6 replies to this topic

[lll3288]

For the second time in two years, I have a bone infection in my foot. Each episode began with a blister on a toe that developed into a wound. The first time this happened, I had to have the bone (and little toe) surgerically removed. This time the doctors found the infection right away, but I'm scheduled to meet with a surgeon on Thursday. I'm currently on Levaquin 750 mg.

Has anyone else had problems like this? I'm a C4/5 quad who's been in my chair for 21 years now. I haven't had any problems before this other than swelling in my feet. I wear compression socks to reduce swelling.

Please share any insights and/or experiences.

Thanks,
Mark

[Joed]

I recall another member awhile back who had similar problems...sores appearing on the toes/foot that didn't seem to be related to pressure. For some reason, I can't get the search feature to function, so I was unable to locate that post. I'll try and look for it manually and post it if I find it.

Edited to add:

Here's that thread...I hope it helps. Maybe you can share your experience with this other member and shed some light on things.

http://www.apparelyz...?showtopic=1247

Edited by Joed, 18 July 2006 - 08:07 PM.

[lll3288]

Thanks for your reply Joed. I checked out the thread you suggested. That member's foot sore looks similar to the one I had two years ago. I posted a reply to him/her. Hopefully we can compare notes.

[lll3288]

We met with a surgeon yesterday - he recommended amputation. The surgeon said Mark could try IV antibiotics, but he didn't think it would help rid the bone of infection. Since this would be Mark's second toe amputation in toe years, we're a little hestitant but also realize that infected bone needs to be removed. Has anyone else had similar experiences?

Thanks,
Lisa (Mark's fiance)

[DrewsLou]

My hubby has had a helluva few years with his health lately. Most recently he had both femurs (in the course of a few months) removed due to infection from pressure sores that were supposedly fixed with flap surgeries. Bone infections are a scary thing!

[Simon]

Hi
Its probable the amputation is necessary, whet you need to do is stop the blisters occurring which is probably pressure from a shoe rubbing. I had a similar sore which has now healed thanks to my wife and her magic oils but it took 9 months, normally the oils take only 2 weeks on sores on other areas, so clearly the toes are very difficult to heal.
We now put bits of sponge around the vulnerable toes to protect them and I now only wear sandals.
Simon

[MistyPines]

lll3288, on Jul 18 2006, 05:45 PM, said:

For the second time in two years, I have a bone infection in my foot. Each episode began with a blister on a toe that developed into a wound. The first time this happened, I had to have the bone (and little toe) surgerically removed. This time the doctors found the infection right away, but I'm scheduled to meet with a surgeon on Thursday. I'm currently on Levaquin 750 mg.

Has anyone else had problems like this? I'm a C4/5 quad who's been in my chair for 21 years now. I haven't had any problems before this other than swelling in my feet. I wear compression socks to reduce swelling.

Please share any insights and/or experiences.

Thanks,
Mark

Hello, my wife had the same problem withher feet about three years ago we all of a suddon started pressure sores on toes and the ankles and even a couple ont the bottom of her feet. We were unable to treat them ourselves which is unusual because we do qiute well treating her pressure sores. We finally found a specialist doctor that really seemed to know what she was doing put her antibiotics and got her feet healed but in the interrum she developed a slight ulcer on her left buttocks so they started treating that. Afer 11 months of antibiotics and treatments of the buttocks wound it was getting worse and the toe sore started comeing back. The doctor refused to treat my wife anymore due to her "uwillingness to care for herself properly". Doctor Fore then promptly turned us in to the authorities for investigation. Within 4 weeks of stopping the treatments and being off of antibiotics her buttocks sore opened to 2" diameter and down to the tailbone exposeing 2" of bone. We contacted a surgeon and he told us that the infection had been festering in there probably one to two years and that the foot problems were secondary infections. We have now been through 7 rotary flaps since then all of them from bone infections starting at the bone and working there way to the surface each the initial precursor is pressure sores on the feet, occasional hot legs, muscle twitching in legs. I am just now tonight doing research on and finding out about bonescans to determine infection in bone, something none of the doctors have ever done with my wife because they claim they are just pressure sores from her not takeing care of herself. My suggestion would be to make them do a bone scan not only on your feet but your legs and pelvis as well to make sure that you dont have an infection hideing somwhere in there. If they catch it early you stand a good chance of beating it before it becomes a real problem. If you type in "recurring paraplegic bone infection" into search engine you will find a number of good informational articles and case studies on bone infection I found it quite to be very usefull info where my wife is concerned, her doc and I are going to have a good long discussion in a few days where I will teach him how you are supposed to detect bone infections. By the grace of the Lord above he cant argue because 24 hours ago as my wife was prepareing for a rotary flap on her right buttocks mentioned to him that she had another infection comeing from the the bone on her left buttocks when he did his examination he stated that it was only a superficial barely a stage pressure ulcer and that antibiotics would clear it right up and that there would be no need to do anything to it. I told my to make sure and try to get him to actually do a scan to see if there was an infection ther but he refused again stateing that it was not serious and that it would accomplish nothing. Gotta love irony by the time he got in to do the flap less than 24 hours later with her on iv antibiotics the wound opened all the way down to the bone proveing that visual inspection does not cut it in any way shape or form. Thankfully it opened up soon enough that he had no choice but to do both flaps at the same time, we were worried that it wouldnt open up until she got off antibiotics and she would wind being in the hospital this entire year. ***Just friendly advice make them scan you and make sure they check everything from waist down for infection in the bone.***