I am sorry you are in pain. If this is something that is caused by long term steroid use ...well there are a lot of things that steroids do. They DO decrease inflammation (see previous post below) but they also reduce or leach other minerals such as calcium, potassium, etc. So liver, bone, eye, skin, etc issues have been attached to prolonged use of steroids.

I am not a doc but MAYBE look at your calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, Vit D3 and fatty acid levels with tests (get a copy for your own records because "normal level" is not always healthy). If the levels are in the bottom 15-20% of population then work with your doc to get them up to maybe 55-70%. MAYBE if you restricted too many raw materials for bones/joints for too long the tissue could not rebuild at the rate of decline. So you have degrade of tissue that could lead to function/pain issue. IF..IF this is the case it took a while to get to this point and would take a while to get out of it by giving your system what it needs to rebuild and then time to do it.

Like I said I am not a doc so consult one. What I am saying can't hurt and either way I HOPE you find something that helps you.
Best wishes,
EP
http://www.dailystrength.org/groups/loved-ones-who-support-someone-with-ms/discussions/messages/11643767

Thanks so much for replying. I know my calcium & magnesium are good as had them tested not long ago. Same with Vit D, that was real high too. Will certainly get them all checked again & make sure that they are all high.
Not sure if it can be rebuilt by vitamins but will sure try it too.
Thanks again

Forgot to say, I had myotherapy/massage tonight & that has helped the pain a little bit.
Will have to chase up the foot clinic & get in as soon as possible as barely walking.
Any advice? Anyone been through it or similar to any other joints?
Anything would be appreciated.

I am in almost meltdown over this last hurdle on top of everything else. Not coping well at all.

Just to make things more interesting 2 toes are either purple/black & same with 2 places on top of foot. Its very painful to say the least
.
We went to the local pool both days this weekend & used the spa & pool yesterday & spa & hydrotherapy pool today wo shop that both of that will help us both with feeling better, hubby with injured back & me with the usual crap & bad feet.
This week will go quickly (hopefully & hope I don't end up in hospital with these feet).
Thats about all I was up to this weekend other than shopping on scooter.

PURPLE and BLACK...you need to go the ER RIGHT NOW!!! This discoloration can be the lead into amputation if you don't have it looked at right away. PLEASE go to the ER..PLEASE!!!!

Please forgive me here as I do not mean to be gross. But foor pain and groin pain have been constant since my diagnosis almost 5 years ago. The 2 neuros I have had tell me it is the ms causing the pain. But... I would love to knowwhy I experience total relief from pain when I have explosive diarrhea. I am not kidding here. The stiffness comes back quickly and returns to pain within an hour , yet I get total relief for a short time when I am cleared out. Sound familiar at all?

I sure can identify with your agony of the chronic pain. I hope you can fine some relief soon and pass along how you did it. The chronic pain is the toughest part for me dealing with all the ms stuff.

Best to you. Thanks for your post.

Thanks for your responses. I haven't got to the hospital yet but have tried to get into the local Dr but they weren't open today due to public holiday for Melbourne cup (horse race), the toes are still the same & haven't changed at all.
Feet were swollen when I got home from work yesterday even though had been in wheelchair all day. Didn't sleep well at all so ended up having an endone/morphine pill early hours of the morning & then slept till late. Have rested all day with feet up to see if they will ease. Hoping swelling will go down. Hubby has been looking after me today with bringing me drinks etc.

I guess I am a lot scared to go to local hospital as last time ended up having emergency surgery (bowel) & getting double pneumonia & hospital infection so 6 weeks in there including intensive care.
Makes me very reluctant to go to same hospital even though I know I probably should.
Husband has just told me to go to the hospital tomorrow if it is still like today. If I went today I would never get seen as they would be so busy from the public holiday. I was there from 10am-6pm two weeks ago when I went on a normal day so it is always a long wait. All they ended up with was x-rays & referral to out patient clinic which could take anything from weeks-months.

I am currently on 400mg gabapentin 3 times daily, 200 (or 300) tegretol (cant remember) 3 times daily & also panandol ostoe & 25mg baclofen 4 times daily (been on that for ages & the panadol osteo & neurofen).
They are not controlling the pain at all. Was given panadol forte to take imbetween times when needed so taken that as well today. Its a lot of pain relief for sure & not working.

Melaniemac, I am sorry your pain is so bad in groin & foot & being put down to ms. That sounds a bit unusual to me. I would be investigating the cause of the explosive diarrhea, whether it is diet or something else causing it. That is not usual (that I know of) for ms. I get that sometimes but more constipation from diverticular/bowel disease. Make sure you drink plenty of water daily. EPagain has put a lot of diet & vitamin advice on line at various times especially.

Unfortunately the foot pain is making the other ms symptoms play up worse too - as often happens. Right eye shut most of today, head ache/pain back of head & left side weak with hand cramped a lot. I don't want to wait for flare up either or that will complicate things even more.

Will try to let you know what is happening but if I don't post for a while that will mean I am in hospital so not able to get to internet.
I don't have much internet on my mobile & not sure how to use it properly so only get husband to email a few people.

Thanks again

Update & hospital this week.
On the weekend my middle toes turned black & the skin near joint of main toe was purple too. Gradually the top of the foot was purple & Monday it was swollen too. Hoped that it would go down with some rest. Spent Tuesday resting with feet up which didn't make much difference.
Decided Tuesday I was going to hospital on Wednesday & would see how I felt in the morning for how I would get there. Had bad night Tuesday & right foot & lower leg spasmed (which it doesn't do, it is my left foot that does that).
Was in so much pain walking on Wednesday & foot was still swollen, top was all swollen & a range of purple & brown & ankle was swollen. Couldn't put foot down at all other than heel.

Decided would use alarm & get an ambulance or similar. They ring the ambulance who phone me ask lots of questions & categorise then. They told me there were no ambulances available so would send me ambulance transport. (after asking couldn't hubby come home from work, friends, neighbours, family or anyone to take me). Told me there would be a wait which I understood & if I could to get my medications that would help.

Fortunately we have it organised that when we fill my dosette boxes we put the same medication boxes in a plastic bag so it is easy to grab. I also grabbed a word find book & my ipod so I wouldn't be bored with waiting. Also took some water & food.
The ambulance transport came about 2.5hours & was with a stretcher so that I could be transported easily. (I wasn't sure if it would just be seats). They did an assessment & took me to Dandenong hospital emergency & were amased that when we got inside there was only 1 stretcher in front of us. That person was just being finished with & was told to go to waiting room.

They then sore me & assessed. I was taken to what they call "fast track" & moved to their bed & basic assessments by nurse etc. The nurse came back to do the usual observations but wouldn't give me anything to drink/eat or pain relief till I saw a Dr. Eventually saw an orthopaedic Dr about 4pm, which is still good going for public hospital. She reviewed the foot, looked at previous x-rays on their computer & said that she would contact the orthopedic Surgeon & see when they could review me. I was given a choice of plaster the leg & go home, come back tomorrow to be reviewed?? Didn't make sense to me, or wait till about 6.30 to see the orthopaedic specialist, of course I said I would wait.

Orthopaedic surgeon came up at 5.30 & said as well as the avascular necrosis I had sympathetic nerve syndrome (I think), & severe osteoarthritis so the first step would be to either put my foot & leg into walking plaster or boot (cost of about $250-300) for 2 weeks. I just said plaster it as didn't see point in that much for 2 weeks. The first orthopaedic surgeon (who's name is Susan) came back & further explained it so I could understand more (surgeon spoke in long terms, too fast & strong accent so hard to explain), then explained that with walking plaster i would have to stay in overnight for it to set. I would be moved from where I was (which was noisy & lights do not do out) to a short term area for the night. That was ok. Was glad I had taken things to do. I was eventually given some food & water & cup of tea when I asked & after they knew no surgery.

Eventually about 9.30 she brought over another Dr & his trainee who were o put on the plaster. Susan had kept coming past & saying "haven't forgotten you". Anyway the Dr left the trainee to do it. He was in last part of trainee & almost qualified (he said). He got nurse to assist. They were supposed to put a board of plaster on the bottom of the foot, hold that at 90' & then plaster over it & up the leg. He got the nurse to hold the bottom of the foot & plaster. The main Dr came back at the end & was not happy as my toes were too covered & he had to find scissors to cut it down, meanwhile pushing on the base of the foot.

I thought all was ok so got moved to quieter area, larger & much more comfortable bed. Slept in bits apart from being woken up often for blood pressure etc. It turned out when I went in my bp was about 160/100 & stayed like that for most of night, eventually came down then would go up again. It was lucky I had taken all my medications with me as at night I was allowed to "self medicate" from them by a Dr as they didn't have access (or time) to get them all. In the morning they brought me some of the medications & used some of mine.

Then came the next part of the fun. Physiotherapist came & brought a shoe to try on, then had to go & get a smaller one which was ok. Then she put it on the foot & got me to try to walk on it. Next problem - the plaster had been set wrong. It wasn't at 90' which meant I couldn't walk on it! Could not believe it. The physiotherapist then rang the Dr's who came & reviewed. I had to have the plaster cut off & either reset & again stay or could put the boot on. They went away & came back & said that the hospital would pay for the boot so that I didn't have to stay overnight.
It didn't take long for them to cut off the plaster, then told to stay still on the bed & wait for the orthotic man to come with the boot. That only took about 1 hour. He brought the boot & fitted it then the physiotherapist came back & got me to walk about 6 steps in it & said "you are fine with that, you can go home". Couldn't believe it was that few steps with a walker & I didn't feel confident at all. Anyway the Dr came & did the discharge paperwork & gave me a medical certificate for the Wednesday & Friday off. She said - you will be right for work next week & if not you can go to your local Dr for a certificate. No help offered either.
Anyway I went for a couple of small walks to get the feel of it too.

They hadn't ordered me lunch & it ended up being a farce. The nurse rang up & I ended up getting 3 different trays of lunch with different food!
I eventually came home at about 3pm. David had the day off as an rdo so that was lucky he was able to collect me (once the car was back from service).

I have to keep the boot on for all the day & night & only take it off for shower so makes it a different night to say the least.
Took it easy today as had no energy at all. Hope the boot does something as currently it hasn't eased the foot pain & I am still getting spasm pain too.
Thanks for reading.

quick update. I am home. Not getting much sleep thanks to boot on at night. Having heaps of trouble walking & have to use the walker in the house all the time now.
This is mainly caused from steroids, I had a lot of them over time so please be careful how much you have over time as there is a lot of things it can cause down the track later.
Please look at vitamins to help to strengthen bones as soon as possible too.