Followup on Foot Fracture and Nerve Pain

This patient broke her toe and developed severe nerve pain afterwards. This post is also included on her original post of 4/5/18. This is a wonderful example of how active we have to be in our treatment to get the right healing plan working. 

Hi Dr Blake,

I wanted to give you and your blog readers an update...

I was worried after fracturing my toe (4th toe on left foot) I was developing CRPS because I have other nerve issues.  I fractured my toe on Feb 2 and the pain just got worse.  My foot turned ice cold blue and was like that for over a week plus my fracture wasn't healing and I was having shooting nerve pain/burning in my foot.  I am wearing a boot and have a scooter.  I did the following to try to heal my foot (which I found some of it on the blog from another reader):

• Went to a new anesthesiologist who just moved here from Cleveland Clinic and specializes in CRPS.  I was lucky to get a next day appt with her.  She was very nice and felt that it wasn't CRPS.  She did give me Cymbalta - which I didn't take since I am sensitive to medication.
• Bought a used bone stimulator and used it twice a day (based on recommendations from several doctors - including Dr Blake)
• Light massaging to increase the blood flow
• Putting leg up when sitting or lying down
• Started taking (all of these without fillers) each day:
• 1200 mg of R-Alpha lipoic acid
• 1200 mg of NAC
• 2000 mg of vitamin C (powder to mix in water with cranberry concentrate)
• 600 mg of Calcium Citrate (powder to mix in water with cranberry concentrate)
• 5000 mg of vitamin D
• Magnesium citrate
• I am taking some herbs as well
• Stinging nettle tincture (without alcohol)
• Horsetail (without alcohol)
• Comfrey tincture rubbing on skin over fracture and applying DMSO on top for better absorption.  I purchased Heiltrophen on Amazon - the bottle and dropper are glass which is important because DMSO absorbs everything.  I applied with clean hands and washed them afterwards without soap.
• I tried Dr Christopher's Syrup and Ointment for bone and tissue repair a friend recommended.  Tastes and smells awful.  Lots of stars on Amazon but I couldn't stand it to take it consistently.
• Mirroring 
• My friend let me borrow a mirror so I am doing some mirroring exercises I found on youtube.
• Went to Orthopedic surgeon (I wanted a second opinion in addition to my very good podiatrist just because the foot wasn't healing).  I was lucky that the orthopedic doctor for the feet of the US ski team had an appt.  Really nice guy - he just confirmed what my podiatrist had recommended)  He said I needed to be off the foot for 6 weeks and gave me a clearance for work.

So I am happy to say after 6 weeks on my protocol,  that the pain is almost gone from my foot.  I don't have the shooting nerve pain in my big toe and the burning is less.  I am able to walk very short distances without the boot.  It isn't keeping me up at night.  It looks like I am on a positive trajectory.  I think it will still be a while before I really feel comfortable walking longer distances and doing my normal routine but at least, it is getting better.

Thank you so much Dr Blake for your support and help.