Pain and severe stiffness after bunionectomy

Hi was just wondering how well things improved after the 2ns surgery. I have exactly the same issues as you did after having my bunion surgery 8 months ago. I was told there were no pins preventing me from gaining toe flexibility back but I feel like there is something stopping my toe. I have the large lump on top of my foot like you described and my gap between the big toe and the rest is not closing. I can bend my toe a little upwards & downwards but if someone knocks it down or to the side the pain is so sudden sharp & brings tears to my eyes. I cannot fit into any of my old shoes properly and have pain still.
Seems to be on the ball of my foot too with a lot of swelling still. Not happy with my surgeon he didn’t offer any support when I went back. He just checked the X-ray to ensure the bones had fused then wanted to discharge me. I’m so upset & depressed being on 30. I miss wearing nice shoes & feel like I’ve lost a part of me. It’s the worst mistake of my life and it would scare the life out of me to go through it all again. After reading your post on the 2nd op I feel a little more hopeful. I’ve found an amazing private surgeon who specialises in this type of surgery so will book in with him to get a 2nd opinion as I’m certain things aren’t right. I just wanted to know how you got on with the 2nd op as I’m almost certain he will suggest another op to remove screw, bone lump or scar tissue etc. Thanks

Did your doctor put in in a boot or anything again?

I had a chevron bunionectomy 7 years ago and had issues but after almost a year my toe has great range of motion and no pain. I had the 2nd foot done 3 months ago and I can't bend toe or put full weight on it. I'm afraid it will be stiff forever but overtime the therapist pushes it I limp for days. I don't think I ever checked the 1st foot's range of motion because I was so busy with raising kids and was able to walk on it sooner than this one. Anyone know if after a certain amount of time the toe will stay stiff? Concerned!

I had bunionectomy five weeks ago. I got my first cast wet on day 7, so I had them it off. The Dr is the one who put the new one off. Two days later I had them take it off because it was too dark. The bruising was mostly gone on day 7, however day 9 when the Dr took of the too tight cast, my entire foot was swollen larger and completely bruised. He put on a splint this time. Since day 7 I have had continual swelling and my foot stays purplish red and if I am not having it propped constantly and doing ice it gets purple all the way up to about the middle of my leg. I was able to wiggle my big toe after surgery, however, since day 8 I haven't been able to wiggle or move at all my big toe or the next toe. They are completely stiff. Today I woke up and it is swollen worse more red and now I can't move or wiggle the middle toe along with the other two. I had gone to the ER 10 days ago and they said it was definitely infected and gave me another round of antibiotics only it was double the amount the foot surgeon had me take the day after surgery. Every time I talked to the Dr, he said no it's not infected it just takes time. He is not concerned.

I've had two less than successful bunion surgeries that have left me with deformity and pain. I have seen 12 surgeons and most say messing with a third or more surgery is not necessarily a good idea because there's "less to work with" in the foot and lots of other complications could occur. I have a very deformed pinky from a botched bunionette surgery (she shaved too much bone off). I may have to have it amputated. I also have metartasal pain, top of the second toe pain and I can't walk for a minute barefoot with my right foot. Shoes are tough. I have heard about collegen and filler implants and acupuncture. Has anyone had success with these options. All these foot doctors are cold and cutting is their thing. I need some TLC and alternative ideas. 65% of bunion surgeries fail but they sure don't tell you that.

I am not sure how much good the removal of a screw or K-wire will do you. I had a double Austin bunionectomy, my feet would not heal to where I could wear a normal shoe. Doc figured my body was rejecting the hardware, so he went in and removed the k-wire and screw, needless to say it did not fix the problem. Both of my big toes do not touch the floor, I have balance issues and fall a lot, especially if someone gets behind me and I don't know it and I step backwards. I deal with excruciating pain in the bottom of my feet with my last three toes going numb. I can no longer wear hills as it puts too much pressure on the ball of my foot and the first metatarsal(which does not bend as it should). I feel like someone is just crushing my bones in my feet, as standing on my feet for any period feels like I am walking on concrete(bone against concrete). I wished I could buy a bus ticket to the past because I would have never ever had this surgery! People take for granted their feet.... I do not since my feet are more screwed up than they ever were before the surgery!

I had only pain on top of foot first week, after swelling began going down the pain now at two weeks out is unreal. Also numbness, tingling, trouble moving All toes , pains up to knee etc.
Boot hurts worse than wearing nothing. Just miserable.

I was 12 when I had my bunionectomies on both feet in the mid-90s. 36 now. Austin single pin type... Recovered and lived mostly pain free for 25 years... Then this year all hell broke loose... Literally. Treated what I thought was a corn near the old scar tissue and that led to months of cloudy p***y discharge before free floating suture material worked its way to the surface... Finally cut thru all the referral bs with my current insurance to find out my surgeon passed away within days of me getting an appointment with a doctor in his office (founded the group of docs but was retired)... Jesus what a ride. I have a 10 and 2 yr old and I need these feet for another 50 yrs... Hoping the suture in the other foot doesn't go or I am screwed. Appt soon with an orthopedist to figure out whats going on cause two MDs so far have told me I am fine... Nope, sorry... I will get a 100th opinion if that's what it takes to make this pain stop...

I've now had two failed surgeries on my right foot. I complained about foot pain since the early 90s, but never had an x-ray until 2016. At that point, I was told the joint in my big toe was destroyed & I could have as many steroid shots as I wanted if they helped. (That told me everything I needed to know.) I was referred to a surgeon, who convinced me to have the lesser of the two possible surgeries. I did, and a month later, it was worse than before.

I put up with it for almost two years and was referred to another surgeon. He told me I didn't need a joint fusion but had another type of surgery - the Keller bunionectomy. I made the mistake of not researching what it was - he shortened my toe by close to 1/2", and since the surgery, I have been unable to bend it down, or to touch the floor with it.

He still insists it was the best option, though I read the typical patient was an 80-year-old who just wanted to wear comfortable shoes, not walk or move around, just wear shoes.

I had more of a goal. I've lost over 200 lbs and wanted to become more active - walk more, work in the garden more, work more. I'm 50, I was a cook before I couldn't stand more than an hour or two.

My foot is now numb, and painful, which seems contradictory. I still can't wear a normal shoe, and I'm now terrified of doctors, though I'm told another surgery is my only option for relief. The first surgery took a month to recover, the last one was seven months ago, and I'm now living not only with the foot pain which affected my gait but with hip, knee & back pain caused by the way I'm walking.

Hi. I am also a runner and I had a bunionectomy so that I would be able to run without pain. I had to have a revision 6 months after the initial surgery because I was having so much pain due to incomplete fusion of the bones. The second surgery seemed to go much smoother. However, now I am 3 months post op and having pain on the top of my foot near the 2nd and 3rd toes. I too am terrified I will never be able to run again.
Have you had a complete recovery since your last post? Are you running again?

Hi I’m frustrated I had bunion surgery March 2023 was told 6-8 weeks recovery time that was not true. I was out of work for 3 months instead could no not walk until 3 weeks before I was released to back to work. Doctor knew PT had just started 3 weeks ago and would not extend time off I went back to work with a boot and knee walker Doctor could not take stitches out until May I was not healing and they were stuck in my skin for being left in for so long. Oh PT was a doctor and stated that my toe was over corrected and my toe hangs lower than other 4 toes and this has my balance and gait off and I walk with a limp. I am in pain 3-4 hours after arrival at work I can’t wear shoes and if I wear them for 8 hours at work foot swells and can’t take shoe off thus having to pain medicine. I wish I have never had bunion surgery I am looking into having surgery to remove large plate and or screws my toe will not bend or move period I was never told my toe would never bend again I am disappointed and displeased. I can only wear wear 1 type of shoe and they don’t make this style anymore it’s getting cold I don’t know what to do doctor claims nothing is wrong even though my foot is still hurting and swelling