Toenail Treatment

I haven't posted for 2 weeks, because I've been so busy living that I didn't want to write about what I was doing. However, I recently began a daily 'sitting' practice when I can use the computer. I committed to daily soaking my toenails in Listerine after reading that someone resolved their longterm toenail fungus by soaking their toes for only 10 minutes daily for 2 months. That person was a 'mycologist' who specialized in the study of funguses. So he knew Listerine ingredients could fight fungus. I'm skeptical, but have never received help from my doctor for my toenail problem, despite my numerous requests. Here's how this problem began ...

Almost 30 years ago I had a biking accident where I partially tore off one of my big toenails. I took my profusely bleeding toe to the ER, but received minimal treatment (a bandaid). Later that toenail became very thick and discolored. Eventually the other big toenail had the same symptoms. So I found a local podiatrist who would file those toenails every few months to relieve pressure pain from those toenails. However, he eventually retired. So I found another podiatrist.

That podiatrist told me that I had toenail fungus. He also said it was so extreme that my only hope of recovery was letting him surgically remove the toenails so they could grow back normally. I should have gotten a second opinion, but I was a freelance artist without health insurance at the time. So I couldn't afford to doctor shop. I was tired of the chronic toenail problem, which may have developed from a fungus I acquired in that ER after I injured the toenail.

So I agreed to let the podiatrist remove the infected toenails. He told me I wouldn't feel pain, because he would inject anesthetic into both toes. I didn't realize that getting an injection into my toes would be so painful. Anyway, he removed the toenails and advised me to soak the toes daily in Epsom salts. When the toenails began to grow back, I daily applied antifungal drops to the toenails to prevent a recurrent infection. However the toenails never grew in normally. They soon became thick and discolored, as they previously were. I suspected I needed an internal, rather than a topical antifungal.

After I remarried and had good health insurance, I told my primary care physician about my toenail problem and requested an antifungal treatment. She told me the topical treatments didn't work, but she couldn't prescribe an internal treatment, because those could damage my liver. Essentially she couldn't give me anything. Eventually she decided I really didn't have toenail fungus, even though I had all the symptoms (thick toenails, pressure pain, limited growth, discoloration).

So I got a battery operated nail file to reduce the thickness of my toenails (to relieve pressure pain) and trimmed them with heavy duty clippers. The infection never spread to the other toenails, other than the 2 large toenails. So I'm still uncertain whether I have an infection. Nevertheless, after reading about the Listerine treatment, I decided to try that approach for awhile.

I immediately notice change in appearance. Part of the nail turned white. Part of the nail turned pinker. I had less pressure pain. My toenails felt better. Maybe the change is psychosomatic. I mean the approach works because I believe it will work. Whatever happens I committed to try this daily Listerine soak for a few months. This commitment also limits my computer time, because I know I'll have time to read and reply to emails, posts, etc. when I 'soak my toenails'. So I try not to sit at the computer until/unless I can sit for a 10-20 minute therapeutic soak.

I'll post more later about what I'm doing when I'm not soaking my toenails. LOL