Shoe advice please??!!!

Hello everyone,

I’ve not been on for a while, but I’d really value your advice/comments on the matter of my feet!

I now have pretty much continuous pain in my feet, neuropathic as well as pain in the joints and frequent swelling. I use a wheelchair if I need to go any distance, but for short trips with my stick or around the house I am desperate to find footwear that will not aggravate my poor tootsies. I’ve spent a fortune of shoes but all I want to do after 10 minutes is cry! I take pregabalin and ibuprofen but with very limited results.

Can any of you recommend really comfortable footwear or even any ideas to combat the pain. Any replies VERY gratefully received.

Keep well everyone,

Alison

Hi Alison I wish I could recommend some decent shoes for you but I cant, and I too have a problem in that my feet/ankles feel like they have really tight bands round them, seem to spend most of my time in slippers these days :frowning: Sue x

Hi Sue,

My commiserations to you. I bought a lovely pair of slippers a couple of months ago, but now they’ve worn in a bit not as comfy any more. Thinking of having feet lopped off and getting some Oscar Pistorius blades! Keep well and thanks for posting.

Alison x

Hi Sue

I have discovered Ariat sports mules - expensive but lovely soft leather and like wearing slippers but with a very supportive foot bed. The mules have a strap that can go around the heel if required. Their boots are great too. I have a pair of terrain boots which are supportive of the ankle joint and I use them for dog walking etc as they are waterproof - again they have supportive foot bed. This make are actually designed for horsey and outdoor pursuit types of people on their feet all day. I think they are USA based but are generally stocked by country stores and horse supply type shops. I found them purely because my boss decided to supply them as staff uniform. Hope this gives some ideas.

Dinks

Hi again Alison Every yr my son says he will ask santa for a new pair of legs for me, I’m still waiting & he’s been asking for them since he was 3 (he’s 15 now & deffinatley dosen’t believe because he’s never delivered) lol Can you not still buy the slippers like the ones you have? I’ve got 4 pairs of the ones I wear and they wash great :slight_smile: Sue x

Hi Sue,

Aww, how lovely! Re my slippers, I will go and investigate. I could certainly wash them. They are like little fur lined soft boots by Reiker.Got them in the sale at our local shoe shop who do all the German/Italian stuff, in other words all the pricier shoes. You never know they might have a pair languishing in the back room! If I ever find the elusive wonderful pair of shoes, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Alison x

When I had pain in my feet I started wearing flip flops/sandals, the toner ones with the thick soles. They really helped me as they’re so spongy, might be worth a try. Debs x

Could your GP refer you to an orthotist?

I have a problem with 2 of my toes starting to become clawed and curling under. My GP referred me to the musculo-skeletal team who looked at my feet who watched me walk. She made some things that go between my toes to help straighten them a bit. They’re comfier than they sound; they’re made of something that looks like pink plastercine.

She then referred me to the orthotist for shoes. When I saw him he thought he could sort the problem with insoles. I go on Friday to get them as they’re specially made. If these don’t work then he’ll prescribe shoes. I don’t know how fashionable they would be but my attitude is if they’re comfy and solve the problem it’s fine!

Sarah x

Thanks to you all who have replied, although any more comments welcome!

Debs - I saw some of those sandals in Costco the other day, so think I might investigate.

Sarah - Good point. I have good relationship with GP so think I will make appointment to see him re referral. When I saw MS Nurse over 6 months ago, she referred me to see MS physio urgently ( within 2 weeks). I’m still waiting. Not their fault though, just no funding and 1 physio to cover Leeds. Dreadful. Anyway, thanks for that and will definately take your idea forward. You are right, vanity plays no part in our situation!

Alison xx

Hi Alison,I hope the weather agrees with you and doesn’t argue.If your feet are anything like mine they have become ‘Hyper-sensitive’ and all sensory input is perceived as pain.I can’t walk anymore and can weight bear for about 30 seconds before my legs fold under me,not particularly neatly.

Back in the day I wore a a size 8 but over the years of not wearing shoes they are a bit bigger.Indoors I wear size 11 slippers and for adventures on my Power chair or Big Buggy I have two pairs of snow boots,size 11 and 12.I put basic, smooth silicon insoles in them.The circulation below the knees is [filtered worm] and the trotters get cold quickly and then hurt more.I haven’t worn socks for eight years as they cause more pain.

When I’m ‘chez moi’ I use a hair dryer to pass warm air over naked feet and various bits of soft carpet to very gently rub them on.I can usually ‘play out’ for a couple of hours after which the pain is too much and I need to head home to try and sort them out.The warmer weather is making things easier.

The final bit of the me me me is drugs.I wear one and a half 10mg Butrans patches,take one 30mg Duloxetine pill at night and 5-6 100mg Gabapentins throughout the day.I have found that more of any of these increases the pain.That is very strange,the 'experts 'don’t know why, and there is nothing they can/will do to help me,so I play pick’n’mix.I’ve got access to Lamotrigine,Diclofenac.Oral Steroid,Tramadol and can get whatever I want from my GP who knows it’s all he can do to help me.Oh,I can’t have Sativex,but even a tiny amount of the real stuff usually caused more pain.

When the drugs seem to be less effective,I’ll add something else and reduce the Gabadoodah,'cos I try not to take more than four prescription drugs as that confuses me and my physiology.I’ve written more than I intended,but a bit of distraction is a good thing.I hope there might be something in these ramblings which may help and PM me if you want to,

Be lucky,

Wb x

Hi there. This is just my experience and everyone is different, so this might not work for you, but i will tell you anyway. The best, most comforable shoes i have found are made by ART, they are great because they have very thick soles, with great grip, they are slip on and hard wearing. The down side is, you will not find a new pair for less £80. You could try looking on ebay and other discount places though. I actually got mine second hand for £25 and they had only been tried on. They come up small, so you would need a size bigger than you you normally wear. The next best option is good old DMs, any of the slip on sandle type. Again, they are pricey though. Hope this helps, love Bex xxx

i like clarks shoes and although pricy they do good reductions in their sales

i had insoles made and the podiatrist praised my choice of foortwear.

carole x

i also have a pair of toner flip flops

and reebok easytone trainers

Hi Alison,since I last daubed on your post I’ve been out and bought a pair of size 11 wellies from Aldi which are big enough that only the soles touch them when they’re on.I’m thinking they’ll make very attractive summer wear especially if I wear shorts.The tops fold down a bit so there’ll be less welly touching my legs 'cos that is very uncomfortable to boot. Ho ho ho

Wb x

Hi to everyone and also to Wb, Bex and Carole who posted in the last few hours,

You’ve all sent me some great advice, which I shall certainly look into. Bex, I will investigate the ART shoes and will also invest in a pair of toner flip flops. I do wear Clark’s shoes, so they might be suitable for adjustment with some special insoles.

Wb, what a nightmare juggling the pain relief. As it happens, I got an appointment to see my neuro next week just after I opened your post this morning, so I shall see what he can recommend. He’s very good, so hopefully can suggest something re pain. Re your new wellies, what about cutting the fronts out to make them peep-toe wellies for the summer?!! Seriously, thanks for your thoughts.

So a big thanks to everyone. It has been a lovely day up here in Leeds and a bit of sun has made me feel better psychologically. Hope it continues. I’ll let you know how I get on with various shoes and meds.

Keep well,

Alison xxx

You are so welcome, glad to have been able to help. Let me know what you think of ART shoes, love Bex xxx

Bex,

Had a look at ART shoes on ebay last night. Lovely funky styles, so think I will be investing!

Keep well

Alison xx

Hello there,if you’re not Alison I’ll let you read my reply to her post just this once.It’s amazing what a motivated idiot can do with a bread knife,and I’m now the owner of a pair of giant rubber clogs after the new wellies ‘took one for the team’.They’re quite comfortable,look ridiculous but am I bovvered?

'Cos my neuron is slower than me it’s taken a while for more twaddle to get through the six inches of bone.Whilst I was exploring up the Amazon I discovered the following:

Diabetic socks which are seamless,tasteless and have no elastic,but are very comfy sometimes,for about two minutes

Wide fit slippers for those with poorly feet

Silk(90%) pyjama bottoms for those whose legs ‘light up’ when anything touches them

Memory foam wheel chair cushions,'cos I am literally on the bones of my once cute esra and sitting posture is becoming involved with the intensity of foot pain

TTFN

Wb x

Yeah, they are pretty funky. mine are purple. hope you get on with them xxx

Hello Wb,

Your last post made me smile. Who gives a damn what your wellies look like. No-one else has to contend with your agonising feet, so high five to you!

I looked up the diabetic socks and these look quite good for the winter. I have to have bare ( unstockinged) feet from March to November. Blimey, it’s a quandary innit?

Take care

Alison x

Hi Alison,‘cos I strive to get out every day for coffee+coughin’/coffin when it was freezing I could take enough drugs to ‘allow’ socks to be worn for an hour.It wasn’t really sustainable but “needs must”.Thinking of those happy days I did use heated insoles,the type which are boiled to re-generate them,but they were uncomfortable.I tried two types of electric socks but they weren’t that warm and were too thick.

Even now I pre-heat my boots with a hairdrier,and even bought a 12volt hairdrier and mounted a 12volt lead acid battery on the big Buggy to power it.Limited success as the drier wasn’t much cop.Zippo hand warmers get really toasty,but can’t ‘breathe’ if left in the boots but were great at warming the calves if slipped in for 3-4 minutes at a time.I’m not talking about baby cows.I found that cafes wouldn’t microwave those gel bags 'cos of Elf ‘n’ Safety.I’d be glad to hear of any other ideas 'cos I’m fresh out.

Enough already,

Wb x