rock chick
31-03-12, 09:40
Long post because I want to explain the situation in detail.
Okay here's the back story:
For years I've probably had some sort of fungal infection in at least both my big toenails and probably their beds as well. I honestly didn't notice it until last year when one of my toenails looked awful.
So it being just 1 that looked dodgy I assumed it was caused by some damage that I'd forgotten about. The doctor said it was probably fungal and I had clippings taken to get tested. The waiting for results took months and then they came back showing nothing. I felt so confused and annoyed! I was told I should try again and get the tests to be pushed to take longer next time to see if the stuff could be cultivated because it was very likely fungal and I couldn't get prescription stuff I needed for it without knowing the actual name of it.
Since I'd probably had it for ages at that point over the counter stuff was unlikely to be helpful enough, I should have gone for another test but I put it off, started to even doubt it was likely fungal and basically thought if they tried for ages before and couldn't find something what would be different this time?
This year I noticed my other big toenail was getting slowly to where the other 1 was and even though it seemed strange to just be visibly affecting my big toenails I now realised it was probably fungal.
Fast forward to very recently:
The nasty toenail came clean off by itself, it had already starting coming apart from the bed of the toe and was what you'd call a thickened toenail (the other 1 is now also and looks like it might sooner or later come off as well).
So it's not very sore or too nasty looking but it's stressing me out and losing the other 1 eventually is too!
So I've got a few questions for anybody who might have had this occur though it probably isn't common.
How careful and possibly painful is it to walk around much in shoes like runners without a toenail(s)? I've been putting off going out because it worries me, that and I know freak out about damaging it and making it worse now the toenail isn't there to protect the bed.
Once the fungal is treated does the toenail ever grow back (I have actually kept said toenail so they can use the whole thing to test because I just want to get rid of the fungal!)?
Is there anything like fake toenails or something similar that can be used for support to the area?
I'm gonna go and the see the doctor and ask them quite a bit about this sort of thing next week but the concept of never having toenails back or getting ingrown ones freaks me out and I'm finally going out tomorrow and am stressed about how careful I need to be walking and will it hurt?
I already am careful about not putting too much pressure on the area and not knocking it, also it now hurts just a bit after I'd had a shower but it seemed to happen when I put socks on, probably the top part of the sock is a bit stiff or something.
Okay here's the back story:
For years I've probably had some sort of fungal infection in at least both my big toenails and probably their beds as well. I honestly didn't notice it until last year when one of my toenails looked awful.
So it being just 1 that looked dodgy I assumed it was caused by some damage that I'd forgotten about. The doctor said it was probably fungal and I had clippings taken to get tested. The waiting for results took months and then they came back showing nothing. I felt so confused and annoyed! I was told I should try again and get the tests to be pushed to take longer next time to see if the stuff could be cultivated because it was very likely fungal and I couldn't get prescription stuff I needed for it without knowing the actual name of it.
Since I'd probably had it for ages at that point over the counter stuff was unlikely to be helpful enough, I should have gone for another test but I put it off, started to even doubt it was likely fungal and basically thought if they tried for ages before and couldn't find something what would be different this time?
This year I noticed my other big toenail was getting slowly to where the other 1 was and even though it seemed strange to just be visibly affecting my big toenails I now realised it was probably fungal.
Fast forward to very recently:
The nasty toenail came clean off by itself, it had already starting coming apart from the bed of the toe and was what you'd call a thickened toenail (the other 1 is now also and looks like it might sooner or later come off as well).
So it's not very sore or too nasty looking but it's stressing me out and losing the other 1 eventually is too!
So I've got a few questions for anybody who might have had this occur though it probably isn't common.
How careful and possibly painful is it to walk around much in shoes like runners without a toenail(s)? I've been putting off going out because it worries me, that and I know freak out about damaging it and making it worse now the toenail isn't there to protect the bed.
Once the fungal is treated does the toenail ever grow back (I have actually kept said toenail so they can use the whole thing to test because I just want to get rid of the fungal!)?
Is there anything like fake toenails or something similar that can be used for support to the area?
I'm gonna go and the see the doctor and ask them quite a bit about this sort of thing next week but the concept of never having toenails back or getting ingrown ones freaks me out and I'm finally going out tomorrow and am stressed about how careful I need to be walking and will it hurt?
I already am careful about not putting too much pressure on the area and not knocking it, also it now hurts just a bit after I'd had a shower but it seemed to happen when I put socks on, probably the top part of the sock is a bit stiff or something.