4 days post op cartiva surgery
Posted , 5 users are following.
Had surgery on my right big toe four days ago. Took 600 mg ibuprophen for pain on day after surgery. The third day just Tylenol. Surgery only took 30 minutes! You could easily do both toes at the same time. I have no pain. I have to use Darco shoe for two weeks. This shoe basically has you walking on your heels. Can't drive with this shoe. On third week I get a surgical Sandel and can start driving. I didn't need crutches or knee scooter. The nerve block does allow you to feel your foot to walk in the house after surgery. I walked to the bathroom in the hospital and the numb feeling was fine. Block lasted until midnight on surgery day. The worst part is the darco shoe. It is like walking on a two inch high platform shoe. I don't really have a huge platform shoe for non surgery foot to even out my gait. So I hobble around.
1 like, 4 replies
patti27250 nancy0814
Posted
Nancy, I had the surgery on June 28th but didn't have the nerve block. The pain was enough for me to take prescription pain meds regularly for a couple of days. After that I only took them occasionaly as needed. I started out in the sandal, had dressing changed on day 8 and stitches removed on day 15. Also on day 15 I started wearing comfortable sandals by Sketcher. The swelling and soreness has prevented me from wearing most of my shoes so far. I did find and buy a nike sandal that was comfortable enough to wear. It had cushioning under the joint and on top of the joint. I had the same problem with the thick soled post surgical sandal as what you describe. I wore a thick soled nike on my good foot and used a walking stick to help with the limping. The limp caused my back to hurt. So all I could do was refrain from walking long distances and elevate my foot while off of it. I don't return to my doctor until August 10th. My pain is much better now and my joint will move as it should. I am just concentrating on walking as much as I can and while sitting stretching and working my toe and joint. So, hobble on....it will get better soon.
nancy0814 patti27250
Posted
Patti thanks for replying. They told me if the ankle nerve block didn't work I couldn't have twilight anesthia and would have to have general anesthia. But it worked so just twilight anesthia. I am allergic to codeine so my pain meds were tramadol and tylenol. But the tylenol didn't work the first 2 days, so I took ibuprophen and tramadol. But on day 4, I was pain free. Today is day 5. I went outside and walked a bit for about 15 minutes or so. Wearing the heel bearing shoe and a flip flop sandel on my other foot that has a higher base (just not 2 inches high base - like the heel bearing shoe) But my hip is hurting from walking crooked. I came home and laid on the couch and iced for awhile afterwards just in case. The worst part for me is not being able to leave the house for 2 weeks straight on a beautiful summer day. My doctor didnt say anything about icing after day 3. And he said I was ambulatory. Just no driving until done with heel bearing shoe. I really have no pain. Just the feeling of stitches pulling that I have had on many surgeries in the past. I can wiggle all my toes. Even my big toe so I am happy about that. Sometimes if it is a quick distance, I don't wear the heel shoe, and just walk on the outer edge of my foot, not letting my toe area touch the floor. The bandaging is so thick, my big toe doesn't move anyways when I walk on the outer edge of my foot. August 1 is bandages changed and I assume stitches out. I hope this surgery will work. I used to walk 3 miles a day and I am anxious to get back outside and do it again, but pain free this time around. The pain before the surgery in my right big toe was excruitating!
bon125 nancy0814
Posted
nancy0814 bon125
Posted
I think you need to talk to Dr K. Every case is different. He did not want to do any bone work. My case was pretty severe. Bone on bone, no cartilage left. He just wanted to be sure the implant took and he needed all the bone to do this.