Questions about feet.

sailrib
sailrib Member Posts: 327
edited 30. Sep 2013, 11:33 in Living with Arthritis archive
I've had both feet fused, hind foot area at my local orthopaedic hospital.

I now have midfoot arthritis which is getting worse and I've just had injections in them which we're booked at the time of my follow up after my fusion operation by the clinical fellow.

The CF also said that they try and not fuse the midfoot is they don't have to as it more difficult then fusing the hind foot.

So I came away from that appointment feeling good, knowing that if it got to the point of needing them fused, I could and I have a follow up at the end of November again with the foot and ankle clinic.

Yesterday I went up to my local sailing club where I've sailed for over 10 years to watch the racing and my actual surgeon was there, along with the clinical fellow.

The surgeon was speaking to me about sailing and we also briefly spoke about my feet in which I said I had the injections the day before. My surgeon was speaking to me about my foot I just had the injections in but being deaf I missed most of what he said but got 'unfortually' and 'we can't' from him. I didn't ask him to repeat himself as I knew he wasn't at work so didn't want to bother him too much. He then said to me 'if you ever need more injections, don't go via your GP as that can take 2 years, ask your sailing coach and he'll pass on a message to me straight away so we get the injections done ASAP' The 'ubfortually' and 'we can't', I work out, we can't do anything about the midfoot, unfortunately?!

This has got me totally confused as to what he meant so I was wondering if anyone knew my answers
- Do people have to go to their GP for steroid injections if you are not a patient at the hospital?
- If I got discharged, would my surgeon still be able to book me in for injections even tho I won't go to his clinic anymore because I've gone via my sailing coach? (I'm trying to work out if and when I would be discharged)
- Has anyone ever had their midfoot fused?

Sorry for the long post but I'm totally confused. I know people won't nesserarly be able to exactly answer my questions but wondered if you had any views on things.

Thank you :)

Comments

  • Megrose489
    Megrose489 Member Posts: 776
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    The only question I can answer, sailrib, is that I get my steroid injections (in my thumb) from my GP during a normal appointment. I've got OA. I was also told that if my knees got worse, he could give me steroid injections in those, too.
    I'm afraid I don't know the answer to your other two questions, but, hopefully, somebody else will.

    Take care,

    Meg
  • maria09
    maria09 Member Posts: 1,905
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    You can have steroid injections at your GP if there is at least one of them specialises in that, at my GPs out of the 4 only 1 does the procedure
    I prefer my Rheumy to do mine as I have every confidence in them
    I'm sure my GP is very good but a bit unsure of how often he does them
    The worst pain I ever had when having my toe joints injected was when I had them done under ultra sound by the chief radiographer that was a big ouch!
    Maria :)
  • sailrib
    sailrib Member Posts: 327
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks.

    (I've been told I've got big toe arthritis in both feet but personally my big toe joints feel normal compared to the rest of my feet. :lol: Never been painful, just feels like someone is poking their fingers in my big toe joints)

    I personally never realized that GPs could do injections as I always thought it had to be done via ultrasound to make sure you inject the right joint.

    I got sent straight to the hospital regarding my feet so not too sure what the GPs are able to do.

    I hope to find this guy that lives in my village who is under the same surgeon. I know he's stopped me in the last asking how things are and he talks about his ankle. He's been a patient of the foot and ankle clinic for about 4 years as he's been offered an ankle fusion but is holding off, not wanting his ankle fused. He's said only a few months ago that he has had to ring the surgeon up asking for a steroid injection in his ankle.

    I think I will feel happier once I come across this guy in my village, then we can chat about things. We seem to chat for a long time about our feet problems.

    These is also this guy who lives round the corner from me who's had his midfoot fused because of RA. I may knock on his door as well. I've known him since I was a baby. I used to play with his daughter who is 4 years younger then me when we were young children.
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello sailrib
    How nice of your surgeon, I get my injections through my pain clinic , they send me to the consultants and then they put me on the list for them..has they have to be done in hospital..it can be long and drawn out..good luck with it all...
    Love
    Barbara