Amputation

I was injured while I was in the Navy and the Navy did properly care for my injury. I broke my ankle and wrapped it in an ace wrap, gave crutches, and giant rubber band for physical therapy with no instructions on how to use it. Now I have cysts in my talis, I can't run, I can barely walk, and the pain never goes away. The VA keeps telling me that amputation is not an option and I just need to live with the pain and the inability to run. Is this right? Shouldn't I as the patient be able to decide if I want an amputation or not? I'm hoping a doctor reads this and can give me some advice.

It should have said did "not" properly care for my injury.

I personally think you should see as many doctors as possible and also psychologists. Talk and reason with each one and ask if they could personally give recommendation for amputation considering the amount of pain you are in? Especially as you weren't properly cared for in the first place.

I have read cases of people being allowed amputations due to mental disorders which make them feel they no longer want a particular body part. After talk with psychologists and doctors etc they have ended up having the amputation, although one man ended up performing it himself and calling an ambulance to finish the job. (I do not recommend this, pls don't).

So seeing as you have severe injury and the poor medical care is through no fault of your own, I believe you have every right to request amputation if that's what you feel would make your recovery more suited to your needs.

EDIT; I am not a medical professional. I am a 19 year old student so take my advice with a pinch of salt.

Well number one, thank you for your service in the Navy. Number two, I'm VERY sorry to hear about this problem. Physical pain sucks. Not quite the same but I have herniated discs in my back and I'm not even that old. I agree when Laurenzo. I would talk to as many doctors and professionals as possible.

I have to say, despite the pain, wouldn't you want to do EVERYTHING possible before resorting to cutting of a body part??? What do you want to amputate, anyway? Your ankle or whole foot? I don't understand. But honestly, I would resort to anything before resorting to cutting off a body part. Cysts aren't enough of a reason IMO to want to cut off a body part!

And did you say the Navy did NOT properly care for this injury? I honestly think you should seek legal counsel over this medical problem of yours besides just additional doctor opinions. Most lawyers are free unless they make money for you. If this was partly the fault of improper treatment from the Navy in any way, shape, or form, I would absolutely pursue some kind of case against them for malpractice. Don't feel bad or anything for them just because they're the Navy, it was someone you knew in the Navy well that treated you (a friend), and/or you have military spirit. If you feel they screwed you up to the point you can't even run and the VA is not helping, get legal help. Seriously. That is my advice.

I wish you all the luck in fixing this problem and living pain free again some day. My 110% honest advice I can't say enough, GET LEGAL ADVICE. I was hit by a truck riding a bicycle once and got a very bad leg infection (almost faced amputation myself come to think of it if it got any worse). The pain was so bad I couldn't walk on it. I eventually won a court case against the insurance company of the person that hit me. So you had something happen in the Navy. I would still get advice on this. Imagine a fat check from the government for you pain and suffering including the best doctors to help with your foot problem. Is that worth pursuing? I think so.

First of all, I cannot sue the Navy, even if I could the accident happened in 1999. Second, I want my foot amputated below the knee. I am unable to walk properly, most exercise results in intense pain, I can't run. In Oct my job gets a new contractor and the client wants everyone to be able to run a mile and a half in a certain amount of time depending on age. I can barley walk let alone run. My ankle swells up constantly. I miss running. It was a big stress reliever for me. I would like to get a prosthetic that will allow me to run. I can't afford to see multiple doctors, I rely on the VA for all my medical needs.

What's your disability percentage?

I'm former Army. The VA isn't in the business of what they'd consider elective operations. It certainly would be nice if it were. You should be able to see a physician outside of the network and get their medical opinion. The VA simply won't raise your disability percentage if you go through with it.

Be careful with amputaton. I knew someone who had a foot amputated. Guess what? The foot was gone but the pain remained, only it was worse. The doctors said this was very common and that the pain was for life. Google Phantom Pain. It burns with a searing pain. Lots of amputees have it. Amputation does NOT get rid of pain, far from it.

Exactly, phantom pain is very common. I would try to go through all other options before I would want to have my foot amputated. I am sorry to hear you were injured while serving your country.

I have a friend who lost part of his leg in Afghanistan while deployed over there, he was with the Army. The pain is still there some days, phantom pain. Do go find a specialist who can treat whatever is going on. If you never got proper treatment to begin with there's half the problem, and you don't know what it would be like to get proper treatment, so yes seek outside opinions. Or even make noise until they send you to a specialist although I know that option is a rough one and not always possible.

Some V.A. healthcare providers are great, others are crap, never take what they say as law. Get another opinion, see someone who specializes in your issues.

And thank you for your service. I know so well how much every serviceman and servicewoman does for this country, I have relatives and friends in the military, so my hat is off to you, sir. And I know it hurts and you just want the pain gone, but amputation is not a total answer for no more pain. My friend has taught me that, some days he says it feels like his leg and foot are being blown off all over again. Not all the time, but yeah it's there.

I just want to be able to run again. Go snowboarding, jump around on stage playing guitar.

What's your disability percentage?

 

I'm former Army. The VA isn't in the business of what they'd consider elective operations. It certainly would be nice if it were. You should be able to see a physician outside of the network and get their medical opinion. The VA simply won't raise your disability percentage if you go through with it.

I don't care about the percentage. I'm at 20% right now. I'll keep the 20% if they chop it off. I just want to run again.

Will the surgeons not reconsider your operation if you quit smoking?

I did quit the nicotine.

I just want to be able to run again. Go snowboarding, jump around on stage playing guitar.

Please do listen to the posters talking about phantom pain. I think because you want your old body back and the things you used to do, you may be unconcerned with the possible ways this could go wrong. Phantom pain is real, and not only that but sometimes it turns into something called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (or Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome), which is when the central nervous system gets re-wired in a way from a physical trauma that then causes more of your leg to atrophy and pain signals then start to involve your other limbs, even the ones not originally affected, because your brain is globalizing the pain. Which is very debilitating. This is less common, but it does happen. It was recognized early on by doctors who treated amputee patients in the Civil War (when it was called "causalgia").

So the thing is, rather than taking the risk of these things, and rather than having to accept the "you'll just live in this pain the rest of your life," you need to be proactive in seeking out as many opinions as possible, making it clear that you were inadequately treated, with an emphasis on physiatrists (aka physical medicine doctors -- not "psychiatrists"), orthopedic surgeons, and physical therapists. I don't know the military system for registering a complaint against them for the treatment you got and demanding something better, but I'd have to believe that is possible if you can't sue them. I would take the attitude, "you botched it, you fix it". The physical therapy "treatment" you got is an abomination, as well as the medical care. You may be fully functional again or nearly so if not for those mistakes. As a serviceman, you should have the very best of the best at your fingertips, it's a terrible shame systemically for this country. But I don't think your foot should be the victim of this system when it could mean going from the frying pan into the fire instead of going snowboarding.

Proper medical care might save your foot AND allow you the rehabilitation that is appropriate for your condition. Cysts appearing on your bones means there might be undue friction, and you have to relieve that friction and get your bones and connective tissues back into their more normal functional positions, not chop them off. This sounds like an injury that a good surgeon and physical therapy could provide a very good outcome for.

Also, I know that you depend on the VA, but is it possible that if you've exhausted that route, that you save up some to see an orthopedic doctor with a good reputation on the outside, even if you have to pay out of pocket? I would see at least one of each kind of doctor that I mentioned to get those opinions in the civilian sector. I know it costs money, but you are free to pay to see whomever you wish outside of the VA network. I know it costs -- but this is your foot and the rest of your life, and your quality of life. I think that's a pretty good investment.

You have to consider the worst case scenario as well as the best when you make a decision this body-altering.

For the record, I'm not a doctor, but I'm a chronic pain patient and have seen and heard of many, many things with other patients. It's not as easy as you're making it sound. In the end, it would be your choice (even if you have to get it done outside the VA system), but you've been badly treated and misinformed, given lousy choices, and not had a chance to heal this properly (I am positive that a patient with good medical care in the civilian sector would have a good prognosis -- which is why amputation is not indicated for this type of injury) -- so your solution is likely to be a questionable choice at best. I think you can do better.

and giant rubber band for physical therapy with no instructions on how to use it

This is where you need to be proactive in your own health. You have the ability to internet search exercises or to seek out a separate physical therapist. It could be that acupuncture, an orthopedic specialist that is an unbiased opinion, etc, could help immensely. There could be bones that healed the wrong way and need to be reset or a pinched nerve or even arthritis. You might need a bone reset or to unpinch something - who knows. No one is going to amputate just because of pain - it has to be way more than that. Amputation will not solve your problems. They are not gong to amputate just above or below the knee if the rest of your leg is healthy. Seriously - talk to more people. Get xrays. There may be an answer where the pain is greater for a short time, but in the long run you heal. Also, if you get your leg amputated, prosthetics for running are specialized and very expensive. There is no guarantee you will get one, the pain could be greater, and if it doesn't fit quite right it will affect you as well. Don't throw in the towel yet..