shock: I know it has a reputation for being caused by rich food and drink and people tend to associate it with, how to put this politely, portly gentlemen of a certain age but this isn't actually the case. I know two people who have had gout (both women, neither given to port and steak) and the symptoms sound very like yours. Excruiating pain at the base of the big toe. Gout is apparently caused by a build up of uric acid crystals in the joints so is kind of arthritis-y anyway. I think I am right in saying that gout can be treated. Just wonder if your doc has just made the assumption that it's arthritis related which, in my experience, is what they tend to do when anyone with arthritis presents with something even vaguely bone or joint related.

As for suggestions to keep the covers off, cardboard box would have been my idea too cos I have done that in the past. Could you try piling a few cushions under the covers either side of the foot, to raise the duvet up?

Thinking of you.

Love and ((()))s

Tilly xxx

Poppyg1rl

Hi Sticky, Cris and Tilly,
Hi all, well, toe still horrid and it looks like the ankle maybe joining in the fun too as it's puffy and sore :sad: thought it might happen though.
Ah well, just had my 4th enbrel injection no problems, let's hope it starts to bloomin work soon
Hi Tilly, re the gout thing, the Rheumy was very thorough in all the blood tests I had done at the start of all this, gout was one of the tests and my uric acid levels were fine. I think at this point though I'd quite like to chop the 'small moon' that is my foot off! I know it's just a flare, it will calm down and beggar off soon, as the wise and lovely DD says "It will pass, all things do" and as usual DD is right.
Thankyou all so much for your support and advice, I really appreciate your friendship, take care love and hugs xxx

Poppyg1rl

Hi all :sad: ankle now huge and throbbing too! Oromorph is the only thing that's been helping but I'm worried about being on that stuff for too long.
Another day of bed rest beckons :sad: sorry it's such a gloomy post, it's not like me at all, it's just pain dragging me down. x

stickywicket

Oh dear! I'm sorry about your ankle coming to the party, Poppy. Definitely bed rest today and no shirking it. I hope thing's ease off soon. Thinking of you.

Poppyg1rl

Hi Sticky,
Bless you thanks for your encouragement, my Mum's here and it is lovely although I'm not allowed to do anything other than read or sleep (all loo trips must be authorised!) I'm a bit low though, I thought by now week 4 of enbrel injections that something would be happening? Or maybe I've just been really unlucky and would have had a much worse flare without the enbrel? thanks again Sticky and love and hugs to all xxx

mp1952

Sorry to hear thst things are getting worse poppy...
Hope it settles down soon.

Hey cris that's a good idea about the cat basket! Wish I had thought about that when I was really suffering with my feet the other year.. I used to have an old wicker cat basket but gave it to a charity shop last year as it was stuck in the back of the cupboard taking up space and wasn't being used ... Doh..!


Marion o

Poppyg1rl

Hi all,
Well...I've had 3 hours sleep :???: thanks to my toe/ankle and the duvet knocking toe problem, I decided to sleep downstairs on the sofa, wrapped in my dressing gown. I just couldn't get comfortable and then my bloomin ribs kicked off. Ended up strapping 2 hot water bottles one at the side one at the back to my ribs with a belt and even then when they cooled down.. back to square one. All this with tramadols x2 50mg and 5ml oromorph :shock: going to ring Rheumy nurse today for some advice.
Bless her, my Mum's staying here for a couple of days to help me as hubby away, and she slept through it all!
Oh well, thanks guys for letting me get this off my chest, it always helps.
Love and a painfree day to all xxx