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anyone ever get nerve damage

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jennifer70624
jennifer70624

I have posted this problem before I with concern of this new burning feeling in my foot. This is my 4week,( no weightberring total of 8 wks) and I am still having this burning fire feeling in my foot. It's not just a little burning. Which I do have sometimes, but at most times it's really bad. It's become every night. It literally feels like It's on fire and not getting any better. I called the Dr. and they said it's normal, but I find this hard to believe since most post that I read people seem to be getting better. I wanna know if anyone ever been told they have nerve damage so I can look at these real warning signs. Or if anyone else in their late recovery still having this fire feeling in their foot. I'm just concerned and looking for some relief.

Also, anyone in a waking boot and taking it off. I'm wondering if I may be doing damage taking it off. I have to sometimes because the burning feeling is so bad I need to ice the bottom of my feet.

Thank you

Jen

0 likes, 71 replies

71 Replies

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  • bev52304
    bev52304 jennifer70624

    Posted

    In view of Redstone69's post; Jen are youin the UK? I believe there is a lot of difference when it comes to surgery here in the UK and the States. Check out the NICE report that is produced by the NHS re post bunion op problems togive you some reassurance re nerve damage.It seems it is rare. NICE would not allow bunion ops on the NHS unless the success rate was significant. My surgeon told me all the possible things that could go wrong. Basically it was the same as any surgery. The thing is your foot has gone througha trauma. Speak again to the doctor tell him your concerns.
    • jennifer70624
      jennifer70624 bev52304

      Posted

      Thank you, I think j will bother my Dr again.

      And yes, I'm in the US.

    • eliciaB
      eliciaB jennifer70624

      Posted

      Where are you in the US? I am too. Is your doctor an Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in the foot or a podiatrist? Is your foot discolored now? When I went to my doctor two weeks later with severe nerve pain and a purple foot, he about freaked out and said I need IMMEDIATE treatment and got for me the same day. On the next appointment he admitted when there is this type of response, they have to wonder if they did anything to cause it. CROS can be caused by trauma or surgery. It may be just a response and not the doctor's fault or it can be the doctor's fault if he cut or compressed a nerve. If he did not help you with CRPS after 8 months, it is his fault any way because there is no cure for CPS. The chance for remission is only good if caught in the first three months. You need to switch doctors and go to one who knows CRPS.

  • Redstone69
    Redstone69 jennifer70624

    Posted

    Hi Jennifer,

    Good luck with "bothering" the doctor.  The surgeon I have has basically blown me off as my problem....another little dirty secret about surgery AND surgeons....they certainly like to feel like God when they get paid though.  If I can, I'm definitely bringing legal action against the clown surgeon I had...problem is, Doctors, these days, have a tremendous lobby and have effectively eliminated liability from their menu...What irks me so much is not that the surgery didn't work, and made things worse, but that I was the one who was blamed for it!  Plus, he's simply blown me off to take care of HIS problem myself.  Again, his name is J. Michael Miller...avoid him at all costs!

    In my 63 years on earth, I've had no problem with any other doctors.  I've had varicose vein surgery, gall bladder surgery, knee surgery, rotator cuff surgery etc.  I'm an ex-jock and I've lived with pain my whole life.  I just can't stand someone with a high level of ostensible responsibility not doing anything to help me with problem HE created.

    • Worleywoo
      Worleywoo Redstone69

      Posted

      You are telling my story. Had the same experience with my surgeon. I'm now looking into suing him. Were you successful,on that front.?

    • sharonrose
      sharonrose Worleywoo

      Posted

      Hello , I'm new to this forum.. I'm looking for answers and help. Tomorrow will be 4 weeks post op.. from what I thought was going to be simple bunion surgery with screws, I saw a second surgeon 1 week after surgery due to the QUACK of a so called doctor. He cut my circulation off, the pain i have is terrible, horrific. My foot is Still very swollen. Can you give me any advice? How are you feeling?

  • saraleigh
    saraleigh jennifer70624

    Posted

    Are you taking anything specifically for nerve pain? If not, request a script from your doctor. This alleviated my episodes of burning/tingling that refused to let me sleep. I also usually take Melatonin 3mg to further promote restfull sleep. Otherwise, have you tried metatarsal pads? My doc placed one under my regular bandaging for the electrical tingly pain in my forefoot (with every step) brought on by walking with more than partial weight bearing in the boot. I couldn't believe how this simple little thing alleviated such great discomfort.

    If you have switched to different bandaging, another possibility is an allergy/dermatitis. I am not allergic to latex but am hypersensitive and so my 1st post-op appt had quite a reveal. After additional courses of antibiotics and several bandage material changes, it was determined that only 100% cotton was tolerated. I guess the body can be super fussy after subjecting it to such trauma.

    • jennifer70624
      jennifer70624 saraleigh

      Posted

      What the heck... I know I've responded to you, but it didn't post. I don't know why. I notice that happens to me sometimes. I think it's my tablet. Oh, well.

      Sorry. So I'm going to call Dr later today just to make sure.

      Everything everyone has been telling me it's normal to have this burning. I'm probably just paranoid about my foot. I'm sure everything is okay. It probably not good that I keep taking my boot off to ice the bottoms of my feet. That probably not helping. It just burns so bad though.

      As far as the bandgae. Not sure if I'm allergic. It dosent seem like it.

      I appreciate the post.

      I keep you posted.

      Thank you

    • eliciaB
      eliciaB jennifer70624

      Posted

      If you have CRPS you have to get out of the boot ASAP AND ICE IS THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO FOR IT.
  • LadyPink
    LadyPink jennifer70624

    Posted

    Hi Jennifer, Yes, I'd say everything sounds pretty normal to me. I'm 11 weeks post op and some days I still get that burning feeling too. If I also do too much, the foot really aches and becomes swollen. Another thing is nerve jumping. I still shout "Ouch" on occasions when this happens but it only lasts a split second so when it's gone I just forget about it. I'm expecting to have all these various symptoms for a few more months yet and it does get less and less from what I understand. You are still in the early weeks of recovery and I think its advisable to keep your boot on at all times to keep your bones in alignment as they heal. I was told by my hospital consultant not to take my boot off until after the 6 weeks final check and X-ray. I did exactly as I was told and kept the boot on day and night and slept with my foot elevated on sometimes three pillows. At 6/7 weeks after my final check was done I starting walking again with full body weight on the foot. Luckily I could then get into my normal walking, leather lace-up shoes. I began driving again too at around the same time, once I could safely operate the clutch without any pain (I don't drive an automatic). I was able to walk around the supermarket too by then and do the usual big weekly shop. So here I am at 11 weeks and the foot can still have 'bad days'. It will burn, ache, nerve jump and throb. I will take paracetamol tablets if it's really bothersome. All in all though I tell everyone I am 'delighted' with the results. The aches and pains as far as I have learned are par for the course and will get better as the months go by. Be patient, keep that foot elevated for 50 minutes out of each hour, and all will get better and better. Four weeks is a worrying time; you think your foot will never get better but believe me, from now on the improvement will be quite noticeable and fast. Hang on in there, patience is the key. LadyPink
    • jennifer70624
      jennifer70624 LadyPink

      Posted

      Hello again. Good morning.

      It's another sleepless night with my burning flaming foot. It's like 3:30am where I am and still having this fire on the bottom of my feet and especially in my pinky toe and I wasn't even worked on there. It hurts if I slightly touch it. An keeps hurting for a long time. It's definitely getting worse. I'm calling first thing in the morning. It's unbearable!!

      I'm forced to have to take my boot off to ice it and I really hope I'm not doing more damage. I know you said keep it on. Can't help it though it's the only relief I get. Sorry I keep bringing this up, but I find comfort here.

      Goin to try and sleep. Keep you posted.

    • saraleigh
      saraleigh jennifer70624

      Posted

      I am really sorry you have to suffer through this; sleep deprivation intensifies everything. Any abnormal coloring below the knee or behind your leg? Vascular issues will cause pain. Does anything feel hot to the touch? Skin infections can be quite painful without looking so bad. Though this sounds to me like a nerve response. Or possibly tendonitis. I still am having shooting burning pain in upper thigh From elevating my foot and the boot height difference.

      I really hope you get relief soon.

    • MollyDJ
      MollyDJ LadyPink

      Posted

      I am so encouraged by your posting, thank you for your encouraging post. I am post op week 3 plus one day. I had a bunionectomy, hammer toe repair, tendon transfer, 3 screws in my big toe, 3 screws where the bunion angle in my foot is, plus I had the roots taken out of my big toe to hopefully eliminate further in grown toe nails. I am getting antsy about being non weight bearing, but each week I do see small victories. I have also experienced an infection in the big toe, and have some nerve damage in my thigh. Somehow the lateral cutaneous nerve got decompressed and I have numbness all along my outer left thigh. I am grateful for this blog. It gives me hope for as the weeks go by things will get better. Do you have any advice for the first time you can get the foot wet and wash it gently with soapy water. I can do that in a few days and I am terrified. Thank you for your posts
    • jennifer70624
      jennifer70624 saraleigh

      Posted

      Update on my burning feeling:

      I had such a bad night last night that I had to call my Dr. And they told me to come in.

      Everything looked fine. I even got a early peek at my foot and it looks really good. He couldn't pin poin t why I was having this pain other than the pinky toe was red and tender from bandage being on too tight which may be making this fire feeling. Too soon to tell if it's nerve damage and that is was very unlikely. Nothing for nerves, by I did my own research and B vitamins and vitamin D help with the repair of nerves. So I went out and bought some vitamins.

      My foot still burns. This is the longest it's ever felt this way, but not as intense as last night's. So all in all, I should expect these bad nights and hope these vitamins help.

      I'm so glad I have this blog site. It's the first place I run to when I'm having problems. It makes me.feel better, thanks to all of you.

    • MollyDJ
      MollyDJ jennifer70624

      Posted

      So glad you got some relief for your foot. Thank you for the tip on the vitamins too, I didn't know that! I hope you get some sleep
    • lauretta83411
      lauretta83411 jennifer70624

      Posted

      hi Jennifer and all-

      Thanks for posting all this great info.

      I had surgery 4 weeks ago: broke malleous while trekking; had surgery with a metal plate and 12 screws. I walk with a boot but the problem is not my ankle anymore but my toes, at night especially (while at night as many of you reported?). I get waves of intense pain that wake me up around 3-4 am (as it is now) in three toes (big and second toe are okay). The outside of them is numb, but inside it feels like there is a bonfire going on. From what I read it could be a nerve stuck in scar tissue, a nerve damange, or worse yet poor circulation leading to possible gangrene. I am scared to death because I am very active and practice a lot of sports, plus the pain and the sleep deprivation are a nightmare. 

      Tomorrow I see my surgeon; I hope she can give me practical advise and hope, but these posts have been super helpful in realizing how common my symptoms are. Thank you.

    • sandra53244
      sandra53244 lauretta83411

      Posted

      Hi Lauretta has your nerve pains healed yet? I had foot surgery 16 months ago and I ended up with a compressed nerve on the top of my foot from the bandage being too tight and I had to wear it for two weeks. I am still having pains and numbness.
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