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Getting Fed Up Now

Posted , 15 users are following.

beanie65
beanie65

It's 6 weeks today since my surgery, Im getting so frustrated and wondering if I will ever be normal again, well as normal as normal can be. My foot is still very swollen across the bridge and around the scar. My scar stings to the extreme, still getting the most weird sensations on the scar like tasering,  I'm getting also sorts of twinges in my foot and toes. To be honest I never experienced pain with my bunion, but they insisted that I had it done due to the toe twisting.  My toe is still cocked up. Just want it all to feel like it did before the surgery, can't bear the thought of feeling like this forever! When can I drive? Im nervous about driving. How long can I expect it to go on like this, want to be able to have a dance for New Year but right now I feel like hiding away forever cry

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  • jazzym05353
    jazzym05353 beanie65

    Posted

    Oh no you poor thingsad

    I know exactly how you feel. Mine isn't worse than before but doesn't look like there's so much of a difference. After all this waiting and resting I know how you feel love. We've got to hang in there and think positive. Keep on at your GP or surgeon. That is why Im going to see mine on Monday to show her my feet and tell her exactly how I feel and see whether she wants to refer me back to the same surgeon or whether she wants me to wait until all the swellings gone down. To tell you the truth there's not much swelling left really. On the positive side bought some uggs today, a size bigger but very comfortable. Hang in there Beanie. We'll get there

    • sheila_27698
      sheila_27698 jazzym05353

      Posted

      Hi jazzy

      How r u getting on? Have u been back to consultant yet? I go back in Jan but I do feel I will need to press for the Akins. I can feel my toe pulling against bunion joint it is def not as straight and narrow as left foot. It does look better than before but not as good as the one I had done 20yrs ago. I have received a letter which is offering akin if I continue to get symptoms but I feel very frustrated that I may have to go to surgery again. I dont understand why they made the decision not to do the Akins.

    • jazzym05353
      jazzym05353 sheila_27698

      Posted

      Hi Sheila, 

      I'm ok. Thanks for asking. After receiving my GP's letter stating that I wasn't happy with the outcome of my surgery I received a follow up appointment at the hospital for the 16th January. Feels a long time to wait but at least it's a step closer to where I want to be going with this. Sounds really silly but sometimes I'm just rehearsing in my head and even out loud what I'm going to say at that appointment. Really nervous😓 but still stand by how I feel👍 I cam imagine you feeling frustrated but at least you've already been given that choice. Seriously that is so good to hear. I hope my surgeon's is understanding and accepts what has gone wrong. Please keep me posted as to how you get on. So happy for you😊

  • joyce16553
    joyce16553 beanie65

    Posted

    Hi Beanie,

    I began to drive at 7 weeks.  I think we all thought the worst was over by 6 weeks.  That's what My doc said.  But I'm five months out, and still have swelling, some pain on some days, and stinging of the scar.  I'm just beginning to "shove" my foot inot favorite shoes and going out in high heels.  Sometimes it hurts the next day, but I don't care anymore. I'm trying to get my life back to what it was before the surgery. I am hoping that after a year of ups and downs, things will be normal again.

    Each day gets better, then there's a setback, then a perfect day. I think you will feel pretty well in another 6 weeks.

  • LisaS4
    LisaS4 beanie65

    Posted

    Hang in there Beanie!  There are so many ups and downs with this surgery, its frustrating.  I started driving at 6 weeks.  I am now 12 weeks and feel loads better than i did at 6 weeks.  I am only starting to transition into my everyday shoes now.  My foot still swells every day and some days it hurts and others it doesn't.  Sometimes I have a day or so of odd feelings (clicking at the site of the pins / sensation of bunching under ball of toe / pins & needles in big toe, etc).  It all comes and goes.  I agree with Joyce, it gets better then a setback, and so on.  Hoping that when I hit the 12 month mark all the niggles are gone.  Give it another 6 weeks and fingers crossed you may well feel much better than you do now x
    • carol94506
      carol94506 LisaS4

      Posted

      Hi Lisa I am about 12 weeks now and agree with you message about good and bad days.  I get the funny feeling oh a bunching clicking feeling and some days I feel great and then I feel achy and tired.  Obviously at this time of year with all the extra work, shopping etc to do it seems worse than it perhaps would have done.  I try to keep positive but then if I comment to anyone how my foot hurts or how tired and achy I feel you sometimes get the standard comments back "It could be worse" etc.  but that is from someone who who does not know what it feels like😒
  • carie17
    carie17 beanie65

    Posted

    Hi . Sorry to hear you are feeling glum.

    Do you want the good or bad news? 

    The good news is you are not alone and I'm sure things will get better. Rest and elevation are the key and a lot of patience! 

    The bad news that they never tell you pre op is how long it takes. I'm told at 13 weeks things get a lot better,  but I am in week 9 and still have an itchy scar on my left foot, can't walk anywhere without massive swelling and can't drive. 

    I've given up the thought of dancing at New Year

    Bother

    However it must be all worthwhile? ! ?

    • elizabeth_83569
      elizabeth_83569 carie17

      Posted

      Hi I get my pin out Monday I have to get back to work by the 5th Dec I had a really painful night last night it's not usually painful but as you say ups and downs 
  • paula62379
    paula62379 beanie65

    Posted

    Hi Beani

    know just how you feel.  You are definitely not given enough information pre-op.

    I am one day short of 7 weeks post op and it does seem like you take two steps forward and one step back most of the time.  My wound has just now completely closed and I was scared to move even my toes too much (not that they can move very much at all just now, lol) in case the wound opened up some more.  I get quite a bit of sensitivity around the wound area too and must have banged my foot a couple of nights ago while asleep as I woke up to the most horrible pains in the bone.  I'm keeping it padded at night time now so that it hopefully won't happen again.

    My foot is still swelling up a lot but I am lucky inasmuch as I can elevate it when I need to.  I phoned the car insurance company up yesterday and they told me that as long as my doctor is happy for me to drive they are too.  I popped into the car and tried, successfully, to do an emergency stop so feel confident once I am more mobile that I will be able to drive so that is something to look forward to.

    It is frustrating as it feels it takes ages to be able to do even the simplest thing without pain or swelling but reading the posts here it is encouraging to know that most people seem to be going through the same sort of symptoms and, very slowly but surely, things improve.

    I hope you are soon pain free and "normal" soon.

    Best wishes, Paula

  • Jayniejay
    Jayniejay beanie65

    Posted

    Sorry you're having a tough time with it and hope you feel a bit better already for the enouragement you've had in response to your message. I'm 6 weeks today and recognise a lot of what you write - you're not on your own; I think this stage can be a particularly frustrating time (mine was last week which seemed like two very long, never-ending weeks).

    I put on a separate discussion the other week about driving. I wouldn't go anywhere near the driver's seat until you've been told you could do an emergency stop safely and comfortably. (And you'll need to inform your insurers first that you've had the op and are driving again). Have you had any physio or got any lined up? My first session is the week after next and the physio reckons it'll be a week or two after that before I can drive, using the benchmark or being able to stand on the ball of my foot.I can't imagine getting to that point so quickly but it sounds as if - and everyone says this - once you get to a certain point, you'll be surprised at how much more mobile you become, even though it's a long time to full recovery. Hang on in there and thank you for being brave and posting what lots of us probably feel.

    • Jayniejay
      Jayniejay

      Posted

      The bit about informing your insurers was meant to read 'that you've had your op and are ready to drive again'.
    • elizabeth_83569
      elizabeth_83569 Jayniejay

      Posted

      Guess what everyone I would just love to be able to put my foot in a basin of water for a while how long after yous got pin out did you have to wait mine is dissolving stitches doctor said healing well but still scabby 
    • sheila_27698
      sheila_27698 elizabeth_83569

      Posted

      Hi Elizabeth

      Some really good advice and support on here. I echo the two steps fwd one step back excuse the pun😊 .

      My scar opened a bit and I needed ster strips did u u have any oozing? Just rule out an infection as a course if antibiotics may be needed and it will dry up yr wound. My foot very scabby till six weeks had pin out at 5 weeks but because they pulled my nice healing scab off when changing dressing I had steri strips a bit lo get and left it a few days before the absolute bliss of soaking my foot in the bath.i added sea salt to the water rather than bath products as I have irritable dermatitis prone skin. Within days my other scabs fell off and I am now moisturizing my feet. Scar sensitive so have kept a dry dressing in. Boots do very good non stick padded dressing wich u can secure with there adhesive dressing. I find the 16cmx 10 cm secures the padded dressing in place nicely. I cut the ten x ten dry dressing in Half.

      At three weeks in shoe felt relatively pain free.came out of hard shoe at 6 weeks and wore Fitflop sandals and now can wear my Fitflop boots.

      Overdid walking about and suffered terrible pain in my foot and toes and also my knee and valves as the surgical shoe seems to shorten your calf muscles

      I also caught my foot sort of stubbed my foot in my boot yesterday and was in agony for abt 30 mins before it settled down i take naproxen and Paracetamol when needed it if i think I am going to be in my foot a long time.

      Any surgery can cause post op depression but it will pass as you get better. Is worse when you have concerns that the surgery was not successful. Would be good to have a support line wouldn't it to have a chat. Can take 12 months to feel fully better. Post op adviceis very poor. I posted a link on here which helped me alot please read it may help u to get things I in perspective.

      The Physio process can be laborious and exhausting and in some ways I have had more pain at 6 weeks than at first 3 weeks. Do check yr scar with yr dr but if is scabby is encouraging and do protect yr foot in bed for a while longer.

      Hope u feel better soon x

    • Jayniejay
      Jayniejay elizabeth_83569

      Posted

      Pin is coming out on Tuesday which is over 6 weeks but it was the first available appointment. Think you have to wait a few days before soaking foot once pin is out. That basin of water will be sooo good.

       

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