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Double Bunion op both feet

Posted , 4 users are following.

Karen5432
Karen5432

Hi I have been to see the specialist and am due to have a bunion op and hammer toe op on both feet. They have given me the choice of having one foot done at a time or both done together. I have a very low pain threshold and feel that in my case I may be best to have both done together so that there is only one period of Recovery. I would really like to hear from people that have had both feet done, their experiences and whether you feel that it has all been worth it. I particularly would like to know how long it has taken to feel back to normal and to be able to work and drive. Whether there is continuing problems months after the operation and given the choice whether they would still have the operation knowing what they know now as I am also considering not having it done at all. I am 55 and my bunions are not painful at the moment my big toe is now moving over the next toe so in the future I probably will have problems and pain. I would really appreciate and love to read other people's experiences who have had both feet done at the same time. I have read that you need to keep your legs 12 inches above your heart so any links for equipment to help keep the foot elevated this high would be appreciated too. So apprehensive and worried. Thanks in advance 😘

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • dee81816
    dee81816 Karen5432

    Posted

    I recommend you not have both done at the same time. I’ve heard of people doing this but you are supposed to be nonweight bearing for a certain amount of time. I think you always need one foot able to bear weight. But this is jus my opinion, maybe somebody else has a better idea to favor yours. Best Wishes!
  • sally90774
    sally90774 Karen5432

    Posted

    Hi 

    I'm 5 weeks post a bilateral bunionectomy. Three screws in each foot, and two toes pinned and a plate on some fractures on my left foot.

    I am SO GLAD I had both feet done at once! 

    Yes you will have to elevate your feet, but not above your heart....at least I didn't have to. I was walking a couple of hours post surgery, and have been doing more every day. I still find I have to put my feet up if I've been standing/walking too long, but I can do everything I would usually do (shopping, house work, cooking).....just slower! If I know there is a lot of walking involved (i.e going to the mall with teenage daughters) I do use a wheelchair, but day to day life is very manageable.

    I won't lie, it IS painful for the first few days, but if you keep your pain relief regular and rest it's not terrible. And after a week I didn't need any pain relief at all. The swelling is a bit of an issue. My feet have "deflated" a lot, but they are still nowhere near normal, and they do swell if you do too much. From what my surgeon has said (and what I've read here) it takes 6 - 12 months to feel normal again. I knew that going in, and it's actually been way better than I anticipated. So far, so good.

    I think the key to getting both feet done is preparation. I can't drive until after my 7 week check up, so I have an au pair who does the school run and after school activities for me (I have 5 kids). I also have my shopping delivered, and I've got a cleaner. All necessary for the first few weeks, not so much now. The biggest difficulty for me has been boredom! I'm usually very busy with work, gym, kids, shopping....that all stopped. There's only so much Netflix you can watch in a day. Rally your friends and family to get you out....even if you need a wheelchair....you'll need the sanity check. I have given myself three months "off". I think I'll need it. I want my feet to have the best possible chance to heal properly. I realise I'm very lucky to be in a position to be able to do that. Not everyone has the luxury of sitting on their butt (proverbially) for that long, but it's important to me. My husband has watched me struggle with this for so long, and is 100% supportive.

    In the end you'll just have to weigh up the pros and cons for YOU. Cons are all listed above, but the pros won out for me:

         * only one surgery/pain

         * only one period off work/life

         * able to buy shoes again.....if you only get one foot done at a time you'll have that weird period of mismatched

           feet/shoe size

    I'm 49, so young-ish in bunion surgery terms, perhaps that has been the reason the recovery process has been so easy?  I put it off for far too long, but looking at my feet now, as puffy as they are, I wish I'd done it earlier! They are so STRAIGHT!

    I know it is a scary decision, but I have no regrets at all. Hope that helps....and good luck!

     

    • Karen5432
      Karen5432 sally90774

      Posted

      Sally thank you. I think I was waiting for a reply like yours as it has given me some courage to have it both done at once. I am 55 so not much older and still young to have this I feel but like you I think I'm fit and healthy enough to get through this and the pros of having one period of pain and recovery period is sounding write to me as I just have a feeling that I will have one done and decide not to have the other done. I would love to hear how you are getting on over the next few weeks and especially at the one year point. I wish you well and happy shoe buying 😊 x

    • sally90774
      sally90774 Karen5432

      Posted

      Happy to keep you posted cheesygrin 

      I think if you're scared of the pain and recovery, get it all done at once. I can't imagine having to re do all of this again on another foot....not because it was terribly painful, but because it's just inconvenient! Your really HAVE to take time out of your life for this kind of surgery.

      I'd love to hear what you decide and how you get on. It's a bit of a secret society this group of ladies and their bunions! We have to look out for each other and our funny looking feet!

    • Karen5432
      Karen5432 sally90774

      Posted

      Lol that did make me laugh it's so true the word bunion just makes you feel old doesn't it 😃 yes would love to hear how you are getting on at different stages and I will definitely right let you know what I decided and my experience that's if you want to me to by then because once you're all up and back to normal you may not want to think of bunions ever again lol. Take care. Hope healing goes well.

  • Roberta265
    Roberta265 Karen5432

    Posted

    I need both feet done, but my doctor said I needed at least 4 months between operations.  I am 5 weeks post op from my first operation.  I had a bunion op with a joint replacement.  I had a small boot with minimal weight bearing.  At 5 1/2 weeks, I am still hobbling along and still have what I think is significant pain.  My doctor said my other foot will have a longer recovery time.  WHAT?   I will be 69 in a couple of months.  
    • dee81816
      dee81816 Roberta265

      Posted

      I guess we each have to make our individual decisions. I am fifty and I had my big toe realigned. Nine weeks later, begging lightly walking three weeks ago, this was an absolutely horrendous thing to have put myself through. The foot is so swollen I can’t even get a shoe on it, I had to make a slit in it.

      Now the knee on my other leg, (that took all the weight) is in constant terrible pain! I can’t believe how bad this was for me. I am also 25 lbs over weight. I wasn’t even told to try to lose weight before doing this. But I never even realized or thought that until afterwards. :-(

    • Karen5432
      Karen5432 Roberta265

      Posted

      Sorry to hear of your pain. I hope you are fully healed soon and your other op goes well. Thanks for sharing your experience
    • dee81816
      dee81816 Karen5432

      Posted

      I’m sorry Karen, I didn’t mean to make my post about me, but I did anyway.  (I just needed the one foot done btw), but I do hope all goes well with yours. I do have a lot of empathy for people who endure these issues. Make sure you take necessary medication to stay out of pain. Sincerely, Dee
    • Karen5432
      Karen5432 dee81816

      Posted

      Thanks Dee. It's good to know there is pain killers strong enough and will be taking them on the spot. Take care.

    • Roberta265
      Roberta265 Karen5432

      Posted

      Regarding pain relief:  Yes, the opioids do work well on the pain.  I ran out of them after 3 weeks and while the doctor may have prescribed more, I didn't ask as my husband would have had to travel 20+ miles to pick up the script and travel to the pharmacy.  We were moving at the time and since he was doing all the work, I didn't want to ask.  These last couple of weeks I have been using only ibuprofen.  Sadly, it isn't enough.  I hope the pain diminishes soon.  I am (was) very active, but I found that my age is a factor in my recovery.  Because of my current activity, everything has stiffened up and aches.  Sometimes I wish the doctor would have allowed both to be done at the same time, but at other times, I am glad I have only one to deal with.  I wish you well on your surgery.  Is your doctor willing to do both feet?  

    • Karen5432
      Karen5432 Roberta265

      Posted

      Hi Roberta, yes my doctor said I could have both done at the same time, he did use the words 'it's more crippling' 😲 but he did give the choice to me. I'm sorry to hear you are still in pain and I hope in time you're back to full health again. Thanks for writing x

    • Roberta265
      Roberta265

      Posted

      Are they both the same procedure?  Although I had a bunion on my recently operated foot, the procedure on this foot was different than what it will be on the other foot. This foot had severe arthritis and no cartilage in the toe joint. I couldn’t bend my toe without pain.- hence a joint replacement and realignment. I have a severe bunion on the other foot where the big toe overlaps the second toe. Dr said the recovery will be longer with the second surgery, but this recent surgery was more involved ( whatever that means). 
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