Ok, I feel like I'm ready to scream. Today I got my 4th diagnosis in 3 months. First they thought it was a stress fracture, than tendonosis, then cuboid syndrome, and now tendonitsis! I don't know what to think. I saw this podiatrist today, and several people say he's really good, but I think he was just rude. My appointment with him was an hour and a half late, and he wasn't compassionate at all to my condition at all.

He looked at my x-rays,which were fine, and then asked to see my MRI results (which I didn't have, because no one told me to bring them). I told him that the doctor whe gave me the MRI, my PT, and my ortho doctor had all looked at them, and hadn't seen anything on them but a tiny bit of swelling. He said, and I quote, "Well they aren't as highly trained as me!". He then told me he thinks it's tendonitis,
told me that irish dancing is dangerous and is about the worst thing I could be doing (as soon as I said I was an irish dancer he legit facepalmed),and that I needed to stop dancing for a while. Then he told me to buy a pair of $120 Nike sneakers and told me I could go.

The whole experiance was bad. I'm wondering if I should seek a second opinion. I wasn't happy with how I was treated, and how unspecific my care insructions were (the only thing specific thing he told me what exactly which sneakers to buy, he didn't tell me how long to rest it or what to do about the pain). I just want start dancing again

By all means, do not hesitate to get a second opinion.

I think you should definitely get a second opinion, but this time from Dr. Corrado or Dr. Micheli (they work together) at the Childrens Hospital Sports Medicine Clinic. They treat a lot of Irish dancers. As I've mentioned before, we wasted months with a local orthopedic doctor and my dd didn't start to heal until she'd been correctly diagnosed at Children's. My dd could have been back to dancing soooo much sooner if I'd listened to my friends who told me to go to Children's in the first place.

I had a similar experience with my foot. I went to 2 podiatrists until I was referred to a podiatrist that treated the NFL team in my town. WOW, he was my angel. I told him the problems, told him about the cortisone shots I had, what they said about taking time off. He said, "How can you take time off? This is your job? You may have to take a step back, but my job is to keep million dollar athletes on the court, I think I can keep a tap dancer teaching." And he did! He diagnosed me correctly in about 5 minutes.

The key is finding someone that is knowledgable, is going to respect your hobby/job, and keep you doing it, while exhibiting amazing care!! Go find someone else who is going to get it right and treat you well.

Agreed - do get the second opinion, and I also suggest Children's. I never saw Dr. Micheli though - Dr. d'Hemecourt for hip/back/knee problems, and Dr. Vorderer for my feet. If you're too old for Children's, you can also go to the Brigham.

I cannot say enough about the quality of the doctors you will find at either hospital - for example, my knee surgery at the Brigham was done by one of the surgeons for the US Ski team.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

rowingj wrote:

Agreed - do get the second opinion, and I also suggest Children's. I never saw Dr. Micheli though - Dr. d'Hemecourt for hip/back/knee problems, and Dr. Vorderer for my feet. If you're too old for Children's, you can also go to the Brigham.

I'm not sure what the age cut-off is, though I've been told in the past that it is much older for Sports Medicine than for other areas at Childrens. My dd is almost 19. We met a Senior Ladies champ in her early 20s in the waiting room who also sees Dr. Corrado, so I think they must see people up to at least age 25.

rowingj wrote:

I cannot say enough about the quality of the doctors you will find at either hospital - for example, my knee surgery at the Brigham was done by one of the surgeons for the US Ski team.

Agreed. We are so lucky to have some of the world's top specialists available to us in Boston.

That doctor is an idiot!

And Nikes according to the physio that I used to work for offer the least amount of support of any running shoe.

Get a second opinion.

*hijack*

Tansey wrote:

rowingj wrote:

Agreed - do get the second opinion, and I also suggest Children's. I never saw Dr. Micheli though - Dr. d'Hemecourt for hip/back/knee problems, and Dr. Vorderer for my feet. If you're too old for Children's, you can also go to the Brigham.

I'm not sure what the age cut-off is, though I've been told in the past that it is much older for Sports Medicine than for other areas at Childrens. My dd is almost 19. We met a Senior Ladies champ in her early 20s in the waiting room who also sees Dr. Corrado, so I think they must see people up to at least age 25.

When I was going there (err...~1994-2003), you could be seen there as long as you desired, as long as you were seen before you "aged out." My Mom wanted to take me to the Brigham for my back pain, but I was "too young," and had to go to Children's. Again, not sure what the policy is today, as it may have changed in the past decade!

Tansey wrote:

rowingj wrote:

I cannot say enough about the quality of the doctors you will find at either hospital - for example, my knee surgery at the Brigham was done by one of the surgeons for the US Ski team.

Agreed. We are so lucky to have some of the world's top specialists available to us in Boston.

You're not kidding - I had been told my knee problem would return, but the doctor didn't know when. Well, the answer is 10 years! He has moved to CO, and I have moved to NY, and finding someone who can fill the shoes of a rock-star orthopaedic surgeon isn't easy!
*/hijack*

Celticprincess - my only other suggestion is when you go for your second opinion, forward EVERYTHING you can about your current and any past problems with your feet. You can also request a copy be sent to you/your parents, so you have a copy with you "in case."

Thanks everyone. Tansey, I'm looking into seeing the doctors at Childrens. I don't think I'm too old (I'm 18, and I think you can go until you are 21), but I need to find out if they will take my insurance. I'm seeing my regular doctor next month for a physical so I can go to snow camp, and if I'm still hurting I'll ask for a referral.