A few weeks ago I was at neuro. He said I needed a foot splint and to ask physio. Two weeks ago I saw physio and she tried me with a carbon fibre one and I felt it did give me a lot of support. I was under the impression that she was going to order me one. I went back yesterday and no mention of foot splint. When I asked she reckoned that I need to work on my gait and stop hitch hicking my hip. I walked up and down trying to not to trip over my foot. To be honest I think that she has to get approval to order these things from consultant as they are about £400. I would pay for it myself if it would work - would want a demo to try first. Sometimes I wonder if they mean that it would not work or is it actually the cost which clouds the decision. I keep thinking that about the botox that has been refused to me too - as it wouldnt work!
I went to the neuro-physio/dedicated orthotics clinic today, under the impression I was likely to be diagnosed and fitted for custom orthotics.
Instead, after being made to walk up and down the corridor a couple of times, I was told there was nothing severe enough about my gait to explain my symptoms, that I needed to work on my calf-stretches, and would be sent some off-the-shelf - NOT custom - orthotics in the post.
It is a tricky one, this. I was told by a physio a long time ago that there is a kind of risk/benefit balance here - they want you to use your own muscles as much as possible to keep things as strong and supple as they can be, but that benefit has to be weighed against the risks to you if you keep tripping up and hitting the deck. Whether a splint is the right/wrong thing is not easy. Maybe your consultant and your physio are coming up with different answers, but your physio would probably tell the neuro to mind his/her own darned business!
Thanks. I also have 2 neuros with different dx. First says delayed radiation myelopathy. The second says either possible PPMS or possible benign MS tunrned now into SPMS. Although no firm MS dx as LP was clear and only have one lesion. I am scheduled to have repeated MRIs to look for new lesions so dx can be made. Have had 2 so far!
Hi Moyna, how sad to have such frustration on such a lovely day.It has been here on the Wirral,and you wouldn’t happen to live in the North West would you? If you do, and go to a certain ‘Centre of Excellence’ not a million miles from me, it’s £ every time unless we’re talking DMDs.
Anon isn’t my style,but I believe that over the years various health professionals have looked at the MS Society forums and as I’ve got a couple of issues on the boil with them at the moment…