Burning/pins and needles 2 weeks post op ankle surgery

Posted , 26 users are following.

Hi guys I'm new here! It's 1am I'm trying my best to sleep but all I can feel is pins and needles in my big toe! Feels like it's never ending. I've tried to follow advice regarding keeping my foot elevated but I seem to be the only person where it makes it 50x worse?!? As soon as I put it down for some blood it eases off for a few minutes but everyone says to keep it up.. I don't know what to do. plus pain meds don't work so much for science! How long does it take for nerve pain or whatever I'm feel to become bearable where I can sleep at least? First week wasn't too bad so maybe I got overly confident moving it all the time it's disturbed the healing process?

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  • Posted

    I'm having a horrible time sleeping. Every night my foot goes crazy with pins and needles causing my foot to have spasms. Nothing I take or do will let me sleep. Please help me find relief from these symptoms.

    • Posted

      Hi Pam  I had an ankle replacement four weeks ago and I’ve been having a lot of pins and needle’s feelings and burning I was in a cast and just with my toes exposed and my daughter got me some stuff at Walmart called bio freeze I’ve been rubbing it on my toes with the pins and needles gets bad and it really does help also if I can I can reach into the ball of my foot that helps good luck with your situation! I’m now partial weightbearing
  • Posted

    Hi,

    I am today 3 weeks post ankle surgery experiencing pins, needles, burning, tingling and numbness in the affected foot. Is there any hope it would go away and when?

  • Posted

    New here...

    Hello'

    Post Surgery,foot elevated, none-stop pain! and I can't stand to medicate until I absolutely need it.

    I am 10 days out from having foot surgery. ended up having 2 plates and 8 screws (unexpected)

    well... anyway, my foot is wrapped,stapled,splint,wrapped,

    stapled, and finally wrapped with more staples! (I have no Idea why so many Layer with staples) 3 more. days and I go back to visit Dr. and have a Full Cast put on! Uhg!!!

    and my foot continues to burn,

    be numb, and... tingly!

    so.....much PAIN!and Fantom pin pricks

  • Posted

    Hello Lee,

    I'm in the same boat right now with the not being able to sleep. I had the pins and needles and shifting numbness for a few weeks after surgery.

    The surgeon's assistant told me it was perfectly normal, and actually a good sign as it meant the ligaments and nerves were mending.

    i have to say, I had more luck with over the counter Ibuprofen (600mgs), than I did with the prescription meds they gave me.

    you might have more luck with that.

    I hope this helps. Good luck with your continued healing.

    ~Heather

  • Posted

    I had ankle surgery on the 5th and I have pins and needle sensation, also I had the block but when I put my foot up it got worse and felt like it was swelling and if I had it down it was better... they had said to put it up, 10 days later same but my dr said to put it how ever it feels comfortable for me.

  • Posted

    i had my surgery done a month ago but for the past week my top foot is stiff and i feel like a 1000 little needles are all over my ankle i had a cast now boot i had 20 stitches but i have 2 pins left is this normal to feel the pain after a month?

    • Posted

      Unfortunately that is normal...at least if was in my case. I had a total of 7 ankle surgeries Five from a doctor that was suppose to be the best in the state (didn't end up meaning anything) Finally found a good doctor and he did two surgeries. One to undo what the first doctor did and the other to do it right. I couldn't walk for 3 1/2 years. The second doctor had me walking in less than 6 months! All that being said, I had the needle feeling with all 7 surgeries. I've been walking for a few months now and still have those feelings but they are getting fewer and farther between Prayers and best wishes for you!

    • Posted

      hi! so the burning feeling and numbess and pins and needles is normal? im on day 9 post op (second ankle surgery to fix what first surgery did) and the burning and pins and needles is growing. im worried its nerve damage. i didnt feel this after my first surgery. i cant sleep and pain killers dont work.

    • Posted

      really happy that you were able to get your replacement to work. that is awful what you went through. ankle pain is the worst. i am 2 weeks into recovery ftom ankle replacement after suffering from a random staph infection in my ankle joint 2 years earlier that destroyed my ankle. no open wound or anything... the pins and needles are awful and am hopeing for them to go away sooner than later..seems like the average is 6months to a year?..is that what you expierenced?

    • Posted

      Mine lasted longer after the first five surgeries but after the good doctor undid and redid it right it did not last as long. I am much better now. I can't stay on it long but it is still attached and I am off the scooter so i won't complain. I still have pain when I'm on it too much but the pins and needles feeling has gone away! Hoping and praying yours pain goes away soon!

    • Posted

      sorry! I am just seeing this message! Yes that feeling went away for me but for me it was normal. It still feels different than my good foot but its still attached so I can deal with that. Has yours gotten any better yet? Again, sorry for the late response as I didn't see this

  • Posted

    curious with all of you when the pins and needles finally went away on average..i am 2 weeks into recovery from ankle replacement. did it get better after you were able to be weight bearing?. were you able to work with the pins and needles on the months ahead?

  • Posted

    hi, am i glad i found this forum! Im 4 days post ankle surgery with nerve block. I was completely numb to start with and over a couple of days got some feeling back along with pain. last night i started with pins and needles/tingling/numbness and its driving me mad! it seems worse when elevated. my toes are pink and i can move them so circulation ok. i have a back slab so cast not too tight. My heel and foot and ankle are so tingly. from reading these replies it seems this is fairly normal which is somewhat reassuring.

  • Posted

    Thank you so much for this thread. I'm 5 weeks into an 8 week cast for the ankle. Plates, screws, pins., etc.

    The needles began about a week ago. I've had 3 casts so it's not that. Not tight at all. And the leg has been elevated for 7 weeks since the injury so it's not that.

    I can deal with it during the day but it's unbearable at night. I'd given up painkillers but thanks to this thread I see it's my only choice. Thankfully, they worked last night. I keep it as low a dose as possible just till the needles become manageable at night.

    Thanks again. I was starting to think it was all in my head.

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