I have posted this problem before I with concern of this new burning feeling in my foot. This is my 4week,( no weightberring total of 8 wks) and I am still having this burning fire feeling in my foot. It's not just a little burning. Which I do have sometimes, but at most times it's really bad. It's become every night. It literally feels like It's on fire and not getting any better. I called the Dr. and they said it's normal, but I find this hard to believe since most post that I read people seem to be getting better. I wanna know if anyone ever been told they have nerve damage so I can look at these real warning signs. Or if anyone else in their late recovery still having this fire feeling in their foot. I'm just concerned and looking for some relief.
Also, anyone in a waking boot and taking it off. I'm wondering if I may be doing damage taking it off. I have to sometimes because the burning feeling is so bad I need to ice the bottom of my feet.
Thank you
Jen
When I left the hospital in my heel walking boots no one told me to take them off so I kept them on for a few days, then started to take them off when in bed because my feet were on fire. What a relief. I saw the doc after 10 days and he apologised, he said I only needed to put them on to walk in. Only people with special splints needed to keep them on. I had that burning feeling for the first few days. But after about 4 weeks I started to get pain at night. Other people said that was the nerves repairing. It wasn't severe though. Now today is my 6 weeks post op and I am no longer in the boots. I still have more discomfort at night then in the day strangely enough. today is my first day walking 'normally'. Oh boy! I am walking like a zombie! I have weird tingling pains in my big toes when I try to walk properly. Again I'm told it is the nerves repairing. Ithink your pain could be just that. However if it is extreme get back in touch with the doctor. extreme pain is not what most people report. I'm very happy at the moment because I feel like I've turned a corner. Remember to raise your feet above heart level to reduce swelling to give your feet the oportunatey to heal. How do the wounds look? Are there any signs of infection? If so you really need antibiotics to be on the safe side.
Thank you. I hope it is just the nerves repairing itself. When I saw my dr after the first week and the 3rd he said everything looked fine. No infection. But I wasn't having the burning feeling until a few days later. I'm having it right now. It's becoming more and more frequent, but not always really bad. I told.myself if it continues like this, I'm going to call him again Friday.
I'm in a talk walking boot. No splint. He told me not to take it off on my 1st appt which I didn't, but the only way to relieve this a pain is ice.
Thank you sharing. I'm glad your walking. Sorry it's like a zombie though. I'm sure you'll get your balance back soon and pain I only going to get better.
Taking arnica tabs and cream should help with the pain and swelling.
Hi Jennifer; I am responding to you because I had something happen to me too. After surgery (bunionectomy, hammer toe repair, pin, 6 screws put in my foot, and a tendon transfer) I could not feel my left outer thigh. Surgery was on my left foot. I asked the surgeon about this and they said they don't know how it could have happened, but said it was meralgia paresethsia (my spelling might be a little off) I looked it up and it is compression of the lateral cutaneous nerve. I'm very upset because they don't know if this will resolve. Has anyone else experienced this?
Hi Jennifer,
sorry to hear about your nerve pain. I'm 5 MONTHS post-op bunionectomy (two screws in my big toe, one in my second toe) and still have LOTS of pain and swelling. I have the burning feeling you describe with considerable pain while trying to sleep (key work, TRY to sleep). The surgeon I had (what a freaking cockroach!) has basically blamed ME for all the pain and swelling I've had. He even told me he doesn't make all that much money doing the bunion surgery! I was eight weeks non-weight bearing (did exactly what I was told) and then was told by the same moronic surgeon that I didn't follow the physical therapy regimen.. The physical therapy was worse than the effects of the surgery. My foot is still numb to the touch but still hurts like hell. I'm an ex-jock and I swim 2 miles each day, five days a week....and I used to play tennis 4 days per week...those days are apparently over. It REALLY hurts when I swim....before the surgery it was mildly annoying to swim. I think "nerve damage" is the dirty little secret of foot surgery that surgeons refuse to mention ahead of time. I'm staring at least one more foot surgery and possibly two...one to take the screws out and another to put them back in. A word of advice for people that read this thread...DON'T believe what the surgeons tell you...Do PLENTY of research BEFORE you get foor surgery. The moron that did my surgery told me I absolutely positively NEEDED it...now I'm lucky if I ever walk normally again... I'm no stranger to surgery either...I had ACL surgery 6 months before this toe surgery and rotator cuff surgery two years before that with no apparent problems. What really irks me is the surgeon who did this to me refuses to admit that the surgery didn't work and caused MORE damage to my foot...he has basically blamed ME and left me to deal with the problems that he caused...I've now seen 4 different doctors, who readily admit there is something wrong with my foot...now it's trying to figure out exactly how and IF they can fix it. My surgeon's name is J Michael Miller. He's in the US, but avoid him at all costs...he's a total horses' ass. If anyone wants to discuss this clown further with me, I'm more than happy to talk with them.
Good luck to you Jennifer, and don't talk for gospel what surgeons tell you...it's ALL about the money.
Wow! All I can say is "wow!"
I am so sorry that you are still having problems. And to top it off, you cant do the things you loved doing. I am into my Tae Kwon Do class and liked working out and running untill the pain in my left foot kept me from continuing. So, I decided to have the surgery in hopes I can do these things better.
I agree with you, that nerve damage is the dirty little secret of this surgery. If you google symptoms of nerve damage it's burning, numbness, and tingling. And doesn't go away unless they go back in to repair the damage. And as for me. I would be afraid to go back under the knife and have my fragile nerves repaired. Forget it!"
I knew there would be risks of having the surgery, but not likely. My Dr is a bit of an ass too. When I tell him about my pain he tells me it's all in my head and that I'm a big baby. (In those exact words) it was like pulling teeth to get a refill on pain meds. He thought it couldn't have been that bad. But it is. The actual.foot pain is way better then before. But know my concern is this overwhelming heat in my foot.
Sorry to hear about your Dr. Sound like a real ass.
Good luck with your future surgery. I'll be praying for you.
Thanks again.
In view of Redstone69's post; Jen are youin the UK? I believe there is a lot of difference when it comes to surgery here in the UK and the States. Check out the NICE report that is produced by the NHS re post bunion op problems togive you some reassurance re nerve damage.It seems it is rare. NICE would not allow bunion ops on the NHS unless the success rate was significant. My surgeon told me all the possible things that could go wrong. Basically it was the same as any surgery. The thing is your foot has gone througha trauma. Speak again to the doctor tell him your concerns.
Thank you, I think j will bother my Dr again.
And yes, I'm in the US.
Hi Jennifer,
Good luck with "bothering" the doctor. The surgeon I have has basically blown me off as my problem....another little dirty secret about surgery AND surgeons....they certainly like to feel like God when they get paid though. If I can, I'm definitely bringing legal action against the clown surgeon I had...problem is, Doctors, these days, have a tremendous lobby and have effectively eliminated liability from their menu...What irks me so much is not that the surgery didn't work, and made things worse, but that I was the one who was blamed for it! Plus, he's simply blown me off to take care of HIS problem myself. Again, his name is J. Michael Miller...avoid him at all costs!
In my 63 years on earth, I've had no problem with any other doctors. I've had varicose vein surgery, gall bladder surgery, knee surgery, rotator cuff surgery etc. I'm an ex-jock and I've lived with pain my whole life. I just can't stand someone with a high level of ostensible responsibility not doing anything to help me with problem HE created.
Are you taking anything specifically for nerve pain? If not, request a script from your doctor. This alleviated my episodes of burning/tingling that refused to let me sleep. I also usually take Melatonin 3mg to further promote restfull sleep. Otherwise, have you tried metatarsal pads? My doc placed one under my regular bandaging for the electrical tingly pain in my forefoot (with every step) brought on by walking with more than partial weight bearing in the boot. I couldn't believe how this simple little thing alleviated such great discomfort.
If you have switched to different bandaging, another possibility is an allergy/dermatitis. I am not allergic to latex but am hypersensitive and so my 1st post-op appt had quite a reveal. After additional courses of antibiotics and several bandage material changes, it was determined that only 100% cotton was tolerated. I guess the body can be super fussy after subjecting it to such trauma.
Hi Jennifer, Yes, I'd say everything sounds pretty normal to me. I'm 11 weeks post op and some days I still get that burning feeling too. If I also do too much, the foot really aches and becomes swollen. Another thing is nerve jumping. I still shout "Ouch" on occasions when this happens but it only lasts a split second so when it's gone I just forget about it. I'm expecting to have all these various symptoms for a few more months yet and it does get less and less from what I understand. You are still in the early weeks of recovery and I think its advisable to keep your boot on at all times to keep your bones in alignment as they heal. I was told by my hospital consultant not to take my boot off until after the 6 weeks final check and X-ray. I did exactly as I was told and kept the boot on day and night and slept with my foot elevated on sometimes three pillows. At 6/7 weeks after my final check was done I starting walking again with full body weight on the foot. Luckily I could then get into my normal walking, leather lace-up shoes. I began driving again too at around the same time, once I could safely operate the clutch without any pain (I don't drive an automatic). I was able to walk around the supermarket too by then and do the usual big weekly shop. So here I am at 11 weeks and the foot can still have 'bad days'. It will burn, ache, nerve jump and throb. I will take paracetamol tablets if it's really bothersome. All in all though I tell everyone I am 'delighted' with the results. The aches and pains as far as I have learned are par for the course and will get better as the months go by. Be patient, keep that foot elevated for 50 minutes out of each hour, and all will get better and better. Four weeks is a worrying time; you think your foot will never get better but believe me, from now on the improvement will be quite noticeable and fast. Hang on in there, patience is the key. LadyPink
What the heck... I know I've responded to you, but it didn't post. I don't know why. I notice that happens to me sometimes. I think it's my tablet. Oh, well.
Sorry. So I'm going to call Dr later today just to make sure.
Everything everyone has been telling me it's normal to have this burning. I'm probably just paranoid about my foot. I'm sure everything is okay. It probably not good that I keep taking my boot off to ice the bottoms of my feet. That probably not helping. It just burns so bad though.
As far as the bandgae. Not sure if I'm allergic. It dosent seem like it.
I appreciate the post.
I keep you posted.
Thank you
Hi Jennifer, I forgot to mention I am in the UK, 70 yrs old and still fit and active. I had my surgery done on our NHS (National Health Service). At my initial consultation with the surgeon, he explained fully the operation he would be performing and followed with telling me all risks that could happen. Nerve damage and numbness being just two of them. Then I was asked if I had any questions. If I agreed to accept the risks, I would be asked to sign the Consent Form. I knew beforehand therefore, all the things that could go wrong but as I was willing to take that chance, I signed on the dotted line. If I hadn't had the operation I know my walking in the future just would have gone from bad to worse and I would end up in a wheelchair. Having said all that, I personally still believe the symptoms you are getting are 'normal' for 4/5 weeks so try not to worry. I bet you'll find that things will begin to ease very soon and in the future weeks. I think all this tingling, burning and numbness is a good sign that things are healing - it just takes time - and no two people are the same. Good luck and be patient, all will be fine you'll see. I'm having my second foot done at the end of our summer so it can't be that bad - can it? LadyPink
Hello again. Good morning.
It's another sleepless night with my burning flaming foot. It's like 3:30am where I am and still having this fire on the bottom of my feet and especially in my pinky toe and I wasn't even worked on there. It hurts if I slightly touch it. An keeps hurting for a long time. It's definitely getting worse. I'm calling first thing in the morning. It's unbearable!!
I'm forced to have to take my boot off to ice it and I really hope I'm not doing more damage. I know you said keep it on. Can't help it though it's the only relief I get. Sorry I keep bringing this up, but I find comfort here.
Goin to try and sleep. Keep you posted.
I am really sorry you have to suffer through this; sleep deprivation intensifies everything. Any abnormal coloring below the knee or behind your leg? Vascular issues will cause pain. Does anything feel hot to the touch? Skin infections can be quite painful without looking so bad. Though this sounds to me like a nerve response. Or possibly tendonitis. I still am having shooting burning pain in upper thigh From elevating my foot and the boot height difference.
I really hope you get relief soon.
I am so encouraged by your posting, thank you for your encouraging post. I am post op week 3 plus one day. I had a bunionectomy, hammer toe repair, tendon transfer, 3 screws in my big toe, 3 screws where the bunion angle in my foot is, plus I had the roots taken out of my big toe to hopefully eliminate further in grown toe nails. I am getting antsy about being non weight bearing, but each week I do see small victories. I have also experienced an infection in the big toe, and have some nerve damage in my thigh. Somehow the lateral cutaneous nerve got decompressed and I have numbness all along my outer left thigh. I am grateful for this blog. It gives me hope for as the weeks go by things will get better. Do you have any advice for the first time you can get the foot wet and wash it gently with soapy water. I can do that in a few days and I am terrified. Thank you for your posts
Update on my burning feeling:
I had such a bad night last night that I had to call my Dr. And they told me to come in.
Everything looked fine. I even got a early peek at my foot and it looks really good. He couldn't pin poin t why I was having this pain other than the pinky toe was red and tender from bandage being on too tight which may be making this fire feeling. Too soon to tell if it's nerve damage and that is was very unlikely. Nothing for nerves, by I did my own research and B vitamins and vitamin D help with the repair of nerves. So I went out and bought some vitamins.
My foot still burns. This is the longest it's ever felt this way, but not as intense as last night's. So all in all, I should expect these bad nights and hope these vitamins help.
I'm so glad I have this blog site. It's the first place I run to when I'm having problems. It makes me.feel better, thanks to all of you.
So glad you got some relief for your foot. Thank you for the tip on the vitamins too, I didn't know that! I hope you get some sleep
Hi Jennifer
How are you doing now? I am 4 weeks post op now (both feet) and am having the burning sensations you have described. Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
Thanks in advance
Yes! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I was about 4wks too when I started experiencing that burning feeling. It did get better. It was not nerve damage, although I got frightened because everything I read on the subject was what I was feeling and could happen with bunion surgery. But no. What it was, was a bloody calise from the bandage being too tight. The whole side of my foot where the pinky toe was became bruised. I was in a lot of pain especially at night. Finally when I had another apt he loosed the bandage and eventually it got better. Maybe you can loosen the bandage to help. Let me know if you have any more questions. As I know all about this fire burning feeling
I feel your pain