Ok peeps... I need help here. I just came from a foot doctor because I have been having pain in my feet in the mornings for about 8 months now. I developed a pain in my left heel about three weeks ago that wont go away no matter what I do. I finally gave in and went to the doctor about it. Its plantar fasciitis. DAMN. I am now on prednisone for two weeks and then four more weeks of an anti inflamatory. My surgeon gave his blessing on these meds. I am going to gain weight! Its a steroid! What am I going to do???

Has anyone had to take this medicine post op and what happened? Did you gain, stay the same or loose normally? I am totally freaked out. He did say I can keep doing aerobics though. He also said I got this condition from being overweight, on my feet lot and wearing flipflops or no shoes at home. I cant wear them anymore or go barefeet. I cant win for loosing... I am so upset! Someone please tell me I am not going to gain all my weight back with these damn steroids! If my foot didnt hurt so bad and I could walk right without taking them, I would!

I have to take steroids sometimes (for something else), so I will be checking for the answers you get. (I am pre-op)

Check this website. It lists many steps that you can take before deciding to take steroids for plantar fasciitis.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....lth/PMH0004438/

Hey, I am just the other side of a thigh injury and I was given strong pain meds and anti inflammatory... I will be honest here... I did put weight on... I completely freaked out.. cried, had a 'moment' ... but am pleased to say that as soon as the meds stopped the weight gain stopped and it has now gone. The difference between you and I, is that I was completely immobile during the time I was gaining. Sounds like you have been advised to keep active during the time you take the meds, so, fingers crossed it might not happen to you?!

Good luck and I wish you a speedy recovery!

Hey, I am just the other side of a thigh injury and I was given strong pain meds and anti inflammatory... I will be honest here... I did put weight on... I completely freaked out.. cried, had a 'moment' ... but am pleased to say that as soon as the meds stopped the weight gain stopped and it has now gone. The difference between you and I, is that I was completely immobile during the time I was gaining. Sounds like you have been advised to keep active during the time you take the meds, so, fingers crossed it might not happen to you?!

Good luck and I wish you a speedy recovery!

I hope to keep active even though it hurts. I am not going to eat eat eat either. I wont allow myself to do that even if I am hungry. I dont think I will be. My doc says that Water retention is a biggie with this medication. He said that would go away as soon as I was done taking it.

I was diagnosed with the same thing one month pre surgery and rather than take meds, I invested in orthotics. Now I have no pain unless I apply pressure to the area manually

I was diagosed with same thing... My doc told me totally never, ever go barefoot... not even around the house, I am to always have on good arch support sandals or shoes. I purchased Nike sandals to wear around the house and purchased custom made insoles for my shoes, It took about 2-3 weeks but the pain finally left and I have been problem free for almost 3 years now... I know I can never wear flip flops again, I am always in good arch supporting shoes and have purchased a couple of pairs of sandals with proven arch support for plantar fasciitis. Check out "Foot Smart"... I get the catalog at home, but they are on line as well. I bought my shoe inserts from them, I bought special arch support ankle socks from them and all my shoes come from them! Expensive, but I do not have the terrible pain in heal / heal spurs anymore.

I had this as well ... had ...

I went a different route, though. Physical therapy, which was ASTYM scrapping. A new approach. Always wear shoes and not the cheap ones. I bought 4 pairs of MBT shoes, two dress, a tennis and a sandal. When wearing the shoes, it was incredible. No pain at all. My podiatrist complemented me on making that decision.

Since this, I have lost 85 pounds and now I have no pain. At all. Even if I end up walking bare foot for awhile.

But, you are taking a steriod, so you will gain some, but think about it. Are you adding fat? No. It is Water weight caused by swelling. Is it permanent? No. Once you are off the meds, your body will release the water.

Your going to be taking in around 700 calories a day. Do you really think you are going to be adding fat? Do you really think it is going to be permanent?

Don't worry, you are going to be fine. The weight will come off and your foot will feel great again.

I had this as well ... had ...

I went a different route, though. Physical therapy, which was ASTYM scrapping. A new approach. Always wear shoes and not the cheap ones. I bought 4 pairs of MBT shoes, two dress, a tennis and a sandal. When wearing the shoes, it was incredible. No pain at all. My podiatrist complemented me on making that decision.

Since this, I have lost 85 pounds and now I have no pain. At all. Even if I end up walking bare foot for awhile.

But, you are taking a steriod, so you will gain some, but think about it. Are you adding fat? No. It is Water weight caused by swelling. Is it permanent? No. Once you are off the meds, your body will release the water.

Your going to be taking in around 700 calories a day. Do you really think you are going to be adding fat? Do you really think it is going to be permanent?

Don't worry, you are going to be fine. The weight will come off and your foot will feel great again.

You are right. I am not going to be adding fat, just a little water retension. I am going to buy the good shoes and not go barefoot anymore. The pain I am in now is pretty intense and the prednisone is to relieve the pain. Once I get past that, the doc is going to have me do stretches, buy orthotics, etc. to help with the healing process.

I just freaked out a little over it. I should be fine as long as I do what I am told.

I had plantar fasciitis a number of years ago, and the orthopod I saw was one who firmly believed in pursuing simple and cheap solutions before getting into more expensive and invasive procedures. I was on basic anti-inflammatories, icing and exercise as the primary therapy, Before getting into custom orthotics he sent me down the street to a running gear store, which is primarily shoes (not your local WalMart or mall Footlocker!) These guys, being runners and into foot pain (!) they knew the ins and outs of living with these types of injures and finding shoes that fit correctly. They could look at how I walked and how my shoes were wearing along with the shape of my arches to fit me up with off the shelf shoes that worked. They were well worth paying full retail for their advice versus going to the discount store where you shop by brand name and color.

I can't help you much on the steroid front, but since it's only for a couple of weeks, I can't see that it would put you too far behind your weight loss curve, particularly if you can stay fairly close to your normal calorie targets.

Good luck with it - I can feel (or at least have felt,) your pain!

Prednisone is yuck, but hopefully you won't be on it for long. Follow the dosage instructions to the letter, if they have you on a tapering dosage you need to make sure you follow it. Tapering off pred is tough.

It will give you lots of energy so you should be able to maintain your activity levels with no problem.

I have been suffering from plantar fasciitis for several years. The only thing that really helped me was daily doses of Naprosyn (which I am no longer taking since being sleeved) and daily icing of my feet. I keep frozen Water bottles in my freezer and roll my feet on them nearly every night - it really helps the inflammation. I was also given a bunch of stretches, which helped as well. I was given the steroids as well, but never took them, because at the time I had several social events to attend where I HAD to fit in my dress - lol. In three years, the pain has never really gone away, but since being sleeved, losing 25 pounds, and eating MUCH healthier, the pain has diminished quite a bit.

That is my experience with it - I recommend ice and stretching - it really helps!

Good luck!

Jen

I'll put my hand up for also having the same condition. I tried many things with varying success but still the pain came back.

Lucky for me, a podiatrist gave me the clue what worked magic for me. Just one simple exercise:

Hold hands against a wall or similar or hold a rail for balance

Assume a lunge style position, with your sore foot out the back, and slowly stretch it.

Do this often and the pain will be gone in a few days.

I've had plantar faciitis twice and heeled it on my own both times, though it does take diligence and religious care. I'm not a doctor, but if it were me, I'd scrap the steroids and try icing, shoes and STRETCHING first. Seriously, the stretching works!!!! You have to be so so so diligent about it and allow time for healing, but it worked TWICE for me. And now that I am not so big, it's a non issue. This is after suffering from it for months and months. I was crippled in the mornings until my feet "warmed" up as I use to call it.

Anyways, in case you're interested: Stretch stretch and stretch some more the back of your legs. Focus on your ham strings, but do all the muscle groups. When these muscles get tight, the tendons and ligaments get tight and pull. This is where you get the heal pain from which can eventually lead to a bone spur. Wear good shoes with arch support as well. Doing this will cause relief rather qucikly but may still take months to heal the damage done, but it does work. I'd at least try this since it's nearly free and had no side effects. It's never bad to stretch anyways, right?

GL, hun!

I support that reply too...stretching is the answer, it has helped me many times when I was at my top weight, not just once. But now I have lost alot of weight, I do not the plantar fascitis anymore

I found some stetches online to do and I started those today. I am scared to take the steroids so I decided not to. I have to see my podiatrist again in a week and I am worried that the pain will still be there and he will find out I didnt take them. Oh well, I am going to try this first. If i am still in a lot of pain by then, I might reconsider taking them. Thanks for all the advice. How often should I stretch? The videos said once a day and there are three different stretches to do... one with a belt, one you just pull your toes and ball of your foot back toward you.. they seem really the same and the other is more an achiles stretch. My I should do them morning and night. I want this pain gone. Its mainly in my left foot.

I also had this condition I went with the orthotics that were made for my shoes, I buy expensive shoes and make sure my orthotic fits perfectly in them- no drugs which I was happy about, my insurance paid for the orthotics - I ran my first 5K at 195 pounds on March 26, 2011 and I wouldn't have been able to get through it without the orthotics.

my Doctor said Drugs help heal it but it doesn't cure the problem because it will come back unless you wear proper shoes with the proper arch for your feet. I love not hurting when I get out of bed in the morning.