Arthritis?!
I went to the doctor again today. This is the umpteenth time since last July. Let me explain. Last July a group of us went to Six Flags. I wore some shoes I shouldn’t have and my foot got blistered.
A few weeks later, it started hurting. I didn’t think anything of it, but it kept getting worse and it swelled up. So I went to an orthopaedic surgeon. He suggested it was a stress fracture, probably from my bad shoes. Since my foot blistered, I was walking around funny most of the day.
I wore a “boot” to keep my ankle secure til my fracture healed. After a month or so, new xrays showed the fracture was gone, but the doc found something else. A spot in the middle of my thigh, same leg. He didn’t like the looks of it, so he ordered a bone scan. At this point I was getting worried…could it be cancerous?
Bone scans suck! You lay still for hours…can’t move a muscle and forget going to the bathroom. Anyway, good furtune was with me and it turned out to be like this blob that was nothing to concern ourselves with, like a spot of built up calcium or something. What a relief? Of course I was thinking the worst, so this was great news.
Back to the doc for more checks, because my foot is still swelled and hurting. Now he thinks it may be tendonitis, so he injects cortisone into my foot, making swell like a balloon, of course. Then I really couldn’t walk. I’m still using the “boot,” because as long as I have it on, I feel no pain.
It’s already been about 9 months now and he says, well, after this long, let’s not overlook anything…that means blood tests for arthritis! What? that can’t be, but we have the tests nevertheless. Results come back good, but still no progress.
What I mean is that if I walk or am on my feet for more than about 2 at a time, my foot begins throbbing. Not very fun to deal with.
The doc sends me to a specialist. He checks it out, thinks it could be either tendonitis or possibly early stages of arthritis. He gives me VIOXX, I get more blood work and he sends me on my way.
VIOXX has been a lifesaver. As long as I’m taking it on schedule, I am pain free, can walk, run and all sort of feet activities, within reason of course. So I went back today for a followup. I think he is leaning towards the diagnosis of early arthritis becuase as long as I’m taking VIOXX I’m fine, no problems…when I forget to take it, I can notice the difference. I’m taking a mild dosage but it’s enough to ease the pain.
I had more tests run but I think the final verdict will be that I’m developing arthritis of some sort. This is really a bummer, why? I’m only 26. How can I have arthritis at my age? That is what everyone keeps saying when I tell them that is what we think it wrong with me. I go back in 4 months for another followup.
What else can be done? Am I destined to take VIOXX for the rest of my life to ease my pain?
