Hi all,
I have been reading posts but not writing anything for some time. I was spending some time trying to figure out what was causing my worsening EM. I say worsening because I’ve had it as long as I can remember. My mother also has it. In the past EM was on feet (mainly toes) and they would flare up occasionally, especially when I was very hot or out in the sun (I’m hot when in the sun.) People would comment that my feet were sunburned. I had no swelling, no itching. Symptoms would subside fairly quickly when I cooled off. But in the past year my symptoms went from what I would consider a 2 to a 6-7. I was having flaring every day and multiple times every day that would last hours. My feet got unrecognizably swollen. I developed blisters. My feet itched. I could no longer wear any closed toe shoes. I was taking luke warm showers. I tried every thing I read about here and tried unconventional things like salt blocks to remove toxins. My MD prescribed a topical cooling ointment, which didn’t touch it. I did not take any meds by mouth. I wanted to find ‘natural’ relief.
Fast forward to the end of May. I’m a teacher and our school year finishes at the end of May. As I reflected on the past 12 months I realized that I had the most stressful year of my life both personally and professionally.
Three days after school ended I went on a 2 week vacation. Guess what? My EM symptoms almost completely returned to what was ‘normal’ for me. Only those of you with EM can know what a relief this can be.
I’ve been home almost 2 more weeks and I started using hypnosis apps (cheap) and deep breathing (free) with continued success. Yes, I have occasional worsening to at most a 4 but I can tell that I didn’t sleep well or was worried about something.
Anyway, I had to share! I’m certainly not saying that all new/worsening EM is stress related but perhaps it’s something that can be investigated and managed to your benefit as well.
Best wishes!! Stay cool everybody! kimr
KIMR-
Thank u for your post.
I have suspected that stress exacerbates pain since my diagnosis of EM a little more than a year and a half ago.
BTW You are so lovely. Who would know from looking at your photo that u experience such a horror as this condition? I’m not lovely but I’ve always been the helper for others and fight the pain. I’m getting tired now. I’m a teacher as well but retired fairly young. I was a stay at home mom because my limitations wouldn’t allow me to do both jobs. My husband brought home enough money thank God.
My problem is similar but complicated by several autoimmune conditions. MS has been the major problem for 25 years. Along with arthritis and Relapsing Chondritis.
I have some lesser autoimmune problems as well.
I have been keeping track of triggers for all my illnesses and do find the same is true as you describe. Also keeping my leather Nike white sneakers on all day in summer.
I need the stability for the MS AND ALSO FOR THE MEUROMAS IN BOTH FEET LOCATED ON THE
BALLS OF THE FOOT. 2 IN EACH FOOT. ONE FOOT DR INTIMATED THAT THE NEUROMAS WERE SMALL AND POSSIBLY SOMETHING ELSE WAS GOING ON. I HAD RED POLKADOTS ON MY FEET AT THE TIME. NEVER REALIZING THAT I WAS STARTING WITH A NEW ILLNESS BESIDE THE NEUROMA PROBLEM.
BUT THE NEUROMAS SWELL AND ADD TO THE PAIN OF THE EM AND ARTHRITIS.
SORRY FOR THE CAPS I WANT TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS NEIROMAS AND COULD THEY BE A PART OF THIS ILLNESS? IF THEY READ NOTHING ELSE HERE MAYBE THIS WILL CATCH THEIR EYE.
MY ILLNESSES R BEGINNING TO EFFECT MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. FAMILY DOESNT UNDERSTAND WHY I BOW OUT OF ACTIVITIES. I HAVE GRANDCHILDREN. I SAVE MY ENERGY UP FOR THEM. BUT SOMTIMES IT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
MY HUSBAND WHO HAS A CHRONIC ILLNESS DOESN’T UNSERSTAND. HE RETIRED YOUNG AT 60 AND HIS ILLNESS IS WELL CONTROLLED.
I WILL STOP NOW.
GOOD LUCK KIMR AND TO ALL OF US.
PS- I FAILED TO MENTIOM THAT THE EM IS COMPLICATED BY RAYNAUDS DISEASE WHICH I AM SUFFERING FROM SINCE 19 YEARS OLD. I turned 64 yrs old -3 days ago.
Yes I also had the neuromas on the ball of my foot that popped up out of nowhere and thought I injured my foot somehow, because I wore sandals?!
I went to three different foot doctors
And all said I’m fine nothing wrong with my feet
and it was pointless going and highly costly
I also made the rounds of many many many doctors and specialist, and …even was brought in front of Neurologist conference in California
so they could examine me over on a stage and ask me questions about my worsening EM symptoms
…trust me it was embarrassing bigtime
I always mention these bumps/neuromas every time and no one had answers
…
They hurt bigtime the neuromas, and prevents you from even walking or putting pressure on them
Or wearing any type of shoe or socks
And yes it starts the burning of the EM symptoms
Every time you put pressure on the ball of your foot
I’ve been to Stanford university and was there for almost two weeks staying there and mention these neuromas to all the many doctors and specialist I saw while there for two weeks …no one had answers , many of them would say o yeah that’s strange but have no answers
I dont know what other symptoms you may have on your foot
Or when your EM started?
My foot was also changing colors , flaking, itchy, hairloss on leg , em , shocks, zaps, buzzing, pins and needles, huge cramping in my big toes and in the neuromas
I also had the red dots pop up out of nowhere on the side of my foot and ankles