Continued pain 8 months after total nail Removal with phenol.

[ClareR3]

Back in April I had both great toenail permanently remove with phenol acid, due to multiple nails growing on top of each other.

The process was very painful to go through.  The left toe took 13 weeks before it was pain free with the nail matrix starting to close.
To this day I am still having excruciating pain of the right toe, even though it looks healed. The pain is coming from the medial lateral side? (Right side) diagonally between the edge of the toe and the edge where the nail corner would be.
I still can’t wear socks or shoes I have to wear a dressing on it, to be able to wear crocs be able to work. Hurts to stand or walk. Can’t sleep.

No spike or regrowth looks visible Through skin.
I have had bloods - they have come back normal no infection or no increased inflammation markers.
I have had x-rays they have come back completely normal.

Things I have been doing to help with pain and discomfort.
Daily Warm water soaks
Heat packs/ice packs
Desensitisation program for nail bed
Daily messages with nerve and skin oil
Numbing cream/spray
Acupuncture
Mirror therapy
CRPS Recognisation  brain training
Tens machine (mostly for distraction of pain)
Meditation
Amitriptyline

Theories that have been given to me so far.
Nailbed Sensitivity
Chemical burn of periosteum
Soft Tissue injury
Nerve damage
Referred to orthopaedic surgeon
Have been recommended to have a Wedge resection . specialist believes something was left inside or Matrix was not fully Destroyed by the acid.

No one can agree with what is wrong or how to help it or fix it. I am sick of being in pain and I want it to be over.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I am scared to go ahead with the surgery in case it causes more pain or damage.

Thank you.

[specialmom]

My eyes water just reading this.  So painful.   You've tried so many things too!  What types of medications have you tried?

[ClareR3]

Every cream imaginable and amitriptyline.

[Paxiled]

This is why when I started to get this problem my doc told me to leave well enough alone and live with it.  But now that you've done it, the only thing to say is, if the docs you're seeing can't fix things find better docs.  But every time we have any kind of procedure from a surgeon, there is a risk even if very small that things will go horribly wrong.  Any time we take a medication there is the same risk.  That's why the first rule of medicine is, first, do no harm.  Sometimes things go wrong, or sometimes we have a weakness or sensitivity a doctor can't predict.  But again, best thing to do is, when your docs can't help, find better docs.  Peace.