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Severe burning in foot 14 days after ankle surgery

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jane26842
jane26842

Qin had ankle ligament repair surgery after severe sprain.  Had surgery 14 days ago today.  Yesterday the cast was removed and got put in the attractive black ankle boot and told I could be weight baring.  Seemed things were going well and I walked with the aid of a crutch a little around house.  Well, I went to sleep around 11:30 pm.  I have tried in vain to sleep on my back and just can't so I prompt pillows up and layer on my side and elevated foot as best I could. Got woken up at 4:00 am with excruciat BURNING all over foot.  I tell you I've never felt pain like this before and that includes giving birth. It is now 5:45 am and I found this forum.  Has anyone experienced this severe burning after surgery?  I had a block during surgery Nd foot was numb for 48 hours and then it wore off I had some tingling and burning in my heel but that went away.  Now this burning started. I tell you Imwas in tears and I'm a person that usually can handle pain.  Please respond if anyone can enlighten me.

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  • Lynda123
    Lynda123 jane26842

    Posted

    So glad I found this. Even thou your a year into this process. I am having the excruciating burning pain in the top of my foot with bolts of lightning going thru my toes. This happens at bedtime. Nothing is working to stop it. I just might ask the dr for some flexaril. How long did the burning pain last?
    • cyd2006
      cyd2006 Lynda123

      Posted

      Hi Linda, I think everyone's story will be a bit different.  My terrible burning and stinging lasted about three months and the evenings were definitely the worst.  I was lucky to have Percocet left from the surgery that I resorted to some nights just so I could sleep.

      I'm at the six-month mark right now and still have some hyper-sensitivity, numbness and some prickliness at night, but it's a world of improvement over what it was!  Physiotherapy really helped me.

      Good luck and try to stay positive.

    • mark_31926
      mark_31926 Lynda123

      Posted

      Lynda, You found a great site with some wonderful people that have have been there! The burning is awful but it does subside with time. I have been told it's normal, but the pain and sleepless nights are not...hang in there! It gets better 😉Mine started 14 days post surgery and lasted a week or two. Always at night too

    • tami24409
      tami24409 Lynda123

      Posted

      I have the exact same pain. I am 12 days post op ankle realignment and OCD repair. The top of my foot is numb mostly below big toe. My heal is also numb. Within first few days post op I developed a grade 1 pressure sore on my heal. 4 days ago I started feeling increased burning, stinging, tingling, in addition to the numbness. I feel lightning bolts going through my big toe into my foot. My skin I still hypersensitive and I can't tolerate  even the lightest touch. I certainly hope this is temporary and only part of the healing process. 

    • PureSQNut
      PureSQNut tami24409

      Posted

      12 days ago? Nice somebody with the same timing as mine. On July 12th I had my surgery which was scheduled for 3 hours and took almost 6. 7 procedures later in one shot I woke up with an excessive bleeding issue from one of the 11 incision sites on my left ankle.

      I read about everybody getting their stitches out and I'm jealous as I'm still in my splint but pending removal of 35 staples and 14 stitches this Friday and then they are putting me into a cast to early September.

      In the hospital they had me on dilotted and Norco every 4 hours but I guess I was a light weight and it was really messing with me so after being in the hospital for 3 days I came home and went cold turkey on nothing more than etodolac and Tylenol with a ibuprofen chaser as needed.

      I have had the electrical shock pain from the mid ankle thru the left side of the ankle to both my small toes for about a week now.

      But the interesting part is swelling is down, I'm back to work (only because I can sit at a desk with my leg up on the desk and the boss bough an ice maker to make sure.i never run out for the back of my knee) and I can drive 45 minutes each way to work with no issues. (Counting my blessings ).. but these nerve pains burning feelings are driving me crazy.

      I am gonna talk to the the surgeon Friday and get his input and really push for no cast and just a boot but I am No weight bearing for 7 more weeks.

      FWIW I have had to have my bandages redone three times and my splint redone twice. My biggest level of relief was the other day when they added an excessive amount of padding being the ankle (due to the 9 staples as the back edge of the heel) and to the sides, but now the split really isn't long enough so I talked to.tge doctor and cut up two socks to put between the splint by my toes and the front of the fiberglass splint as they were rubbing raw. Major improvement!!

      Nights are still spent with my leg up in a foam cuped therapeutic leg lift I got on Amazon and I also found reprieve at night by not covering my foot and having a fan blow in that area. Since then I'm sleeping every night.

      I'm anxious and nervous to see how the coming weeks come along and look forward to seeing and hearing about your healing process in the coming weeks and months.

    • tami24409
      tami24409 PureSQNut

      Posted

      How is your recovery?  I got out into an air cast at week 6 with partial weight bearing in boot only. Started PT at week 7. At week 9 I am weaning myself off the boot and able to walk unassisted short distances. I still have mild nerve pain but is actually feels food to massage and rub it now. I stopped all my pain meds except Tylenol about 3 weeks ago. I still ice and elevate at least 1-2 times a day. Water therapy is the best and I am hopeful to be walking normal in the next 3 weeks. At least that is what my surgeon wants to see. 
  • melody1st
    melody1st jane26842

    Posted

    To Anyone on here I have not slept its 8am went to er last night broken bone in foot they splint it half cast told me to see a surgeon. I get home and my heel is on FIRE they break isn't even near the heel and I haven't had surgery. I broke it on Tuesday went to re on Friday did not have this pain until the splint it. It's Saturday no docs available I'm about to unwrap the whole thing that's how bad this is... help!!!

  • Gabenick2
    Gabenick2 jane26842

    Posted

    I am 3 weeks post op. I fell and fractured my left fibula and sprained my right ankle. I was unable to bear any weight. I have been miserable! I had ORIF with plate and pins. The incision has not been an issue.  I had a nerve block which lasted 48 hours and were the best 48 hours of this experience. I was on weight bearing for 2 weeks with my soft cast/splint. I have gone from a wheelchair to a walker, had cast removed and in a boot. After the removal of the cast I experienced Charlie horse like pain, in my head I thought electrolyte imbalance due to cramping as well of my calf.  That would literally make me cry. I am now experiencing the nerve pain..... oh mighty hell!!!  I rather give birth to another 10 pound child than this pain. After the cast was removed it would hurt to rub my foot or put a sock on, now I can massage my foot and heel without issues and squeeze as well. My tingling pain starts when I put my leg down. I am hoping it will improve in the next 3 weeks as I have a trip planned. I see my surgeon in 1 week and he mentioned physical therapy would be ordered then. I have an adjustable bed and have been sleeping with my legs elevated since my fracture 4 weeks ago. I am glad I came across this site as I am ready to scream. I feel so help less, at least now I can use the bathroom without being carried. 
    • tami24409
      tami24409 Gabenick2

      Posted

      My nerve pain was the worst 2-3 weeks post op. Despite the pain I manually massaged and simulated my foot with different textures which has helped desensitize my foot. I still have some nerve pain and numbness over my big toe and the lateral sidenof my foot near one incisions, but the worst is over. The pain is bearable and it actually feels good to rub it. 

      Swelling is your enemy. Ice and elevation are key and will help in your recovery. I still ice my foot daily. I am now  9 weeks post op. 

  • Hollyr
    Hollyr jane26842

    Posted

    Hey! I know I'm pretty late to the game as far as your posting but while I'm going through basically the same thing you went 

    Through my

    Searching brought me to you....

    How are you doing NOW?!? I am 4.5 Months post op ankle surgery and I was doing great for a while....and then I started getting these horrific burning and stinging pains in my foot, in even my Leg.....my 2 little girls were w their dad for a week and I was able to stay off my foot pretty much all week....the pain resolved....it basically went away....and then it came back but 100x worse.....the burning and stinging (it's like a bee sting x1000) and the "pinching" I feel is in BOTH my ankles, legs, ARMS, etc.....the ONLY relief I get (the pains the worst at night), is by icing my ankle, muscle relaxer, my spinal cord stimulator (I've had 8 back surgeries including a spinal fusion and my

    Recovery and pain was NOTHING compared to

    This horrific pain) and sometimes a hot bath will help but like tonight, it's made it worse so instead I'm

    Sitting in the bath tub w my foot under the faucet having cold water run on it.....and for some reason both my feet, both arms and even my face will get blood red and I can tell when my pains about the outbreak and come from hiding Bc I can feely

    Body start to heat up....it's horrible. 

    I can Only hope that your pain eventually got much much better....before I broke my ankle, I was almost Back to My Old self BEFORE I had my first and eighth back surgery and then this s**t happens.....& im back down to -100......

    I can't help but cry and scream out to God to heal My Body and relieve me of my pain Bc most

    Days that's the only

    Hope i have...

    If you get this PLEASE email me at...

    Thanks! Holly 

    Moderator comment: I have removed the email address as we do not publish these in the forums. If users wish to exchange contact details please use the Private Message service.

    http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

    • tami24409
      tami24409 Hollyr

      Posted

      Wow!  Hollyr. I am so sorry. What a set back. I understand and feel your frustration. Have you spoken to your doctor about the extent of the nerve pain in both affected and non-affected legs and arms, as well as facial and body flushing?  I would expect this far in your recovery you would be feeling better not worse (I know you have probably thought that many times). Could there be something else going on or perhaps a nerve is being pinched?

      It it were me I would message my doctor or schedule an appt to talk about these new symptoms. Bkessings to you, hang in there. 

    • Gabenick2
      Gabenick2 Hollyr

      Posted

      Wow what a bummer. It sounds like a pinched nerve. I saw my surgeon this past Friday, he put me in a boot and told me to stop babying my foot and start moving it. I have been stretching it like crazy and trying to walk around my house. I mentioned nerve pain and looked at me a bit surprised. He said I should be moving it and "wake" things up. I asked how long before I can expect for relief and he stated 2/3 days, ha!! I knew better because I had read this thread prior. Last night it took me 3 hours to fall asleep l, I massaged my foot and waited for the tingling to calm down. This is miserable. I may have to start using my cold compression machine, I thought a hot bath would help. I also start physical therapy tomorrow. If you need to reach me send me a pm with your address as they deleted it on this thread. 

  • megamom
    megamom jane26842

    Posted

      I had terrible  burning on the bottom of my foot, especially the first day I went  without  my boot for a couple of hours.  Miserable feeling, now a week later that has mostly gone away and I am out of boot most of the time.  I told my therapist it felt like all the skin had been burnt off the bottom of my feet leaving all my nerves exposed.   Just keep telling yourself this too shall pass, not as quickly as we would like but it will, and it is common.
    • marilyn56917
      marilyn56917 megamom

      Posted

      I had ATFL and CFL reconstruction surgery 9 days ago. I have been feeling ok except for at night when I get random (not constant) jolts of absolute excruciating burning pain in the top of my foot going toward my toes (which are numb). I can't sleep much, the pain jolts me up quickly! Yesterday, I had my first time out of the house, I went to Michaels craft store. My husband dropped me off at the door, I crunched to the back of the store, got 4 things and then that same brutal burning pain started! It stayed burning, enough to make me sweat it hurt so bad, until I returned to the car and put it up on my pillow. I sleep on my couch because the pain wakes me often! What in the world could this insanity be?!?! Please help!!

    • deni16969
      deni16969 marilyn56917

      Posted

      Hi Marilyn,   I’m not positive but spoke with an RN and she said burning pain is usually nerve irritation after surgery and passes.  Will see the doctor this Wed. It will be my first question and I will follow-up with you. RN said to continue with meds.  Patience and prayer help also. I hope this has helped a bit. 
    • marilyn56917
      marilyn56917 deni16969

      Posted

      I finally spoke with my doctor and he says pretty much the same thing! I just haven't taken any pain medication in about 6 days. I am taking some tonight before bed though! I hope it helps!! Thank you and good luck to you too! I will keep you posted!

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