Haven't been able to walk in 4 weeks. Gout? Pseudo Gout? Cellulitis?

Foot care
1

I'm 27, 210lbs about 6'2 i'm reasonably fit and have been in the gym for about 10 years. No previous medical conditions or major injuries.

4 weeks ago my ankle began to ache ever so slightly as I sat in the passenger seat on my way to work i figured i slept funny or something. Within 3 hours the pain was slowly increasing to the point i had to be helped to my car and i drove home as i got home I was in unbearable pain and had to crawl to my room where I had some Tylenol. I haven't broken any bones before so it's hard to draw a comparison but this pain felt unlike anything I've experienced. It was inescapable and felt like my foot was expanding and being crushed at the same time. The Tylenol kicked in after 20 minutes and I called my partner and she took me to the emergency room. I eventually got put on a drip of some sort to ease the pain then was taken for an x ray. No breaks were found just severe inflammation. I was given naproxen and diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and suggested I get new shoes. This didn't sit right to me because the thought of having a light breeze touch my foot would bring on searing agony so I reached out for another opinion in the coming days.

The first few days were still pretty agonising. The pain would come every 6-8 hours and I would take either naproxen or Tylenol to bring it back down to a level I could withstand. But it was constantly in pain atleast a little bit.

My doctor suggested I may have gout and prescribed me indomethacin and sent me for a blood test and eventually a bone scan aswell. Gout seemed to add up as my father has it too. My test came back and uric acid levels fine and bone scan came back with no fractures or anything. By this stage my foot really felt no different. Couldn't have any weight on it and even being vertical would bring on pain as if my foot would just pop.

My next visit I was prescribed a course on antibiotics because it seemed as though my white blood cell count was a little high the night I was in hospital. He thought it could be cellulitis along with pseudo gout as my foot was swollen and discoulered. After the 10 day course of anti biotics he prescribed me 5 days of prednisone. I have now finished both of these.

As of right now my foots doing better I can be upright with no pain and I can put a liiiittle bit of weight on it but I'm still very far from walking. My question is - am I on the right track with these meds? I'm improving but I Don't know if it's because of the meds or because I've been in bed for 4 weeks.

Apologies for all the text I just wanted to give all the info I had. I really, really, really want to be walking again - thanks.

2

Your pain does sound exactly the same as mine where a fine breeze on the area was pretty unbearable. I had gout once for 6 weeks, but my uric acid was very high so i would doubt yours was gout because your uric acid level was fine. Cellulitis could be the answer as since you have been taking antibiotics your condition has improved. When i had gout for 6 weeks the pain did vary from bearable to unbearable, but did depend on how much i bed rested. I was pretty depressed after 6 weeks so i know how you feel, you just want to get back to normal. Gout can cause an infection in the area and even in rare circumstances can go into the bone which is very serious, but like you say, you have had antibiotics and was probably more on the lines of Cellulits rather than gout. Any trauma to the affected area can bring on gout, so going the gym like you say could of just taken it over the edge. I think a bit of both has helped, bed rest and antibiotcs, so thats a pont in the right direction.   

3

Thanks Rick. It's a tricky one I feel like my doctor isn't 100% sure but the fact I'm improving is a good sign. Still not able to walk but I can put about 30-50% of my body weight on the sore foot. I'm happy I can drive again.

4

I'm sure you know cellulitis is a serious bacterial infection caused by the Streptococcus bacteria and it appears as red & swollen in the area of the legs or arms but mostly on the lower legs. Gyms are breeding grounds for bacterial infections especially if you take showers, walk around the pool or use the hot tubs without wearing some type of shoes. I say this because I got a fungus on my foot once and the only place that I had been to was the gym where i took a shower, so therefore, I never again take showers in the gym and I never take off my shoes nor do I touch anything without spraying or cleaning any of the equipment that I use. I suggest you take some sort of precautions of the same kind.

5

Thanks for the advice. Not often do I shower at the gym or walk around barefoot but I definitely see people that do.

As for an update I've ive been on prednisone pills for the last week and have had no difference. I'm at wits end I feel like the doctors have no idea what's wrong with me. I'm going to see a new specialist/podiatrist tomorrow.