Bunion surgery - much more painful than I ever imagined

Joan I'm impressed with the dressmaking. I used to do a lot when I was young and when I had my eldest who's now 32.

I live in the UK about 10 miles from Oxford in a pretty and remote village :-). Only been here 8 months, huge life change as is this operation and my radical new hairstyle ha ha! OMG I badly needed a haircut and we are going to a wedding next week so I didn't want the awful hairdo to go with the awful footwear! My main exercise is dog walking which I miss. We are getting a puppy in the summer but I need to walk a bit better first don't you think. I used to swim before we moved but now the nearest pool is a bit of a drive away. I may start again when more confident on the feet.

Vj - when you mentioned snow I thought you

must stay in Canada or somewhere. I'm having a wee glass of wine tonight, purely medicinal to help me sleep. No painkillers today.

I am also impressed with the dressmaking. I used to make lots of things when my children were young. I am currently glued to the second series of the Great British Sewing Bee (love it). There are no nice fabric stores here (Rhode Island) which is why I don't sew any longer. I am in the process of knitting a Sarah Lund jumper but am very slow so it will probably take me until next winter at the earliest to finish it.

We now spend several months of the year in Cambridge UK where we have a tiny house. It does have a long garden though which opens onto a common so we often have cows peering over the fence. My son lives there year round and is a keen if untidy gardener. He is only interested in vegetables so my flowers are sadly neglected.

I am 53 and have twice made it to running for 28 mins using the NHS C25K before getting foot injuries hence the surgery. I am fond of pilates and hope to get back to it soon. I am planning to start walking short distances and build up. We don't have a car when we are in the UK so it's walk or stay at home. I have a bike but the roads are very scary.

vj - I grew up in Cirencester which is about 40 miles from Oxford.

Terri- I wish the weather would warm up here. We are having a very bad winter. I am glad that I have had an excuse to stay indoors but I long for some sunshine and can't wait to wear sandals.

Have a good night. Older Beth

You've all hit the nail on the head with the running. I've entered the BUPA Great Yorkshire Run at the end of September. I'm 23 and hoping to start phasing in jogging during July and August. Fingers crossed!

Joan - I've managed to get a fluffy bed sock on as they're seamless, quite large and feel like my foot is supported. Foot aching this morning and feels very strange to walk without the massive bandage but I'm home alone today whilst my boyfriend is at work so I'm taking it easy... might not even get up until late morning! What a rebel.

Did anyone else have stiff toes that we're difficult to bend when the dressings came off? How long was it before you could move them?

Beth

Hi All,

The Great North run sounds ambitious but very feasible Beth I really hope you get to that fitness level and that your healing enables you to do it.

My main exercise is also dog walking VJ although my husband is doing that at the moment, and I do plan to start Pilates again once I am back on my feet, - not exactly combat though ...

Although I live down here in Gosport I still travel up to Green park in London to work so it'll be a while before I can do that journey, lucky for me ( and the company I work for who are New York based) I can work from home and plan to start more formally next week but I have to find a way of keeping my legs raised to encourage the healing.

Am hoping to get up to Surrey later today to visit one of my daughters in hospital, feeling pretty hopeless as she has a 21 month old but thank goodness her mother in law is able to step in, the plan is for me to sit in the back of the car with my feet raised using a pack of frozen peas to prevent any swelling, we'll see how it goes.

Wishing everyone good healing today

S

Lovely to hear a little about everyone. Sitting on my couch today. I really like taking my time in the morning to get ready, taking more time cleansing and washing and putting on moisturiser, would never bother with all that when rushing off to work.

Suzzi hope your visit to your daughter goes well, my daughter has a 4 year old girl and a new baby boy of 10 weeks, they live close to me. Being a gran is great.

Burning today, I was worried it was an infection but as everyone talks about it, that has put mind at rest.

Daughter is bringing me big fluffy sock to wear with the Velcro shoe today. Looking forward to getting out for an hour.

Trying not to walk with my foot turned out but that's not easy

Day 21, got my Biology homework and some much-needed housework out of the way. Hey, who knew a vacuum works very much like a crutch?

Had the knee-scooter company come today to take back the scooter after my 2- week minimum. It was difficult to navigate but will admit it was very helpful during those first few weeks when the muscle pain was so bad in legs, shoulders, etc from being a first time crutch user. I tell you, the first week I found myself falling left and right on crutches but now I'm a pro. Lots of you have written that you walk on the side of your foot or balance on your heel, so I've been attempting that plus Doc wants me to place a little weight on foot. Not ready for stairs yet, still scooting on bottom like a crab. Can’t say how much I appreciate being able to see the future through all of your personal entries.

So, even though I thought I was doing great with mobility, 2 year old (next week) grandson Dillon stopped by with my daughter a few hours ago and I’m beat – totally unable to keep up with him. So, back on the couch with foot up so I’ll be ready for pizza night when boyfriend gets home from work.

Sounds like such beautiful country many of you live in, has me envious. It’s nice we are all able to really take the time and appreciate it since we have opportunity. Hope everyone has a great night.

Terri

Hi Everyone,

I am hoping to get help and feedback on a bunnion surgery. I have read a lot of horror stories and I am looking for a few people in their 30s and 40s who have had a bunnion surgery but don't have other knee or back problems. I would appreciate it if you can tell me how you did 5 months after the surgery up to a year after the surgery.

-Can you wear heels after a year?

-Do you feel any pain once pressing on the bunnion?

-How many screws were used?

-Any nurve damage around the area?

-Can you move the toes easily?

-Did you have removable stitches or ones that dissolve into the skin. (sorry for my english)

I have seen a few surgeons and all have different answers. One uses one screw, other 2, another 3 and a staple. One says you will walk in a week and cuts a very small area, other says 4 weeks and cuts a larger area.

I am scared as I am in sales and stand all day and every one of us uses our feet more than any other part f our body. I am fine on a day to day basis and with wide shoes I feel not much pain exceot for my Morton's Noroma (the nerve under my foot). If I have sneakers on or heels ofcourse, then it presses against the bunnion and shoots pain into my spine and brain, quite painful 8{

I am wondering if it's better to suffer through the pain because I wear those types of shoes only a couple of times a month or go for the surgery and it will have a better outcome. The problem bunnion is thankfully only on the one foot and not huge but definitely painful.

Also, I am not sure if I can ask this question on line but any good surgeon referrals in the NYC area is also greatly appreciated.

Hi you will see from this site that everyone is different. I am not 30 but 60 but pretty fit and I too work standing up all day. I had a left foot done Bunionectomy and scarf op and it has gone very well. I have dissolvable stitches and a plaster cast and it has all been very good, little pain though uncomfortable. Nearly 4 weeks in now and am thinking of going back to work a couple of days a week. I am so glad I have had it done and looking forward to wearing any sort of shoes as had been down to croc sandals even in the winter. High heels were never me though!! Pain is always best controlled by positive thinking and it works! But as already said everyone is different, there are many different procedures so just take the best advice you can.

I am in England so cant recommend anyone - we have a National Health System here!

Regards

Jill

Hi - I like Jill am 60+ and work on my feet all day.

I am 6 weeks post op and had bunion, 2 hammer toes done and a Morton's neuroma removed. I was in considerable pain before and my bunion was quite small.

I suffered for far too long, I didn't have the neuroma diagnosed until I went about my bunion. I don't regret having it done at all and the pain I get now is just soreness from healing. My foot is still not flexible enough to wear shoes, but that is only time. I don't intend to wear high heels. Those days are long gone.

Good luck with your decision. I am also in the UK so cannot recommend a surgeon.

Jan

Hi B26

Check around for the Ludloff Plate procedure. As I mentioned in other posts this surgery gets you up and around in no time. No muscle atrophy. Still had to elevate and ice for the swelling and standing too long causes throbbing.

In answer to you questions as everyone here has had a different procedure and experience; here is mine:

Can you wear heels after a year?

April 5th will be 5 months for me. I am attending a wedding and will be wearing 3 inch heels. I bought a shoe stretcher a couple of months ago and use it for my leather shoes; otherwise I wear my Haflingers/clogs with my blue jeans. I don't intend to stand for long lengths of time in the heels but tried them on after stretching them out a little and they feel comfortable.

-Do you feel any pain once pressing on the bunnion?

No pain because the bunion is gone although I have a Tailor's bunion on the same foot which I intend to have removed, eventually. It causes some discomfort.

-How many screws were used?

I have two screws for the Ludloff Plate and they will stay in permanently unless I elect to have the plate removed. It's an in-office procedure if I remove it but for now it doesn't bother me.

-Any nurve damage around the area?

I do not have any nerve damage but the nerves are still knitting back together and will take time.

-Can you move the toes easily?

My toes move relatively easy. I had 8 sessions of physical therapy and learned Toe-ga. Whenever I'm sitting at home I do the exercises and/or massage my foot and bend my toe in different directions to keep the joint limber.

-Did you have removable stitches or ones that dissolve into the skin. (sorry for my english)

My sutures were dissolvable. Helps heal the incision site much quicker and I used Maderna cream to heal the scarring. There is a scar patch that can be worn and I heard it works much quicker.

There does not seem to be a gold standard surgery/procedure employed (although similar) by orthopedic surgeons but when you consult with a doctor and they take an x-ray, ask the doctor to show you where the incision will be, if the bone will be cut and repositioned, bunion shaved off, number of screws, pins, type of suture, how long until you can drive, get the foot wet in the shower, (5 days for me), and anything else on your mind. It's a good idea to write down your questions so you don't forget to ask.

Once you have the answers you should feel more comfortable about your decision which surgeon to go with.

Wish you all the best!

Angela

Hi there.

i've been reading this forum with great curiosity. I'm 2 weeks in from an osteotomy with 4 screws and a plate plus 1 hammer toe correction, and feeling quite discouraged. I'm getting around on my weight-bearing shoe, but walking further than the bathroom or the kitchen is extremely painful on the arch of my foot.

I decided to join the forum to ask if anyone had experienced nerve pain after surgery. It didn't start until day 10 post-op, then i started feeling sharp, prickling pains that almost feel like electric shocks. Its really painful and wakes me up at night. I went to my doctor today (i live in Germany) and they waved it off saying that pain is normal after operation. I've discovered that German and Anglo-American attitudes towards pain are quite distinct.

Has anyone else experienced (what i believe is) nerve pain? I'm hoping its a sign that whatever nerves were damaged by the cut are rebuilding, and soon will stop misfiring. And if anyone remembers experiencing this, when did the pain go away? thanks in advance for your answers.

k

think you have answered your own question! Yes you do get sharp pains but it is everything knitting together. A few have mentioned it on this sitet and I met a woman in a shoe shop today (get my plaster off next week and have nothing that fits!) and she had it done 6 months ago , best thing she had had done, very little pain except for the shooting ones, but they do subside as we heal. Good luck and keep the foot raised as much as possible

Jill

Devon

Hi K. I agree with Jill as above. When you think what surgery we've been thru it's no wonder there will be nerve pain. My most enduring pain now apart from when I walk too much is the pain on and around the incisions and that is all nerve pain hence it can feel numb and excruciating all at the same time. Yes I also get a lot of pins and needles, terribly so when my pain block wore off the evening of my surgery, I had to stand even tho it was the last thing I felt like doing! Some of this now I put down to inactivity and some to healing.

There seem to be so many new forums about this surgery which is a shame as it's easier if all the info is in one place. Anyway I hope this helps you and don't worry as long as you're resting and you don't have any infection chances are all these strange sensations are taking you in the right direction. Good luck. 👣👣

Jill nearly plaster off day, great news ! Like you nothing really fits. Wore my trainers for short while but ouch did they rub the scars and they're soft material ones. Think the only option is those diabetic slippers eek! My strappy sandals fit for now but it's too cold still to wear them if I'm not in the sun and they offer no support. Did you find anything likely in the shop? I've my 6 week check next week too, wonder what the surgeon will say! Best, 👣👣