Bilateral bunionectomy

plate · Newbie Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 19

Hey there,
I need some good advice. After painful years for both my feet, my doctor and me decided two days ago that I must go through bilateral bunionectomy. Well, the only thing is… I am insecure, whether should I have bunionectomy twice or bilateral bunionectomy. I anyone here with experience in bilateral bunionectomy? I would be very thankful for advice! God bless!

heinrich · Newbie Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 14

Hello,
I had Bilateral bunionectomy in april 2003. Everything is ok now. But if think that I would have to do a bunionectomy on my second foot… HUH! Before operation I was put in to same position as you are now- to have standard one-at-a-time procedure or bilateral bunionectomy. I decided for the last. Anyhow- both decisions are not easy!! But I thought then it’s better to finish this as soon as possible and forget about this problems… It seems now I was right. I have a wonderful family that helped me put through bilateral bunionectomy. You should be aware that after the surgery no getting on your feet for about 14 days... for me that was the hardest part. So, if don’t have anyone that is with you all the time, it’s better to have the standard procedure. With bunionectomy on just one foot, you can always rely on the healthy one, but with Bilateral bunionectomy you must take care for both legs. Help from others is extremely important.
Good luck with both feet!

rlynnsable · Newbie Joined: 30 Jun 2006 Posts: 2

Three weeks ago today I had a bilateral bunionectomy. I did have to have a big-toe bone in each foot broke and metal rods used to reposition them. My doctor did not want to do both feet at the same time, but because I am a teacher and wanted to get both feet finished over the summer, I insisted that both be done. My husband is an off-shore worker and was able to be home for approxametly two weeks following my surgery. He had to carry me everywhere, including the restroom, for the first 10 days. There were times I insisted on being independently mobile and took a few steps in the first 10 days, but it is not recommended. For pain I was given Tylenol 3. The most pain I have experienced so far was during the night. For some reason, during the night, my left foot wants to flex. This spasm or tightening immediately wakes me in intense pain. Fortunetly, my right foot hasn't done this. I did rent a wheel-chair and a walker. After the first 10 days, I have tried staying out of the wheel-chair as much as possible, but when I go places that require a lot of walking I do still use it. The walker was useful for about two days and then I gave up on using it. It was more of a hassle than help. My husband has been back at work for the past week and I have managed quite well on my own. I have been driving, I went to CVS, the groceries, and a four day training unassisted. My feet did swell some and one day I did go back to the use of my wheel-chair just to give them a rest. If I don't have to go out for something, I stay in. I have accidently dropped my purse on each foot so far, very painful, and have bumped my toes on a thing or two. The wooden shoes I was given to wear are not very comfortable. They are heavy and put too much weight on my feet. When I am home I walk without them. You will not be allowed to get your feet wet. To bathe, I have slid, bottom first, into the tub keeping both feet elevated on the edge. Also, I have a walk-in shower with a hand-held shower head. I sit in the bottom of the shower with my feet out and us the hand-held shower head to bathe. I wash any exposed skin on my feet with a damp rag or baby wipes. I had my stitches removed at about 1 1/2 weeks post surgery. After removing my stitches, my feet were re-wraped with guaze and ace bandages, as usual, but they did not wrap around my big toes this time. Because both big toes were allowed more movement, I did experience another intense round of soreness for a couple of days. Also, my incisions did pull some and drainage was noticed. This is all normal. Another thing that is irritating is that the cut-end of the metal rod in my left foot was bent towards my foot. This cut, pointy end has slightly poked and irritated my foot when I swell. The other foot has the metal rod bent upward, that is much more comfortable. Like I said, it has been 3 weeks today and I am walking, but not very much or far. I am even exercising with some stomach crunches and leg-lifts. Pain is there but nothing ibiprofen doesn't see me through. The metal rods will be removed in about two weeks and then I hope I will be a lot more mobile. Good luck,
Robin

numb feet · Newbie Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 2

I am 35yrs old and just had a Bilateral bunionectomy 1.5 weeks ago along with tendon elongation of the 2nd toes. I stayed overnight in the hospital for 1 day on a dilaudid pump which I did not use or need. Oral pain medications worked just fine for the first week and now I am on NSAIDS (like ibuprophen). My feet are both in mini casts and they are being removed later on this week along with the sutures. I was flat on my back during the first week and slept all day and night due to the pain medications. When I switched over to NSAIDS I developed severe restless from laying around all day and thought I would go nuts. For the first few days post op I had to be carried to use the bathroom and then I was able to hobble walking of the outside edges of my feet. The walker is useless. A wheelchair is great for going out in public. You are dependent on a caretaker post op (you will need someone to clean your house and cook for you and walk your dog). The pain is constant but manageable. The pain is worse when the feet are down in a dependent position...elevation makes them feel better. My complaint is the numbness (not complete anesthesia, rather I have severe paresthesias) of the great (big) toes. It is very uncomfortalbe to touch them. I am nervous I have nerve injury. Will the numbness ever go away? I feel like I will never walk normally again. The numbness is mainly on the bottom of the toes and part of the 2nd toes. I can't imagine ambulating when the casts are off due to the numbness and tingling. HELP. I need reassurance.

lja324 · Newbie Joined: 07 Aug 2006 Posts: 2

On July 13th I have bilateral bunionectomies and bone spurs removed from the tops of both feet. I wish I would have gone with my first decision of having only the worst bunion fixed first because on july 20th I had to go back in for a second surgery on my rt foot the screw moved and i had two fractures of the big toe. My Dr humiliated me in surgery saying that I was the one that did it but he had told my husband and I that the bone in that toe was mushy when he put the screw in. I didnt want to go back to him for my post op but had no choice. I hate every visit. He put a cast up to my knee on my rt foot and a walking boot up to the knee on my left and i am confined to the house keeping my feet elevated. I have had anxiety attacks because of all of this. My husband finds me crying all of the time because I cant go outside and am on my 4th week now with my left foot. I am back to work with crutches and a smaller cast on the rt and smaller walking boot on the left. I would never do bilateral again. I am a very active person and feel like I cant do anything for myself.

FootsieGal · Newbie Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 5

lja: How old are you.
Rlynn: How old are you.

I learned a lot from your posts on bilateral bunionectomy,
but I am curious as to how old you are. I am 59 and
trying to get an idea of how long my healing process would be.

franya · Newbie Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Posts: 1

Being a teacher I didn't really have much of an option but to have had a bilateral bunionectomy, bilateral morton's neuroma and a soft corn removed. It was three weeks yesterday since the op and I'm still in a wheelchair. Doctor said to have my feet elevated at all times and not be weight bearing for at least another three weeks when I'm due for another visit. Ever since the surgery, I've had terrible burning sensation in both feet relieved only with pain killers and anti inflamatories. Whenever I'm in the wheelchair both feet turn almost blue from the blood rushing downwards and throbbing/pulsating painfully. My feet and toes are still terribly swollen and numb and the second toes from the major toe are severly misalligned and protruding towards the rest of the toes. I did not receive any information or instruction on any form of excercise or physio and so am trying to flex and stretch my toes. All in all my experience has not been a good one and after reading some of the experiences from other people, am not holding my breath for any miracle.

Ten years ago I've had a moreton's neuroma removed from my right foot and it has returned, but have it in both feet. The most sensible conclusion I could arrive at is that my hallux valgus was causing the problem. Therefore by removing the cause I would be removing the recurrence of the moreton's - or so I hope!

I don't know what to expect with my feet, whether I'll regain full balance and feeling in all my toes, but am taking each day as it comes and pray to God for a positive outcome.

I hope others have not such a negative view of the above procedure.

Franya
Melbourne

summercav · Guest

I am also an actuve young adult (30) who recently (2 1/2) months ago had both feet done. I played volleybally in college and grew up with footpain. It was not until this past year that I decided to cowgirl up and put myself out of misery. I have to tell you the slight nerve damage is way better than the awful pain I went through with my bunions. At a glance my feet did not look bad but boy did they hurt. Life is so much better now that I have undergone this surgery.
The first week I stayed completely off my feet and the 2nd and 3rd week I worked from home. This was a blessing and I highly recommend it. Walking is absolutley a challenge and you learn to let people help you...you have to, it's just not worth the risk of messing something up. Stay off your feet and let them heal.
This will be about my 12th or 13th week and this past weekend I went to the beach and played volleybally in the sand for over 5 hours. My big toes are a little tight and still may have some aches and pains but again, nothing compared to the sharp pain of bunions before the surgery.
I am glad I got it done all at once and again I do have slight numbness in one big toe and a weird sensation on my other foot to the second toe, but it's noting I do not pray will eventually correct itself a little bit. If not, it's not anything I can't live with. Good luck!

Guest · Guest

I had one foot done about 8 weeks ago. When the doc tried to insert the small screw, my metatarsal bone was so hard, it shattered. I ended up with 2 oversized screws and a bone graft. It was outpatient and I left the hospital with a surgical shoe, but 10 days later was put in a cam walker (big and bulky). I was supposed to be able to wear tennis shoes after 2 weeks. Now, I find out that one of the screws has "backed out", separating the bone. Next week, I will have additional surgery to remove the screw and will have to wear the cam walker several more weeks. I must have had a "screw loose" BEFORE I decided to have the foot repaired. But overall, the surgery is not nearly as painful as it sounds. Good luck!

mjones6578 · Newbie Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Posts: 1

I had a unique situation, my bunions were on the outsides of my feet, fifth metatarsal. I had a bunionectomy on both feet june of 06. My right foot is fine, my left had a staff infection in it prior to surgery. My surgeon did surgery anyway, and I ended up with severe complications. They refused to give me antibiotics post surgery, in the hopes that they cut out the infection. There was no breaking of bones, or plates or screws, just the shaving down of the bone. 5 days post surgery, I landed back up in the hospital where they had to open my foot back up (my foot was ballooned to twice its size) and drained it. Then I was left with a gaping hole in the side of my foot that had to heal from the inside out.
today, nearly a year later, my bone is infected and now I may have to have my metatarsal head removed.
NOTE TO EVERYONE, if there is every any infection prior to surgery, do not let them do surgery!!!!!!!! I was really afraid I was going to lose my foot post surgery.
Has anyone out there had complications like this, and what did they do after????

Bilateral bunionectomy

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