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Bunion surgery

Posted , 9 users are following.

karen15571
karen15571

I have had bunion surgery in ONT., on Jan.7\15, on the 20th I return to the hospital for my lst follow up.

I have no idea what kind of surgery I had was only told what he would do and it was to cut under my knee, inside my lower leg and remove the bunion and I believe over my small toes on my foot. I have a pin with a ball sticking out of my big toe other than that I am wrapped and some cast on the back of my leg so I cant see anything.

My question is does any one know if this pin will be removed as it sticks out of my toes at least half a inch and is so gross. 

I have been bed bound since I came home with foot elevated in the pillow I was told to buy, only to the washroom and back. A lot of swelling has gone down as I can feel how lose the wrapping on my foot and leg is.

I was given oxycodne for the pain but now take maybe 2 over 24 hrs., wondering if he would also repeat this perscription or another pain med as putting the foot down to head to the washroom is really painful still.

I would appreciate any feed back or anyone that has this surgery done any news that they had gone through after the surgery.

Thanks K 

 

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • Redstone69
    Redstone69 karen15571

    Posted

    Hi Karen,

    I think the first thing I would do is ask WHY did they cut below your knee!  seems to have nothing to with bunion surgery

    good luck!

    • karen15571
      karen15571 Redstone69

      Posted

      Oh I did ask but it was booked so long I forgot all the details, but when he drew on my leg and explained it all it all made sense, just for me to explain it would a mess. I have heard of the same procedures from others that have had the same surgeon, oh believe my did some homework. 
  • grannygrandma
    grannygrandma karen15571

    Posted

    I too was wondering why they cut under your knee. I wouldnt have had it done without knowing exactly what was going to be done...you could ring the surgeons secretary and ask any questions you have ....good luck
    • karen15571
      karen15571 grannygrandma

      Posted

      I answered on the post above but I will find out all the details on tuesday coming & thanks.
  • Mishe55
    Mishe55 karen15571

    Posted

    It is only few days to your follow up appointment Karen so perhaps make a list of questions and keep asking until you understand.  It is very unusal to be doing anything above the ankle while correcting a bunion so he must have done something else as well.  The screw which stick out will definitely be removed,  this kind of screws are onlny temoporary.  Also,  don't be shy in asking for appropriate pain management,  it is only you who can tell what and how much you need.  Good luck on the 20th Karen.  You definitely need to know and understand what was done,  why and how long will be your recovery as it really seems not just the bunion surgery.
    • karen15571
      karen15571 Mishe55

      Posted

      No it was only bunion surgery but it was quite huge the size of the bunion and my toes were starting to get moved to the side, but like what he had told me many months before my surgery I don't remember the exact names for everything he was doing, I was just glad to have it done as walking after awhile was really getting painful and buying shoes to fit with the  bunion was getting costly.

       

  • judy48339
    judy48339 karen15571

    Posted

    Hi Karen

    I had my operation on 29/12/14 and had a follow-up appointment on 14/1/15.  I had a bunionectomy, Weils and also hammertoe repair on the second toe which has a pin sticking out of it.  All the stitches were removed in this two week follow up.  I have another appointment on 2nd Feb (just over 4 weeks from op) when they will remove the pin if everything has healed well enough.  I think they may do an x-Ray to check. So, I don't think they will remove your pin quickly.

    My consultant advised me to elevate my foot as much as possible, but also to ice it several times a day, using a bag of frozen peas.  This is not easy if you have thick bandages!

    Judy

    • karen15571
      karen15571 judy48339

      Posted

      sounds painful, i believe but could be wrong mine was a layidus, sound from what I have read and talking to people that was mine.

      I was never told about ice packs and your right I don't know how that would work cause my leg and foot especially are really wrapped with some cast here and there for protection, but it is mention once the stitches & bandades are removed I can as needed. The swelling has really gone down though which is great, I almost feel like I could pull my foot an leg out of the wrapping but wouldn't of course. My leg is up in the pillow that I had to buy and take to the hospital with me the day of my surgery, the only time it's out of the pillow is a trip to the washroom and back but I think it's really paying off.

      I know I will have xrays lst., then stitches removed if there ready but it's this pin thing sticking out of my big toe that sends me. 

      We have a huge shephard that is a real suck so I stay in my room with a gate across and a swing board my husband added so the fool can't jump over and he is not impressed with me. It's been to cold to leave him outside so I stay in my room but I have everything I need in here. We have let him in daily so he's not to upset lol but he will sit on the other side of the gate and talk and moan away to me it's priceless but I'm so afraid of him hitting that pin as he's a big boy and full of energy so the sooner it can be removed the better.

      Not sure why they couldn't cover it with someone as looking at it alone sends me and anyone that has visited also.

      Some else told me to let my leg dangle for awhile to get the blood back down before I use my crutches of course no weight bearing and that really helps but back up in the pillow as soon as I done.

      Any pointers are so welcomed and thanks for your feedback & good luck.

    • judy48339
      judy48339 karen15571

      Posted

      Poor doggie - that's so sad!  I've covered my foot with a stretchy sock so I don't have to look at the pin.  A sock might not go over your foot, plaster and all, but perhaps you could improvise?  How about a sleeve from an old cardigan?  But it wouldn't protect your toe from the dog!
    • karen15571
      karen15571 judy48339

      Posted

      great idea to cover it, I'd like to just remove it lol, I will have to cover on Tuesday as it's suppose to be -?.

      I got brave again and went out with the dog and he was great as my foot is tucked up so I don't chance using it but he is 6 yrs. old but thinks he's a lapdog and acts more like 2, when he lst came flying at me he was told to sit and that he did, he's quite the boy but still have to be on guard with him.

      thanks Judy

       

    • wanda85458
      wanda85458 judy48339

      Posted

      I had surgery Nov. 4, 2014 and I have been in a real shoe for only one week.  It isn't wonderful but better than the big black boot I was in for weeks.  In reply to the ice thing, my doctor had me put the ice on the back of my knee to cool the blood down going into my foot because the bandages were so big the cold couldn't penetrate them.  It seemed to work just fine.  But now that I don't have the bandages and still have some swelling I am applying directly to the foot.  You can make an ice pack in a zip lock bag using 3 parts water and 1 part alcohol.  It doesn't freeze solid and conforms to the foot.  Hope this helps.

       

  • bohemia
    bohemia karen15571

    Posted

    I can only echo all that has been said on here to be honest. I think that sometimes we are anxious when we first have our consultations and it is easy to misunderstand or not remember some of the things that the surgron is saying especially if they are using medical lingo! We all need to ask quaestions and tell them if we don't understand in fact I'm wondering if we should ask for a written explaination of the procedure that we will have done.

    coming on this forum, I now realise that surgeons have their own preferences of procedures for similar conditions.

    I was told that I would have the bunion 'shaved off', two bones broken and fused together, a metal plate inserted permanently and correction to the 2nd hamer toe would be in the way of tightening the ligament!!   Now to be honest that's what I remember him saying but I have forgotten other things that he said.

    Karen if you read through all the threads on here you will see a varity of procedures and recovery timelines.

    But I guess that the thing that we all have in common is that we did indeed have quite traumatic orthopedic surgery and this will take varying time to heal and get us back to mobility. So we can all have empathy with each other. 

    ood luck

    • karen15571
      karen15571 bohemia

      Posted

      A print out is a awesome idea but I'm sure they would charge for that too lol

      I know the slicing was also something to do with my legiments in my leg if that rings a bell to anyone. I'm not to concern with the past now it's going forward is the issue I suppose as I can't change what has been done.

      Less swelling or pain when I lower my leg so that has to be a good sign from what I have read on another site & speaking with people that have also had similar surgery done.

      There is for sure many kinds of bunion removal surgeries and from what I know like any operation once your open things can change. As I said he never mentioned the pin in my big toe that I would of remember lol so there must of been a reason and I'll find out Tuesday when I go for xrays and see him Dr.Veri is his name if anyone has had him or going to him.

      Thanks for your reply and all is helpful.

       

  • karen27130
    karen27130 karen15571

    Posted

    Hi. You should have been given some paperwork to come home with which will say what the procedure was that you had done. A copy of this would lpossibly have been sent to your GP. When you have this, you could do some research regarding what exactly that procedure entails. I know that my surgeon wrote on my lower legs during my discussion with him on the morning before surgery to indicate exactly what was going to be done during the surgery. 

    Good luck with finding out what happened to you and with your recovery

    • karen15571
      karen15571 karen27130

      Posted

      I was given instruction on the follow but nothing on the actaul surgery but I'm sure he will go over it all when I see him or I will be asking for sure.

      He also drew where he would be cutting and such on my leg\foot but never mentioned anything about screws or pins but that I will find out also.

      He also mentioded about returning to work light duties, no way will I with that thing sticking out of my toe. I do work out of a office and can work from my home but the biggest part of my job is going to building to do inspections and dealing with health & safety in which some building do require safety boots which there is no way I could wear one with a pin even with these things they call clackers that are like a safety boot your own shoe slides into them and there is a band that goes over the back of your heal and the front of your own footwear is covered so that won't be happening and I couldn't imagine trying to drive myself to the office each day and then sit behind a desk for 8 hrs almost but I will see what he says about that on Tuesday also.

      I have lots to ask him. lol

      Thank you Karen

       

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