Me flippin' feet!

Oh slutty it must be a complete misery. Do you have any good days? Or is every day the same. Don't grandchildren cheer us a little though. My youngest one can be really difficult. I must say to her ' nobody likes a moaner' all the time because she repeated this back to me the other day when I was complaining in a shop!

I shall have to remember that, Morethan - whatever we say to little ones always comes back to bite us. Your GD sounds lovely - and mine is too - she gets me through the bad days!

sluttygran are you taking anti-inflammatories? they do help with the pain as well as inflammation. Has your GP referred you to reumatology there are other treatments that can help including injections or as a last resort surgery. Is he fobbing you off or has he tried treating your problem other than tell you nothing can be done?
Sorry if I'm speaking out of turn but sometimes GP's just don't 'get' how debilitating arthritis can be.
I hope you find some relief soon.

I have sore feet sluttygran, mine is caused by chemo. My feet look as if they are sunburnt and it is like walking on hot gravel. I know mine will go away eventually but having arthritis must be excruciating.

Your grand daughter is so funny , that made me laugh out loud ! When my arthritis was bad , my grandchildren would wait until I was getting up out of a chair to leave the room then leap up and form a troop behind me , hobbling, cursing and holding their backs - even the baby did it ! I couldn't walk for laughing and ouucha ing !
Age is a bugger !

I have rheumatoid arthritis as well as Osteoarthritis,I have had surgery on both feet to correct fallen metatarsals.I am currently attending the Orthotist at my local hospital and she has worked wonders for me.She took various imprints,measurements etc of my feet and had insoles made for my shoes.I now can walk pain free for the first time in years,worth asking your Doctor to refer you if you haven't already tried this.

my Grand children to the same Scooter58 - they're ganging up against us! So funny though.

Opps I mean tiredoldwoman! Im slowly losing 'it' too. Apologies to Scooter58.

I don't have the pain and discomfort you have, but I do have feet like enormous plates of meat! I often find Hotters shoes are good. They're quite expensive, but they do have many offers, so you may get lucky. Don't know how wide yours are, but they go up to extra wide and they're not all 'old lady' shoes. They have some pretty court shoes, flowery pumps etc... (It must be said though that they do do their fair share of Velcro type barges, which they say can be worn with a pretty dress in the summer ... I don't think so, somehow!). Good luck and do check out their website.

www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=hotters+shoes

ooh, while I remember K shoes, extra wide are good too and, surprisingly, Fat Face lace-up summer pumps are very wide (I call them daps, but them I am from Somerset!!)

My ten year old GS patted my back the other day and said, very seriously, "Granny, you're getting a hump, and it's not good". . As if it's my flippin' fault!

I too have Rheumatoid Arthritis and rheumatology referred me to the Biomachanics dept of the podiatry unit. The insoles they gave me solved all my problems and the pain.

Dear Sluttygran I am sorry you are in pain.
Do ask to be referred to a Podiartrist at your local hospital. I have the same problems as you mention. (Agree, not easy to wear the clothes you like with painful feet that makes it difficult to wear decent shoes) most doctors have no idea or are trying not to use their budgets on us, but keep pushing him to refer you to a Podiartrist. A few years ago I also had the worst plantar fasciitis the Podiartrist had seen in a long time, I could hardly put one foot in front of the other and was using a stick for support. However she sorted me out after a few visits (I had to wear splints on my feet at night which were very uncomfortable) and orthotics in my shoes from then on. The treatment has help enormously. I go back for check ups every year and have new orthotics made for me each time. Today my feet are burning and painful so I must make an appointment.
I have a two year old GD. She is so engaging, she make me forget most of my pains. I wish we lived nearer to her. But that is a conversation for another day.
Good luck. Hope you feel more comfortable soon and you get to wear some nice shoes again.

sluttygran there is a lot that can be done as others here have pointed out. I have had one arthritic foot done and that is so much better and I need the other one done. Why not ask your GP to refer you to a Podiatric or orthopaedic foot surgeon for assessment.

Dear Sluttygran the health service have made me a pair of boots and a pair of shoes, both of which fasten with velcro. I was allowed to choose from a range of colours so I have blue boots with a navy stripe and pink shoes with a purple stripe that matches my Kindle handbag.

I buy the rest of my shoes from Wider fit Shoes: www.widerfitshoes.co.uk/
This firm has a measuring pattern, their shoes are in different widths and toe box heights, and all their shoes are made with an insole you can take out so that you can insert an orthotic.

All my sandals are by Sandpiper from my local mobility shop. They too have an insole to take out and replace with orthotics.

At both suppliers I get my shoes VAT free because I have arthritis. I filled a form in for this.

The NHS repairs my shoes and boots, and each year I am allowed 2 insoles, I now have a pair in each of my sandals, my wider fit shoes and my black winter boots.

In order to obtain this service I went to a podiatrist privately and asked him to tell me about the problems I had with my feet. I got one pair of orthotics made privately and then 2 more from another supplier.

I had mentioned my feet twice to the GP since 2006. At that time I was wearing Hotter shoes.

Howevr having seen the poditrist in 2012 when I could not find comfortable shoes, I then told the GP that I needed a referral for boots as I had visited the podiatrist. I reeled off the description of my feet. Amongst other things I was getting a neurofibroma because my shoes were too narrow.

The GP wrote the referral for boots, and I soon got an appointment to attend the podiatrist at the local SMRC (Specialist Mobility Rehabilitation Centre). I have had an appointment each year since 2013.

To get VAT free shoes they have to be over a certain width plus a recognised diagnosis like arthritis. I have an additional one that is not on the list as I have dyspraxia.

All this plus pain killers has made a great difference to my mobility. I wear my boots every time I fly. Most times I do not have to take them off to go through security.

Have you tired orthotic inserts in your shoes sluttygran, they really help me with my foot pain. They help take the weight off of the ball of the foot and the big toe joint. They fit well into my Ugg boots.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00MV5O5Z8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can sympathise sluttygran as I have mid-foot arthritis in my right foot and now Achilles tendon problems in my left. I also have a painful heel in my left and am due to have an MRI to look at the tendon problems and also the heel. I'm wondering if I've got a spur.

I have recently had orthotics made for the mid-foot arthritis and also have heel inserts, but they don't appear to be helping very much at the moment. I only have one pair of shoes into which the orthotics fit. I did have a steroid injection into the midfoot joint, but it did nothing and the podiatrist said the joint was bone on bone. I agreed to try the orthotic in the hope of dodging surgery.

I have problems buying shoes anyway, as I only take a size 2 or 2 1/2, and children's shoes are often too narrow for the orthotic to fit into. After reading your post, EmilyHarburn, I may well go back to the GP and ask if he can help further. I'll also have a look at the link. I didn't realise about the VAT. Thanks for that.

Because of arthritis I have walking difficulties and have broad feet. I get shoes by mail order from Julipa. Their Cushion feet and Comfit shoes go up to EEEE fitting and come in all colours and different styles.
One gransnetter mentioned taking anti inflammatories for arthritis. When I took them they had an effect on my kidney function so had to stop. Can now only rely on painkillers which don't help much but give me constipation! Can't win.

Thanks so much for your input, everyone! It's horrifying how many of us are suffering foot problems - as Tiredoldwoman remarked "Age is a bugger!"

I have seen rheumatologists, podiatrists, orthopaedic surgeons and had every medication, injection and orthotic under the sun. The docs have been very good, but they must be sick of the sight of me! Pain killers help quite a lot as long as I don't stand up

Basically, the joints in my feet have completely disintegrated, and no-one can say why this has happened, as the rest of me is only moderately arthritic. I am told that there really isn't any treatment which will help, and unfortunately, although we can have new hips and knees, we can't be given new feet. I'm not suitable for existing surgical options, as there isn't enough bone left.
I have been referred to a new orthopaedic surgeon in the hope that he might have some ideas, but I'm not holding my breath.

I'm grateful for the shoe recommendations and shall try them. I also didn't know about the VAT relief on wide shoes - that's been kept a good secret, so ta for the info!
I am resigned to the probability that I will need a mobility scooter, which I suppose could be great fun, and would allow me to get out and about a bit more. If I'm sitting on that, I shall be able to wear lovely shoes, 'cos I won't have to walk in them!

Thanks again everyone, and I wish for you all to have slim, elegant and pain-free tootsies - wouldn't that be great? x

I can really sympathize with you Sluttygran. So many outfits look lovely with heeled shoes. There are so many pretty shoes this year too. I have arthritis in my big toes and as a result they won't bend at all. Heeled shoes are out . You aren't being vain. We nearly all try to look our best.
My doc. prescribed anti-inflamitaries,even though I know there is an opp. to fix the joints.( maybe too expensive?). I take high strength glucosamine instead and find it helps a bit.

I go to a.podiatrist privately. I'm just diabetic and have some foot problems - not serious ones but painful and thought I should give my feet some attention. There is an NHS chiropodist but a long waiting list. The podiatrist is wonderful and after a visit I walk on air. She also fits and sells shoes and I have EasyB for everyday. I used to have Hotter, but apparently the 'toe box' bit tends to be smaller. I do have Hotter wide dressy ones with the smallest of high heels for dressy occasions and find I am fine in Hotters trainers. I had my feet 'done' just before my holiday last week and despite doing far more walking than usual I have happy feet.

My grandson aged 5 was 'being grandma' recently and stood up from a chair with a loud groan going 'ooh, my knees'! And I thought I hadnt mentioned my bad knee!

Sluttygran, I advise you to get mobility scooter to get you out and about. I have had mine for ten years and without it would be housebound as I cannot walk more than a few steps. Just a ride round the village raises the spirits.

I too suffer with my feet at times, although thankfully not every day, it depends on what i have been doing.

I am going to Rome in a few weeks time and it is going to involve a lot of walking to visit various historical sites.

I was so worried about shoes as my really comfy ones look a tad scruffy but i have found some sandals in a Damart leaflet which came in a newspaper or through the door they are perfect and they do width EEE for those that require broader fittings.

They are also in various colours so should go nicely with summer outfits.

Turmeric is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. You can buy ground turmeric from supermarkets, exactly the same as the over the counter capsules from health food shops, pharmacies. Eat one teaspoon every day. It doesn`t taste bad at all but you can mix it with honey. I swear by it. Just google: "turmeric for arthritis".