my New Poiatrist did a fungal test and told me that she believed that my “ Psoriasis “ was actually Athlete’s foot that had spread to my soles, heels sides of the feet and toenails. I have been treating it as Psoriasis for years. After” Lamisil once “ my feet look better and my nails are clearly going to produce new pink healthy nails. However , the burning and bone pain persists, when I sit down and put my feet up my heels hurt so much.I tried gel heel pads for Plantars Fascitis. The pain gradually became much worse, like a sore deep inside. Excuse the spelling. Does this ring bells with anyone? It is impacting on everything. Relieved if it is not Psoriac Arthritis after all. Currently the argument for Methotrexate. On 6 mgs of Pred - body not happy.
The little things are unraveling me more than the main disease.
Any views gratefully received.
Written by
SheffieldJane
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I've said it before and I'll say it again, you do have a knack for picking up unusual diseases. Do you think you should try to have x-rays of your feet, or has that already been done?
Nope. It was assumed to be Psoriasis, if it is Athletes foot only, what is the pain?I haven’t had my feet X Rayed since being fitted for Clarkes shoes as a child. It would be the next logical step. This new Podiatrist is thorough, professional, warm and kind. What a difference this makes! We need to fight back and not let these things slide, if we are ever going to have our moment in the sun. I remained in a cool dark room with a fan blowing through a bowl of iced water, yesterday (41 degrees) and cured my dry mouth. Silver lining.
Oh Jane you have so much to contend with. No idea what this can be but you have my sympathies. My feet are painful every day and I’ve gone from going out walking everyday to limping around the house feeling sorry for myself. Hope your podiatrist can sort it out. Perhaps you do need an X-ray x
What is causing your symptoms Sue? I can walk ok in my tatty old sneakers. I have bought some Birkenstock slides ( get me) for Australia. They seem a bit hard and unyielding though. Welcome to my shoe shop.Don’t put up with this limitation. Our feet are so important. For us, a good Podiatrist is an investment. She told me that Chiropodist’s can do a course on-line and just set up - it is unregulated. My Podiatrist has a degree and knows when to refer on. I really like her.
Mine are more like gym shoes/, plimsolls, light and lace up, with cooling socks from M&S. ( glamorous) Fine even on the 40 degree day, when I had to go to the dentist.Let me know what they say. It’s dominating my life currently. X
I here what you mean about the little things that add up to biggest challenge.
I’ve had plantar fasciitis from walking on a treadmill. The pain, for me, was localized in the middle of the flat part of the heal, causing pain when stepped down upon. It took time and some physio exercises to resolve over about 4-5 months (mostly off of my foot).
I’m afraid I can’t speak to the other issues you bring forward, but am encouraged that a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis has been taken off the table, and the new treatment is showing signs of effectiveness already.
It’s juggling the mystery symptoms, misdiagnosis and conflicting treatment regimes and side effects that can cause frustration. How DO we figure it all out? The knowledgeable forum members continue to come through with information and compassion. Hope further exploration (foot X-ray or MRI) reveals more clues. Our feet are key to mobility so having pain impacts us in this and other ways. Hugs Jane.,
Unfortunately the little things all add up to feeling crap. Great you can now treat the athlete's foot. Definitely when at the lower pred all the other stuff jumps out, the feet want attention now. I don't have an answer but I hope you can get it sorted. It's exhausting when you do all the right things but your body just won't play ball.
I really want to save this post. I sense that the answer is in here somewhere. My grandma had disseminated sclerosis. So there’s the genetic link for MS.I used “Lamisil Once” which suggests that one application maybe all that’s needed. Is this product the one you use all the time? My feet look a lot better, as do my toenails. My feet are not happy though. Heel pain is quite severe when exposed to pressure on the rim of the heel. I tried those slip on silicone heel pads and they quickly caused significant pain.
Thank you for taking the trouble to put all this together for me. I need to study it properly although I already sense that it contains essential information, for me. My so called psoriasis was assumed by a GP, not what I’d call a proper diagnosis.
I'm so sorry for you, SJ! It's just not b\**!] fair, is it? It's so hard to be positive when you are in so much pain but you will keep going.I had PF some years ago which was helped enormously with Diclofinac - now banned in the UK and wouldn't be able to take it with Pred anyway.
I'm sure you've scoured the internet: there are many 'cures' listed and brilliant reviews but always best to take note of real people experience.
Somewhere along the line I read that ultrasound can give a definitive diagnosis of PF.
Not banned in the UK - it is now a prescription-only medication. My rheumy uses NSAIDs with pred - odd doses no problem, more regular use needs "stomach protection" in the form of PPIs or H2-antagonists.
That's news to me. I read after I'd stopped taking it that it had been withdrawn because of heart-associated risks. I believe that some of the ingredients are used in Volterol(??)
That was why it became POM - unless they have changed their mind since that but the NHS says just POM except for gels and plasters and I assume they assume that you don't absorb enough to cause systemic problems. Yes, Volarol is diclofenac
When you say "sore heels" - what do you mean? I used to have sore soles to my feet after walking far - felt as if they had been sandpapered!! My sore heels now are very different - almost certainly tendonitis and only sore when actually standing or walking. Very limiting ...
"It is impacting on everything" - know exactly what you mean and I am thoroughly fed up with it!!!!
That’s what is weird. The pain seems to have a time modality irrespective of what I have done in the day ie nothing. I experience pain from the slight pressure of my heels on a footrest, in the evening. Nothing much to see except they are red with tightly stretched skin. Base cream helps a little.
I used to get very sore areas around the periphery of my heels, the area where hard skin develops. Some very determined foot care, the creams that break down hard skin and the sanding device footcare people use, eventually relieved it and it hasn't come back. The shape of the shoe bed is critical - and UK shoes tend to be rather narrow which puts pressure on that area.
My feet are as smooth and soft as a baby’s. I do all the foot-care. My feet are very dry. I am barefoot in the house and happiest in old soft sneakers. I could open a shoe shop with my failed purchases. The only thing that sparks GP interest is the prospect of it being diabetes 2 and therefore my fault and in line with their targets and stats. I am not bitter. 😬
I used to go barefoot - but with the current achilles problems I can't - it was much the same when the PMR was rampant. Walking barefoot was so difficult.
Can I join in? I am also thoroughly fed up with all the problems most of which affect my mobility.
I currently have a lot of backache around my waist mainly, mostly first thing in the morning which can then persist all day sometimes. The top of my left foot has been very painful for over 15 months, diagnosed and treated wrongly already once and I get pins and needles in the foot, going up to my knee quite often. I am in the process of getting a second opinion on the foot and due to have MRI’s on foot and back in September.
Some days I just don’t have the energy to put up with the pain and effort involved with any kind of walking.
I think I still have some withdrawal symptoms from coming off Amitriptyline 2months ago- mostly nausea nearly everyday, a completely changed appetite and quite a lot of itching anywhere on my body.
I also think that I have some head congestion leading to some deafness as a hangover from Covid n March,currently using steroid nasal spray in the hope that will sort it.
I think that’s mostly it apart from the PMR and the steroid side effects- mostly sleeplessness, getting up around 3 times per night. I have also had fungal nail infection on all the toes of my bad foot, and that has been for well over 5 years.
I am still on 11 mgs pred and no sign of any improvement in that department after 10 years.
Do you know, it’s good to get that off my chest! I don’t need any sympathy but if anyone has any ideas about any of these symptoms, I am all ears!
And Jane, we are warriors together, battling one symptom( or more) at a time! We just have to keep going!❤️
The low back problem and the foot could be linked - literally - by the sciatic nerve! I have low back pain and the spasmed muscles can irritate or pinch the sciatic nerve.
I am more boring than you though, I bore myself. 🥱Have you tried Lamisil once for the fungal infection. My feet look so much better after one application, even the nails. It’s good that you are having an MRI. I hope it explains things without being serious, if you understand me and leads to solutions. I think that post Covid will make you feel very low indeed. It seems to be gathering momentum as an issue. Not only long Covid. I would ask for medical advice on the Amitriptyline, they give it out like smarties, but I am not sure that it is as benign as GPs think. I certainly know the feeling of complete malaise. Sometimes crossing the room seems too much. Currently I am trying to deal with the more manageable issues, like the feet, as part of taking back some control.
I live with insomnia currently, some nights I don’t seem to lose consciousness at all. An eye mask, audio books and BBC Sounds, make it all more bearable. What gets you up? Is it urinary symptoms? I wondered about your back pain extending round your waist and a kidney infection. We are indeed warriors together. I feel a bit like a tennis player with one of those machines that spew out balls that you have to hit. They just keep on coming. 🤾♀️
So know what you mean! I have thought of one of those machines where something pops up randomly and you have to whack it- can't remember what it's called- ?brain fog? I have wondered about the kidneys- will keep that in mind.
Not sure what wakes me up- sometimes urinary but not always, but once I'm awake then I start to feel like I should pee before being able to get back to sleep.
It is so nice to share these things so we are not alone .
Hi, my feet have hurt for years now after having plantar faciitis Even though I try to avoid pain it sometimes creeps back.These are things that help. Some from podiatrist others trial and error.
NEVER go without shoes even in house.
Insoles from podiatrist or best you can sort yourself.
Buy a proper standing mat for use at sink or units.( I used one of these in workshop for many years as it was a concrete floor and pressure builds.)
I also cut extra heel pieces from sponge insoles to help shock on heels.
Do excercises for tight calf muscles.
I wish I could say the suggestions I make have cured it but I do believe they all help to keep it at bay. My feet look amazingly good but are tender and easily hurt.
Sometime it all feels more than we can deal with but painful feet soon debilitate the rest of the body.
I hope some of your problems get sorted soon. It has been a long frustrating journey. Take care Jen. 🌸
Thank you Jen. Good tips. I bought some flip flops with arch support, but I am not sure that I can bear the post between my toes. My new Podiatrist is going to focus on this once the athletes foot is under control. Shoes ( and bras) have become a bit of a nightmare since these diseases were diagnosed. It gets pretty expensive.
Shoes and bras!!! I was wearing a 36C for years, and when I say years I mean YEARS. When my niece worked at Rugby and Pellets who do "sizing by looking" I discovered I was a 32F!!!! As for feet🤔😯😏. I've just had my first appointment with podiatrist. Fab. Mentioned my bunion. It's not huge but v tender when under any pressure. She recommended rocker soles with as thick a sole as possible. I've now got a pair of Skechers and find them v comfortable. She said to make sure the sole was v soft inside but as firm as poss to keep bunion from moving. I've ordered another pair from Oz!! A company called Evershoe. Apparently a lot of athletes wear this kind of shoe. Another make she recommended was Fitflop. Hope you frond something to give you some relief.MamaB
P.S. Bunion definitely not caused by either pointed toes or high heels. My father was a Surgical Appliance Maker and it was lace ups with straight sides!!!
Sadie the Bra Lady in Consett was the first person I found who did that - been doing it her way since lord knows when! - and I finally got the right size without a fight. They would keep telling me I was a 34D, even a 36C - not a 32F. My daughter had the same problem looking for nursing bras - they wanted to sell her 36D when she was actually a 32H. When she wasn't pregnant she was a 30DD. You can imagine what happened when we raised our arms with a 36 bra!
I hate buying shoes!!!! Broad front, high arch and narrow heel ...
I have moved to sports bras and even they are not infallible. I get rib pain with any pressure. A souvenir from PMR I think. A fat back is not helpful either a souvenir from Pred.
I wear the M&S leisure bra, I think it's called and I have a posh bravissimo for the rare occasions I need to feel smart! But Oh the relief when I take any of them off is.....bliss!
If you and others keep trying bras and have a stack of failed ones in new condition, Oxfam collect them for parts of Africa where they are hard to get. I took a bag of lovely ones and they were pleased.
I didn't know that. But good to know. I sent mine off to an organisation called smalls for all I found via Google, they do the same thing but for women in need in Africa and UK. Hope you get some answers to your feet problem too.
Oh, that does sound sore, so sorry! I had plantar fasciitis once. It did last for a long time . Things that helped were stretching out the achilles, and rolling the foot on a bottle of frozen water.
What about putting your feet in some cold water with soothing lavender oil? Should give some relief 😌
I only ask because the Lamisil Once says only use it once and contact your doctor if this doesn’t do the trick.Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
During the extremely hot weather, I put iced water with lavender essential oil in it in front of my tall bedroom fan. I slept like a baby, for the first time in months. I thought I had died, after so many broken nights.
Yes I will continue to treat the nails as they grow too. I am becoming like the Forth Bridge. A U.K. saying for something that needs continual maintenance. 🫤
So sorry you are experiencing these problems Jane. They make each day miserable. Having suffered for months with Achilles pain it’s finally been sorted with handmade insoles at £500. Worth it for me though after not being able to walk for more than about 5 mins without the excruciating pain. It’s funny you should say about the bras and the expense because I have several I cannot wear my more because the Pred has increased my bra size from a 38 to a 40. Having just ordered 3 new ones at great expense it turns out my favourite brand comes from Belgium. I hadn’t noticed before Brexit. I had to jump through hoops to send one back. Complete forms in triplicate, take a photo of the form and send to 2 separate email addresses. What a chore. 😬🙄
Well your new podiatrist sounds good and thorough so I’m sure you’ll get to the bottom of this and find some suitable treatment. In the meantime you have real sympathy from me - must be awful suffering this on top of everything else and in the heat. X💐
Other than soaking your feet in salty water for tinea (or even better, walking in the ocean) unfortunately I can't add much in the way of suggestions that might help your poor sore feet, but I definitely want to send commiserations. You've had way more than your fair share of miserable "one thing after another" stuff, particularly lately, and yet despite all that you are still so kind and generous in your thoughts for other people. It most definitely must be high time for a turnaround and for things to start going right for you. Here's wishing!
I know exactly what you mean, i do not have Psoriasis , but had a nasty fungal infection that caused me to lose my big toe nail , its horrible add to that the burning and cracking and its miserable ! My way of coping with this is lovely . i get a large bowl with hot water , thats comfortable for you .Put in a couple of handfuls of Epsom baths salts, soak for a least 20 mins, they gently dry and cover your feet in Wilkos cracked heel cream ! It really helps mine were so bad it was like walking on razorblades ! The deep pain inside started to slowly go away, i think it makes my circulation better .Hope this might help. Best wishes Viv🌷
Hi Jane. I have burning heel pain and our Constance too in Germany I think. We spoke about it not long ago. Mine is a burning pain when resting and is only relieved on moving haha. In bed is a nightmare as zi can only sleep on my back until my hip op next month.
The only scientific thing I do is prop a pillow/ cushion under Achilles area so that heels are off any mattress/ stool whatever so my heels are in the Air!
No Jane, I haven’t mentioned it to anyone yet as fairly newish , it’s a few months though!I wondered if it was because I lay so still in bed for so long as it’s agony to move my leg until the op.
Hoping it will resolve itself and yes I slather the cream on too.
I have lived with heel pain for years and what I have found is that the right arch support is critical. However, I have also come to realize that only trial and error are the best way to get arch supports that work specifically for you. Or you could get them custom made by someone that makes orthodics. Other things to help relieve the pain... Freeze a bottle of water and roll your foot over it to help calm the pain. Also you can purchase special footwear to sleep in that keeps your toes pointed upward. This helps relieve the pain during the day. And never, ever walk around without arch support. This means no going barefoot or wearing flip flops.
I bought flip flops with arch support. They do feel weird though. I will add them to my failed shoe shop probably. I am comfortable with bare feet, until I sit down and put my feet up, then the heel pain starts. Evening only. I am building an encyclopaedic knowledge of the foot.
Thank you so much for the information. It had confused me thinking I had psoriasis for years and being told after a test, by my new podiatrist that it was a fungal infection, then having this heel pain and worrying about Psoriac arthritis and learning that it was probably Plantar fasciitis. Preferable conditions I think and different treatment.
I had thrush for 2 years but was misdiagnosed with burning mouth syndrome because I lacked the typical white patches in my mouth. It is frustrating to suffer from an ailment only to discover it could have been treated and done away with long ago had a doctor properly diagnosed it. I how your fungal infection clears up quickly.
Thank you. My feet look so much better. It would be a massive morale boost to deal with this aspect of my ill health, once and for all.I feel for you about the misdiagnosis regarding thrush, so glad you have sorted it now. We really have to be on the ball, especially these days.
You may have already tried these but I found “Oofos” relieved my heel pain so much when I had plantar fasciitis. I have had it in both heels at different times- so painful!
Oddly I was looking at these products yesterday Suzy, might give it a go. I also found a small device that claimed to treat PF with electrical waves, lots of positive reviews.
Hi Jane! Sorry to hear of all your problems. I hope you are able to get them resolved and get out of pain soon. I had PF years ago when we opened a small Mom & Pop Pizza restaurant. We were open for about a year and suddenly I was getting up in the morning and feeling razor blades on the bottom of my feet for at least 20 -3 0 steps. It kind of acted like PMR in a way. After sleep or rest getting up was painful but after walking on them reluctantly they stopped hurting so much. Then it was ok for awhile but got worse as the day progressed and breaks were needed. I was in so much pain in the morning that I dreaded getting up. I finally went to my GP and he diagnosed PF. He offered a referal to a pediatrist but told me to get some good shoes first to see if that helped. I went to a shoe store here in US called The Walking Co. They had me walk on a mat which measured my foot and pressure points. I got the shoes, that were in stock and I thought were very expensive, but the very next day I had such significant relief I felt like dancing! The shoes were well worth the money I invested and they were cute too! Merrells, Dansko and Sketchers have worked wonders for me as well. I have heard really good things about Oofos too. I'm sure the amount of time I was spending on my feet definitely played a huge part but it was not an option so glad the shoes were such an easy fix! I was very lucky! In thinking back I also bathed my feet in warm water & epsom salts. At the end of a long day/night that felt great! I was thinking that actually having a good soak in a tub for the whole body in Epsom salts would feel good for the PMR. I've been a bit reluctant to try it since I live alone. I'd hate to get stuck in the tub!
Thank you for your very generous reply. I feel that I am learning so much here. I will look for some helpful footwear as you suggest. My symptoms are not linked to anything as virtuous as hard work and being on my feet a lot. Mine just developed out of the blue.
The back of my heels can get painful when pressure is put on them, particularly at the end of the day. Lying on my back, it is worse and not helped much by letting my feet hang over the end of the bed. A physio gave me nerve flossing exercises, and it does help somewhat. There are lots on the internet, includingmedicalnewstoday.com/articl...
My physio got me to do ones where you sit on something high enough to make your legs dangle from the knee, then lower and raise your head at the same time as raising one lower leg with pointed toes. Can be easier for some people than lying on your back. But I couldn't find that one online.
You are right. Sarah and I tried a 3 way Zoom call with my GP, we couldn’t make it work between us. I was secretly convinced that my presence jinxed it. Of course Jinasc will laugh, she got over the hump as I must. I’d have done it if I was still at work. I hate my appearance on screen and I upset equipment with my presence.
We were all bamboozled. If I knew why we might have made the connection. My GP was cross, Sarah amused and self effacing and I was stressed and felt incompetent.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Another annoyance - is this PMR or bad luck?
hiya! how do you care for your feet, especially nail cutting? 
Previous autoimmune conditions
another disappointing rheumatologist visit 
itchy, rash, and psoriasis
