Well guys, today is the big day for my surgery. I'll let you know in a few days how it went. Wish me luck!
Hello,
This is Jayejean. I had my surgery Friday. So far everything is good. I have a little pain, but nothing I can't handle. My toes will jerk on their own a little which sends a strange sensation up my foot, but I'm handling it pretty well. Trying not to take any pain medication. I take half the dosage 2x a day. Mainly when I first get up and before I go to sleep. I hope everything will heal OK, I go back for my first checkup this Friday. I'll keep you posted on how things are going.
This is Jayejean. I had my surgery Friday. So far everything is good. I have a little pain, but nothing I can't handle. My toes will jerk on their own a little which sends a strange sensation up my foot, but I'm handling it pretty well. Trying not to take any pain medication. I take half the dosage 2x a day. Mainly when I first get up and before I go to sleep. I hope everything will heal OK, I go back for my first checkup this Friday. I'll keep you posted on how things are going.
Has anyone had Cryoablation for Morton's neuroma? I understand it's a new treatment that instead of removing the nerve, it's frozen (like they might do with a mole or a bunion) and reduced to a very small size. I have a consultation in a couple of weeks with a podiatrist that specializes in this proceedure to see if I'm a good candidate for it, but I'm trying to do a little research first before committing to either the cryoablation or regular removal of the Neuroma (from the top of the foot).
hey there how did it go i am going for surgery on feb 12 scared to death i have 3 in one foot and 2 in the other hope all is well ********
**edited by moderator**
**edited by moderator**
There are both horror stories and success stories with this surgery.
I had my surgery 10 weeks ago and I surprised that I am still having a fair amount of intermittent nerve pain that sort of migrates around my forefoot. The foot "looks" excellent....well healed tiny scar only slightly red, no bruising, and minimal swelling on the top of the foot where the incision was. However, I can only wear an oxford or well-supported flat shoe due to the swelling that has not completely subsided.
The foot bothers me most when I go to bed. It's usually fine when I first get up in the morning, but then hurts more as the day wears on .....does not seem to matter if I sat all day or stood part of the day. I am still limping noticeably. The numbness on the end of my 3rd and 4th toe does not bother me at all....only the neuropathy that I seem to be having.
I was completely compliant with all of my post-surgical treatment. I massage my foot every evening with vitamin E oil. I have soaked my feet in sea salt warm water many times.
My boss, on the other hand, was back into wearing dress pumps four weeks after the surgery and did not follow any of her postop instructions. She had hers done by the same podiatrist as I did. Another woman I know had the surgery done five years ago and she said that she still has some swelling of the foot!
So, I think the recovery is HIGHLY individual, just like with any surgery. For some people, it's a near complete cure of the neuroma. For others, they just trade one pain for another.
Also, we have to realize that our feet take a tremendous amount of abuse. If you did not have to even stand or walk on your feet, your post-neuroma surgery would hardly even bother you. For example, if you had your earlobe nerve surgically severed, you would hardly notice it once it healed.
But everything I've read says that it takes at least a year for all of the scar tissue to soften up after surgery. So, I think one cannot evaluate the outcome of a surgery until that first year has passed.
My actual SURGERY went extremely well, and on my six-week checkup, the podiatrist said my foot looked "awesome." However, my RECOVERY has been more difficult than I expected.
Darhon (LPN)
I had my surgery 10 weeks ago and I surprised that I am still having a fair amount of intermittent nerve pain that sort of migrates around my forefoot. The foot "looks" excellent....well healed tiny scar only slightly red, no bruising, and minimal swelling on the top of the foot where the incision was. However, I can only wear an oxford or well-supported flat shoe due to the swelling that has not completely subsided.
The foot bothers me most when I go to bed. It's usually fine when I first get up in the morning, but then hurts more as the day wears on .....does not seem to matter if I sat all day or stood part of the day. I am still limping noticeably. The numbness on the end of my 3rd and 4th toe does not bother me at all....only the neuropathy that I seem to be having.
I was completely compliant with all of my post-surgical treatment. I massage my foot every evening with vitamin E oil. I have soaked my feet in sea salt warm water many times.
My boss, on the other hand, was back into wearing dress pumps four weeks after the surgery and did not follow any of her postop instructions. She had hers done by the same podiatrist as I did. Another woman I know had the surgery done five years ago and she said that she still has some swelling of the foot!
So, I think the recovery is HIGHLY individual, just like with any surgery. For some people, it's a near complete cure of the neuroma. For others, they just trade one pain for another.
Also, we have to realize that our feet take a tremendous amount of abuse. If you did not have to even stand or walk on your feet, your post-neuroma surgery would hardly even bother you. For example, if you had your earlobe nerve surgically severed, you would hardly notice it once it healed.
But everything I've read says that it takes at least a year for all of the scar tissue to soften up after surgery. So, I think one cannot evaluate the outcome of a surgery until that first year has passed.
My actual SURGERY went extremely well, and on my six-week checkup, the podiatrist said my foot looked "awesome." However, my RECOVERY has been more difficult than I expected.
Darhon (LPN)
I had my surgery on the 26th of Jan. Everything is still going OK. Haven't taken any pain medicine since last Wednesday. I have a little bit if burning sensation on the top of my foot where the stitches are. I will have those removed on the 15th. I am allowed to put 2-5% of my bodyweight on my foot right now, only when wearing a big ugly black shoe he gave me. He still doesn't want me to put weight on the toes due to the stitches. I do feel like a toe is missing, only because he had to remove the nerve up into my 3rd and 4th toes. I still have some swelling of my toes and a weird sensation if I press on them. It feels like my foot has been asleep and just getting the feeling back. I have been sleeping with my foot elevated every night and I spend most of my day on the couch with it elevated. I get up when no one is here to make me stay on the couch (HA HA). I am glad that my Dr. did a lot of research and followed the procedures from a Dr. at John Hopkins and took the nerve out all the way from my two toes back to the muscle in the top of my foot. Supposedly there is a chemical the muscle produces to help reduce pain and help in preventing the nerve from trying to grow back. He did say that it was the largest he had seen in 10 years. He normally has to cut through the ligaments in the top of the foot to get to the neuroma. He said mine was so big that when he pushed on the bottom of my foot it popped up between the ligaments. 3cm long by .5 wide. Pretty big and was causing the bones in my foot to separate. Well, that's how I am doing for now. Good luck to those who are getting ready for surgery.
Has anybody had any success or know someone who had an endoscopic decompression of the intermetatarsal nerves? This is NOT a removal of the nerve which the results are a mixed bag but taking pressure of the nerves by releasing the ligaments sorrounding it.
I have had the surgery twice ! wish I would of left it alone, always in pain , and lots of pain meds now.
I am doing better now. I have a lot of numbness, which is normal. It has been almost 4 weeks since my surgery. My foot is doing OK, but when they placed the tourniquet on my leg, they may have damaged a nerve. The only problems I am having at this time, is pain in my calf (not a blood clot had it checked) and the right side of my buttocks. If the nerve was compressed during surgery, that may be the cause. I do have trouble controlling my foot when I want to move it in a certain direction. I had my surgery through the top of my foot. My DR. has done a lot of research on the best way to remove the nerve and he recommended the top of the foot. He said there were a lot of complications that can arise from going through the bottom, i.e.; pain, scar tissue, feeling as if you are stepping on a rock, harder to heal because of putting weight on it, etc. That is why we chose to go through the top. My scar looks great! I still have some pain in my toes, but the numbness bothers me more than anything. He removed my nerve all the way back to the muscle to help prevent it from trying to grow back. I was not put all the way to sleep, I refused. Keep researching and maybe you and your Dr. can discuss other options. Maybe he/she can show you the pro's/con's for each procedure. I hope this helps. Good Luck!!
ROBDOG wrote, "Has anybody had any success or know someone who had an endoscopic decompression of the intermetatarsal nerves? This is NOT a removal of the nerve which the results are a mixed bag but taking pressure of the nerves by releasing the ligaments sorrounding it."
I'm having this done on March 1st - two tiny incisions, camera (endoscope) to see what's where, and alter the ligaments so that they stop pressing on the nerve and aggravating the condition. I've tried steroid shots and they weren't helpful. My podiatrist has been doing this for a year or two with success on patients that have had neuromas for less than 3 years. I'm told I can walk on the foot that day and back to work the next day. I'll write back and let you know how it goes. - Laura
I'm having this done on March 1st - two tiny incisions, camera (endoscope) to see what's where, and alter the ligaments so that they stop pressing on the nerve and aggravating the condition. I've tried steroid shots and they weren't helpful. My podiatrist has been doing this for a year or two with success on patients that have had neuromas for less than 3 years. I'm told I can walk on the foot that day and back to work the next day. I'll write back and let you know how it goes. - Laura
I had morton's nueroma surgery 4/2006. I fell into the small category of patients who get a stump neuroma off where the nerve was cut. I can't say I regret having the surgery. I was only 26 when I had the first surgery and am very active. I believe if I wasn't a marathon runner, biker, and avid overall athlete, the surgery would've been succesful. But, I am not willing to sit on the sidelines. I've had the MRI to diagnose the stump and it is painful, but I am painful and stubborn, too. So, surgery is in the back of my mind, but I am putting it off until I can no longer run. I've read that the average age of a patient that gets a nueroma is well into their 50's. So, I'm sure I have a long life ahead of me if I plan to remain active. I'm curious if there are any other athletes that have successfully recovered from a nueroma. I've asked my doctor and he agrees that he doesn't see many young patients, nor even athletes.
yesterday i went to see the doctor about a lump between the 4th and 5th toe, below the ball of my foot.
he said that its possibly mortons neuroma even though it isnt in the most common place and said i should get an xray and then i can probably have it removed. obviously i was really pleased with this because its been really irritating me and causing me discomfort.
i wanted to read up about it on the net before i had the op and after reading some of the posts on here, im pretty confused!
it sounds like there arent many successful cases, but as someone said; why would people post replys about successful operations?
im going to have the xray and see if it is deffinatley MN. I dont know what to do if it is, i dont want to be stuck with constant pain from "live wires" as some people said.
aparantly its really strange because im only 16 and MN is normally found in 25 - 45 year olds... any opinions?
he said that its possibly mortons neuroma even though it isnt in the most common place and said i should get an xray and then i can probably have it removed. obviously i was really pleased with this because its been really irritating me and causing me discomfort.
i wanted to read up about it on the net before i had the op and after reading some of the posts on here, im pretty confused!
it sounds like there arent many successful cases, but as someone said; why would people post replys about successful operations?
im going to have the xray and see if it is deffinatley MN. I dont know what to do if it is, i dont want to be stuck with constant pain from "live wires" as some people said.
aparantly its really strange because im only 16 and MN is normally found in 25 - 45 year olds... any opinions?
I had my neuroma removed 12/29/06, after MUCH indecision about whether to operate or not. I had nearly (down to two days before surgery) decided against it, because of posts from those who had bad experiences. I lived with mostly intense pain for two years, and tried everything- cortisone, sclerotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, dietary supplements, orthotics, reduced activity, even some amazing flip flops (beech sandals) which turned into the only shoes I could wear. I couldn't wear flip flops for the rest of my life, and I couldn't continue to have my husband drop me off at doorways of stores; I just couldn't live that way any more.
My surgeon was good. He has an excellent reputation, and has performed this surgery for 18 years. He went in through the top, and removed the nerve and then some (avoiding a stump neuroma).
It's been a slow, conservative recovery, but at eight weeks, I'm back to playing soccer, and am in the gym with no restrictions 5 days a week. My pain level has improved; I still feel that bruised feeling on the bottom of my foot, and can't walk barefoot comfortably, but I can tell that will improve. I'm in sneakers for the first time in years! I can walk around in shoes without pain, and I even play soccer with VERY LITTLE pain. I haven't been able to say that for a long time.
I just wanted to post a positive outcome, since I nearly based my decision on what seems to be a world of negative outcomes for this procedure. I wish I hadn't avoided surgery for two painful years.
My surgeon was good. He has an excellent reputation, and has performed this surgery for 18 years. He went in through the top, and removed the nerve and then some (avoiding a stump neuroma).
It's been a slow, conservative recovery, but at eight weeks, I'm back to playing soccer, and am in the gym with no restrictions 5 days a week. My pain level has improved; I still feel that bruised feeling on the bottom of my foot, and can't walk barefoot comfortably, but I can tell that will improve. I'm in sneakers for the first time in years! I can walk around in shoes without pain, and I even play soccer with VERY LITTLE pain. I haven't been able to say that for a long time.
I just wanted to post a positive outcome, since I nearly based my decision on what seems to be a world of negative outcomes for this procedure. I wish I hadn't avoided surgery for two painful years.
What type of doctor did you use for the Morton's Nueroma surgery? I have been seeing a podiatrist who advised against having the surgery b/c of the possiblity of stump pain. I've already been through every possible treatment outside of surgery and just don't think I want to chance the possibility of 24/7 pain.
My GP almost died when I told him about seeing a Podiatrist. Seems they aren't "real" doctors b/c they've not been to med school. Did you use a podiatrist, nuerologist or orthopaedist?
My GP almost died when I told him about seeing a Podiatrist. Seems they aren't "real" doctors b/c they've not been to med school. Did you use a podiatrist, nuerologist or orthopaedist?
i went to see my GP about the mortons neuroma.
went for an xray last friday and im getting the results back on monday.
then i can decide whether to have it removed or not...
really worried about 24/7 pain, but also dont want to leave it how it is.
will let you know what the xray results go =)
went for an xray last friday and im getting the results back on monday.
then i can decide whether to have it removed or not...
really worried about 24/7 pain, but also dont want to leave it how it is.
will let you know what the xray results go =)