Joel T. Bowen II, DPM

I was very disappointed with my visit. The day after the appointment, my foot pain actually worsened. I explained during the visit that I experience chronic foot pain, and that sometimes I wake up with one foot swollen to the point where I can’t walk on it for several days. The swelling is often accompanied by a bruise with a red dot in the center.
Although my foot wasn’t swollen during the appointment, I showed the doctor a photo of a previous episode. He responded, somewhat dismissively, that he didn’t see a red dot in the picture and stated that feet don’t swell like that without trauma. Throughout the appointment, when I tried to answer his questions, he frequently cut me off before I could finish explaining. This made it difficult to fully communicate my symptoms and concerns.
When he began manipulating my foot, I pointed out the exact spot where it hurt. His response was that it must not have hurt too badly since I didn’t jump out of the chair—something I found both unhelpful and invalidating.
He then recommended a test. I explained that I’ve already had that test done three times, all with negative results. He insisted this one was different, handed me a prescription, and told me to call or fax it to whichever lab I use. Typically, the doctor’s office handles that part, so I found this approach confusing and lacking in support.