Foot surgery - what to expect?

mamahammer · 10-23-2011, 12:16 PM

I'm having bunion surgery on Tuesday and I do not know what to expect at all. I've never had any kind of surgery. Anyone with experience with foot surgery?

What can I do to set myself up to be successful with recovery?

Don't tell me it's something you would not choose to do again, please.

I've put this off for 14 years and am in tears over the pain at least twice a week. I've tried the non-surgical options and I don't wear crazy shoes. My options at this point are surgery or live with the pain. I've elected to go for the surgery now.

sweetpeasmommy · 10-25-2011, 09:58 PM

mamahammer · 10-26-2011, 05:26 AM

Surgery was yesterday! Thanks for the prayers

I'm alternating hydrocodone and advil every 2 hours for right now. And keeping it iced and elevated.

I'm being picked up by my sister today so I can go sleep at an empty, quiet house while the kids are with their babysitter. And I have people bringing dinners through Monday.

Any thoughts on what I can do to aide healing (broken bones, swelling, etc)?

Little Forest · 10-26-2011, 05:41 AM

Keep off your feet! Your feet will tell you the same thing too and listen to them. Plan to keep them propped up. I hope you have a lot of support for the time. Use it if you have it. Be sure to do the stretches after that the podiatrist tells you to do.
Posted via Mobile Device

mamahammer · 10-26-2011, 06:33 AM

The kids have been fantastic about getting things for me and helping each other, which is not surprising, but makes me very happy

About time to be picked up. Time to go sleep! I don't much care for how the hydrocodone makes me feel...

Blue Savannah · 10-26-2011, 06:45 AM

I had a major foot surgery a year and a half ago. Feel free to PM me any time.

A few thoughts:

Even if you are on the hydrocodone for a short period, be prepared to wean off of it slowly.

I was completely unprepared for how difficult it would be to be on crutches with littles. I never thought about my hands not being free.

I slowed my recovery terribly being up too soon. It took so long to do things--just the absolute minimum--that I was never off my feet. If you can arrange for help for as long as possible, it would be a good thing.

Those were my two major bumps in the road.

I hope your recovery is swift.

RiverRock · 06-13-2015, 02:06 PM

I know this is an old thread, but I am wondering how the outcome has been for you, mommahammer. I have an appointment this Tuesday with a podiatrist to discuss where to go from here. An x-ray has already confirmed a bunion for me.

mamahammer · 06-13-2015, 09:00 PM

I would do it again in a heartbeat. No question. The ortho wanted me walking for short amounts of time a couple of days after the surgery, so I was only in crutches for a very short time. I was in a walking boot for 3 months, followed by 3 more months in tennis shoes.

My foot pain, though, was so bad before the surgery that I felt better immediately post-surgery, even with the surgical pain.

I had two dissolvable pins holding together the three sections of my toe, with an internal set of dissolvable stitches and an outside set of regular stitches.

I have a pretty high pain tolerance, so my situation may not be "normal," but recovery was not nearly as bad as all of the Internet stories I read. I have a bunion on my other foot that I won't hesitate to have surgery for should it start to cause trouble.

RiverRock · 06-14-2015, 06:58 AM

Wow! That is an intense recovery story. I'm glad the outcome has been good for you.

If you don't mind me asking, how do you manage your other bunion? I don't think that mine causes me as much pain as your pre-surgery bunion caused you. It is limiting my mobility and always hurts mildly when I walk even when I'm taking anti-inflammitories. I have read about people shrinking their bunions which doesn't really make sense if it is a bone protrusion.

mamahammer · 06-14-2015, 03:35 PM

I don't specifically do anything to keep it from getting worse. I'm not certain that there's really anything that I could do that would stop progression, you know? But I don't wear heels and I make sure my toe box has lots of room in the shoes I do wear. I ice it at the hint of pain and wear supportive flip flops if pain is present.

If I got to the point of icing it multiple times a week, if I started needing pain medication regularly, or if my big toe started to cross over my 2nd toe, I would have surgery on it again without a second thought.

10-23-2011, 12:16 PM	#1
mamahammer Deactivated There must be beaches in heaven Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Texas Posts: 7,516	Foot surgery - what to expect? I'm having bunion surgery on Tuesday and I do not know what to expect at all. I've never had any kind of surgery. Anyone with experience with foot surgery? What can I do to set myself up to be successful with recovery? Don't tell me it's something you would not choose to do again, please. I've put this off for 14 years and am in tears over the pain at least twice a week. I've tried the non-surgical options and I don't wear crazy shoes. My options at this point are surgery or live with the pain. I've elected to go for the surgery now.

10-25-2011, 09:58 PM	#2
sweetpeasmommy Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 30,329	Re: Foot surgery - what to expect? __________________ Amy eNFp Wife to ISTJ DH 1997 Mom to one Sweet Boy 10/2004

10-26-2011, 05:26 AM	#3
mamahammer Deactivated There must be beaches in heaven Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Texas Posts: 7,516	Re: Foot surgery - what to expect? Surgery was yesterday! Thanks for the prayers I'm alternating hydrocodone and advil every 2 hours for right now. And keeping it iced and elevated. I'm being picked up by my sister today so I can go sleep at an empty, quiet house while the kids are with their babysitter. And I have people bringing dinners through Monday. Any thoughts on what I can do to aide healing (broken bones, swelling, etc)?

10-26-2011, 05:41 AM	#4
Little Forest Rose Garden Rich in girls. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Perth hills, Australia Posts: 6,914	Re: Foot surgery - what to expect? Keep off your feet! Your feet will tell you the same thing too and listen to them. Plan to keep them propped up. I hope you have a lot of support for the time. Use it if you have it. Be sure to do the stretches after that the podiatrist tells you to do. Posted via Mobile Device

10-26-2011, 06:33 AM	#5
mamahammer Deactivated There must be beaches in heaven Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Texas Posts: 7,516	Re: Foot surgery - what to expect? The kids have been fantastic about getting things for me and helping each other, which is not surprising, but makes me very happy About time to be picked up. Time to go sleep! I don't much care for how the hydrocodone makes me feel...

10-26-2011, 06:45 AM	#6
Blue Savannah Deactivated Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,363	Re: Foot surgery - what to expect? I had a major foot surgery a year and a half ago. Feel free to PM me any time. A few thoughts: Even if you are on the hydrocodone for a short period, be prepared to wean off of it slowly. I was completely unprepared for how difficult it would be to be on crutches with littles. I never thought about my hands not being free. I slowed my recovery terribly being up too soon. It took so long to do things--just the absolute minimum--that I was never off my feet. If you can arrange for help for as long as possible, it would be a good thing. Those were my two major bumps in the road. I hope your recovery is swift.

06-13-2015, 02:06 PM	#7
RiverRock Moderator Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms. Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: In green pastures Posts: 9,767	Re: Foot surgery - what to expect? I know this is an old thread, but I am wondering how the outcome has been for you, mommahammer. I have an appointment this Tuesday with a podiatrist to discuss where to go from here. An x-ray has already confirmed a bunion for me. __________________ RiverRock, mom to a 24 year old diamond, 22 year old granite, 19 year old pearl, and 16 year old tiger eye. Married for 25 years to a rugged boulder and resting together on the one true Rock.

06-13-2015, 09:00 PM	#8
mamahammer Deactivated There must be beaches in heaven Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Texas Posts: 7,516	Re: Foot surgery - what to expect? I would do it again in a heartbeat. No question. The ortho wanted me walking for short amounts of time a couple of days after the surgery, so I was only in crutches for a very short time. I was in a walking boot for 3 months, followed by 3 more months in tennis shoes. My foot pain, though, was so bad before the surgery that I felt better immediately post-surgery, even with the surgical pain. I had two dissolvable pins holding together the three sections of my toe, with an internal set of dissolvable stitches and an outside set of regular stitches. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, so my situation may not be "normal," but recovery was not nearly as bad as all of the Internet stories I read. I have a bunion on my other foot that I won't hesitate to have surgery for should it start to cause trouble.

06-14-2015, 06:58 AM	#9
RiverRock Moderator Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms. Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: In green pastures Posts: 9,767	Re: Foot surgery - what to expect? Wow! That is an intense recovery story. I'm glad the outcome has been good for you. If you don't mind me asking, how do you manage your other bunion? I don't think that mine causes me as much pain as your pre-surgery bunion caused you. It is limiting my mobility and always hurts mildly when I walk even when I'm taking anti-inflammitories. I have read about people shrinking their bunions which doesn't really make sense if it is a bone protrusion. __________________ RiverRock, mom to a 24 year old diamond, 22 year old granite, 19 year old pearl, and 16 year old tiger eye. Married for 25 years to a rugged boulder and resting together on the one true Rock.

06-14-2015, 03:35 PM	#10
mamahammer Deactivated There must be beaches in heaven Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Texas Posts: 7,516	Re: Foot surgery - what to expect? I don't specifically do anything to keep it from getting worse. I'm not certain that there's really anything that I could do that would stop progression, you know? But I don't wear heels and I make sure my toe box has lots of room in the shoes I do wear. I ice it at the hint of pain and wear supportive flip flops if pain is present. If I got to the point of icing it multiple times a week, if I started needing pain medication regularly, or if my big toe started to cross over my 2nd toe, I would have surgery on it again without a second thought.

X vBulletin 3.8.3 Debug Information
Page Generation 0.09690 seconds Memory Usage 7,850KB Queries Executed 16 (?)
More Information
Template Usage: (1)SHOWTHREAD (1)ad_footer_end (1)ad_footer_start (1)ad_header_end (1)ad_header_logo (1)ad_navbar_below (1)ad_showthread_beforeqr (1)ad_showthread_firstpost (1)ad_showthread_firstpost_sig (1)ad_showthread_firstpost_start (1)cyb_flashimagebanners (1)footer (1)forumjump (1)forumrules (1)gobutton (1)header (1)headinclude (1)navbar (3)navbar_link (60)option (10)post_groan_box (2)post_groan_box_bit (1)post_groan_javascript (1)post_groan_navbar_search (1)post_groan_postbit_legacy (10)post_thanks_box (1)post_thanks_box_bit (1)post_thanks_javascript (1)post_thanks_navbar_search (1)post_thanks_postbit_legacy (10)postbit_legacy (10)postbit_onlinestatus (110)postbit_reputation (10)postbit_wrapper (4)showthread_bookmarksite (1)smqre_editor_button (1)spacer_close (1)spacer_open (1)tagbit_wrapper Phrase Groups Available: global inlinemod postbit posting reputationlevel showthread	Included Files: ./showthread.php ./global.php ./includes/init.php ./includes/class_core.php ./includes/config.php ./includes/functions.php ./includes/class_hook.php ./includes/functions_notice.php ./mobiquo/smartbanner.php ./mobiquo/include/classTTConnection.php ./mobiquo/smartbanner/head.inc.php ./includes/functions_bigthree.php ./includes/class_postbit.php ./includes/class_bbcode.php ./includes/functions_reputation.php ./includes/adminfunctions_template.php ./includes/functions_misc.php ./includes/functions_post_thanks.php ./includes/functions_post_groan.php Hooks Called: init_startup cache_permissions fetch_postinfo_query fetch_postinfo fetch_threadinfo_query fetch_threadinfo fetch_foruminfo style_fetch cache_templates global_start parse_templates fetch_musername notices_check_start global_setup_complete showthread_start template_groups template_safe_functions template_compile showthread_getinfo forumjump showthread_post_start showthread_query_postids showthread_query bbcode_fetch_tags bbcode_create showthread_postbit_create postbit_factory postbit_display_start post_thanks_function_post_thanks_off_start post_thanks_function_post_thanks_off_end post_thanks_function_fetch_thanks_start post_thanks_function_fetch_thanks_end post_thanks_function_thanked_already_start post_thanks_function_thanked_already_end post_groan_function_post_groan_off_start post_groan_function_post_groan_off_end post_groan_function_fetch_groans_start post_groan_function_fetch_groans_end post_groan_function_groaned_already_start post_groan_function_groaned_already_end reputation_image postbit_imicons bbcode_parse_start bbcode_parse_complete_precache bbcode_parse_complete postbit_display_complete error_fetch post_groan_function_fetch_groan_bit_start post_groan_function_show_groan_date_start post_groan_function_fetch_groan_bit_end post_groan_function_fetch_post_groan_template_start post_groan_function_fetch_post_groan_template_end post_thanks_function_fetch_thanks_bit_start post_thanks_function_show_thanks_date_start post_thanks_function_fetch_thanks_bit_end post_thanks_function_fetch_post_thanks_template_start post_thanks_function_fetch_post_thanks_template_end tag_fetchbit_complete forumrules showthread_bookmarkbit navbits navbits_complete showthread_complete
Messages: