Ankle fusion due anytime and worried it’s the wrong decision

Posted , 6 users are following.

i fell off a ladder and broke my talus in 3 places ,shatteted my talus and dislocated my ankle . it has been a long painfull procedure . 14 months later i am still in severe pain , on large amounts of painkiller including oxycodone and i take anti inflamitary amongst other things . i havent slept properly since my accident . i can struggle to sleep for 3-4 nights at a time . i am in alot of pain and my daily life rountine is usually nursing my ankle . i now have arthritis and the surgeon has arranged for me to have an ankle fusion . since my accident i have got very very depressed . im lost if there is an occasion and i cant put heels on . it may sound very shallow , but i feel like my life has been taken away . i just dont know what to do for the best . i have had cancer 3 times and managed to beat it by throwing myself into the gym . but that is so difficult now . i just feel confused and unsure of the right decision. i dont really want a fusion, but feel i cant keep taking all this medication for the rest of my life ,any advice would be appreciared . thanks sam

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    Sorry to hear of your problems Samantha. did your surgeon discuss. the possibility of a TAR with you? Cheers, Richard

  • Posted

    let me tell you my experience. i broke my ankle in three places and had surgery to repair it. they put me on percocet and i couldnt stay off my ankle. two revisions later and confined to the hospital 17 days, i then found out i got mrsa in my wound and wound opened up, had to get a woundvac. im a smoker so my wound would not heal and i got real depressed as well. i mean it was a lonely, funky dark depression that my psych meds did not touch. so i prayed desperately to god to heal my ankle and six months after the injury i went and got high and got a hold of bad stuff and hit a mailbox 40 miles north of my home. got a dui and possession charge and spent 23 days in jail. but when i was released my wound had healed. be careful when u cry out to god. anyway, he found me in jail. im a nurse so after fusion, ankle took a few months to heal. mine was nearly dislocated as well. doctor told me i came close to losing foot. went to rehab, ankle dramatically bette. im not gonna lie. it does a number that i cant run anymore but im not in a wheelchair. im free in a way i wasnt before and now im fixing to go back to work as a nurse. this kind of injury pits you through a spiritual purification. dont fight. just accept. it matures you but you have to accept or you wont survive. peace be with you. prayer really does help.

  • Posted

    I had my ankle fused in September. After 12 years from original injury and 7 surgeries it was time. I have a plate and 2 screws. The pain is gone and I can walk. Occasionally I can feel the plate but it's not painful. It's a slow recovery because the ankle is a tricky body part but you will get here. Good luck

  • Posted

    I'm in a similar boat. my left ankle is toast. there is literally nothing to salvage at this point. but for some reason I am still incredibly hesitant to have the surgery. my husband ( whom is the calm to my crazy) looked at me last night and said wake up, you don't have any other option and it cant get any worse! Those pills are so bad for you and will also contribute to depression. take a leap of faith and have the surgery. remember that forever horror story you hear online about the procedure theres dozen more of success stories. For some reason people like to complain more than praise 😃 You're going to be alright, and hey, you might even get back on those heels again.

  • Posted

    You poor thing.

    I know it is life changing, it is for all of us......try to get some exercise to fend of depression. Maybe in a pool for low impact, or just upper body weights, or even rowing a boat. I ENDED UP WEARING TIGHT COMPRESSION BANDAGES ON MY ANKLES. sorry for the caps, anyway, keeping the swelling down even 10 months after my accident, the bandages have helped my pain. i dont know exactly why but i have cut my pain in half by keeping the bandages on during the day. worth a try, if not for you then maybe someone else.

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