What are your MS Foot Symptoms and Shoe Size Changes?

[CalfeeChick]

Something I've really brought up, but thought it might be an interesting subject to discuss..How are your feet in relationship to having MS? My feet tingle and go to sleep when I stand in one place very long. I can't wear any kind of socks anymore, even diabetic socks make my feet tingle,then that sensation becomes a spasm running all the way up my legs, no socks for me! Also, my shoe size has grown. I was a size 8. Now I'm a size 9! I can wear only SKECHERS shoes and fuzzy slippers.

[erash]

Interesting ?

Bc of neuropathy, my feet feel as if they’re frozen, frost bitten, and I wear several pairs of socks but I only can wear my old brooks sneakers if I want balance. It really limits my chic wardrobe 🤪

Foot size seems unchanged 🤷‍♀️

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to erash]

My feet feel much the same. I sleep with the feer under a heating pad.

[greaterexp]

No more heels, for sure! I need extra warm socks and shoes in the winter, since they get icky dysesthesias if they get cold.

I’m interested to hear what others have to say, too.

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to greaterexp]

I found some great slippers at Kohls department store. They have thick rubber soles and fuzzy plush fur-like material inside & out. They look like 8" booties. I love them.

[Peruzzot in reply to CalfeeChick]

My brother in law got me some similar slippers for Christmas this year. Perfect replacements for my thick socks that I wore the heels completely out of.

[Kenu]

I have been in ankle boots for twenty five years and have gone from a size 8 to 81/2 to 9 and this last year to 91/2. Crazy 😜 was an 8 for 25 years. Also the afo on right leg 🦵 🤪 Ken 🐾🐾

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to Kenu]

It's amazing, isn't it? I went from sz 8-8/2- 9 in less than two years..😊👞🥿️👟

[mm1527mm in reply to Kenu]

My shoe size increase from 7 to 8!

[falalalala]

My foot on my bad leg gets puffy if I sit on my arse too long.

I lack flexibility in that foot so I often have to ask my husband for help getting my shoe on.

He missed his calling and should have been a farrier.

[jimeka]

No change in size, still a size 5 😊

[Peruzzot]

My shoe size hasn't changed...yet...But my feet will go numb or tingle if I stay on exercise machines where my feet don't move...like an elliptical or stationary bike...for more than 15-20 minutes at a time. Just plain stand I'm not capable of anymore, I bobble and weave and will fall if I don't move my feet every 30 seconds. I must be a real sight to see standing in line anywhere. 🤣😂🤣

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to Peruzzot]

I hear you about standing in line, my feet and sometimes legs go numb, I just smile and tell anyone around me that I have MS and standing makes my feet go numb. Most people are great about it.

[goatgal]

I never had dainty feet, but my shoe size has increased over time. Fifteen years ago, I wore a size 9, now the size ranges from 10 to 11 (my garden clogs) depending on the style. My feet burn when I stand for any length of time; the feeling spreads up my legs unless I move around. In the mornings my feet are stiff but they loosen up as I begin to move around. This seems to be helped if I wear compression stockings to bed. Because of edema, I wear moderate compression stockings during the day. I hate the struggle to put these on, but my legs/ankles feel better when I do. In the house, I wear Birkenstocks. When I wear shoes, I change between pairs (Asics to Skechers, the former for the last, the latter for the footbed) during the day when a pair becomes painful. Changing to a different pair seems to help for a while.

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to goatgal]

goatgal l I wish I could wear any kind of socks, they make my legs tingle and burn. I've tried all kinds of socks, even cutting open places wear they feel tight, nothing helps until I take the socks off. I love all my Skechers! I found a super Skechers Outlet in the next town and can usually get 3 pairs for around $80. Even got a furlined pair of boots, now if they would only make slippers😁😁

[janetb1968]

Hi honey, my feet have pins + needles all the time shoe size is the same I’m a size 5. Don’t know if that’s any help xxxxxxx ❤️ I cannot stand in one place for a long time - I always have to sit down and I can’t walk for a long time either xxxxxx

[Elizt3]

My feet are my biggest problem. They are numb, unpredictably feel like they’re on fire, other times feel ice cold, and feel extremely tight. (massage helps them feel less tight, but that only helps for the moment). The sensations can be very distracting and take up so much of my consciousness. During the day, I usually wear Clark shoes. Last year, I found Hoka sneakers and wear them as much as I can. I’ve taken gabapentin for about 10 years and it takes the edge off primarily the tightness (when I’m late with the gabapentin, the tightness really ramps up and becomes extremely uncomfortable.... Or eating too much salt makes my feet feel worse). I am open to any suggestions on how to deal with the symptoms.

I wear size 9 or 9 1/2. I’ve heard our feet can get bigger as we get older.

[pamgarner]

my shoe size hasn't changed,the cymbalta I take has gotten rid of the pins and needles,now I think because I wear slippers most of the time it has changed my feet, they are warm and comfy but no heel support or arch support.I also wear sketchers outside,I have since slippers, I have corns and callouses on 2nd and 3rd toes on both feet trying to keep my balance, i guess that is common.DON"T TAKE MY SOCKS!

[Juleigh21]

I’ve been wearing a size 8 for many years but recently went to a size 8.5. If I forget to take 600 mg of gabapentin before I go to bed, my feet and legs start to vibrate. I’m assuming this is MS😕

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador in reply to Juleigh21]

I take 8-10 gabapentin a day. and still get pins and needles if I stand still too long, etc. Also take Baclofen twice daily..m Going to restart Rituxan infusions next month. Had to delay last treatment because of hip replacement. Life is so grand!

[Juleigh21 in reply to CalfeeChick]

Good luck with the next Rituxan infusion!!

[sashaming1]

Only foot drop when I walk. But, it has improved with exercises on ankles, quads & hamstrings to improve necessary muscle strength to lift those toes when stepping forward. Even just paying more attention to proper walking helps. I never would have thought about foot drop before - although it does stop me from falling since my toes don't catch on the the floor and cause me to lose stumble and lose balance. Hmmmm.

[bxrmom]

For most of my life, I have worn a size 7-7 1/2 shoe but lately, I wear an 8 1/2. Schetchers are the shoes that makes my feet feel the best. Of course I have to get the wide shoe or my feet feel cramped. Ever since I was a kid, my feet have always gotten to feeling 'hot' when I had socks on at night, so I can sleep with socks on most nights. They are not hot to the touch, just that they feel like they are burning up when I have socks on at night.

I always hear the story of when I was told to put slippers on my feet, and my reply was 'I can't want to, I got hot feet' lol Still true to this day. Though, I can wear slippers with no socks but once I'm in bed and have socks on, my feet feel hot. Weird.

Jessie

[carolek572 CommunityAmbassador]

I used to wear a 6 1/2 W on the right foot, and a 7 1/2 WWW on my left foot ~ due to my AFO. So, I bought two pairs of shoes. Now, I wear a 7 1/2 WWW on both feet because I no longer walk fast, and it's much cheaper to but one pair of shoes. They are shoes that look like sneakers but have elastics instead of laces. Easy off and they stay on because they are just tight enough. I do have socks on all the time, but feet are still blocks of ice. That and the fact that my feet go into spasms when they hit the cold bare floor. Gone are the days of having more than one pair of cute shoes.

[mrsmike9]

I still wear 9 1/2. Never have worn heels as I'm 6 feet tall which is tall enough! My feet are generally burning on the bottom and freezing on the top.

[normwithms]

Over the last 45 years I have gone from a size 7 1/2 to size 11. My feet have hurt for the last 30 years any time I wear shoes. So now it has to be bare feet or just socks unless my wife makes me leave the house.

[cljones]

My feet have gone from an 8 to 8 1/2 in shoes and 9 to 9 1/2 in boots. I used to have 40 pairs of cute shoes and now I have 3 pairs of shoes and a couple pairs of boots. I hate it. Can't wear heals at all. My feet feel like blocks of ice all the time. When I get up in the middle of the night my feet are still cold. The only time they are warm is first thing in the morning when I get up. I can't wear socks to bed because then I get to hot and then I can't walk. They swell and feel stiff all the time. The problems we face with this monster are to numerous to mention. I always think there are worse things I could have. I'll deal with my problems.

[Cutefreckles72]

My feet are up and down. When they are swollen, I have to wear a size 10 shoe but when they are not swollen I can wear a size 9 shoe. And when they get cold, it is painful. Same for my fingers.

[eharoot]

shoe size has gone from 7 1/2 to 8 1/2. my left foot is extremely sensitive to almost anything and so I wear Peter Pan type socks. Sometimes have to wear double socks to get it warm enough at nite. Crazy thing how this becomes such a consideration. also I wear EZ Spirits Traveltime slip ons for slippers and shoes now as they seem to have the right support for me

[leking1]

My feet are tingly, numb, cold or hot and send spasms up my legs. The left foot doesn't like to pick up

but the right one usually will. Neither has grown, if anything they have both shrunk a bit, always been a size 5, but now a 4 fits better. I hate to wear shoes, I love flip flops, but I do like Sketchers and Spring Steps if they have really flexible soles. I have to be able to feel the floor to walk. I can't stand still long either! Linda

[Doubled51]

Mine are a lot like you. If I stand to long (which doesn’t take long at all) I get the needles and pins and they go to sleep from my toes almost to my knee. And again like you they have grown a complete size.from a size 12 normal wide to size 13 wide. And when they start tingling and going to sleep you better find somewhere to sit down quick or you’ll be siting on the ground or floor.

Donnie

[Hidden]

Interesting comments.

My feet have been numb for a year now.....I should have gone to the doctor when it started, but lack of medical insurance and trying to be tough....I ignored it and continued with life (working).

Now the numbness is everywhere, as I have shared my story. Now I can barely do anything.

My feet are always numb and cold....the hand numbness is the worst!

I used to wear work boots and cowboy boots everywhere else..now it is just a chore to get my tennis shoes on and get the laces tied.

I sure hope the Neurologist appointment helps give more answers.

I read thru all the posts on this subject and my heart goes out to all of you.

As they say "walk a mile in my shoes..."

[HensTooth]

I’ve had a few toes stay numb for days or weeks. I’ve had the feeling there’s a piece of tape or a sticker stuck to the bottom of my foot, but it turns out there’s nothing there, it’s a numb patch. I’ve had freezing cold feet when every other part of me is hot. I lost circulation to my feet so that they turned blue. I’ve had “popcorn fasciculations” on my soles that drive me nuts because they’re so distracting.

But the worst is the muscles that run up and down the soft part of my inner sole. I’ll be walking along and get a sharp pain like I just stepped on glass. But of course nothing is there. Just another phantom pain which I assume is a muscle spasm. Baclofen helps.

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador]

@HemsTooth My feet go numb any time I am standing still. I sleep with a heating pad on my feet. I can’t stand wearing socks. I can’t stand the feeling of sheets on my legs so I have a thin fleece blanket That covers me from feet to neck. I even took it to the hospital when I had my hip replacement surgery 4 weeks ago. I take Baclofen and Gabapentin they help, but not completely. I even had toe spasms and leg spasms while in the hospital 😊.

[kdali]

Oh the feets! 🙄😬

I have a symptom I call cold socks, it’s like my feet are frozen and the soles are very painful. Sometimes they are just painful, or just cold. I don’t remember when they started feeling achy all the time.

Normally I wake up with a pulsating feet numbness that is mild and climbs to my knees by noon...and everything to the back of my head if it’s a rough day. Use to be just one leg. Heck, use to be just my legs but now my hands joined in after I was pregnant the first time. What’s weird is only the feet and head/shoulders will feel ice cold. Another weird foot thing is I have an old injury that sometimes I feel all over again. I compressed a nerve in one of my toes 10yrs ago and I’ve felt it many times over the last year. 🤷‍♀️

Back to the feet for the second pregnancy, and now I get electric shocks to my right heel/sole randomly, but usually more in the evening. It was a ton of fun during the second trimester, I would get shocked awake while sleeping 😵 Since I’ve had steroids and ocrevus, it’s a little calmer.

They have stayed the same size. I can wear heels but usually take along ballet flats just in case. I don’t have an issue with the feet being touched, I can wear compression socks no problem.

Sorry, long answer, but I maybe there is some other weirdo like me out there with something similar 🤷‍♀️

[Hidden]

Yup. Weirdo here!

[Doubled51]

I have trouble with stand and feet and sometimes the whole leg will go numb. Also have agonizing pain in hip and leg joint.

My feet have grown from size 12 normal to 13 wide. I wear cheap Walmart slip on shoes with memory foam. Very comfortable and best part light as a feather.

[CrazyCatWom]

What started when I got out of the hospital in 2018, my right foot's muscles (mostly the muscles on the top of my foot) will start cramping almost every morning about 4 am. I'd stretch that foot, or message it. My neurolgist proscribed baclofen for that. Then when My neurologist put me on Aubagio, what had been annoying cramps, became the senation of red hot knives slicing flesh off my foot! My neurologist just told me to adjust the times I took my gabapentin so I could possibly sleep better. It has helped. Now shoe size? Are you kidding? I'm Sasquach! Iused to have very narrow feet, but I danced! The toe end of my feet spread. Did y'all know Big Foot is a duck? Quack! So, I, personally, can't blame MS for that. But I do still have beautiful turn-out.