swelling and tightening so getting me down !!!!

Hi hun, youve had more done than me i only had 1 bunion removed. You have had pins pit in your toes.....i rekon this would mean its gonna take more time to recover. I say ....relax and recover as MUCH as you can. it is such intense surgery. even my surger i never new was gonna be such a bad recover. AND guess what happened to me lol....today i went to asda for a little shop...walking about in my skechers fine....THEN dropped my (big) phone rite on my non bunion bit anymore was unbelievable pain...in the middle of the store. I must say im doing so much better,my forst 12 days were horrific.but now im just dealing with the swelling and walki g very weirdly but still getting about. I say hun you should just relax and recovery as much as possible. Hope it gets better soon. Xx

No worries. I did the exact same thing. I am five weeks out from surgery and the tingling in the big toe was so tender. I couldn't even touch it either. The nail was the same way. My Dr gave me tamedol meds  and that helped a lot!  If you rub and keep touching your toe it does help. It does go away.  I think this whole ordeal is just a process. I too, feel loke my toe is fat and swollen as rhe outside is healing nicely. I wish I would have never done the tailors bunion on the right side of my right foot but I thought while he was operating on the bigger bunion (same foot) just go ahead and do the lottle one.  It has giben me fits.  However my bunion surgery went great and all thetalk of how painful it was....NOT for me!  Mine was almost painless. To those who are thinking of bunion surgery find the best Dr and after aurgery keep foot promt up and ice, ice, ice AND stay ahead of your meds. You'll do great!!!  I am glad I had it done and I will do my left foot soon.  

Keep rubbing your toe and get tramedol. Good luck!

They say it takes six months to a year to fully recover. I still can't get in a shoe. Who else can not get in a shoe AND how long before I get in my regular shoes?

Hi Gilly I know exactly what you mean and it is like first thing in the morning I think "oh it seems a lot better today!" and then once I am up five minutes the depressing and upsetting realisation kicks in that "No it is still horrible, sore and impossible to ignore!". I have had all the symptoms you describe but have been walking more easily and managing to walk much more. The foot (it is one with me and I know you had both done so it will be harder for you) does get sore after a while but I seem to be getting used to it and walking more each day. I do think that because you have had surgery on both feet you will need to be more cautious as I have been able to use the good foot to bear most of the weight. Believe me gill I have been at some really low and depressed points over thev last seven weeks but I do think there has been a slight reduction in the swelling in the last week. So as you are a week behind me I think it will get a bit better for you very soon. Once it does start to im[prove just a little bit that gives you strength to carry on. In my experience it is very gradual but that little bit of progress does make one feel more abvle to live with it. You are not alone Gilly as you know there are many kind and helpful fellow sufferers on this site. I know this site has helped me through the incredibly dark days. I just really believe you are going to see some improvement very soon Gilly so hang in there. The heat seems to magnify the swelling and general discomfort  and I think all of that contributes to an increased sensitivity to pain all over (i.e. your hands etc.). Also all this enforced resting actually becomes hard work doesn't it. I think the monotony of being stuck indoors and feet up just puts one in a low mood. Time seems to pass so slowly but pass it does and I feel sure that things will get better soon. At the risk of being called a madman I wish it was winter as I think it would all be less of an ordeal if it wasn't so hot and bright. Staying in would not be such a drag if it was winter!   Try not to get too anxious (coming from me that sounds laughable as I am the world's worst worrier!) but I am convinced we are over the worst. John

Hi ladies,

It is 11 months since I had my forst foot done. i am fine but if I do too much my foot still swells, i think it will be a habit for life of putting my feet up after work for an hour, they come right. My second foot was done at Christmas last year, thats pretty much the same, except a cyst developed at the surgery site which i only had removed 3 weeks ago. Very early days for you all I think. I cannot still wear some of my shoes but and this is the biggie, my feet dont hurt when I walk now for the first time in years so no regrets.

Hi Gilly. I do sympathise to your feeling down about recovery. Don't.think this weeks weather helped much either. I had one foot operated on initially,3 weeks into having my other foot done, not two together like you, that's brave. My first foot op recovery was a breeze, my second foot op, an unexpected nightmare so I really can relate.

All those feelings you describe are normal, those sudden zinging sharp shooting pains from nowhere, woah... but six weeks is early ,I was just like that then with my one foot, but honestly does get better every week. If you can use a cream on your feet, Peppermint Cooling foot lotion from Body Shop is an unexpected dream! Take your recovery time to.do whatever it takes to make you feel good about yourself...including some retail therapy?!! Wish you well, take care.

Hi Gilly,  you need to massage your foot at least twice a day, with E45 or bio oil, or just a moisturiser.  I've done that since pin out and bandage off.  My foot skin is so soft, the scar healing really well, and the massage has helped the tightness of the swelling.  Also when you massage your foot, do massage circle movements on your leg each side of shin, then just below under your knee.  This helps with the lymph gland swelling.  I expect you're  using ice packs, have you tired that on the ball of your foot.  I've come to realise this recovery is all about self help! Hope all is good with your pinned foot, it dies take longer to recover with this done too.

Hi Gilly, I think what you're going through is all part of the long recovery time.  I'm now 6 months post-op.  I had a bunionectomy and hammer toe surgery, with pin, like you but on one foot.  The first few weeks were very difficult, but there was definitely improvement week by week.  At months 3/4/5 improvement was slower but the swelling got less and less.  The tight, hot swollen feeling underfoot was the last to go.  In fact I still feel there are tender places on my foot now.  What I found difficult was not being able to move as freely as I wanted.  Walking was hard going probably until Month 4.    Then gradually I was able to walk for longer and longer, until now I can really stride out with only minor niggly pains in my foot.  I'm sure these, together with the remaining swelling, will disappear over the next few months.  I'm so pleased I had it done and plan to have the other one done, probably in October.  I still raise my foot when I sit down and wriggle my toes!  I have a huge respect for the skill of the surgeon.

Hi gilly, I am about one week behind you (in regards to recovery), but your symptoms seem more severe and I'm sorry to hear that.

I take 75mg pregabalin (Lyrica) when I go to bed each night. It is a medication for nerve pain. The pins and needles feeling, sharp stabbing pain, hypersensitivity type sensations are all neural pain and hence, I prefer taking these to opioid painkillers. One of their side effects is sedation which in my case, works great as it helps me fall (and stay) asleep.

Have you been prescribed this medication? If not, it perhaps might be worth speaking to your Dr about? (I am only a pharmacist).

 

Gilly

one thing they forget to tell you about having both fleet done, it that the recovery time is longer, try to keep them up, and also to soak them in cold water several times a day, then massage, massage, massage.  At present you've got the time to do this, and it helps to break down the scar tissue and release the tightness.

have you started physio yet? 

Ummm, just thinking, time to book a beautician to visit and pamper yourself a bit. As you sound like you were an active lady, a good all over massage might just do the trick.

caroline xx

its going to be at least 12weeks before the swelling calms down, and your feet will downsize from salami to a meaty british banger size. Your patience will be tested to the limits ...