Anyone Rupture Their Achilles Tendon? (x-ray, swelling, doctors, insurance)

[Forever Blue]

Update

Went to urgent care today. They took several angles of regular x-rays (no ultrasound, MRI, etc.) & the dr said he didn't see anything, but told me to get a referral for a podiatrist. I was also told they'll have another person look at my x-rays & I'll get a call in 2 wks or less.

They wrapped it w/ that elastic wrap, gave me some pain pills just in case & that was it so far. (So my ankle & foot are still swollen & since my ankle won't hardly flex, I'm limping around.)

In the meantime, I have to keep calling my reg dr ofc every 1-2 days to get moving on getting the ultrasound order doc that I've bene waiting on since Tues., 9/20.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by Forever Blue

Update

Went to urgent care today. They took several angles of regular x-rays (no ultrasound, MRI, etc.) & the dr said he didn't see anything, but told me to get a referral for a podiatrist. I was also told they'll have another person look at my x-rays & I'll get a call in 2 wks or less.

They wrapped it w/ that elastic wrap, gave me some pain pills just in case & that was it so far. (So my ankle & foot are still swollen & since my ankle won't hardly flex, I'm limping around.)

In the meantime, I have to keep calling my reg dr ofc every 1-2 days to get moving on getting the ultrasound order doc that I've bene waiting on since Tues., 9/20.

It sucks your leg depends on that GP to write the referral. Too bad urgent care couldn't write you one.

You may be better off making a new appointment with your GP to get the ultrasound and ask for a podiatrist referral. I've gotten an appointment with my GP, had an x-ray of my toe and foot and have a referral for the podiatrist even though I don't need the referral. I didn't realize the long bone in my foot also hurt until the doctor touched it. Now I have to get to urgent care to pick up films and office visit notes so I know what the original injury was. My toe is really swollen too. I guess I shouldn't have procrastinated all these months. I broke it probably 4 months ago.

[Forever Blue]

Originally Posted by Roselvr

It sucks your leg depends on that GP to write the referral. Too bad urgent care couldn't write you one.

You may be better off making a new appointment with your GP to get the ultrasound and ask for a podiatrist referral. I've gotten an appointment with my GP, had an x-ray of my toe and foot and have a referral for the podiatrist even though I don't need the referral. I didn't realize the long bone in my foot also hurt until the doctor touched it. Now I have to get to urgent care to pick up films and office visit notes so I know what the original injury was. My toe is really swollen too. I guess I shouldn't have procrastinated all these months. I broke it probably 4 months ago.

I'm so sorry you're dealing w/ a similar thing! I tell ya, it's no fun when you can't walk around well &/or limping!

So I've got my CD-ROM of my urgent care x-rays. I don't know how the urgent care dr couldn't see a thing when I'm all swollen/puffy in the ankle & foot & can't walk properly.

My plan will be...I'll be calling every 1-2 days to check on that ultrasound order, do that, see what GP says from those results. If she has a podiatrist to refer me to, I'll see that person 1st & IF I'm still not satisfied THEN maybe try to get that TV dr (Dr. Vincent). I assume at some point, an MRI will be done too. I hope to God this isn't going to be another several wks of not knowing what's wrong. In the meantime, I'm losing weight throughout all this.

[KathrynAragon]

My orthopedic doctor told me I had to have an MRI. X rays show bones. MRI's show tendons better. I clomped around in a big stupid boot for about 8 months because my younger orthopedic doctor could see that my tendon was "swollen" but she couldn't see anything on an x ray, which she did constantly because she could SEE that something was going on. I finally quit going to her and switched doctors and he immediately ordered an MRI and told me to get off my feet entirely till he could do surgery. My AT was nearly totally disintegrated and hanging literally by a thread. Didn't show up on any x rays.

[Forever Blue]

MORE INFO

I'm thinking that something else might also be going on here too. So finally yesterday, Oct 1st, for the first time, my R foot & ankle (that's always been fine) started to get a little swollen too for no apparent reason (but still not as much as the L one).

All along since about the weekend of mid-Sept (2022), it's been swollenness w/ my L ankle & foot, so I figured it must be because I had the achilles tendon rupture on my L side, which it probably still is since I've been limping around. Plus, something around my 4th toe was a little achy for a couple days that I thought caused the whole top of my foot to swell.

In the meantime, I'm trying to eliminate my sodium intake & lose weight.

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

My orthopedic doctor told me I had to have an MRI. X rays show bones. MRI's show tendons better. I clomped around in a big stupid boot for about 8 months because my younger orthopedic doctor could see that my tendon was "swollen" but she couldn't see anything on an x ray, which she did constantly because she could SEE that something was going on. I finally quit going to her and switched doctors and he immediately ordered an MRI and told me to get off my feet entirely till he could do surgery. My AT was nearly totally disintegrated and hanging literally by a thread. Didn't show up on any x rays.

OMG, so sorry! Almost a yr in the boot w/ NO resolution! How long ago was that ordeal & how's your ankle been since? Do you ever have any trouble w/ your ankle & if so, what?

[tasmtairy]

Have you taken Cipro? My girlfriend did and ruptured her Achilles tendon and had surgery to repair it.

[Forever Blue]

Originally Posted by tasmtairy

Have you taken Cipro? My girlfriend did and ruptured her Achilles tendon and had surgery to repair it.

No, but thanks for trying to think of what it could be. I don't even know what kind of med Cipro's for.

[tasmtairy]

Originally Posted by Forever Blue

No, but thanks for trying to think of what it could be. I don't even know what kind of med Cipro's for.

It's a strong antibiotic with black box warnings. I'm sorry you are going through this.

https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis...upture-tendons

[Forever Blue]

Originally Posted by tasmtairy

It's a strong antibiotic with black box warnings. I'm sorry you are going through this.

https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis...upture-tendons

Thanks a lot! Since we're on this topic, I think yrs ago, if I recall, I think I read that the med tetracycline had the tendency to cause achilles tendon ruptures too & I had taken tetracyline back long ago here & there (BEFORE the 15 yrs that I ruptured my AT).

[tasmtairy]

Originally Posted by Forever Blue

MORE INFO

I'm thinking that something else might also be going on here too. So finally yesterday, Oct 1st, for the first time, my R foot & ankle (that's always been fine) started to get a little swollen too for no apparent reason (but still not as much as the L one).

All along since about the weekend of mid-Sept (2022), it's been swollenness w/ my L ankle & foot, so I figured it must be because I had the achilles tendon rupture on my L side, which it probably still is since I've been limping around. Plus, something around my 4th toe was a little achy for a couple days that I thought caused the whole top of my foot to swell.

In the meantime, I'm trying to eliminate my sodium intake & lose weight.





OMG, so sorry! Almost a yr in the boot w/ NO resolution! How long ago was that ordeal & how's your ankle been since? Do you ever have any trouble w/ your ankle & if so, what?

Probably because you have been favoring you left foot and ankle for quite a while now. MRI is still the best bet. You know how pain moves around. Do you have a buildup of Uric acid?