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Charcot Foot

techman

techman

Newbie
Messages
3
Location
Peterborough
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I was surprised to find only one mention of the condition Charcot Foot on the forum, I am now on my second Charcot event. My first episode was 4 years ago in my left foot, it was undiagnosed for 9 months during which time i was given 3 courses of antibiotics for cellulitis and also wrongly diagnosed with gout. This was all despite the fact that i actually work in the medical profession. my symptoms were a hot, swollen and painful foot, when eventually diagnosed (by a podiatrist) i was off work for 5 months and in a wheelchair for 4 months, i had suffered multiple fractures of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th metatarsals and ended up with a rocker foot and special prosthetics.

This episode happened in August 2010 whilst walking in Cornwall, diagnosis was swift and i went straight into a walking cast, unfortunately this was a very aggressive episode and i currently have multiple ankle fractures, multiple metatarsal fractures and a fractured leg, so my walking cast has once again turned into a wheelchair, things are progressing but it will be a good few months before i can weight-bear again. Despite this life is good i am working full time in my chair and i get great support from my wife and work.

If i can impart any advice it is please if you are a diabetic with neuropathy (hardly or no feeling) in your feet and you get swelling, pain and heat then get it seen straight away and mention the word Charcot (pronounced Sharko). It may save you a lot of unnecessary pain and strife.

I really hope this helps
 
If you do a search....keyword 'Charcot' there are 4 pages of posts where Charcot foot is either discussed/explained or mentioned. I can recall many of the posts in which it is mentioned in the last two years and previous ones prior to my arival here.
 
My apologies, i did actually search but unfortunately i searched only in the diabetic complications section,
 
No problem techman, that section has only recently been set up so it is a bit sparse at the moment. We are slowly moving relevant items there when we get the chance...... :)
 
I have had charcot foot for several years. I also had a hard time getting diagnosed. They xrayed feet and said it was spurs etc. I also worked in the medical profession. My podiatrist sent me to a shoe store which was my life saver. THEY diagnosed charcot foot. They built me insoles and I could walk again. I have large bumps on both feet that have to have support. It was so very painful to walk before this. That was ten plus years ago. I have returned to this shoe store several times over the years. I have recommended it to many friends who now go there as well. If you are diabetic be aware of this.
 
I had Charcots foot a couple of years ago. I was in an air cast for 6mths. I'd had it for a few months before seeing the diabetes specialist and I mentioned to her that I was in terrible pain in my foot and sometimes it felt like it was broken. She got me in to see a podiatrist that day, so I was lucky it was diagnosed so quick.
 
It took an age to get my T1husband a diagnosis which turned out to be Charcot. Both feet have gone rocker. I think one of the textbooks call it a "rare" complication and they don't know to look for it.
they should have noticed by now that nothing is rare any longer in diabetes, since the condition became so common itself. In this area 14% of all hospital in-patients, admitted for whatever cause are diabetic. In a 500+ bed hospital that's a lot of people. Multiply that up a LOAD for outpatients.
Hana
 
Mine was diagnosed by a rheumatologist after several trips to casualty and being told it was gout nothing else and not to worry and carry on walking on it!

He said I was only the 5th case of it he'd ever seen but the diabetic foot clinic would be more aware of it - thing is unless you are warned to look out for it yu don't think it's anything to do with diabetes
 
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