Charcot Foot Support

Neuropathy pain

Living with Charcot Foot: Joe’s Experience

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Navigating life with Charcot Foot has been a difficult experience for 72-year-old Joe. Joe was diagnosed with Charcot Foot in 2016. He has agreed to share his experience living with Charcot Foot in an effort to help others.

Living with foot pain

Joe had experienced foot pain for many years. He described the neuropathic pain as intense and unrelenting. He would experience intense pain on the top of the foot and on the sides of his feet. He also had numbness and tingling in his feet and legs.

“The foot pain started in my early 50’s,” Joe said. “It was intense but I tried to ignore it. I didn’t mention it to my doctor very often, I didn’t take pain pills, none of that. I was just going to tough it out.”

Toughing it out didn’t work well for Joe. He had difficulty sleeping due to the pain and began to stumble when walking. Ten years prior to his Charcot Foot diagnosis he stumbled and fell while coming up his front steps. He experienced his first break at that time but didn’t know it for several weeks.

“I fell and broke my foot and I still ignored it,” Joe said. “I don’t know why I was so stubborn. But I ignored it until I almost couldn’t walk, weeks later. I was put in a boot for six weeks but it didn’t heal well. That was the beginning of the Charcot I think but my doctors didn’t diagnose it until 2016.”

For years after breaking his foot he struggled with swelling in his foot and continued foot pain. Joe continued to ignore the problem and wasn’t completely honest with his doctor about how he was feeling. The lack of medical care likely increased the damage being caused by Charcot Foot.

Mobility issues

Due to the continued foot pain and the failure of Joe’s foot to heal properly he began having mobility issues. By Christmas of 2015 he wasn’t able to walk up the stairs to his front door.

“I was trying to carry in some Christmas decorations in 2015 and I couldn’t do the stairs,” Joe said. “The pain wasn’t bad but it was like my feet wouldn’t work. I couldn’t put enough pressure or enough strength to lift myself up the stairs. My daughter saw me struggling and then I had no choice but to get to the doctor.”

Joe may have avoided dealing with his mobility issues and medical concerns but his daughter did not. She was persistent, making appointments for Joe and attending them with him. It took a handful of appointments with different doctors before he was properly diagnosed with Charcot Foot.

With a diagnosis the reality of Charcot Foot treatment began to sink in. He spent six months non weight-bearing and struggling to live life with mobility issues.

“Crutches, a knee scooter, boots, I hated it all,” Joe said. “I couldn’t figure out how to get things done around the house without being able to walk and living on my own. It took a lot of creative thinking and I figured it out but it was a pain in the ass.”

Joe says crutches didn’t work well for him because he had such poor balance. He preferred using a knee scooter and became quite adept at getting around the house on the scooter. When in public he would use the knee scooter or if he was with his daughter she would push him in a wheelchair. It was a blow to his ego but he adjusted.

“I was telling a guy who was recently diagnosed with Charcot Foot that it felt like this condition stole my manhood,” Joe said. “I could do all kinds of things before this and prided myself on being independent. I’ve had to adjust to a new way of living. I’ve had to learn to ask for and accept help.”

Joe’s Best Friend

One of the biggest helps in Joe’s life is his best friend, Skip. While Joe doesn’t have a good leg, Skip has four legs and a big heart. Skip is a chocolate lab and Joe’s constant companion. Though not formerly trained as a service animal, Skip performs many duties for Joe and makes his life easier.

“Skip does so much for me,” Joe said. “Skip opens doors for me when I’m not able to walk and I’m using the scooter or crutches. When I need to get up and I’m not close to a piece of furniture I push up on Skip. When I’m walking and start to lose my balance he automatically leans into me to help brace me. He is the best dog a guy like me could have.”

Joe says Skip is just one way he has had to think outside the box to find a way to navigate his new life with Charcot Foot. After spending so many years living independently he had to change his perspective and learn new ways to cope and survive. Though the journey has been a challenge Joe says it’s worth it.

“I don’t want to have Charcot Foot,” Joe said. “But I have it. It will never go away and we all have to find a way to continue living. When I was first diagnosed I thought about just throwing in the towel, hanging myself and calling it quits. Now I’m glad I didn’t. Life isn’t perfect, but it’s still a good life.”

We appreciate Joe’s willingness to share his experience living with Charcot Foot. You can read about the experiences of Jessie, Beth, Jennifer and Charlie as well. If you would like to share your experience with Charcot Foot please contact us.

Managing Charcot Foot Pain

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Charcot Foot impacts people in varying ways. Some people with Charcot Foot report having a great deal of pain. Others report very little to no pain in their feet, despite numerous fractures. However, the majority of people diagnosed with Charcot Foot report some type of pain related to neuropathy.

Neuropathic pain is caused by damage or disease affecting the somatosensory nervous system. This pain can vary throughout the day, at times feeling severe and at other times disappearing all together. The pain can feel different, with some people reporting a pins and needles type feeling while others report burning and tingling.

Foot pain relief

There are some things you can try to help alleviate foot pain. You should first speak with your doctor about the pain you are experiencing. Some physicians will prescribe medications for neuropathic pain. There are also many over-the-counter or home remedies which can be helpful to treat foot pain. We have tried many different options and have found relief, enough so we feel comfortable sharing with you.

Insta-Relief DM Pain Relieving Cream is one product we have found that works well to ease the pain associated with neuropathy. The cream cools the skin when first applied and relieves the feeling of pins and needles. Applying the cream prior to going to bed can help improve rest as the feeling of the sheets on your feet is dulled a bit.

MagniLife Pain Relieving Cream is one of our favorites. It is a bit more expensive but we have found it to be quite helpful. Not only does it help relieve neuropathy pain and ease foot pain but it is very soothing for the skin. The scent is mild but pleasant and it leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth.

Aspercreme Lidocaine Foot Pain Creme is a fast acting pain reliever. We particularly like to carry a small bottle of this with us when we plan to be out for the day. If we are walking a lot it can be applied easily and acts quickly to alleviate pain and swelling. It contains four percent lidocaine. The price is affordable and a bottle will last at least a couple of weeks.

Foot Neuropathy Elixir is a pretty impressive product. Rather than being a cream it is in a liquid form and comes in a roll on bottle. You simply roll it gently over the bottom of your foot. It works in about 30 seconds, and dulls the pain considerably. We have found this to be particularly helpful with the sharp stabbing pain which occurs at times. Though it feels like a light oil on application it doesn’t make your foot feel oily once it dries. It also smells good which is an added bonus.

Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt Bath Soaking Solution is hands down our favorite. When we don’t have any open wounds or cuts we love to soak our feet in either the eucalyptus or lavender solution. We just add a cup of the salts to warm water and soak our feet for 10 to 15 minutes. While the epsom salts aren’t specifically intended for pain relief we find it relaxing and that it actually does help to ease pain. After soaking, make sure to rinse your feet and then dry them completely.

Meditation has also proven to be helpful for us. It sounds crazy but it really does help relax us which in turn eases the pain. By learning to control our breathing and relax our body we have been able to manage pain with less medication. If you have never meditated before there are a number of good guided meditations available on YouTube. This happens to be one of our favorites.

Foot pain will likely always be a struggle with Charcot Foot. However, some relief can be found if you are willing to try different products and pain management techniques. Always talk openly with your doctor about the pain you are experiencing. If you have found a product or practice that has helped relieve your foot pain, please share in the comments.