Recovery Problems After Bunion Surgery

I had my bunion surgery 6 months ago, the pain was intense, the swelling was bad felt like my foot was going to blow up, I elevated, iced, and pain meds, was really bad for first three days, than same thing after 10 days when stitches were out and changed to a walking boot(velcro boot).  I was afraid to adjust it and the first night thought I was going to have to go to emergency because of the pain.  Dr didn't tell me I could up my pain meds but thats what it took.  No weight bearing for 8 weeks than was released to walk but not anything to aggressive.  I am very active and have been waiting to do something physical,  the foot was too sore and swollen to wear anything but a tennis shoe and only for a short time. Continued to have my foot checked at each 30 day mark, 90 day mark healing was not complete and during the next 30 day period I somehow broke 2 of the 4 pins in the foot and had increased pain and swelling, I was told the bone had not healed yet and to go back to wearing the walking boot, which I did for months 5 and 6.  The foot has still not healed and now I am scheduled to have the foot surgery redone in 2 weeks.  So far this has been a bad decision but hopefully this next surgery all will heal as suppose to.  Consider carefully when facing this surgery.  I can't imagine the blogs here where people had very little pain and was walking in shoes within a few weeks, we must be talking about very different types of surgery.

 

I had bunion surgery on my right foot 10 months ago. My foot still hurts at the bunion site almost as bad as before the surgery. I followed the post-surgery guidelines exactly as I was told. My doctor has taken x-rays and all appears to ok. If I had known that the surgery would remove the protrusion but leave the pain, I would have never had the surgery.

Did you have any problems standing flat on your foot? I had surgery 4 weeks ago I have been walking since the second week ( big mistake) but I can only walk on the side of my foot, it feels like the ball of my foot is too big, just wondering if this is normal and how long it will take to walk normal again

I definitely had problems standing and walking. I went back to work after 5 weeks and used the velcro shoe for at least another 3 weeks after that. I slowly put more and more pressure on my big toe because I was finding that walking on the side of my foot was causing my calf to hurt. I'm on my feet the whole time at work so I would wear my shoes to work but within a few hours my foot swelled up so I switched back to the velcro shoe. I had my surgery 6 months ago and my big toe is still numb at times. It also swells up when I'm on my feet too long. The healing process takes a LONG time and my advice is just to take it in stride. I have no regrets getting my foot done, just don't expect to bounce right back because it usually doesn't happen that way.

I had a scarf bunionectomy 3 and a half weeks ago. I was out of hospital the next day and told by my physio that I could weight bear immediately. However for the first two weeks I stayed on the couch and practically did not move the whole time. Please note if anyone is thinking of having this done then you will need help in terms of preparing meals and drinks-if I didn't live with my mother then am pretty sure I would be a skeleton by now. Anyhow after the first two weeks I went to the doctor and had the bandages removed-everything looked good and pain was improving. However around the 3 week mark I ventured outside to get some magazines and to have a mooch around a local shop-using crutches I was partially weightbearing on the doctors orders but am now in incredible pain and wondering whether I have seriously damaged/hindered the healing process. Can anyone tell me whether this is normal? Also my leg muscle is wasting away and I am only 25 and worried that my leg will never look the same. Infact I am feeling rather depressed. I need some re-assurance please

Your pain is perfectly normal. You haven't used your foot for 3 weeks & even though you were partial wb it is still more than you were used to. As for your leg muscle, that is normal too. Mine did the same thing. You need to flex your feet - rotate your foot, move it up and down etc to stretch out your leg muscle as much as you can. A great time to do that is after a hot bath when your muscles are all relaxed.
I was discharged the same day as my surgery and I was up on my crutches the next day. Of course I was over confident and wiped out on the kitchen floor. I was lucky that my cast hit the fridge and not my toes or I would have been right back at the hospital. I didn't feel any pain until a few hours later when my foot started to swell up. Swelling is normal and that can be painful too. In my opinion it sounds like you're on the right track to recovery!

How are you today ? I'll have my first of two Lapidus procedures in October. I also like to hike and I would like to know if you can do it again. Has your second foot been done ? Thanks and best regards.

It's been almost 14 months since I had my foot done and I don't regret it at all.  I don't get any of the sharp shooting pains that I used to get before the surgery.  I was told that my foot may continue to swell up for up to 18 months after surgery - mine still does.  It's been very hot and humid for the last few days and that's a major contributor.

The only thing I recommend is to not be afraid to ask your doctor about physiotherapy if you don't feel you have the right range of motion in your toe after a few weeks.  My toe is still stiff but I don't really care because I'm not a balet dancer so it doesn't affect me at all.

I am on week 3 of my second bunion surgery.  I had bunions removed on both sides of my right foor and screws put in so the bone grew back properly.  I have been in a walking cast the entire time but no weight bearing (other than my heel) yet.  Just got the go-ahead to get it wet in the shower yesterday.  The first time never feels as good as you think it will! 

My tips are to buy a shower seat for the tub/shower and a hand held shower head.  I just kept my foot outside the tub, or draped it on the side of the tub.  My other tip is to stay home at least a week after surgery and religiously elevate and keep it iced.  It cut my recovery time down two weeks this time.

Also, I rented a knee scooter to get around my office. This thing is amazing! It keeps your hands free and makes you feel steady if you are unsure of crutches.  it isn't helpful on stairs but a God send everywhere else. I also get up and down the stairs on my butt.  I just lift myself with my arms.  I live in a townhouse so it was a necessity. 

I go back in three weeks and hoping that I'll be able to drive at that time..(fingers crossed)!

I hope some of these tips help...

Had my surgery done 6 mths. ago also...but the bone has not fused..this was my second bunion surgery...the right foot was done 9 mths. ago...healed properly with no problems...Going back in Sept. for another x-ray to see if the bone has fused....have been using a bone stimulator for the last 3 mths...Hoping and praying that the bone has fused and will not have to have surgery repeated on left foot...

Hi,

I am desperate to find someone who can comment on this. I had my left-foot bunion, which was the worst, done on the 4th of July; it is now 30th September -- just a little over 12 weeks post-op -- and I am freaking out that it looks like the bunion is already coming back a bit, and my left toe is already tending to drift back to its bent position. My husband watched me walk this evening and noticed I was beginning to flick my foot again when I walk as I did before surgery as well. How on earth could this have happened so soon? I resisted getting the bunion operated on for a long time as I am very passionate about dancing, and while I did stop teaching dance a few years ago due to this and other joint conditions, I have never wanted to stop dancing socially, even though these problems certainly caused me to scale it back considerably as the pain continued to get worse. I could care less about wearing heels, even though I am short and have lots of nice shoes with heels that I am unable to wear -- but I do care that this is limiting my ability to enjoy dancing and walking, two things that I greatly enjoy -- also as it starts to get colder, I do have to be able to put my foot in a closed shoe. At the moment it is still swelling, with occasional shooting pains in the toe, and really doesn't feel comfortable in most closed shoes like trainers. As a result, I am mostly wearing ballet flats a size or two bigger and flip-flops with cushioned soles and slight arch support; occasionally I wear Ugg-type boots but I find these can be bad for the foot in other ways as they do not have any arch support, and that causes pain in the arch too.

Apart from doing a little bit of dancing recently, mostly in flat shoes, with not much in the way of spinning on the ball of the foot, I have followed all of the recommended procedures religiously. I have tried to do a few zumba classes, but as my foot hurt later from the jumping, I decided I would modify the routines so that they are low-impact. I am walking usually without the surgical shoe now, however I am wondering if perhaps I should still be wearing it.

Of course I did hear that bunions could grow back after surgery, but I can't believe it would ever happen so soon! This is just too awful, as it makes me feel I have endured all of that pain and missing out on the best summer we've had in England for years all for nothing! And there is absolutely no way I would even begin to think of having the right foot done until I see some improvement with the left -- the right-foot bunion is less severe, so they gave me a joint injection there when I had the left foot done to help ease the pain. However, because the cold and damp hasn't set in yet and I am not dancing or wearing heels, I can't really gauge whether the injection was successful.

I just can't believe I am already digging out all of the orthotics and toe separators I was using before the surgery -- I thought having the op would mean saying goodbye to those, at least for my left foot! I am now constantly trying to do all of the physio toe-strengthening exercises I can. Yes my foot is less deformed than it was even if it is not straight (it still looks like a mild bunion), but if this trend doesn't reverse or slow down, I am really worried it might not take long before it became just as bad as it was before the surgery.

This is really causing me deep stress and concern, so I would be very grateful if anyone knows anyone who has had this problem, or has any helpful advice. I am trying to get ahold of the surgeon but he was away for a month and the first appointment they can give me is the 30th of October -- and that is way too far away for comfort!

 

That is what I was told years ago when I first started considering having the surgery, which is why I did not bother. See my post below about my concerns having finally gone ahead with it -- you may find a cortisone injection in your big to joint will help more with the pain. I have had three cortisone injections for other joint issues (hip bursitis -- a few years ago; pain relieved 98%, still effective; 'tennis elbow'/RSI -- three years ago; nada, waste of time, physio and acupuncture far more effective; and here in bunion -- jury's still out on that one).

Hi Penny,

Wow, that's really early to go back to work! Wear your surgical shoes and take your crutches -- if my experience is anything to go by, you will need them for at least another 2-3 weeks.

I had my bunion on my left foot removed 2 and a half weeks ago. I work at a desk and went back to work after a week. I have been in a hard cast the whole time which is very uncomfortable! I keep my foot elevated as much as possible. The stitches came out last week and toe looked good. I get this cast removed in another week and get the walking boot. My pain has mostly occurred at the bottom part of my big toe and wraps around the toe. Using the crutches sucks but it'll b over soon!

I'm 20 and I had the same surgery done yesterday to both feet. I've stayed on a regimen of taking my pain meds every 4 hours and keeping my feet elevated and I switch of icing each foot every 30 minutes and Ice under my knees to cool the blood going to my feet for less swelling. So maybe theirs something your not doing and that's why your in pain or maybe you needs to call your doctor.