post op bunion surgery

germdawerm · Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2007 Posts: 23

curt i just wanted to know if u got this done on one or two feet and what procedure did u get was it a mild bunion

Guest · Guest

Hi all,

I read all of your posts and I really seems that different people have different outcomes. I was highly concerned with my bunionectomy on about the 4th day after surgery, when I began to notice more swelling and also brusing of my big toe. On the 5th day, my other toes began to turn blue. I still don't know if this is normal and it's a bit concerning. I'm still in pain though and am still icing the heck out of my foot and constantly elevating it. The pain esp. for the first 3 days was agonizing and very frustrating. Even with codeine, I still had pain. The doctor said I could walk ok right after surgery and boy was he wrong. I can't imagine walking on my swollen foot. It's just too much pain. I called him when I found out I couldn't do this and he gave me a pair of crutches. That helped me move around a lot. Again, I hope my swelling and buising isn't a bad sign and doesn't get worse.

Anyone know if that's pretty normal to have burising on about the 3rd day after surgery????? Please let me know.
Good luck to everyone through this painful recovery!

Guest · Guest

[quote="germdawerm"]my question is ofr jo form new york i just wanted toknow were both your feet hurting and was it painful u say it wasnt that painful. also u got both feet done at the same time. let me ask u how many hammertoes did u have on each foot and was your bunion severe i too haave to get this done and im 22 years old my bunion dont hurt but i dont want it to get worst and my hammertoes i wanna get fixed my i ask how old were u when u got this done and u got it cause you couldnt take the pain no more i have pain but really under my foot for some reason and i belive maybe cause i have bad flat feet also where did u got to have this done in newyork and did u or your doctor recomend to do both i dont wanna go through the process over again i rather do 2 feet and get it over with but a doctor i seen said do 1 at a time were u recomended to do so or chose to and did u have to take the pain medication they gave u were they strong and do they take away the pain[/quote]

I had surgery when I was 27 the first time. It was done by an orthopedic, and he did both feet at the same time. He did wrong by me and did a Keller bunionectomy - which should only be done on people in late 70's and up. Just recently I had bunion surgey on my right big toe (yup it came back - I am 63 now)by a podiatrist. This is my second day after surgey - no pain to speak of. I had it done again because I couldn't stand the look of the large toe going over the second toe (had no pain there) - but it was causing pain on my pinky toe. The doctor also shaved the outer bone of the pinky toe. If all goes well, I'm having my left foot redone.

Guest · Guest

hi there. I am writing from my bed, foot up and ice on! Its day 4 since I had bunion surgery on my left foot. Firstly i would do 1 foot at a time, trust me 2 feet sounds like a great idea but imagine not being able to walk or move for days on end. I had my right foot done 4 yrs back so kind of knew what to expect. this time has been a little harder as i have 14 month old who is constantly running about and as I discovered at 4am the day post surgery i have become allergic to the painkillers - so spent the morning throwing up. I ended up having to stop taking them so am now on OTC Tylenol so its fair to say it hurts! Saying that compared to 2 days ago its definitely 35% better today and I recall from previous time that every day it gets easier. I go to docs for redressing and x-ray in 2 days and theoretically will be off crutches and allowed to walk a short bit. I cant see it myself right now but the last time was the same and by god my doctor was right, i could walk on it! I would tell anyone out there who is having pain to get the surgery. Just choose your doc carefully. I am at a podiatrist who did my first op and i love him - Tony DiStefano Hoboken, NJ. Also dont cut corners, no matter how frustrated you feel. Its not worth it so even tho sitting around, hurting and icing is not fun its not forever and it will get better. Oh well in a week or 2 I will be in my trendy boot and hobbling about for 4-6 weeks so best enjoy this downtime with my husband running around after me as it wont last long! good luck to you all!

Indiana91 · Newbie Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

Had bunion surgery 8-1/2 weeks ago on one foot. The doctor needed to completely separate the big toe bone from the foot bone to re-align it. Surgery took about an hour to realign the bone and put in two screws to keep it in place. I'm taking a ton of vitamins and have ultrasound treatments for bone healing, and see a physical therapist to make sure that my big toe regains most of its range of motion.

First week was no walking unless absolutly necessary. To my suprise I had NO pain. A week after the surgery I got a removable walking cast, which is slow and makes my hip hurt if I walk too much, but is much better than crutches. Stitches out around 2 weeks. I could take the cast off whenever I wanted to as long as I didn't put ANY weight on the foot. Today I got changed to a cast boot for at home, but still need to wear the walkinig cast when out. The cast boot isn't much better than the walking cast. I'm due to get xrays again in 3 weeks, then hopefully I'll be able to wear tennis shoes and get back to my active life then. I'm going to Europe in 6 weeks and the doctor says that I'm on track for being able to do a lot of walking during my trip.

I did get a second opinion before going in for the surgery, and the other doctor would have put in a 6-inch screw and had me on cruches for 6 months. So, a lot depends on your bunion (mine was pretty bad, I guess) and your doctor.

LindseyHP · Newbie Joined: 03 Feb 2008 Posts: 1 Location: CT

I need to have the surgery done, and I am wondering where to go and whom I should see. How does one go about finding a doctor who will do the surgery correctly, so that I can have an experience like Indiana91?

I have seen only one doctor. How will I know if he is the right one to use?

Indiana91, where is the doctor you used, as that sounds like the one I would like! I am located near Hartford, CT, and would love any advice anyone can give about who to (or who NOT to) go to see.

My bunions are both really bad, and have gotten significantly worse since I have become a ski instructor, and I am in my ski boots for hours every day, several days a week. I would love to have the surgery this summer, and would like to be ready to go again for next ski season, but I am a busy mom, and need to not be out of commission for too long.

Guest · Guest

I had bunion surgery done three weeks ago. I needed to have both feet done, but my podiatrist said no. She said I needed one good foot to get around on. In this respect she was both right and wrong. Now that I have been through it, I wish that I had had both done at the same time. The reason? Now I have to endure it all again...something I am not looking forward to. This surgery, in my opinion, was one I did not have a choice about...it needed to be done. I am very active - I walk 6 miles every day. I am on the go all the time. I'm not good at sitting still for much of anything. But, my bunions were begining to slow me to down to almost a standstill...and that is something I am not willing to do. I am 43. Now was the perfect time. I was terrified of the surgery. I did well. The only true pain I had was from the pins (I had two that held the toe stable). They sat on nerves and therefore I had horrible nerve pain. The removal of the first pin was excrutiating even with a numbing injection. The second pin, removed today, I did not feel at all....amazingly. Not having had this type, or much of any type of surgery, before, I was surprised by a couple of things. The variety of pain for one. I expected deep bruising muscle/bone type pain. I did not have that. I had muscle cramping (charlie horse type) in my foot, I had muscle spasms, I had nerve pain, and I had torn tendon pain from where the doctor cut the tendon/ligament that was pulling the big toe over. I still have this. The most frustrating aspect of the whole ordeal is the having to basically sit still and not attend to your daily life like you want. My suggestion is to schedule the surgery during a time of year when you really can't get out much anyway....in other words not during Fall or Spring. Make sure you have lots to do while laid up. Make sure the support you have is there even when you cry. My husband was a gem. He even held me when I was in excrutiating pain when the first pin came out. The doctor wasn't sure who would pass out first...me or my husband! Now that both pins are out, I have no pain. My incision feels tight and the toe feels stiff, but that is it. I expected much more pain for a longer period of time. My xrays show a complete healing in the bone....the doctor can't even see where it was she broke the bone of the toe. As far as choice of doctor....I found my doctor through my insurance. My opinion of doctors is 6 of one half a dozen of the other. Most are inadequate. What made my doctor great is that she herself had this particular surgery. So, she was well aware of pain and recovery issues. She had great compassion, was VERY confident, did not leave out any information...told it exactly like it was going to happen. I did EVERYTHING she told me to - ice, ice, ice...elevate, elevate, elevate...only put weight on the foot when she said it was ok to, etc. If you do this, you will have a good outcome.

morgantaylor · Newbie Joined: 18 Feb 2008 Posts: 3

Hi, I just had both feet done Friday morning. Today is Sunday. I regret now taking meds Friday when I came home and yesterday, b/c my feet were still numb so I didn't need the meds, but since my hub is being a total jerk and not helping me at all, I am even sleeping on the couch and he is in bedroom w/ door closed, I am started to have a lot of bleeding through my wrappings b/c I'm having to get up and walk and get my own food and walk to the bathroom alone. Today, Sunday, I am starting to feel some pain, and of course am almost out of meds already b/c I was taking them around the clock just to zone my mind out (hub), but the pain is not unbearable, probably a 3-4 out of a 10. It was definitely worth it, and from the way it looks right now, I'm glad I did it...might have some moving to do in my near future after seeing what my hub is really like.

BUNION · Newbie Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

Hi,

I had my surgery done several months ago and I am doing fine! I still take it easy, I had BOTH feet done at the same time - so that I would get it over with, and yes it was hard!... I still have swelling and can't fit all my shoes. I wear flip flops but keep the scars out of the sun by not exposing my feet to the sun. I wear flip flops bc they fit and are comfy. I also like the way it keeps my big toe separated from the other toes. After surgery the big toe moved closer to the little ones...this is normal and the swelling will make it look worse than it is. Here are a few things you should know...

First you should know that having the surgery done by an orthopedic surgeon will mean that you will have "nicer" scars on the inside of your foot versus having scars on the tops of your feet by a Podiatrist. Who does the surgery, does matter! Start asking around - chances are, someone you know has had the surgery and or someone you work with has, and they will tell you about their experience and their Doctor.

Don't believe everything you read or hear! Do what the Dr. says post op. Do start massaging the scar area, once it has firmly closed and there is no worry of the area opening or stretching - or pulling the incision area open. I used essential oils like grape seed carrier oil with oregeno oil, garlic oil, tamanu oil, etc.. I use this to massage my incision areas for 30 minutes 3 times a day - YES 30 MIN 3x's A DAY. You WILL be astonished at how much the areas heal every time you do this - the healing is rapid.

I ice my feet every time i feel them hurting with swelling. Basically if the scars are raising up - rub them down - make them tender to go back to more normal looking skin.... if my feet are swelling - I put them up and ice them..... If I can't work out for a while - then I find something I can do....walk as I can - excersize my arms and abs - just DO something and keep my mind strong - this is a mind game. (REMEMBER that) mind over matter!!!

It is important to remember - when you are ill or recovering - there is a HUGE mind game at hand...the mind is powerful so please cry and break down if you get to that point, but remember to take baby steps to get back out of that stage--- dont stay down. This is a temporary situation and you must fight your way back to health in the best way you personally can.

Yes, I know some surgeans out there are not so hot and can actually do damage. This is why it is SOOOOOO important to choose wisely - BUT don't assume that your doctor is crap just bc your body is taking a while to heal - IT CAN take a lonnnnnngggg time....be PATIENT. Love yourself and you will progress. You will be Right as new before you know it -- (and yes I even doubted my fabulous Dr. - I was like "Oh no, this was a bad idea - this will never heal - I will be crippled and disabled for life--- what have I done...." ) LOL You get past that stage don't worry!

PLEASE I can't URGE this enough --- when the area is ready - You will know! MAKE yourself RUB RUB RUB the scar areas - it will make the difference of night and day to the HEALING - CIRCULATION - and the LOOK of the affected areas!!!! (ex...DO NOT RUB the incisons when they are still open, oozing, bloody, with stitches, etc.... YES - DO RUB THEM when the area is dry, closed, redish, maybe with scabs on or not - that is okay - if they are firmly closed....etc.... RUB RUB RUB )

It is NORMAL for the scar tissue to look red and puffy and a bit swollen on the tissue AFTER YOU RUB THEM FOR 30 MINUTES - YOU MUST rub the scar tissue and break it down - this will NOT FEEL GOOD- go light on the affected area at first as maybe the bone will be tender underneath and you may have reason to "hold back the intensity" a bit AT FIRST.... JUST make sure you are working the affected area as LONG and as INTENSELY as POSSIBLE - please know this.... you will feel sore on the tissue and it will be tender.... THIS IS NOT FUN BUT YOU WILL THANK YOURSELF LATER!!!!!....this is why I say MAKE Yourself rub your feet Smile

I wish you the best in your decisions... Good luck everyone Smile

BUNION · Newbie Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

Hi,

I had my surgery done several months ago and I am doing fine! I still take it easy, I had BOTH feet done at the same time - so that I would get it over with, and yes it was hard!... I still have swelling and can't fit all my shoes. I wear flip flops but keep the scars out of the sun by not exposing my feet to the sun. I wear flip flops bc they fit and are comfy. I also like the way it keeps my big toe separated from the other toes. After surgery the big toe moved closer to the little ones...this is normal and the swelling will make it look worse than it is. Here are a few things you should know...

First you should know that having the surgery done by an orthopedic surgeon will mean that you will have "nicer" scars on the inside of your foot versus having scars on the tops of your feet by a Podiatrist. Who does the surgery, does matter! Start asking around - chances are, someone you know has had the surgery and or someone you work with has, and they will tell you about their experience and their Doctor.

Don't believe everything you read or hear! Do what the Dr. says post op. Do start massaging the scar area, once it has firmly closed and there is no worry of the area opening or stretching - or pulling the incision area open. I used essential oils like grape seed carrier oil with oregeno oil, garlic oil, tamanu oil, etc.. I use this to massage my incision areas for 30 minutes 3 times a day - YES 30 MIN 3x's A DAY. You WILL be astonished at how much the areas heal every time you do this - the healing is rapid.

I ice my feet every time i feel them hurting with swelling. Basically if the scars are raising up - rub them down - make them tender to go back to more normal looking skin.... if my feet are swelling - I put them up and ice them..... If I can't work out for a while - then I find something I can do....walk as I can - exercise my arms and abs - just DO something and keep my mind strong - this is a mind game. (REMEMBER that) mind over matter!!!

It is important to remember - when you are ill or recovering - there is a HUGE mind game at hand...the mind is powerful so please cry and break down if you get to that point, but remember to take baby steps to get back out of that stage--- don’t stay down. This is a temporary situation and you must fight your way back to health in the best way you personally can.

Yes, I know some surgeons out there are not so hot and can actually do damage. This is why it is SOOOOOO important to choose wisely - BUT don't assume that your doctor is crap just bc your body is taking a while to heal - IT CAN take a lonnnnnngggg time....be PATIENT. Love yourself and you will progress. You will be Right as new before you know it -- (and yes I even doubted my fabulous Dr. - I was like "Oh no, this was a bad idea - this will never heal - I will be crippled and disabled for life--- what have I done...." ) LOL You get past that stage don't worry!

PLEASE I can't URGE this enough --- when the area is ready - You will know! MAKE yourself RUB RUB RUB the scar areas - it will make the difference of night and day to the HEALING - CIRCULATION - and the LOOK of the affected areas!!!! (ex...DO NOT RUB the incisions when they are still open, oozing, bloody, with stitches, etc.... YES - DO RUB THEM when the area is dry, closed, reddish, maybe with scabs on or not - that is okay - if they are firmly closed....etc.... RUB RUB RUB )

It is NORMAL for the scar tissue to look red and puffy and a bit swollen on the tissue AFTER YOU RUB THEM FOR 30 MINUTES - YOU MUST rub the scar tissue and break it down - this will NOT FEEL GOOD- go light on the affected area at first as maybe the bone will be tender underneath and you may have reason to "hold back the intensity" a bit AT FIRST.... JUST make sure you are working the affected area as LONG and as INTENSELY as POSSIBLE - please know this.... you will feel sore on the tissue and it will be tender.... THIS IS NOT FUN BUT YOU WILL THANK YOURSELF LATER!!!!!....this is why I say MAKE Yourself rub your feet Smile

I wish you the best in your decisions... Good luck everyone Smile

post op bunion surgery

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