# Fractured toe won't heal



## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

Two months ago I broke a toe and thought it would be no big deal, because I have broken toes 3 different times in my life, and they healed up by themselves over time. I was younger then, now I'm 55. Two of those times were when I was pregnant and couldn't see my feet, LOL.

This time, the toe is not healing. It is getting red and sore. It should be healed by now, it has been 8 weeks since I broke it

When I realized it was getting worse and not better, I thought I needed to tape it to stabilize it, and that helped for a couple of weeks. Then it started getting red and swollen again, so I quit taping it. 

Essential oils haven't helped.

I've tried massaging it to increase the circulation. It gets redder and hurts more, while massaging it, then seems to get better after an hour or so. By the next day, it is inflamed and painful again.

When I wake up in the morning, even though I haven't been on my feet it is throbbing.

Researching on the internet I read to not take Ibuprofen, because that is an anti-inflammatory, which will inhibit the healing process, so I haven't been taking anything for the pain.

I have been taking calcium, because it is essential for bone healing, but maybe I need to up my dosage?

I don't have diabetes, and am not overweight, if that matters. 5'5" 125 lbs. No circulation problems, or health problems. Just some old age stiffness in the mornings.

We don't have health insurance, or I would be going to the Dr. by now. I could blow our emergency money on a Dr.'s visit, but I would rather not if my toe is not an emergency.

Anyone know what I might do for it?

ETA: sorry about not having a pedicure. The picture on the left is a week ago. The one on the right is today. The red is getting splotchy and spreading. The dark dot on the toe is a freckle, not a wound.


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## SecondTime'Round (Jan 15, 2015)

You could have a bone chip/fragment floating around. I'm not a health professional (and I don't know if I even worded that right) but I remember this being a possibility a few years ago for a friend of mine, and she was going to have to have surgery if that was the case. (Ended up not being the case for her). 

Your comment about pregnancy made me laugh. When I was pregnant with my second, my daughter learned the word "damnit" because I stubbed my toe on her high chair so many times!


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## imtamnew (May 13, 2013)

Take care. You will need to go to a doctor and get an X-ray taken.

I don't think anyone can solve this over the internet.

Just reminds me how crazy America is. Cost of fixing a fracture including all xrays and cast in a ordinary hospital in India if under 100 to 150$.


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## 225985 (Dec 29, 2015)

Are you fully immobilizing your foot, so that your toe does not move, not walking on your toe? Keep a close eye this because if it gets infected your medical costs will be much higher than just a break setting. 

You might indeed have to go to doctor and she/he will definitely take an x-ray. Since you do not have insurance, make sure that you let the doctor office know this ahead of time and ask if you can get a cash discount or pay the typical insurance network charge. Otherwise, you will be billed for the full retail costs that are much higher charges than someone who has insurance. Ask for the fees ahead of your visit - initial exam and X-ray. Most offices will not give you costs because they do not know what the doctor will do, but you must ask and you will be billed for exam and x-ray at the minimum. You can call several doctors and shop around for the lowest fees. 

The essential oil and calcium will not help for this medical problem. 

Some drug stores have in-store clinics that cost less to see a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner. They might not do xrays but might be able to give you a lower cost diagnosis. 

If you are going to search the internet, stick to reliable sources such as WedMD and Mayo Clinic. Those are two of the best.


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## SlowlyGoingCrazy (Jun 2, 2011)

I had a toe like this, I have also broken toes before but one time it took forever before it was better and when it did finally heal, it is stuck dislocated so it goes right to left when you try to move it up and down. 
I went to the Dr and was told you can't do anything for a toe but wrap it. But I was told to take advil. My Dr visits don't cost me anything, if they did I don't think I would spend the $$ to go and likely be told there's nothing they can do. 

Keep off it, ice, wrap it, and time.


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

blueinbr said:


> Are you fully immobilizing your foot, so that your toe does not move, not walking on your toe? Keep a close eye this because if it gets infected your medical costs will be much higher than just a break setting.


I didn't immobilize the toe or the foot at first, just tried to not use it. Ha! Ha! ...not use toes. Kind of stupid of me. Then I taped it to another toe to immobilize it. Yes, my concern is an infection. 



blueinbr said:


> You might indeed have to go to doctor and she/he will definitely take an x-ray. Since you do not have insurance, make sure that you let the doctor office know this ahead of time and ask if you can get a cash discount or pay the typical insurance network charge. Otherwise, you will be billed for the full retail costs that are much higher charges than someone who has insurance. Ask for the fees ahead of your visit - initial exam and X-ray. Most offices will not give you costs because they do not know what the doctor will do, but you must ask and you will be billed for exam and x-ray at the minimum. You can call several doctors and shop around for the lowest fees.
> 
> The essential oil and calcium will not help for this medical problem.
> 
> ...


The whole insurance thing is really frustrating.  We have always had insurance...good insurance. Then when certain sectors of the economy began to turn down my husband had to take a job with a different company at a huge pay cut (maybe 1/3 of his salary) to stay in the state. To have benefits through the company he currently works for it would cost us $900 a month for our family of 5 to be insured...and not even well insured. My husband researched Obamacare, and it would have cost us upwards of $1400 a month.  We simply cannot afford those prices. We opted to not have any insurance and pay the fine because we are normally very healthy, and it would be cheaper. 

I've never gone to a doctor for a broken toe, so I was not too worried about it until I realized it wasn't healing.

I am going to do everything I can on my own before I pay hundreds of dollars for a broken or infected toe. I will even lance it myself if I see an abscess on it, if I can stand the pain from the infection itself.

My foot was tingling this morning. Now the tingling is up to my ankle, but my toe doesn't look any worse, so I've been massaging it to get the blood flowing and get some good antibodies into the whole area.

I just remembered, I have some homemade herbal tinctures that we take for colds. They have antibiotic properties and have worked well over the years. I'm going to load up on them and see if it gets any better.


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## kristin2349 (Sep 12, 2013)

I broke my little toe a few years ago twice in 6 months! I went to the Dr. and they didn't even recommend taping it they just gave me a boot to wear it was ugly and flat so I skipped it. The Ortho Dr.'s assistant told me to soak my foot in epsom salts once a day and to take a supplement called Lactoferrin to stimulate bone healing. You can buy Lactoferrin (Jarrow or Life Extension brands are good) on Amazon (it is a supplement that is derived from Colostrum they use bovine not human).


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

kristin2349 said:


> I broke my little toe a few years ago twice in 6 months! I went to the Dr. and they didn't even recommend taping it they just gave me a boot to wear it was ugly and flat so I skipped it. The Ortho Dr.'s assistant told me to soak my foot in epsom salts once a day and to take a supplement called Lactoferrin to stimulate bone healing. You can buy Lactoferrin (Jarrow or Life Extension brands are good) on Amazon (it is a supplement that is derived from Colostrum they use bovine not human).


Have the epsom salts. Will soak tonight. Just ordered the Jarrow Lactoferrin.

Thank you Kristin!


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

SlowlyGoingCrazy said:


> I had a toe like this, I have also broken toes before but one time it took forever before it was better and when it did finally heal, it is stuck dislocated so it goes right to left when you try to move it up and down.
> I went to the Dr and was told you can't do anything for a toe but wrap it. But I was told to take advil. My Dr visits don't cost me anything,* if they did I don't think I would spend the $$ to go and likely be told there's nothing they can do. *
> 
> Keep off it, ice, wrap it, and time.


Yes, don't want to waste money. Hopefully I can get control of the infection, that's what I think is going on. The skin didn't break when I hit the toe, but obviously something has been going on in there.

I'll also take some advil, because the throbbing not only hurts, but makes me worry more, because of the potential for lots of $ to be spent on a little toe.

Thanks for your ideas, everybody.


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## CantePe (Oct 5, 2011)

You want to risk a fat embolism medical crisis?

Normally this happens with improper setting of long bones (arm/leg) but on rare occasions does happen with short bones (fingers, toes, ribs).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_embolism

FES is dangerous and a critical medical emergency where time is of essence.

Do not play with your health, ever.


Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

CantePe said:


> You want to risk a fat embolism medical crisis?
> 
> Normally this happens with improper setting of long bones (arm/leg) but on rare occasions does happen with short bones (fingers, toes, ribs).
> 
> ...


Thanks CantPe.

I read the information. The only symptom I can see or feel that might indicate FES (meaning I don't now what a blood test would show) is the petechial rash I had around my toe yesterday.

Are you a Dr.? If you are, are there any other symptoms I might be feeling that would be a sign that I have FES and should get to the hospital immediately?

The toe looked better this morning. It is still sore, but not as red. I have soaked it twice in Epsom salt, which seems to have helped the toe and foot not feel swollen. The tingling was up to the middle of my calf last night, and this morning was only on the arch of my foot. It tingles all the way up above my ankle again tonight and seems to be moving up my calf again.

It is taped to the toes on either side for better stability. It starts hurting and getting red within 5 minutes if it is not taped, so I only take the tape off after I shower and put dry tape on.

I don't want to overreact, or go to the Dr. prematurely if I don't have FES and can do things on my own to help it heal. I'm not afraid of Dr.s or against them. It's just about the $.


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## Thundarr (Jul 4, 2012)

First things first. If it's infected then you really need antibiotics to get that cleared up. You may not want to visit the doctor but does your local pharmacies have a minute/clinic?

Anyway as for the break not healing. Some of this can be attributed to age but if you were pregnant during the previous breaks then you've been baited into thinking it will heal faster than normal. When pregnant, your body produces extra hormones that will make you heal faster than normal and fight of illness better than normal. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HGC) is hormone produced by pregnant women used to cycle off of steroids and to lose weight. Yea body builders and dieters use pregnant women's pee if that tells you anything about how well your body is healing and functioning during pregnancy.


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

Thundarr said:


> First things first. If it's infected then you really need antibiotics to get that cleared up. You may not want to visit the doctor but does your local pharmacies have a minute/clinic?


I did not now there were minute/clinics. Whenever we had a problem (which was rare) or needed to get children's checkups we went to the family Dr. or the pediatrician.

It is better today, and I'll keep taking my homemade herbal tinctures. If it starts getting worse again, even with everything I'm doing, I'll start calling around as you and others have suggested.



Thundarr said:


> Anyway as for the break not healing. Some of this can be attributed to age but if you were pregnant during the previous breaks then you've been baited into thinking it will heal faster than normal. When pregnant, your body produces extra hormones that will make you heal faster than normal and fight of illness better than normal. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HGC) is hormone produced by pregnant women used to cycle off of steroids and to lose weight. Yea body builders and dieters use pregnant women's pee if that tells you anything about how well your body is healing and functioning during pregnancy.


I forgot about the benefits of pregnancy, besides growing a life inside. I also didn't lose hair while pregnant.

I wonder if HCG pills from the local GNC in combination with the Lactoferrin I'm going to be getting in the mail might help me heal quicker. What does HCG do to a post menopausal woman in her 50's? I wouldn't mind losing 10 lbs and growing thicker hair.


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## Thundarr (Jul 4, 2012)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> I forgot about the benefits of pregnancy, besides growing a life inside. I also didn't lose hair while pregnant.
> 
> I wonder if HCG pills from the local GNC in combination with the Lactoferrin I'm going to be getting in the mail might help me heal quicker. What does HCG do to a post menopausal woman in her 50's? I wouldn't mind losing 10 lbs and growing thicker hair.


From what I understand it takes a lot of searching the internet and then you'll eventually find an underground source that has real HGC ( for a little while ) but if you can't handle needles then don't bother because you're supposed to inject the stuff in your abdomen if I remember correctly. It was originally used as a fertility. Honestly a doctor could inject local steroids into your foot and get the same affect.


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## CantePe (Oct 5, 2011)

Go to a free clinic if you have one in your area. You need antibiotics, sounds like an infection that is affecting nerve bundles in your foot and leg.

I'm not a doctor however I am a palliative end of life support worker (health care field) I work with seniors. Seniors have brittle bones from aging, FES is something we are trained to recognise as well as bed sores and their degrees (5 degrees of bed sores. 5 involves bone structure rot)

I reiterate, don't play with your health ever.

Take it from me, I ignored a strep infection which cost me my hearing in my right ear (ruptured my ear drum because it moved from throat to ear) which in turn caused Scarlet fever and now I'm high risk for rhumatic fever which can attack your organs, skin, joints, brain and spine and so much more.

Don't play with your health... EVER.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## happy as a clam (Jan 5, 2014)

Seriously, you need to go to the doctor. The tingling radiating up to the ankle is likely nerve damage or compression. You don't want to risk a bone shard slicing through a nerve.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## CantePe (Oct 5, 2011)

happy as a clam said:


> Seriously, you need to go to the doctor. The tingling radiating up to the ankle is likely nerve damage or compression. You don't want to risk a bone shard slicing through a nerve.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


If it hasn't already that is. Tingling and creeping parenthesis (numbness) are signs of massive nerve damage.

This has been ignored for way too long by OP.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


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## Thor (Oct 31, 2011)

If you think it is infected, go get anti-biotics. Normally, redness, swelling, and warm to the touch would be signs of infection. But those could be from a fracture, too. An insta-care walk in type of clinic should be reasonably priced. Around here they run something like $50 to $75 for the office visit. The x-ray would be extra.

One of the local walk-in clinics here offers a form of health insurance which covers the individual or the family for any visit or treatment within that facility. They can set fractures, fix dislocations, put in stitches, diagnose strep, pinkeye, etc. The cost is very low compared to regular insurance, but of course does not cover hospital stays or major surgeries.

If it is infected and you see a red line from the toe up your foot (top or bottom), it is a medical emergency. The infection is getting into the rest of your body and can kill you quickly.


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

CantePe said:


> If it hasn't already that is. Tingling and creeping parenthesis (numbness) are signs of massive nerve damage.
> 
> This has been ignored for way too long by OP.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk


Maybe the tingling is exacerbated by the fact that the foot is not elevated, and I'm sitting too long with the computer on my lap. If it creeps past my knee, I'll go to the Dr.

I really am listening and seriously considering everyone's opinions. People have given good ideas so far, and the toe is better than it was two days ago. The "infection" seems to be going away. The skin is not puffy anymore, and the splotchy redness from two days ago has gone. The little blisters have dried up.

I think the Epsom salt soaks are really helping too It feels better after a soak. Will load up with tincture again tonight. I forgot to take it during the day today.

Thanks for all your input. When it is all healed up, I'll post a picture. If it ends up being amputated because I didn't go into the Dr. soon enough I'll post a picture of that instead.>


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

Thundarr said:


> From what I understand it takes a lot of searching the internet and then you'll eventually find an underground source that has real HGC ( for a little while ) but if you can't handle needles then don't bother because *you're supposed to inject the stuff in your abdomen* if I remember correctly. It was originally used as a fertility. Honestly a doctor could inject local steroids into your foot and get the same affect.


Yikes! I don't think I want to give myself injections in the abdomen. I'll just soak it, take antibiotic tinctures, Ibuprofen, and the "L" stuff I'll be getting in the mail. I also have to make sure the tape to immobilize it doesn't touch the skin, because it is irritating the toe causing water blisters and itching.


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## SecondTime'Round (Jan 15, 2015)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> Yikes! I don't think I want to give myself injections in the abdomen. I'll just soak it, take antibiotic tinctures, Ibuprofen, and the "L" stuff I'll be getting in the mail. I also have to make sure the tape to immobilize it doesn't touch the skin, because it is irritating the toe causing water blisters and itching.


I've had to give myself injections in my abdomen (while going through infertility). It's not as terrible as it sounds if you aren't terrified of needles. It's subcutaneous and the abdomen is the most fleshy spot. It's not like you are sticking a long thick needle into your stomach . Just under the skin.


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

SecondTime'Round said:


> I've had to give myself injections in my abdomen (while going through infertility). It's not as terrible as it sounds if you aren't terrified of needles. * It's subcutaneous and the abdomen is the most fleshy spot. It's not like you are sticking a long thick needle into your stomach . Just under the skin.*


Ok. I imagined a long needle straight into my stomach. LOL

Actually, I had to do what you are talking about during my first pregnancy. The needle needed to be moved every third day, but the needle was left in, with a drip line attached to it. (terbutalene in a pump for pre-term labor.) My husband inserted the needle, because I couldn't bring myself to do it.:surprise:

My DD18 brought me my tea this morning and told me she was worried because she was researching blood poisoning. She wants me to look for a Dr. and go today. We're looking up symptoms of FES together, and blood poisoning, and checking if I have any symptoms, besides a red toe with water blisters that started yesterday. I believe they are an allergic reaction to the tape.

The images of petechial rash are different from what I have. I don't have blood blisters, but water blisters like an allergic reaction or a sun burn.


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## karole (Jun 30, 2010)

I think you really should go to the doctor and get checked out. A blood infection is nothing to mess around with. I burned a place on my knuckle once with a curling iron, it was just a tiny blister about the size of an eraser. I woke up one morning and my finger was red, swollen and throbbing and I had red lines from my knuckle to my shoulder. I went directly to the doctor and I had to get 2 shots then and then go back everyday for 7 days to get more shots. Please go have it checked out. 

I don't know where you live, but some Walmart stores have walk-in clinics as well as some drug stores such as Walgreen's and CVS. Please go.


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## SecondTime'Round (Jan 15, 2015)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> Ok. I imagined a long needle straight into my stomach. LOL
> 
> Actually, I had to do what you are talking about during my first pregnancy. The needle needed to be moved every third day, but the needle was left in, with a drip line attached to it. (terbutalene in a pump for pre-term labor.) My husband inserted the needle, because I couldn't bring myself to do it.:surprise:
> 
> ...


Please see a doctor, Rubies. <3


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## Thor (Oct 31, 2011)

karole said:


> I think you really should go to the doctor and get checked out. A blood infection is nothing to mess around with. I burned a place on my knuckle once with a curling iron, it was just a tiny blister about the size of an eraser. I woke up one morning and my finger was red, swollen and throbbing and I had red lines from my knuckle to my shoulder. I went directly to the doctor and I had to get 2 shots then and then go back everyday for 7 days to get more shots. Please go have it checked out..


I skinned a knuckle working in the garden. Nothing I haven't done a hundred other times. Not bad, just a scrape.

About 4 days later I woke up to the knuckle and finger swollen and throbbing, with a red line up the back of my hand past my wrist. I ended up on a twice daily IV of antibiotics for about a week.

When the infection gets into the blood it moves fast and is indeed an immediate life threatening medical emergency.


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## Thor (Oct 31, 2011)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> Maybe the tingling is exacerbated by the fact that the foot is not elevated, and I'm sitting too long with the computer on my lap. If it creeps past my knee, I'll go to the Dr.
> 
> I really am listening and seriously considering everyone's opinions. People have given good ideas so far, and the toe is better than it was two days ago. The "infection" seems to be going away. The skin is not puffy anymore, and the splotchy redness from two days ago has gone. The little blisters have dried up.


The fact the infection is getting better is very good. I'm not convinced it was an infection rather than just very irritated and injured from the fracture. But please don't take any chances. If it gets worse or you see red lines up your foot you need to get to a doc asap no matter if it is the middle of the night.

But the tingling worries me. Pain in the toe or immediately next to it would be normal and not a long term concern. It is the radiating up your leg which I think needs qualified medical evaluation.


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

I'm calling Dr.s and Urgent care clinics for prices. Of course they don't know how much it will cost, but I'm looking at $240 to walk in the door, not including X-rays and other treatment so far.

No one at the places I've call has told me about any walk in clinics at Walmart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, etc.

Now I'm calling the public health clinic, "The Health Department" where indigents and unemployed people go for health care. My husband works over 100 hours a week, if you include the time he has to sleep out in his truck at his work site, 5 nights a week. We're not indigents, but hard working people. Ugh. How humiliating. I've been on hold already for 5 minutes. I'm hanging up right now rather than be treated with disrespect. Screw them. I'd rather pay a real clinic more $.

We've always had heath care, through our own Dr.s. We have always paid our bills, even to our own detriment. We've never left anyone unpaid.

"You can keep your Dr. and you'll be paying less for health care." What a bunch of liars we have in Washington. I never believed a word they said, not even for one second. The numbers and methodology didn't match up.

The tingling/ache/coolness is up past the back of my knee now and the back of my quadricep also hurts. If we had insurance I would have gone in a week ago, but I didn't want to spend our emergency $ on a fractured toe. We have children who might need the $. I guess we'll just go into debt some more.

Have to go to my MC appointment now. Our MC's wife is a nurse at the local hospital and teaches at the local college. He'll be able to tell me somewhere cheap to go.

Thanks for all your help and encouragement.


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## karole (Jun 30, 2010)

Bless your heart, IMFAR. Hope you are able to work out something to get your toe taken care of. I live in a rather small town, but the Walmart here does have a small clinic. I have no idea if all of them have it though. I've seen CVS advertise their clinics on TV commercials. Again, I don't know if it's all CVS's or just certain ones. Best of Luck to you! Hope you get it taken care of and feel better soon.


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

I saw the MC. It went well. Talked about H's pork issue, and counselor was glad H decided to stay married instead of sticking to a food law that doesn't apply to Christians. H and I also had another issue while he was home last time, and he created the issue because of his low self esteem. I got sucked in, and was upset. I wish I didn't let myself get sucked in.

Since MC's wife is a nurse, he knows a little about medicine. He has had blood poisoning himself, and said if there is no red line, heat, breathing/heart symptoms I don't have bp. Also, the toe is not raging red or inflamed. But the nerve pain/numbness should not be ignored. He broke his foot, and is having numbness after several weeks too, but it is going down his foot, not up his leg.

Here is the plan:

An Orthopedic Dr. at a Sports Injury Clinic will see me next Thursday...a long time to wait, I know. They charge $200 to walk in the door, exam will cost up to $225, and X-rays can cost upwards of $200. If I pay in full at the time of the visit, they give a 35% discount. So I can be looking at around $450-500 depending on the meds. When we had insurance, it would have cost us that much because of the deductible. That appointment isn't until next week.

In the meantime, I have ice on the toe/foot, and it is elevated. Reducing the swelling could lesson the nerve issue. Taking 800 mg of Ibuprofen (dose for after having a baby and safe for a few days.)

If the foot or leg start getting a red line going up, petechial rash (red blood spots) appear on the skin, or if I start feeling other symptoms I will go to an "Urgent Care Center" immediately which is cheaper than going to the emergency room at the Hospital. Urgent Care Clinic is open 24 hrs. and cost about the same as the Dr. I will be seeing next week.

The nerve pain has gone back down to my calf since walking on the leg earlier and now elevating and icing it. Staying home tonight from a regular commitment to take care of foot. Will soak in Epsom salts again. That seems to also help.

I hope it just gets better and I don't have to spend $500.


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## Spotthedeaddog (Sep 27, 2015)

Ok, first point is you should see a doctor <- why? because legally I have to say that to cover my ass legally.

The swelling you're seeing is from gravity and poor circulation in your toe, especially now you are older.
Calcium will irriate it (calcium is a stimulant) as it increases heart rate and muscle tension - so you need "enough" calcium to get by (preferrably in food) not extra unless you're doing extra work.

Best steps are cooling, to constrict blood vessels and slow swelling. elevation to reduce the amount of effort it takes your body to push blood and fluids back into your torso. Normal circulation works hydralically, which means blood returns to torso by being pushed by the pressure of the fresh blood being pushed down. As we age, the muscles degrade and the tension around the blood vessels is not as well regulated by the muscles as it was when we were younger - so we get retension in the lower body parts. This is made worse by injury, poor exercise, lack of stretching, and poor footwear and lifestyle over the years. so lift those feet up for a good length of time. 
Then give it plenty of time, do very light massage around the area to encourage any fluid that is trapped in the area to release. 
then a little bit of heat, and keep it elevated.
elevated means above the height of the heart !(not just a footstool).

do that several times a day.

Also get yourself checked for gout and diabetes; as both have high occurence as we get older, and both restrict circulation, as does arthritis 

Anti-inflammatries are _good_ for healing, as they reduce the swelling which lets blood carrying repair ingredients go to and from the injured area. But do take them only occasionally as you don't want an over-the-counter pain medication addiction, and the modern drugs often have a "memory effect", which results in sensitivity to pain when you stop taking them. Also look at various herbal teas, and surface meds to _assist_ the painkiller/anti-inflammatory.

If you see redline... you only have hours to live. often better to call ambulance. as the fever that will hit you will make it difficult to stand, let alone drive. Have had two friends with bp, and its quite disorientating.

My doc recommended _against_ strapping toes. He said that often toes wiggle about so much when we walk that strapping them together tends to irritate more than assist, and binding the wound tends to put pressure on the wrong place. If anything, bind the other toes so they stop banging on the broken one! and wear large shoes or "gumboots" that have plenty of room for toes so they don't jostle each other.
strapping also restricts circulation, which is a bad thing.


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## Thor (Oct 31, 2011)

I'm shocked at what the local docs and clinics are quoting for a simple walk in. My regular doc charges $125 for a basic appt. My Urologist is top notch and he charges $150 for a basic visit. Any meds, injections, or surgical procedures would of course cost more.

Given that it is a toe, imho an x-ray is not needed unless there is some concern of fracture elsewhere, or concern the fracture may involve pieces of bone separated from each other (like a bone chip or worse). I would think a doc would be sensitive to your cost issues and consider not doing an x-ray unless there were some effect on diagnosis or treatment which required the x-ray.

We have numerous "Insta-Care" and other brands of walk in clinics. They can handle minor emergencies such as putting in stitches, x-rays, casting simple bone fractures, and even IV meds. That's where I went when I got the blood poisoning and needed IV anti-biotics. The last time I went to one of these was probably 3 years ago, and I paid $75-ish for the basic visit.

The prices where you live seem very expensive for a basic office visit.


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## imtamnew (May 13, 2013)

How is your toe?


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

im_tam said:


> How is your toe?


It is better! After I posted the pictures it got worse: little water blisters all over, and the one next to it also got water blisters. I popped them for a couple of days (they itched, more kept coming and popping them made them go away quicker) and I put Neosporin on them to avoid infection. They dried up and it has been peeling.

I also soaked the foot in very hot water with epsom salts once a day and have kept the foot elevated and put ice on it sporadically.

The toe was still getting swollen and warm by the end of the day. Also the numbness/tingling was still moving from the foot to the calf as the day progressed.

On Sunday I was anointed with oil, hands laid on me, and prayed for (healing) by several people in my church, as well as two of my daughters.

I did not cancel my appointment for Thursday because although I have been healed miraculously 3 times, I've also been prayed for and not healed.

Someone mentioned that God may not heal me because He wants me to learn something.... [email protected]! If God doesn't heal me I think He wants me to learn to trust that He will take care us us even if we go further in debt over medical bills. I HATE debt! But do I trust God more?

The swelling has gone down some since Sunday I didn't soak it on Sunday or Monday, nor did I keep it elevated or put ice on it. The foot still has numbness/tingling up to above the ankle now that comes and goes.

Since some of the swelling has gone down I can actually feel that there is something wrong in a different place than where it actually hit the bedpost. If it heals, I will never know what actually happened. I'm OK with that to save $400 to $??? God knows what happened and I can ask Him when I get to Heaven if I even care by then.

It is still discolored (2+ months after the initial break?) but if it continues to improve (not hurt as much, not swell, etc.) by Wednesday I will cancel the appointment and let God continue to do His work. If it suddenly turns down I'll go to the Urgent Care Clinic that costs about as much as the Sports Ortho Dr. would have charged me.

So.. @spotthedeaddog... Since you aren't legally responsible for any advice you give over the internet to a stranger since you suggested I go see a Dr., I'd like your opinion on this:

After I broke the toe, I left it alone for 2 months. When I realized it wasn't healing I decided to massage it for a few days, thinking a massage would help get the circulation going. I also wiggled it at the break site to see if it moved any. It didn't seem to move, but it definitely still hurt a lot. 

The toe began to flair up after I did all that. Do you think that an infection had been pretty well encapsulated, or localized, but when I massaged it I released it into my system? I'm kind of afraid to massage it now, for fear of that happening again.

(Tomorrow I'll post pictures of how bad it got after starting the thread, and how it looks now.)


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

Thor said:


> The prices where you live seem very expensive for a basic office visit.


I agree. Our city is a bit isolated, and I believe they gouge people because they "can." It is not a wealthy area, but people have no choice but to pay whatever is charged. When we moved here I noticed that even milk and eggs cost more.

I equate the mentality here as similar to what the store owners did to the miners during the Gold Rush: charge high prices for everything because the miners had no where else to shop.


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## EleGirl (Dec 3, 2011)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> It is better! After I posted the pictures it got worse: little water blisters all over, and the one next to it also got water blisters. I popped them for a couple of days (they itched, more kept coming and popping them made them go away quicker) and I put Neosporin on them to avoid infection. They dried up and it has been peeling.
> 
> I also soaked the foot in very hot water with epsom salts once a day and have kept the foot elevated and put ice on it sporadically.
> 
> ...


Do you live in the USA? Do you have health insurance?


IMFarAboveRubies, seriously what you describe is not something to fool around with.

Recently I went to see my doctor about something but on that day one of my fingers had a very small red, swollen area by the nail. It was clearly a very minor infection. Feeling a bit silly, my doc looked at it and said that it had to be taken care of immediately even though it looked small because infections on digits (fingers and toes) move into the bone very quickly. She gave me antibiotics and told me to soak my finger in very warm salt water several times a day. After the first time I soaked it, tons of puss came out. Clearly the infection was much deeper than what showed up on the outside of my finger.

My point in telling that? What you see is only a small part of the infection that is going on. And what you describe is REALLY bad.

Let's say for a minute that a simple visit for a doc appointment is $400. Is your health not worth $400?

Also there are not online doctors that you can call, and have an appointment over skype. They will prescribe you antibiotics. I used them once when I had an a bad ear infection. A friend of mine convinced me to try it because it was a day when I could not get away from work to see the doc. It worked out great.

Look, God helps those who help themselves. If you believe in God you know that it is He who gave us the good things like doctors. Do you really believe that he gave us doctors to be ignored? Nope he gave them to us so that He could help us through a doctor.

So get yourself some medical care before that infection gets into your bones or your foot rots off. I'm serious.


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## 225985 (Dec 29, 2015)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> *I saw the MC*. It went well. *Talked about H's pork issue,* and counselor was glad H decided to stay married instead of sticking to a food law that doesn't apply to Christians.
> 
> I hope it just gets better and *I don't have to spend $500*.


How much are you paying for MC because your husband won't eat pork?

Take a break from MC, husband eats some bacon, you get to see doctor for toe. When toe is healed, you both return to MC and H stops eating pork again.

Hope your toe heals soon.


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

EleGirl said:


> Do you live in the USA? Do you have health insurance?


Yes I do, and no, we don't. We used to have very good insurance, but now we can't afford any, as it is cost prohibitive. (Details in my initial posts.) We make too much to get free health care, and not enough to pay for our own anymore. $900/month through H's work, $1,400/month through Obamacare. We don't have that kind of excess money.


EleGirl said:


> Recently I went to see my doctor about something but on that day one of my fingers had a very small red, swollen area by the nail. It was clearly a very minor infection. Feeling a bit silly, my doc looked at it and said that it had to be taken care of immediately even though it looked small because infections on digits (fingers and toes) move into the bone very quickly. She gave me antibiotics and told me to soak my finger in very warm salt water several times a day. After the first time I soaked it, tons of puss came out. Clearly the infection was much deeper than what showed up on the outside of my finger.


I hope your finger is healed up. I had an infection in a toe when I was a child from an ingrown toenail. The Dr. didn't give me antibiotics for it, but told me to open the scab to let the pus out and soak it in epsom salts.


EleGirl said:


> Let's say for a minute that a simple visit for a doc appointment is $400. Is your health not worth $400?


Definitely. 




EleGirl said:


> Also there are not online doctors that you can call, and have an appointment over skype.


How much did that cost? I have not heard of that before. We just used to go to our family Dr. when we had a problem. He referred us to a specialist if needed, but generally we have all been very healthy and rarely went to the Dr. at all. That was when we had insurance.



EleGirl said:


> Look, God helps those who help themselves.


 Actually that quote is not found in the Bible. He does expect us to act and not sit around, however. I understand what you are saying.


EleGirl said:


> If you believe in God you know that it is He who gave us the good things like doctors. Do you really believe that he gave us doctors to be ignored? Nope he gave them to us so that He could help us through a doctor.


I said in my earlier posts that I will go to the Dr. if it begins to look worse again. For now it is not looking worse, but better. I know that God loves me, and if He doesn't want to heal my toe by divine intervention, I'll not argue with Him, but I'll go to the Dr. for help.

I'm reminded of the time someone here on TAM, who I won't name, got really upset with me on his thread a few months ago because I not only believe in healing, but because I said I had been healed before. He accused me of thinking I was "special" over other people who have not been healed and who are suffering, or who died from their ailments. He also insinuated I was ignorant for believing in miracles.

I don't think I am special. I think God is willing to heal anyone who asks. But in the end, it is His call. However one must ask to be healed, and that is the hardest part because His answer might be "No." 

I'm waiting to find out what God's answer to my (and others') prayer will be. 

The Lactoferrin that @kristen2349 suggested came in the mail today and I'm also taking oil of oregano, a natural antibiotic, in capsules. I already had the oil of oregano and only remembered a couple of days ago that I can take it orally as an immune booster. I also have some herbal tinctures I make that our family takes when we have colds.


blueinbr said:


> How much are you paying for MC because your husband won't eat pork?


LOL It is free.  We're not there because H won't eat pork. The pork issue came to the forefront during counseling and is a symptom of other issues that brought us to counseling.



blueinbr said:


> Take a break from MC, husband eats some bacon, you get to see doctor for toe. When toe is healed, you both return to MC and H stops eating pork again.


I had to read that a couple of times to take it all in. I wish life were that cut and dry. :grin2:



blueinbr said:


> Hope your toe heals soon.


 Thanks.


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## imtamnew (May 13, 2013)

Do you think there is a possibility however remote that when you meet God, God will say..."Why did you not listen to im_tam who said go to a DOCTOR"!!


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## EleGirl (Dec 3, 2011)

im_tam said:


> Take care. You will need to go to a doctor and get an X-ray taken.
> 
> I don't think anyone can solve this over the internet.
> 
> Just reminds me how crazy America is. Cost of fixing a fracture including all xrays and cast in a ordinary hospital in India if under 100 to 150$.


Salaries in India are much lower than here in the USA. My company pays the engineers who are taking all our jobs about 1/4 of what we are paid here. It's all relative.


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## EleGirl (Dec 3, 2011)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> How much did that cost? I have not heard of that before. We just used to go to our family Dr. when we had a problem. He referred us to a specialist if needed, but generally we have all been very healthy and rarely went to the Dr. at all. That was when we had insurance.


It was about $50.

Here are a couple of links. I search for "online doctor"


Online Doctor Visit - MeMD

https://www.mdlive.com/

Have you checked to see if your family income falls into the guidelines for Medicaid? I don't know the guidelines for your state. But I know that sometimes only the children can get it. But even if that's the case. At least you will have some insurance for some of the family.


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## imtamnew (May 13, 2013)

EleGirl said:


> Salaries in India are much lower than here in the USA. My company pays the engineers who are taking all our jobs about 1/4 of what we are paid here. It's all relative.


This Fobres article is talking about the OP.

Forbes Welcome



> Quality: The indicators of quality were grouped into four categories: effective care, safe care, coordinated care, and patient-centered care. Compared with the other 10 countries, the U.S. fares best on provision and receipt of preventive and patient-centered care.
> 
> Access: Not surprisingly — given the absence of universal coverage — people in the U.S. go without needed health care because of cost more often than people do in the other countries.
> 
> ...


While Indian Engineers do work for lower remuneration compared to their US counterparts. Our cost of living is quite high.
Real Estate in India costs a lot more when compared to US in actual dollar terms.
We pay way more that the US for gasoline and automobiles.
For example one liter of petrol sells at approx 1 USD. While you get almost one gallon for the same USD.

IMHO American healthcare is capitalism gone mad.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqLdFFKvhH4


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## EleGirl (Dec 3, 2011)

im_tam said:


> This Fobres article is talking about the OP.
> 
> Forbes Welcome
> 
> ...


I filled up my car today with the least expesive gasoline there was.. it was about $2 a gallon. A year ago it was over $4

I agree that our health care costs are ridiculous. They were bad enough, then what we are calling Obama care made them go up even more. It was, and still is a ridiculous solution.

The thing is that it is not doctors and hospitals driving the cost up. It's insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies. And the government seem to think this is great.


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## 225985 (Dec 29, 2015)

im_tam said:


> IMHO American healthcare is capitalism gone mad.


IMHO American healthcare system pays for most of the innovation in drug discovery and disease treatment. The rest of the world has price controls so it falls upon the US citizen to pay the costs. 

Viagra costs $28 per pill. Not that I need it  Wow.


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

blueinbr said:


> IMHO American healthcare system pays for most of the innovation in drug discovery and disease treatment. The rest of the world has price controls so it falls upon the US citizen to pay the costs.


Interesting. I didn't know that, but it makes sense. Are no other countries conducting research or is it just that the vast majority of it is done by the USA?


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

EleGirl said:


> It was about $50.
> 
> Here are a couple of links. I search for "online doctor"
> 
> ...


Just looked at the links. WOW! I didn't know this even existed. Thanks Ele.

This is a perfect job for a SAH mom who is a Dr. She can wear sweats and house slippers, cover the top half with her Dr. coat and go to work in front of her computer. LOL

My husband checked about Medicaid a year ago. We make too much money. (They don't care how many bills you have: mortgage, car insurance, life insurance, etc.) Honestly, I would rather not qualify for government aid, but would rather make enough $ to pay our own way.


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## EleGirl (Dec 3, 2011)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> Just looked at the links. WOW! I didn't know this even existed. Thanks Ele.
> 
> This is a perfect job for a SAH mom who is a Dr. She can wear sweats and house slippers, cover the top half with her Dr. coat and go to work in front of her computer. LOL
> 
> My husband checked about Medicaid a year ago. We make too much money. (They don't care how many bills you have: mortgage, car insurance, life insurance, etc.) Honestly, I would rather not qualify for government aid, but would rather make enough $ to pay our own way.


I get that you would rather pay your own way. But I also know that not having insurance here can lead to people making some bad decisions. Just concerned.

Hope your toe is ok.


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## EleGirl (Dec 3, 2011)

blueinbr said:


> IMHO American healthcare system pays for most of the innovation in drug discovery and disease treatment. The rest of the world has price controls so it falls upon the US citizen to pay the costs.
> 
> Viagra costs $28 per pill. Not that I need it  Wow.


This is true. For example, a lot of countries have contacts with pharmaceutical companies for very low price drugs. We in the USA pay many times more for the exact same dugs... some times hundreds of times more. US medical consumers are paying for the research and development of the drugs and subsidizing the rest of the world.

So just think, if we made things fair. In India they costs of drugs would skyrocket. And we in the USA would get a huge price break...


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

EleGirl said:


> I agree that our health care costs are ridiculous. They were bad enough, then what we are calling Obama care made them go up even more. It was, and still is a ridiculous solution..


...and now people who always paid their own way, not relying on the government to do a thing for them, can't even afford their old private health insurance, or Obamacare. 

What Obamacare did was make healthcare prohibitively expensive for the working middle class, while continuing to tax them, and drive up the debt so the people who refuse to work or have no skills to make a living can have free healthcare.


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## SecondTime'Round (Jan 15, 2015)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> ...and now people who always paid their own way, not relying on the government to do a thing for them, can't even afford their old private health insurance, or Obamacare.
> 
> What Obamacare did was make healthcare prohibitively expensive for the working middle class, while continuing to tax them, and drive up the debt so the people who refuse to work or have no skills to make a living can have free healthcare.


Yep!!!!! I'm self employed and my costs skyrocketed. I know of a few people (unemployed, underemployed) who benefitted and are singing its praises. I just want to yell at them, "YOU'RE WELCOME!!!!" I'm a single mom. I didn't get to keep my health plan.


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## 225985 (Dec 29, 2015)

Did you mention you had a doctor's appointment on Thursday? How did that go?


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## TeddieG (Sep 9, 2015)

Hey, Rubies, yeah, give us an update. I'm late to the thread, but I have a friend who "broke" her toe, one of the small ones. But it wasn't broken; the bone shattered and in pieces. At certain times of the year, with changes in the weather, she has problems with it. It turns a little red and swells because her feet are expanding in the heat and the shards of bone are sharp and painful. But it is only seasonal. The bone in your toe may not be a clean fracture. 

Give us an update when you can.


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## imtamnew (May 13, 2013)

Rubies, How are you doing?


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

This is what it looked like about a week after I started the thread. It had little blisters on it, that kept coming for about a week. That is why it got red and peeled.


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## kristin2349 (Sep 12, 2013)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> The first pictures are what it looked like a week after I started the thread.


What does it look like today?


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

After anointing and asking for healing:


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## kristin2349 (Sep 12, 2013)

It is looking much better Rubies:smile2:


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

:smile2: I wasn't sure if God would heal it for me, or make me have to trust that He would take care of the finances to go to a Dr. 

I'm so glad He healed it. I hope He does a complete healing and takes care of any shattering, or shards that could bother me later. The last pictures were from two days ago. It pretty much looks the same today.

Because of the limit on attachments on TAM I had to take off the first ones to make space for the latest ones. Arg! I didn't save the first ones anywhere. But some of the ones from a week after I started the thread are pretty bad, with the swelling and blisters, if anyone questions if my healing was real or not.

Thank you to those who gave me ideas to help myself until I became desperate enough to ask to be anointed and prayed for divine healing!

May Yod Hey Vav Hey (God's spelled name in Hebrew, without vowels) be praised and get all the credit for the healing!!!!!!!


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

blueinbr said:


> Did you mention you had a doctor's appointment on Thursday? How did that go?


I cancelled the appointment on Wednesday once I was sure it was being healed.


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## kristin2349 (Sep 12, 2013)

I'm glad you are on the mend. I saw that you purchased the Lactoferrin that I recommended, you should continue to take that to aid in bone regrowth. It is a very beneficial supplement and there are no negative side effects.


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## Adelais (Oct 23, 2013)

kristin2349 said:


> I'm glad you are on the mend. I saw that you purchased the Lactoferrin that I recommended, you should continue to take that to aid in bone regrowth. It is a very beneficial supplement and there are no negative side effects.


Thanks, kirstin. I've been taking it, but forgot today, so I'll go take it now! I've been taking 2 a day, although it says to take one.


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## kristin2349 (Sep 12, 2013)

IMFarAboveRubies said:


> Thanks, kirstin. I've been taking it, but forgot today, so I'll go take it now! I've been taking 2 a day, although it says to take one.


I took two a day when I had a dental infection and my endodontist was shocked at how fast my jawbone healed. She rolled her eyes when I told her I was taking a natural supplement, but whatever, it works!


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