bunion surgery gone bad

I had my surgery for bunion removal about 9 month ago. I'm glad that there is no bunion on my foot anymore but my big toe has suffered a lot. I had 2 screws installed and one of them is being rejected, it is almost completely out of my bone and pushing through the skin, very visible bump. So I have to have an insision and have it removed. Plus my scar is horrible - it is still purple, large and bumpy, it hurts when I touch it and the doctor (not the one who performed the surgery) said that he can cut the scar out and make it less visible by putting nice new stiches. Why the doctor couldn't do it when he performed the surgery??? ... It seems like he was practicing on a dead body when he sewed the stiches. And the doctor came highly recommended and affiliated with a good hospital here in Miami,FL. Anyways, I'm going through a phisiotherapy now (which is not very effective so far) - picking up murbles with my toes, jumping and etc., something that they could of shown me what to do in 1 session and now it's been 6 sessions, about 20 min.long. No improvement...My big toe still hurts, I can not wear hills even 2-4 inches and the scar looks horrible....
My second foot has a smaller bunion but I will remove it in upcoming months. The new doctor told me that it will be less painful and I would walk the same day. (The first surgery I forgot to mention - I was on the cratches for 8 weeks taking oxycodone every 3-4 hours!) At the time I was with a 9 month old baby who was crawling and I couldn't take him for a walk, every day I was waiting for my husband to come home and see if he is in the mood to take the baby to the park:-(
P.S.: when choosing a doctor, get actual pictures, insist that you need a less visible scar even if he claims that he is the best and good luck with crutches, I dumped mine in the garbage truck!
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Katerina wrote:

I had my surgery for bunion removal about 9 month ago. I'm glad that there is no bunion on my foot anymore but my big toe has suffered a lot. I had 2 screws installed and one of them is being rejected, it is almost completely out of my bone and pushing through the skin, very visible bump. So I have to have an insision and have it removed. Plus my scar is horrible - it is still purple, large and bumpy, it hurts when I touch it and the doctor (not the one who performed the surgery) said that he can cut the scar out and make it less visible by putting nice new stiches. Why the doctor couldn't do it when he performed the surgery??? ... It seems like he was practicing on a dead body when he sewed the stiches. And the doctor came highly recommended and affiliated with a good hospital here in Miami,FL. Anyways, I'm going through a phisiotherapy now (which is not very effective so far) - picking up murbles with my toes, jumping and etc., something that they could of shown me what to do in 1 session and now it's been 6 sessions, about 20 min.long. No improvement...My big toe still hurts, I can not wear hills even 2-4 inches and the scar looks horrible.... My second foot has a smaller bunion but I will remove it in upcoming months. The new doctor told me that it will be less painful and I would walk the same day. (The first surgery I forgot to mention - I was on the cratches for 8 weeks taking oxycodone every 3-4 hours!) At the time I was with a 9 month old baby who was crawling and I couldn't take him for a walk, every day I was waiting for my husband to come home and see if he is in the mood to take the baby to the park:-( P.S.: when choosing a doctor, get actual pictures, insist that you need a less visible scar even if he claims that he is the best and good luck with crutches, I dumped mine in the garbage truck! [/b]

I am a bit concerned over why you wanted a bunionectomy. It seems mainly cosmetic which is never a good reason because of many of the negative possibilities. Even though, there is no bunion you still have to be very very careful post surgery.
I just had my screws removed after having the surgery almost 7 years ago, however my bunion came back like a year later.
My screws were removed because of shifting and going through the bone.
If your screws have shifted as early as 9 months later and you are bothered by not being able to wear 2-4 inch heels (??!!!) you should maybe second guess your activity level or the shoes you are wearing.
Most people who have previous issues with bunions should not wear heels at all, definitely not ones as high as you are speaking of.
Also, the exercises you are talking about are ones generally associated with post op bunionectomy physical therapy. Although seemingly simple they are still recommended because you can have problems with stiffening of joint.
I'm sorry you had problems with the scar as you speak of, however, 9 months is still rather early and you have to expect some scarring after any surgery and that it does go down after ward.
You can't expect a miracle too soon and this is the type of issue that takes patience and proper care by both your healthcare provider(s) and yourself.

Good luck

Hello again, Andi here,
Been couple months since I last replied and I now see lots more replies to mine. To update u on my situation. I went ahead and had the 2nd surgery 3 wks ago to try and fix the one done in Jan 06. Of course new Dr. Had all kinds of stuff happening in the foot. Doc cleaned out scar tissue that built up from not using it, cut away some bone that showed up out of no where on top of what the 1st nutcase did and so called dissolvng screw was still there poking out ready to do more damage, Doc just sawed that down to bone. My seamouds (under bottom of big toe) are totally gone. Doc seems to think surgery was what I needed and too early to tell. In physcial therapy again and it sure hurts like crazy to have someone pull on your big toe to try and get it to move. It feels like someone trying to bend back your elbow but worse! Can't yet walk barefoot or move but I sure try. I was lucky this time, so far no signs of RSD.
Sometimes when I get a paid out of no where I have to stop and pray that it is not it again. RSD is painful and a nerve damage that can travel to parts of the body. For the person who wanted to know what RSD was - Look it up on the net, all kinds of info. It stands for Reflex Sysmpathetic Dystrophy or Chronic Regiona Pain Syndrome. Again for anyone considering having any kinds of foot surgery. DON'T DO IT! Deal with what you have. I wish I had.
Andi

My wife was an avid tennis player and was advised to have bunion surgery. Her family doctor advised against it but she decided to have the surgery. Now over one year later - she seriously regrets the surgery. She constant pain under the big toe and feels like she has a rock in her shoe. It has restricted her tennis and made her miserable. DO NOT DO IT!!!!

"Hi, Dear Sir:
It is very painful and swelling very high after surgery and keep over three months or more, sometimes. I guess 10--20% of all. I think these kind of patients really don't like to think and talk about it again.
After my wife went through the bunion surgery in MCW, I know, sometimes, Surgery is really bad thing. And a lot of surgeon are careless of Veins of feet because almost all textbooks didn't talk about this directly. The surgeon destroy half of dosal vein arch and he just think he did nothing. Richard Qian,

Guest wrote:

I had bunion surgery 9mths ago and still can't walk on left foot. Have RSD. I am worse than before. I totally regret having it done and can't stop blaming myself. I am still in physical therapy, under 2nd Dr care. Now having other problems from the surgery. Since not walking correctly, my legs and back are out of wack! A total mess. Medical bills are not being covered by insurance any longer and I sure can't afford to pay more. If you can do something else, consider it first before having the surgery. It is not worth it believe me. Ande

don't do it. Richard

I had a bunionectomy a few years ago and my bunion seems to be returning ,and the old bone against bone pain is re-occuring. I went to another Dr and she said the surgeon put a screw in that was to long and thats where the pain is coming from also my toe is beginning to turn again. My initial surgeon came highly recommended and was board certified so I really have no advice especially since I need an operation on my other foot also

I had bunion surgery 3 weeks ago in LA, and apparently the technique he uses - triangulated bunionectomy with insertion of a surgical screw - is the way to go these days. I have minimal pain, but still swelling (I believe the swelling is gradually going down). However, I am a dancer, and want to know how long it took, approximately, for everyone to fully feel recovered. I am a dancer and need to wear heels and dance in tennis shoes - light jumping, etc. Any comments from bunionectified veterans when you could go back to normal activity?

Initially the surgery seemed to work, the bunion pain went away, and has never grown back.

But, about 10 years after the surgery I started having pain (a neuroma) on the bottom of my foot. At first it was just during extreme activities, like alpine climbing with a big pack, but now it's progressed so that after a couple of hours of shopping the bottom of my foot is in pain. I got a second opinion from another podiatrist and he said that I do not have enough bone material on the big toe side of my foot to support my weight-- and I weigh only 100 lbs.

I can function pretty well, but if I could do it over again I would never have had the surgery. There were many things I could have done- worn better shoes and exercised my foot-- that is something podiatrists don't ever recommend, but I know it makes a huge difference.

I would not have the bunion surgery. Had it in October 2006. Things are much worse. Second toe in now leaning into big toe - which has no feeling. It's been a continuous battle against blisters and burning on 2nd, 4th and 5th toes! DON'T DO IT!