bone spur surgery on top of big toe: recovery time

I had a bone spur removed (chilectomy for hallux limitus/rigidus) in March 2010 and have had nothing but problems since. At first things seemed to be progressing well post-op for the first few weeks, then set back after set back...new bunion formation with big toe turning in towards my other towards toes, given a walking cast in April (I think I should've gotten one immediately post op), then fractured sesamoid diagnosed in June, sharp tendon pain, inability to walk without sharp stabbing pain on the ball of my foot, can only wear running shoes, serious atrophy in foot and calf, pain wakes me up at night... I have 4 children, and had a spinal fusion when I was a teen...I am not a whiner, I do have serious debilitating PAIN.

I left my podiatrist and went to my sports med DO who referred me to a foot and ankle orth surgeon. Now waiting to get an MRI that the orthopedic surgeon ordered (the podiatrist said he didn't think an MRI would show anything, as well as stating that he didn't think I should be getting another opinion at this point (in July - even with all of the problems I've had!) I seriously don't know what to do. The orthopedic surgeon said at my first meeting with him, that he had never seen such a bad result given the nature of the surgery. I wish I had never had the chilectomy surgery in the first place...

Any advice?? Please let me know if anyone has had such an experience...

I AM GOING TO HAVE BONE SPURS REMOVED FROM MY LEFT TOE ON THURSDAY AND GO BACK TO WORK ON SUNDAY.I HOP THERE IS NOT ANY PROBLEMS LIKE I HAVE READ HERE. MY TOE HAS BEEN KILLING ME FOR 3 MONTHS AND I CANT TAKE IT ANY MORE

I had bone spurs removed off the top of both my feet (just above the arch of the foot on both sides) a month ago. It has been much more painful than I thought it would. The doctor told me to expect it to take three to six months to feel better. Somehow I guess I thought that meant they might be a little tender and that was all.

Unfortunately, I am still having significant pain. I can't wear shoes (just slippers or thongs) as any pressure across the top of my foot is painful. If I do any walking (ex.-getting groceries) I pay for it in the evening when my feet swell and burn. That was the reason for having the surgery in the first place...the burning at night. So far it has been trying and I am hopeful things will get easier and less painful. I'd hate to think I'd gone through all of this just to have the same symptoms daily. Anyone else been in this boat and does it really take this long to feel better? I keep thinking there should be some improvement, but so far all I have noticed is that the wounds have closed up and the sharp pains are gone. Otherwise, about the same as right after surgery. :-(

I had bone spurs removed 3 years ago by cheilectomy of my right big toe. I have no pain and full function. I also had 10 weeks of physical therapy after the surgery. It took awhile before I was pain free, but I have no regrets. I am undergoing the surgery on my left big toe in a few weeks.

I have just had a big toe joint replacement and spurs shaved of the bone. I have been told to keep off the foot for 3 days completely and then start to move round the house for 15 mins at a time walking on the heel at all times in my special boot. I must say I was unprepared for the pain and thought that I would be walking around indoors - I have laid in bed all day with my foot elevated. I hope it improves over the next few days though I did not think it would be this bad! I hate being in bed!

I was scheduled to have a bone spur removed from my left big toe tomorrow and I just canceled the appointment. I'll admit, I'm spooked. The truth is my toe doesn't hurt that much as long as I use a carbon graphite insert in my shoe. It keeps my toe from bending and takes the pressure off of the joint. I play basketball and I run trails and I get along fine. Without the insert, though, the toe gets sore pretty quickly. I had hoped there was some way the toe might improve and I could one day lose the insert. But, my podiatrist told me that wouldn't happen without surgery. I don't want to say he was pushing me to have the surgery, but he certainly didn't bring up many of the nightmare scenarios I've been reading here. I have 2 little kids, I'm a teacher and I like to be physically active. Two to three months of pain, taking time off of work and the chance that my toe might not significantly improve just makes it seem not worth the surgery at all. If you are considering this surgery and you haven't tried a carbon graphite insert (or something that will keep your toe from bending), I'd definitely go that route first. And, let's face it, as we get older there will be aches and pains. We can't expect surgery to fix everything. Though, my pain hasn't been that bad. If it were worse and more persistent I might be singing a different tune. Thanks for all the postings. They made my decision to cancel easier.

8-|

3 weeks after my surgery and cant believe how good my foot is now! First day was awful but then the pain just disappeared- still painful when I tried to walk but each day got less painful. Have to exercise it all the time and go on short walks daily but it is healing so fast now. Was really pleased when the bandages came off and saw such a neat scar. It aches when I walk too far but I am so pleased I had it done.

Just had a bone spur removed from the top of the phalange aligned with the big toe (8 weeks ago).  Before the surgery, I had no pain on the bottom of the foot. I followed all post op recovery procedures to the T.   Now I have sharp, sharp pain on the ball of the foot.  Upward flexion is fine, but I can barely  bend the toe down at all and when I do, it causes excruciating pain...more pain than I ever had from the orignal spur.  The Dr. gave me a steroid shot to help with inflammation and acted like it was normal.   THERE IS NO WAY THIS MUCH PAIN IS NORMAL. 

Do not, I repeat, do not have surgery unless you absolutely cannot live with your current discomfort without it.

I have a bone spur on top of my big toe as well and have had trouble with staff infection?! Doctor is pushing surgery out and i am so uncomfortable i am ready to just have my toe removed:(

I am scheduled for this surgery at the end of the month. Yesterday I saw my chiropractor and they recommended cold laser therapy instead of the surgery. Does anyone have any experience with that? After reading these posts I think I'll reconsider the surgery. My toe is painful but it doesn't keep me from being active. I just put up with it and the limited amount of shoes I can wear.

Just wondering did you have a big toe joint replacement? I'm a yoga teacher, I'm not afraid of pain but I want to be healed.

this is rather late in replying, but I am now in the process of a bone replacement and joint replacement due to the similar conditions. The silicone replacement degenerated my bone so bad it had to be rebuilt. (ie. bone transplant, or a cement or fusing my toes together or amputation were my choices).

I also had a silicone joint put in my toe. Now I am in the process of having the bone rebuilt. My options after discovering my bone was almost completely gone where the joint was inserted were: amputation, bone transplant or cement instead of bone to rebuild the bone or fusing the two toes todether so the joint on the toe next to the mising joint will do the work for both. Surgery was performed on December 7 2011 and now Im am getting ready for the second phase of the surgery after the bone hardens enough to put in a joint. the process is 6 to nine months. I presently have pins (on the outside of my foot going into the bone) holding the bones in place and used a skooter to get around. I would like to know why we weren't told of this possibility. The silicone joint is now illegal. So if this has happened to more people. Please let me know

I had the bones on both of my big toes shaved at the same time on 1/6/12. They both had a knob on them simular to spurs that wore badly on the inside of my boots. I wear stell toe boots for work and the condition became worse with time. When gym shoes hurt, I decided to have surgery. It's been 5-6 weeks now and no pain unless I over bend one of my big toes. My biggest suggestion is to give it time. I myself completely under estimated the recovery time. It's only a toe! Not the case, I was up a somewhat walking after a few days. But, for totally recovery, it just takes time. I can't put full pressure on them yet, making me walk on the outside of my feet, which can cause pain elsewhere. But, every week it gets better. I should be back to work in 2-3 wks, which is a month earlier than the Doc gave me. My biggest piece of advice, be patient.

I had a bone spur removed from the side of my right big toe 1/25/12.  Pre surgery my pain would come if a part of my shoe ( strap) was directly on the spur or with certain heels.  Other than that I it was pretty tolerable.  Post surgery, so far I am getting better with each passing day. I was in a hard boot for 2 weeks and the stitches were removed.  I am now in a soft shoe (croc shoe) I can bend my toe ( which now has a small screw in the joint) and It bends very well when I do so with my hand.  Its still some visible swelling but this has went down significantly since the surgery.

There is still some pain that I can only discribe as a numb, slight tingling  sensation in the bottom of my foot (the surgery area) that comes generally when If I have been walking around the house  to much.  As the nurse said those nerves are waking up :)

Other than that, I think things will work out good, afterall I had surgery, it takes time to heel, I was cut on my foot was opened.

My doctor says that I should be back to my normal activities within a few weeks and heeled shoes in a few months.  I remember just a few weeks ago I was in to much pain to think about blogging about my surgery but now I am sitting here doing just that lets me know that I am getting better...Pray about your anxieties and be pateint..

I must admit if I had visited this site before surgery I probably would have not canceled it, but I most definitely would have been extra afraid!!