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Judith
Secondary Raynaud's with underlying systemic sclerosis

Edited: 06/17/2012 at 10:07 PM by Judith

I have severe Raynaud's and a very severely deformed bunion on the left foot. I sought treatment from my podiatrist for the bunion and because of the Raynaud's, she ordered a vascular consult to clear me for surgery. The first vascular consultant, after getting ALL the facts wrong in the report, making up some things from whole cloth and assigning two other diseases to me that are not the case, had her surgical nurse call to SCHEDULE ME for vein ablation; this was after vascular ultrasound studies had been done and before I had any information about the findings from the vascular ultrasound studies. Finally, much later, I got a call from the doctor herself and she said she thought probably the vein ablation would do me no good, but if it did do me any good, she still was not recommending bunion surgery. (!!!!) I saw a second vascular surgeon who told me she was in favor of trying to correct the bunion and then using hyperbaric chamber for healing assistance postop, but if the foot became threatened, to then do a forefoot amputation. My podiatrist came back to me not willing to try the bunion correction and recommending an outright forefoot amputation. Medicare says I have used up my consult complements for the bunion problem and won't pay for me to see an orthopedist whose specialty is severe bunions and who has successfully operated bunions with severe Raynaud's present at the same time. I am unable to pay for the visit myself. I am also unable to get a lift recliner that will put my legs in higher elevation position ("infinite position" lift recliner that goes into Trendelenburg position to help control the edema, particularly worse in that foot. Does anyone know where assistance might be sought for such needs for "indigent" (I hate that word!) type individuals? I losing all hope.

Hello rainpanda and welcome to the forum. Thanks for posting.

I can't suggest a solution to your problem but can sympathize with you. I recently saw a podiatrist for painful advanced arthritis of the big toe. The podiatrist felt surgery was needed to remove a bone spur but because of my connective tissue disease would not operate without the approval of my rheumatologist and a consult with a vascular surgeon.

My rheumatologist felt surgery should not be done.

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Secondary Raynaud's with a connective tissue disease