topic Re: Bunion Surgery in Wellness

Bunion Surgery

NickNack — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 20:12:38 GMT

I have bunions on both feet, but one is much worse than the other. I saw an orthopedic surgeon about other foot problems a few years ago. She told me when my bunion started hurting a lot I might need surgery.

It has started hurting a great deal. It wakes me up at night, and I'm getting up and taking Tylenol in the middle of the night. I live alone and have a dog and a cat. If I had surgery what is the recovery like? I have a one level house, so that would be good.

Would I be able to stay by myself? I thought I could let my petsitter keep my dog and let my cat stay here. My sister lives in town, but she works two days a week and I would hate to impose on her by staying there. I'm thinking it's just not feasible for me to have the surgery.

Re: Bunion Surgery

2blonde — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 20:26:36 GMT

@NickNack Yes, I have bunions too (flat feet all my life), but I've been able to stave off surgery by being extra careful about my footwear, and I continue to be a jogger after 35 years.

I wear only shoes with lots of toe and forefoot room. I like some cushioning, but mostly I need a good arch support......I find that one thing in particular takes a lot of the stress off the forefoot and heel. When I'm at home, I never go barefoot, and I only wear Birkenstock thong type sandals year round in the house. In the summer, I wear my other Birks everywhere. I find the openness near the bunion prevents some irritation, and the toe post helps keep my big toe away from the others.

I hope you don't have to have the surgery. I know of women with excellent outcomes, and I also know others who were worse after the surgery. One women here at work had to have metal plates put in her foot and still limps badly after 6 months. I think it really makes a difference in the doctor you choose. I hope you find the right solution, as I know pain in the feet is the worst!

Re: Bunion Surgery

NickNack — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 20:48:53 GMT

Thank you @2blonde . I do wear the right kind of shoes. I went to the orthopedic surgeon a few years ago because my feet hurt so bad when I walked. I didn't realize I had flat feet, but she gave me a list of brands that would be comfortable for my feet. I've had to keep my bunions in mind when buying shoes for a long time. I really don't want to have the surgery. I've known people who have had it, and the recovery seems so long.

Re: Bunion Surgery

DrKelli — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 20:50:05 GMT

I had bunion surgery 7 years ago. My mom did stay with me because I have a 2 story house and was on crutches. However, if you have a one story house, you might be able to do it yourself. I would have a friend stay with you for the first night after surgery and depending how active your dog is, you might need to get a dog walker. Some doctors keep you on crutches for several weeks, some don't. You will probably be in a boot, so make sure you have a pair of shoes (usually athletic) that are the same relative height as the boot, otherwise, your back and hips will hurt.

I will say, it took me a long time to recover, but I don't have the pain that I did. My podiatrist recommends a $30 pair of orthotics from the drug store called powerwalk or power step. It's what he uses instead of the $400 ones. I find them to be very good and use them in my athletic shoes.

Re: Bunion Surgery

Boomernichols — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 20:51:26 GMT

The feet bear the brunt of our weight and are farther from the heart so blood flow takes longer to get there, therefore they take longer to heal. I had surgery and complained about how long it was taking and this is what was told to me by my podiatrist.........good luck on your "sole journey" if you choose this path.

Re: Bunion Surgery

NickNack — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 20:55:39 GMT

Thank you @Boomernichols and @DrKelli . DrKelli, I think I would let my petsitter keep my dog in her home at least during the first week of my recovery. She's great, and Frankie my dog is very happy with anyone.

I think I'm going to try my best not to have the surgery but did want to get some feedback on what the recovery was like. I've been thinking more about it since my foot has started throbbing in the middle of the night.

Re: Bunion Surgery

dex — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 21:38:49 GMT

@NickNack @I have a Morton’s neuroma and my foot is painful too. I purchased yoga toes and wear them in the evening to stretch out my feet and also I massage my feet.This helps a little as it incourages less pressure on the nerves that cause the pain.I don’t know if it could help you or not.I also stretch out my toes while sitting as often as I think of it.I hope you find a way to feel less pain and won’t have to get surgery.There are so many nerves in the feet and small bones that I am not in any rush to get operated on.

Re: Bunion Surgery

Stevie Nix — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 21:51:13 GMT

I had bunion/hammertoe surgery a few years back. I was in a boot but was told by my dr. to keep weight off of the boot. Since I proved to be totally unstable on crutches I rented a knee scooter. Well I ended up being on that scooter about 3 months. Could not walk my dog, but since I live with my family they walked her for me.

My initial intent was to have the other foot done as soon as the first one healed, but it was such an ordeal I didn't go forward with the other foot.

I too have to be mindful of the shoes I buy because of the one foot that still has a bunion.

On the positive side, being on the knee scooter for 3 months strengthened my core!

If you go ahead with the surgery I strongly recommend renting (or buying) some type of scooter.

Re: Bunion Surgery

NickNack — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 22:01:29 GMT

Thank you @Stevie Nix . It's sounding more and more like I shouldn't even consider doing this. I just don't have the support system to help me through the recovery.

Re: Bunion Surgery

henderson — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 23:04:20 GMT

I had both my bunions done at the same time. I didn't want to go thru 2 surgeries and 2 recoveries. My husband was working at the time and I recently retired (age 55). He would fix me lunch and I would use a wheelchair to get to the kitchen. It was very painful. I remember we had to ice my feet (elevated) for 45 min or so periodically. I would get so bored in the house that he would take me to the mall and wheel me around. I'm glad I had it done.

Re: Bunion Surgery

NickNack — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 23:46:30 GMT

Thank you @henderson . Two at the same time sounds pretty awful. I'm sure you were glad to get it over with though.

Re: Bunion Surgery

Kachina624 — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 00:48:53 GMT

@NickNack. Right after I retired in 1998, I had surgery on the tendon on my right foot and was in a wheelchair for 3 months. I had 2 dogs and lived alone (thankfully) in a one-story house. I did just fine; was able to let the dogs out the back door and had no trouble feeding them. You have to plan ahead and have things like groceries, dog food, ice bags and other supplies on hand. It might be easier if you had one foot done at a time. Put friends on notice to help with driving for groceries, appointments, prescriptions, etc.

Re: Bunion Surgery

SuperShopper — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 04:30:23 GMT

Hi, I had surgery on both feet at the same time back in 1994 ....

a bunion on each foot and two spurs on my right foot. I could hardly walk because of the spurs.

If I had it to do again, I would only do one foot at a time. I would do the worst foot first. It was hard to get around with both feet healing at the same time.

I'm sure the technology has changed a lot since my surgery 25 years ago, so the details of my surgical procedure and recovery may no longer be applicable.

I would recommend that you use one of the scooters that you kneel on. I see people using them these days and it would make life so much easier. Also plan ahead for bathing/showering issues as you will not be able to get the incision wet for some length of time. You may need to get a shower/bath chair and cover to keep your foot dry. Your doctor should be able to advise you on what you will need.

My podiatrist arranged for me to have a device to use for several days after the surgery. It was a box that was a pump with octopus-like hoses attached to circulate chilled water around each of my feet to control swelling, instead of traditional icing. It was wonderful and really worked well. Again, old technology that might not be used these days, but I like it. I had hardly any pain.

Because of the anesthesia, you would likely need someone to be with you the first 24 hours. And you will need to keep your foot/feet elevated for awhile .... ask your doctor what to expect.

If you can't arrange for any friends or family members to help you out for a few weeks, you might be able to arrange for home health care or aide to come to your house until you can get back on your feet, especially if you have Medicare and supplemental insurance. They can assist with whatever you need, including being with you while you shower or bathe as a precaution. You sure don't want to have an accident while you're in the bathroom.

You might be eligible for Meals on Wheels to bring food. Your church might have a ministry to bring food or provide assistance to those recovering from surgery. In my area, a lot of grocery stores will do your shopping for pickup or delivery, and many restaurants do carryout for pickup or even delivery. There are a number of delivery services, some work with Lyft or Uber.

If you have some days to plan, you can do a lot to get your home space set up ahead of time. Be sure to have some books & movies handy while you convalesce, have a phone available so you can pass the time catching up with family & friends, or call for assistance if you need it. When I had my surgery, we only had a landline that was on a cord, and it didn't reach to the couch where I was resting, so that was frustrating. Thankfully we have portable phones and cell phones now.

My right foot was in worse shape, so when I was able to start getting out, I had to learn to drive with my left foot working the pedals for awhile. Hopefully you will be able to use your right foot it you want/need to drive. Lyft & Uber could be good options too if you want transportation somewhere. Family & friends can be a real help too, and many people are very happy to help.

One of my first trips out was to the local home decor warehouse store. They had a wheelchair in the store, and my husband graciously pushed me around. You know you are starting to feel better when cabin fever sets in LOL!

I sure hope that you feel like you can move forward with the surgery. I am so thankful that I had my feet done. It was so worth it .... I now have beautiful straight pain-free feet!

Blessings for successful surgery!

Re: Bunion Surgery

NickNack — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 12:52:24 GMT

Thank you so much @Kachina624 and @SuperShopper . That was very helpful advice.