I hope you've called your dr, or at the least the nurse at his practice to see if this is normal

I agree with Jean. You definitely need to contact your doctor's office about the swelling - don't want until your appointment next week.

Please call the dr as it might be either blood pressure related or too much water in your system. Do you take water pills? This could be heart related also. Are you diabetic? again, do not wait, and at least call the Dr.
Marie

Not sure what your edema is being caused by, but I have had repeated issues with severely swollen feet the past few years. I started taking a High Potency B Complex vitamin and have had no problems since! Several of the B vitamins seem to work as natural diuretics. Might be worth a try if your doctor doesn't have helpful suggestions.

I have had my big toe trimmed down both sides to the cuticle because of ingrown issues and have lost entire nails due to hiking and ill-fitted shoes. I agree, the shot to numb the areas is far worse than the procedure but there was instant relief and absolutely no redness or swelling afterward. Call your doctor.

Jodi-

Definitely call your doctor asap! That is not the norm. Some swelling the day of and after is expected. Do not chance a severe infection which could spread.

Caroline, I'm so sorry this has happened to you! I think I told you before that I had the outer edges of the nails on my big toes removed years ago and I didn't have any swelling at all that I remember. However, I didn't have anything done to the nails on the second toes. I remember that numbing the toes wasn't really pleasant, but it wasn't horrible, either. Did he numb the entire front ends of your feet?

I just feel so awful for you and I agree with the others that you should be in touch with your doctor's office about this asap.

I agree with the others to call your doc ASAP. By day 5 the swelling should be lessening. Yours seems excessive and could signal an infection. Were you given antibiotics during or after the procedure?

Please call the doc today! Keep us posted. Take care!

I would also call the doctor ASAP and ask the nurse. You may need to go into the office to let him check you out. Could be anything. Don't delay.
Mary

Thanks ladies.

I did call the podiatrist's office; he will not be at work until Friday. They gave me a 9 a.m. appt. that day 'just in case' but told me to call my Primary Care doctor or see urgent care.

I called the base clinic, which is my primary care. There is a nasty piece of work that runs the desk you have to call for any business with the clinic. She told me that since the podiatrist took the nails off, I have to see him.

I s-l-o-w-l-y explained, again, that I had called the podiatrist; his office referred me back to my primary doctor. They said I needed to be seen soon.

She again told me there were no appointments available today, and that my doctor is still out on maternity leave and "Altru should take care of it."

I then told her the podiatrist nurse said if I could not get seen on the base I would need to go to the emergency room.

"Well then you can just pay for it yourself."

We have a patient advocacy on the base to deal with problems like this. I called him, too. At first he tried to laugh off her attitude. He asked if I had left a message for my doctor's nurse. I told him the truth, "No; she refused to take my message."

He finally understood that I needed some medical help, and I was not going to be quiet until some heard the problem.

I'm waiting for a call back to see what they want me to do. If they don't call by 4:30 p.m. I'll call the after hours line and beg a permission slip to go to the Emergency Room.

And to think, our medical care, part of my husbands 22-year-active-duty retirement package, just jumped up in cost about 30 percent. We get to pay far more money for far less service. I hope the rudeness is free.

Quite often, rudeness is not only free ...

... but it's imposed on an unwilling listener ...

... often without prior warning.

o j

Friday! That is ridiculous. I would be wheeled into the office right on time on Friday. Get a wheel chair from somewhere. Sorry that you are suffering. I would also let that doctor know how the nurse treated you. Never be afraid to complain. There is no reason for a patient to be treated that way or talked to like she talked to you. Sorry I'm on my soap box. lol. Hope you are feeling better soon. Thank your husband for his service in the military.
Mary

Elevation and ice will help a bit..

Edema runs in my family..no real cause..lymphadic weakness..

Today my feet/ ankles are bad due to the heat and being on them all day..

I may try that B Vitamin suggestion though..

If you are going on base to see the Dr. go up the chain of commands to the base commander. There is NO reason for that person to be so rude. My DD works on base, son in law retired, and both on tri care and believe me they have never been treated like you have been. No reason for it.
Marie

In the mean time, please elevate those feet. Not just recliner elevate, but a few pillows between recliner and feet. Or a few pillows on bed or couch under them to reduce the swelling.

Good grief. I had to take my one year old DD to base pediatrician for leg/hip problems that prevented her even trying to walk...she walked on her knees. She cried when he manipulated them on the table and he was finished. "Bring her back when she can behave."! Amazing what they used to get away with. Sounds like it hasn't gotten any better. Luckily, a doc in our base housing area helped us.

Oh I'm not one to suffer in silence. I called the clinic's patient advocacy office to file a complaint. He tried to laugh it off but I, once again using little words, let him know it was not funny.

He talked to the PA filling in for my doctor and talked to the desk staff.

I did finally get a referral to go to urgent care downtown. Four hours later I had been seen by a doctor, a PA, and an RN. They took a sample from the wounds to determine what infection I have and I will see the podiatrist on Friday. They sent me home with cleanly bandaged toes, antibiotics, and a pain pill. I'm afraid to take the pain pill; they knock me out for days.

The patient advocate did book me an appointment at the base clinic for 2:30 tomorrow "just in case" I still had a problem after seeing the Urgent Care clinic.

I will be taking the issue further up the chain, too. There is no excuse for a hospital/clinic/whatever to treat their patients like this.

You go, Girl.

Good for you!

In many years of using the Wright-Patterson Medical Center hospital, both out-patient and in-patient we were never, never, treated like that. Our care was wonderful.

I recommend that you file a BIG complaint!!!

Good for you and glad things are working out with base people. Maybe they will revaluate the system and put in someone who really cares
Marie

First time I had work done on one of my toes the shot hurt like "you know what"

When I got toes worked on the second time I went to a different doctor. I told him I really wasn't looking forward to the shot, because of how bad the first one hurt.
He said if it hurt it was because they didn't do it right.
And true to his words, it did not hurt at all.

you might need to wear some of the compression socks for awhile to keep the swelling down.

I have worn them every day for several years now.

Hope you get some help soon.

This post was edited by pattico on Thu, Sep 12, 13 at 18:05