About five years ago I underwent surgical removal of a Morton's neuroma in my left foot (after, of course, several rounds of unsuccessful cortizone shots). I would consider it to have been an utter failure, as most of the time I feel as if I've never recovered from the post-op pain. I now have an MN in my right foot. My podiatrist has tried Ketalog (sp?) shots, which have not worked, and now he would like to try a sclerosing agent (a 4% alcohol mixture). I've done my research, so I know how it works... I just want to know how it FEELS!

Has anyone out there undergone a sclerosing treatment for an MN?

I had an operation for MN about 10 years ago. It seemed to help some but never did relive the pain 100%. Now I am in extreme pain and would like to know about this tx too.(Sclerosing Agents)

It's the most miserable experience in the world! I am assuming, since the left foot is getting worse, that it's because a have new stump growth where the previous neuroma was removed. I refuse to have the right foot treated surgically because I only have one good foot and I'm not even 30 yet! I'd like to be able to walk on my 30th birthday, at least.

This weekend I was swimming and I guess I used the ligaments in ways I ordinarily don't and the neuromas in both feet went crazy! My toes cramped up - it feels like they pop out of joint and go all wonky.

I'm scheduling for my first sclerosing treatment on July 8. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

It's nice to meet another foot friend. I'm telling ya - I'd rather have my arm chopped off than have cramps in my toes. It keeps me awake all night some nights.

HOLD THE KNIFE! I too have Neuroma's. One in each foot. Of course, I'm my own worst enemy running (like a lunatic).

I had cortisone shots. 3 in each foot.

Have you done either of these 3?

Had CUSTOM orthotics created by a pedorthist. Yes, a pedorthist, not a podiatrist.
Do you wear the widest shoes possible with NO HEELs.
Shoes that are best suioted for your pronation. Not just wide, but fitted for how you walk

My podiatrist tells me the shots you're willing to take are very painful.

If you haven't tried the 3 above, you have nothing to lose before getting yet another SHOT. When I had orthotics fitted it took a good couple of months for the neuroma's to FINALLY calm down. Yes, the flare a bit, because I run so hard, but I'm willing to live with that.

The right foot is still more sore as you'll see in a previous post.

Oh my, yes, I've tried everything. This has been a 16 year ordeal for me.

The problem with the left began when I was 5. We believe that it began when I dropped a large frozen turkey on my foot and damaged the growth plates, causing growth abnormalities in the third metatarsal. I lived with the pain for many years until I had an operation to semi-repair the joint when I was 13. A combination of the pain both pre- and post-op, the way I adjusted my walking patterns to relieve the pain, the disruption of the nerves, etc. all likely contributed to the morton's neuroma that was treated in 2000, when I was in my early 20s. I've had 5 cortizone shots in the left, two surgeries total and that's where I'm stopping for now, despite the fact that stump neuromas have resulted from the 2000 operation. I also never fully recovered from that operation, as I still (now, in 2005) have consistent post-op pain that has never gone away and substantial nerve damage that prevents me from having any feeling at all in the ball of my left foot. Needless to say, I couldn't possibly find a way to care less about the pain in this foot and am simply happy to still have it attached to my leg.

The right foot now has a neuroma and, no, I don't intend to have any operation to remove it. We began treatment with Ketalog-40 which left me in more pain than that with which I began (several months ago). After two shots of Ketalog, we determined it was having no positive effect and are now going with bi-weekly injections of a sclerosing agent (a 4% de-natured alcohol solution mixed with a little pain reliever). This treatment is relatively new but in clinical trials have an 89 to 90% success rate, higher in comparison to the Ketalog although some people claim it to be a more painful means of long-term relief. The shots are administered bi-weekly, six to ten times. Most patients do say, however, that each shot is a little less painful than the last.

As for shoes, I've never worn heels. I don't even know what it's like to wear heels! I can't go skiing, water ski or even hiking, which is something that I very much enjoyed in my teens and early 20s. I used to hike a lot but it's a rather dangerous sport when you have to look at your feet to know whether they're on the ground or not. I wear running shoes a lot (funny, for someone who can't walk down the stairs too quickly) because the curved toes help relieve some pain but I can't wear the orthodics because they throw off my sense of balance and I have a tendency to fall on my butt if I don't look where I'm going on an incline or stairs.

My Sclerosing Experience: I had my first shot at 8:00 a.m. two days ago (Friday, today is Sunday). I must say that yesterday, a day after, my right foot felt better than it had in at least a year!! After the shot, I put my rump on the sofa and watched a season of Buffy on DVD and relaxed. The pain reliever that is mixed with the shot began to wear off at around 4:15 p.m. and I took an Aleve. This morning, for the first time in months, I walked my dog around the neighborhood, walked around the house without shoes on, and even got down on my knees to scrub the bathtub! These are all things I haven't been able to do in a very long time. Frankly, if it continues to go this well with the right, I just might try this treatment on the left!!!

Good luck with your neuromas and if you try it, let me know how it goes!

~Jenn

I've had the alcohol shots for my neuroma. Had 5 of them, they didn't help a single bit and were very painful. Immediately following the 5th injection, my foot swelled up and I broke out in a rash.

Obviously, I don't recommend them; but then again, not everyone responds the same way. I am now reluctantly considering surgery because I've run out of non-surgical options.

Has anyone had the new Cryosurgery for their neuroma?

What's Cryosurgery? That's a new one to me!