lenam, a friend of mine owns a shoe store that sells Danskos, Birkenstocks, etc. and says that all the flip flop wearers is what keeps in him in business (including me). They usually end up in his store HAVING to buy his shoes with more support, mainly from PF. I still wear flip flops on occasion, but years of wearing them constantly is what gave me PF. Can't give them up entirely though-LOL! Now I have to buy the Birkenstock sandals (not the original style) that are patent black or red and silver, the dressiest and least "clunkiest" I can find. I have just about every color. Not my favorite look, but I ruined my feet wearing flip flops, with no support for years and years. I hadn't worked a job, so I wore flip flops every day in the warm months.

I feel just awful that I recommended a shoe to Red that didn't work for her, and I feel for her frustration and the waste of money. And part of the reason I feel terrible is because the shoe I advocated so strongly is not what Orthaheel is currently selling as the Wave flip-flop. Last month, I ordered a Wave pair and a Tide and found I can't wear either one because OrthaheelUSA has redesigned the product! I measured them for comparison against my older ones. The strap is tighter, the footbed is a little softer and more padded, and the angles and hollows of the footbed are shallower (it's been made just a little flatter). But the worst part is--and I can't understand why they would do such a thing--the thong has been positioned one-quarter inch farther back from the front of the shoe, which means that the thong digs painfully between the toes and prevents the arch and heel from settling fully into the places designed to receive them. A noticeably larger amount of empty sole now extends beyond my toes (enough to be a tripping hazard). The new flip-flops were so uncomfortable that I couldn't keep them on for even half a minute. For any other product, I would have shrugged philosophically and sent them back, but I was so concerned (actually, DH would probably describe it as enraged and distraught) about this threat to long-term physical health and well-being that I fired off emails to the place from which I ordered them, to OrthaheelUSA, and to the office of the Australian doctor who developed them. The redesigned shoes are easily differentiated from the original ones by the Orthaheel logo on the bottom of the shoe---the old good one has ORTHAHEEL in all caps with a squiggly line under the first 4 letters (ORTH), whereas the new logo has larger letters all in lower case with the squiggle under the last 4 letters (heel). If I wear the good flip-flops every day (first thing in the morning and last thing at night), the old Orthaheel design stabilizes my plantar fascitis and my feet NEVER hurt, even if I walk around barefoot for part of the day. I dread the day my old ones wear out and I return to the chronic pain and inflammation of heel spurs that I lived with before I bought my first pair of Orthaheel flip-flops. Anyway, the vendor followed up on my anguished complaint, contacted the manufacturer, and responded as follows: "We learn something new every day! . . . There is a difference between the new foot bed and the old. Apparently, Orthaheel has moved to a new manufacturer (for better quality, they say). The variance on the foot bed is meant to be so slight that it should not be noticeable. Obviously it is for you." Now I will try to locate a bunch of the old version of the flip-flops and stockpile enough of them to last 15 or 20 years. It illustrates something I must have forgotten: Just because you've found a perfect product, don't assume it will always be obtainable. And boy am I kicking myself.

I just wanted to thank everyone here for being so helpful and sharing your stories about perimenopause. I used to be so full of energy, happy, positive -- all that began to change once perimenopause kicked in, which for me was around 47. The first sign was when I had a period just two weeks after my last one. My period became erratic after that. But the crap really hit the fan when I turned 50. I had always told myself that I would never act/feel frumpy/unhappy like a lot of women I had seen who were in their 50's. Well that's because I didn't know how very difficult perimenopause could be, and no one gave me a heads up about what can happen. I think many women go on hormones and thus do not suffer from much of this. But my doctor made it clear that she did not think they were a good idea. There have been days, though, where I've thought, enough is enough, I'm going to take them. I've experienced almost every symptom that's been discussed on this forum. I've had some truly awful panic attacks, which for me begin with a sensation of vertigo and feeling like I might pass out. My doctor gave me xanax for this, and I take a half or whole pill when the symptoms start. Since I now recognize what's happening, I know it will pass. The panic attacks usually occur when I'm out somewhere -- in a mall, grocery store, etc. Stress does play a big role in all of this, but it's made far worse my the fluctuating hormones. Regarding heart palpitations, I, too, have had them throughout my life, and wore "halters" from time to time to look for rhythm disturbances, etc. Of course nothing was found because magically when I wore the halter I must not have had any palpitations. Fast forward to a few months ago -- one day out of the blue my heart started flip flopping such that I had to sit down. After a minute or two it passed, but it got my attention. My doctor did an EKG which of course found nothing because again, at that moment, I was not having them. My doctor prescribed a low dose of Lexapro to address underlying anxiety. I have the pills but have chosen not take them right now. I've been taking Wellbutrin for the past twelve years to help with depression and it's done a pretty good job. I get them a couple times a day. I will say that since I cut out caffiene (including my beloved chocolate), the palpitations have decreased a little -- but I still have them. On the advice of several friends, I started taking CoQ10, which my doctor said was "unnecessary." I'm taking it anyway in the hope it might somehow help. Sometimes the palpitations start at night when I'm laying on my side in bed. But they can appear anytime during the day, whether I'm dealing with something stressful or not. I"m also trying to eat healthier and drop some weight, knowing that can only help in terms of feeling better. I'm tired of feeling like a sick, old person!! No one in my family understands so I don't talk about what I'm going through. I often pray and ask God to heal me from these symptoms. Sometimes my muscles/joints are so sore it's an effort for me to turn over in bed. I do not sit around all the time, I have three teens and tend to my family's needs, and I am involved in other things as well. My oldest is going to college this Fall, and I can see a time in the near future when I will have to get a job. Given how difficult some days are for me, I dread this thought. As many of the ladies here have said, "I want the old me back!!" And I wonder if that will ever happen. I truly hope so. Back to the heart palpitations, maybe I will try the calcium/magnesium supplements. I think I read somewhere that one should only take these for a certain amount of time. Thank you again to all who come here and honestly tell what's going on. I am very grateful for all the stories, advice, information and support I see here. Hoping and praying we can all move past this phase and get back our peace of mind, good health and happiness!

PlanetShoes.com also has Keen shoes/sandals, as does ZBSports.com. "If you're stubbing your toes in them they are probably too small." Not necessarily so. I have never, ever, worn shoes that are too small. I have no bunions, corns, or callouses on my feet; and often get compliments from total strangers that I have very pretty feet. Yet I can stub my toe into things like you wouldn't believe...