Nervous about upcoming Lapidus Fusion Bunionectomy

Hi De33ie....I just looked for your longer posting (searched on your title and name) and can't pull it up...can you post a link by chance?

You may have seen my question above... was your procedure fusing of the TMT joint and do you find that lack of motion inhibiting?

Do you know what procedure your surgeon used at the MTP joint?  (base of large toe?)

Thanks so much for any insights!

 

Hi De33ie,

Thank you for your quick response! It is so wonderful to hear good news regarding this surgery. Most of the time, it's the opposite. I will definitely look for your post. Perhaps you can post a link as suggested by Susan20639 below?

I was just talking to my husband about whether I should stay upstairs in my master bedroom or downstairs where the kitchen and living room are during my first few post op days. Upstairs, I have a walk in shower that is smallish, but I can place a chair in there. Downstairs, I have a tub, but I hear some people hang their feet out to bathe.

Realistically, will I be able to get up/downstairs on my butt? And how soon/easy is it to bathe? I keep hearing how painful it is to have the feet down below your heart the first few weeks... Also, how did you get to the bathroom the first few days? I'm not heavy, but I can't expect my husband to carry me

Thank you again for your time!

Here is De33ie's post:

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/my-bunion-hammer-toe-surgery-experience-665544

 

Hello Susan, I'm sorry, I did not see any other questions from anyone else but msruby when I posted that. Yes, I had two screws put in at the TMT joint and a pin temporarily placed in my second toe, I don't know what procedure they used at the MTP joint. If the surgeon told me, it just went over my head, I tend to get nervous and not pay close enough attention when I need to. I just know I can bend my foot and great toe just fine now, it's the second toe that I can't bend, so when I try to do a "lunge" when working out, I can't use that foot like I used to in order to push off and up, if that makes sense. If I'm on my feet too long my foot will get sore and swell some but not like it used to.

I can post some photos of my before and after x-rays and foot also, as soon as I figure out how to do that.

I'm sorry I didn't put a link in earlier, thank you for posting that msruby! I'm new to this site and wasn't sure I would be doing it correctly, lol. Here it is again just in case it doesn't come through for some on that post.

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/my-bunion-hammer-toe-surgery-experience-665544

Thank you!

Hello again msruby, I know, it is comforting to read about the good outcomes from this surgery. I tended to avoid reading the negative stories when possible until afterward since I knew I was going to go through with it regardless.

I will say I wanted to be in bed for the first few days because I was tired from the pain meds and my bedroom has a bathroom in it so I didn't have to go far to use it, I just used the crutches to go for those shorter distances and the knee scooter for the farther distances. I only needed help to the toilet for the first day because I was a little weak and shaky from the meds.

The surgeon said to keep the foot elevated at the "nose to toes level" as much as possible and put an ice pack under the knee often for about 20 minutes at a time. Anytime I didn't follow those directions, sure enough, it would start hurting and swell.

For my bath/showers we wrapped my cast in a standard sized kitchen garbage bag with a large rubber band at the top of the cast at my knee. I sat on a foot stool in the tub with my leg hanging over and out of the tub and I used the hand held shower attachment which worked out great.

After several days in the bedroom I was getting around better and I wanted to be up and around more so that's when I spent more time in the rest of the house sitting in the recliner with my foot elevated and ice under the knee off and on.

Each situation is different but I hope I've been of some help.

 

Thank you for the comforting advice! It's good to know someone who has done this and managed so well. So you will have your second surgery on your left foot in Feb 2019? Are you able to do most everything on your right foot now? I heard it may swell for a year or more. Are you able to get back into your old shoes yet?

My surgeon advised for me to do my left foot 8-10 weeks after the first. After reading the posts on this forum, I don't know if that is a good idea, as it sounds like most people need a good 12+ weeks for the first foot to recover enough to weight bear for the second foot surgery.

Currently, I work out a lot and can't imagine not being able to for months. I'd rather get them both done asap and start rehabilitation to get on with my life. But I guess I'll know after the first surgery when the time is right.

I hope I'm uploading these photos correctly and in the correct posting. I'm sorry, I'm new here and I don't want to post in the wrong place and step on any toes, lol.

The side view x-ray was taken on March 13, 2018  as was the right side of the second photo and the left side of the second photo is of my foot before surgery. (Surgery was Feb.1, 2018)

Someone asked me in another post when was I able to wear regular shoes and I'm not sure if i answered that question or not so I'll answer here just in case. I started wearing regular tennis shoes the day after my doctor said not to wear the boot anymore, I just loosened up the strings to adapt for the swelling. (Actually I wore my tennis shoes that afternoon for a couple of hours) I asked about what to wear around the house and the surgeon said a sturdier pair of sandals would be fine as opposed to the flimsy flip flop type and that I should avoid going bare-footed.

 

Just to clarify, the "second photo" got switched around after I clicked the reply button to upload these photos, so the second photo I was referring to is the photo containing the before and after top views. Sorry about that.

Wow, big difference! Will they take out the pin in your second toe later on or is it permanent? Thanks for sharing!

Hi msruby, You are welcome, I am thankful for being able to share our experiences on here, it does help to know there are others going through similar experiences.

I noticed I didn't answer your question about my second surgery. I will be having it sometime in February of 2019.

I don't really have a problem with swelling anymore unless I have been on my feet for too long.

I've been wearing regular shoes since I was told not to wear the boot anymore, I just loosened the shoe strings some and around the house, I wear sandals.

Hi De33ie,

Thank you for your time to make those of us who will be going through this at ease. BTW, I noticed you had mentioned that your bunion didn't hurt, but it was your smaller toes. That's my issue mainly. The bunion doesn't hurt (unless I do something obvious like wear pointy heels and dance the night away), but I had a nerve flare up between my third and fourth toes.

I went to the Boston marathon and my foot was in horrible shape for a couple of weeks. I had a neuroma and it felt like I was stepping on a marble with every step, a shock going up my foot. Later on, it seemed like there was a loose rubber band between those toes that would snap or feel like it would twang. We had an MRI about a month later and the neuroma had calmed down. But I still have the uncomfortable feeling between those toes after I run or spin.

The surgeon said it was because my big toe wasn't doing it's job with the weight bearing and forcing my smaller toes to take the brunt of my weight and impact when exercising. Also, the bunion was causing the nerves to compress. He said he could cut back the nerve, but would rather fix the bunion (he said it was less risky than messing with the nerves), and it would probably solve the other issues with my smaller toes.

Did you find that your sensation of stepping on a large stone went away after your foot was aligned properly?

You're welcome.

On March 13, 2018 I had the pin removed from the hammer toe after they removed the fiberglass cast and took these x-rays. (Getting the stitches taken out hurt more than getting the pin taken out. I did feel some discomfort when the pin was being pulled past the knuckle area but not for long [on a pain scale of 1-10 with 10 being the most painful, my pain was a 2].

The tape that was on the bunion incision was left on.  At this time I was given a walking boot (soft cast) and was told that I could walk short distances but should continue using scooter/crutches for long distances. I wore Skechers Shape-Ups on my good foot because it’s a taller than the average tennis shoe so it matched the boot’s elevation. 

(Actually this was 5 weeks & 5 days after surgery, not 4 weeks & 4 days like my first lengthy post states. The dates are correct but some of the time span is wrong. I wish there was a way to go back to our original posts to edit them) 

The two screws in the top of my foot are permanent.

 

That does make sense about the nerves.

Yes, the sensation of stepping on a large stone has went away, thank goodness, so far, so good.

Hi De33ie,

I just spoke to my surgeon's assistant today and he said for the first two weeks, he wanted me to mainly stay in bed with the foot elevated. I should only get up to go to the bathroom, no scooter, only crutches (my surgeon thinks using a scooter is dangerous the first two weeks). I will only have a soft cast and dressing, so he said absolutely no weight bearing on that foot! So I have to wonder where I would put that foot when I have to go to the bathroom when sitting on the toilet. Am I allowed to prop up my foot on the heel? Hard to imagine what you can do to keep that foot off the ground in that position, LOL! If I wanted to go downstairs in those first two weeks, can I scuttle down on my butt and one leg or is that a no-no?

Hello msruby, I can see how they wouldn't want someone on the scooter, it did take some maneuvering, not that difficult but if you turn too sharp there could be a chance of tipping over.

My post surgical cast was plaster and my second cast was fiberglass and I was to be non-weight bearing for 6 weeks.

When I used the bathroom, being that my tub is directly beside the toilet, I leaned a crutch on the side of the tub, in front of the toilet and propped my foot on the crutch.

I would ask the doctor about if the heel could be propped or not. If it were me, I wouldn't try going down any stairs but that's for you to decide, I live in a single story so I don't have that issue.

It is quite a journey and I adapted but I had to keep reminding myself that there are people going through worse than I am and this is only temporary.

Hmm, maybe I will stay downstairs on the couch then. At least then I can have the tv nearby and it's cooler. I'm thinking of all these minor things, like "how do I brush my teeth, wash my hair, etc."

What kind of clothes should I prepare that would be easy to wear during the six weeks? I was thinking shorts or wide leg culottes. I'll have to get them early, because if I ask my husband, he'll get something so tacky or loud, because he knows I'll have to wear it, LOL!

Again, I'm so sorry to take up your time, I know you've been through this and don't need to re-live it for me, but it's so helpful knowing how to prepare for this!

 

I know, you don't really think of the small things until you go through it, that's another reason I wanted to write these things down while they were fresh in my mind for next time.

The first couple of days I was tired more than anything, my husband had to wake me up and make me eat so I could take my pain meds.

It was at times a workout just getting used to using the crutches and knee scooter so rest while you can. I was glad I practiced using the scooter before surgery, LOL.

My husband took a week's vacation for the first week after surgery and

having him with me was extremely helpful and comforting. 

I bought a dry shampoo to use for the first few days and I leaned myself up on my crutches to brush my teeth or I would also just drive the scooter into the bathroom and park in front of the sink sideways and brush my teeth while kneeling on that, just made sure to put the brake on and not turn the handlebars sideways or else the tires would try to roll the thing over when I leaned over, I just kept the tires pointing straight ahead.

It was cold when I had my surgery so I wore sweats with wider legs at the bottom when I went out anywhere and at home I found knee length gowns and dresses were the easiest.

You don't need to apologize for taking my time, I don't mind at all. This is helping me to remember certain things I may have forgotten about and need to write down for next time.

By the way, I posted "A Short Summary and photos..." at this link:

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/a-short-summary-and-photos-of-my-bunion-hammer-toe-experience-670012

I forgot to mention in that post that the photo of my feet WITH toenail polish on my toes was taken yesterday, July 23, 2018.

Again, feel free to ask anymore questions.