Hi I have just been to see the consultant for my six week check up, I explained I was unhappy about my second toe, he was very kind and spent some time explaining things to me. Physio not won't work, the best thing for it would be to fuse the toe so it is straight. Not only that it looks like I broke my big toe in the fall I had the other week.. not sure exactly what was said, but the it means possibly another op on my big toe too..I am going to leave it for a few months and wait for my foot to heal before going ahead and choose exactly what to have done..
I just wondered if anyone has had their second toe fused and what it feels like to have it done, does it feel strange not being able to bend the toe? Has it changed the footwear you can wear? Flip flops for example.. Do your old shoes fit? Not sure how I feel about it all at the moment, I guess I was ok at first, but now I am a bit scared..😟
Hi, I am having this done in a weeks time along with correction surgery for a previous scarf/akin bunion surgery which I had nearly 4 years ago and which has failed. I have friend who had the fusion surgery and she has had no problems since.
Hi Sawmpiesue,
it sounds to me as though you didn't get the support you needed from the consultant. Sorry you also broke your big toe which doesn't help. Re toe fusion, I'm fairly sure it means you can't bend your toe in which case it will affect your walking gait. I would see your GP if you can, to discuss what's best for you. If you're scared it's because you are not happy or informed so don't be afraid to ask more questions and even change consultants, if need be! I hope that helps. Let us know what happens...
Thanks Susan, perhaps you will keep me informed as to how it goes and the results.. Good Luck and hope the operation goes well x
To be honest with you mumbles the consultant was really nice, it drew a picture to show me what he did.. He also showed me the X-rays and how they had altered over the past few weeks before and after the operation also after my fall and now. It's my fault I don't ask questions because I Medically I can't take information. I get confused. Ita easier to ask people on here because I can read the answers over and over so it goes in. I will ask my Consultant when I see him again, I have five months to see how the foot progresses and also how I cope with this floppy toe..
I also meant to say, I'm sorry your operation has failed, that's the operation I had done, with a soft tenotomy on the Second and third toe..
I also forgot to say in my post, that I had a Scarf Ostotomy just and soft tendon release on the second and third toes just six weeks ago..hope that's what it's called..
I don't think many people take in everything that's said in the consulting room. Taking someone else to your appointment can be useful. It helps with remembering. Do you know why your second toe is floppy?
I took my husband in, he thought I broke my foot in the fall I had.. Shows how much he was listening lol...
I think maybe that both tendons were cut instead of one, but not exactly sure...so don't quote me on that...
Oh dear, what a business! I couldn't help smiling about your husband though! I hope someone on patient.info can help you out with the tendons, it sounds a complicated situation. As you say, maybe in a few weeks there will be some improvement. My sister broke her big toe recently and it took a while to heal. Keep in touch.
I had a tendon transfer on my second toe in June last year but that failed too, hence the fusion. I think it must be me doing too much too soon. I have vowed that this time I will take it easy. We seem to be in a similar position because my consultant said in his letter to my GP that I have had a post operative fracture after my bunion surgery which has caused a malunion.
Hi,
I am 7 weeks 5days post op and I had bunion surgery, hammer toe surgery and fourth tow straightened. My second toe is fused and so far it sems to be OK.
I have managed to go shoppoing today and managed to walk over a mile with a few stops for coffee. My toe looks fine cosmetically and certainly much better than it did before as a pronounced hammer toe. It is a little strange that I cannot curl the toe like the others but I think once everything settles down it is not something that will bother me. Once the surgery is a thing of the past there is no real reason to practice curling toes.
I did find it a little difficult to come downastairs in the normal way but I went to see physio yesterday and she explained that my toes are not flexible enough yet. She gave me some exercises to do and today I managed to walk down most of the stairs normally.
Hope that this helps.
Still sometimes experience some pain but nothing that is concerning me at the moment.
Have not tried to wear flip flops yet but do not see any reason why there would be a problem.
Glad your recovering well Christine, I must confess after going through all this I am gutted, my big to is no longer straight but won't know the full extent of the damage till the Shelly goes down.. I even think my bungion has returned which is why I may need another opereration on my big toe as well the second toe fusion. What you have said about finding it hard to walk up and down stairs has certainly given me something to think about. My main concern is that I will be able to walk normally in the future..
Sorry about the misspelling and strange words, its the predictive text on my I pad, and the fact I was tired so did not read it through... Hopefully you realise I mean to means toe and Shelly means swelling, I can't belive all this, and am really depressed today now the extent of everything has finally sunk in...
Thanks Mumbles, as you can see from my later post, the reality of it all has hit me now and I am feeling a bit low. At the moment I am sitting with a ice pack on my foot trying to get the swelling down.. X
I am sorry for all that you are going through Sue. I can totally understand you are feeling low. I always struggle to remember the consultant conversations so wrote it down this time. It sounds like he has tried to fully explain to you which is good. Can't believe you broke your toe in the fall..such bad luck along with everything else you are coping with. Sending you lots of cyber love and support and wishing you a good recovery. Xx
Thank you Sue, I can't belive it either, I even went straight back to the hospital after the fall and was told it was only a little damage, I can only assume the break did not show up and the bone moved somehow so it was Easier to see the break despite my being really being careful.. I guess the thing is to heal now and decide what to have done in 5 months..
So if anyone else has had their smaller toes fused I would really appreciate any comments, good or bad..
Hi Sue,
Yes i had a 2nd toe fusion on 8th feb also had what is called a metatarsal osteotomy . after the op i was in a heal wedge shoe and could walk about quite well after the first 2 weeks, i had the pin removed on 18th march and was told need to wear the shoe for a further 3 weeks which officially is on wed next week but i have actually managed to get a soft leather shoe on just to see how it feels and suprisingly it feels absolutly fine, although still looks a bit swollen. i have no pain now at all. My toe is nice and straight now which is nice to see, and i am hoping to drive my car over the weekend and go back to work next weds. so that will be almost 9 weeks. i must admit it has been a longer recovery than i thought but really am so pleased with the outcome so far. Fortunatly we live in a bungalow so need to walk the stairs but having said that i have visited family and managed to get up the stairs very well in my special shoe, i wouldnt attempt it without thou until told to do so.
I believe that the operation can be done several ways and some surgeons prefer to do a fixed pin. but mine was coming through the end of my toe which sounds alarming but really its not too bad at all. The toe does feel strange like very stiff but thats to be expected so i am told . i dont seem to be having a problem walking in a normal shoe/slipper at the moment but have only done it for a few hrs at a time. as for the flip flops i am yet to try that and really am hoping that i will be able to wear them as i love them for my holidays. when it does come to the time you have or if you have the fusion just make sure you get plenty of rest with foot elevated for first few weeks and gradually do more each day. i feel so sorry for you that you have had this extra mishap . make that a learning curve next time not to over do things. in answer to your question about the shoes to wear i would reccommend wide fit ones and yes the shoe i got on was the one i wore before my op, they are flat loafer style (that i wear for work as a HCA) it does feel a bit strange not being able to bend the toe but its not really affecting my walking. I am still waiting for another appointment to go back for xrays, they are also going to xray my other foot too as i have a lump develop on the side of it and i had surgery on my 2nd toe on that foot too 3 years ago as it was dislocated. but unfortunatly that wasnt successful by all accounts as its very bent now which is what i assume a hammer toe. so looks like this one will have to be fused at some point but apart from it looking ugly its not painful so will wait and see, the main issue with that is its uncomfortable when i wear closed in shoes as the toe bends under.
I wish you good luck with your surgery whatever you decide. keep us posted.
sorry for the indepth reply .
Regards
Jan.
Christine, I wondered if I could ask why you found it hard to come stairs, what was the problem, was it balance ? Or what was causing it? xx
Hi Jan, thank you sooooo much for taking to send me such a wonderful account of your experience with the toe fusion. Rather than being to long it's a brillint to description of what it has been like for you. I think my biggest worry has been not being able to get used to the toe being straight and it effecting my foot wear more than before the operation. My second toe is very long,.. In fact I have rather long toes..may first three are almost as long as my big toe. Having this setback has really worried me, I thought I had been really good but fell getting dressed after my shower.. So did not have my shoe on. The floppy toe problem was not my fault but just one of those things I guess.. I had such high hopes for this operation and was looking forward to a summer wearing all the sandals I purchased but have have never worn because my bungion seemed to appear from next to nothing to really big over night. with regards to the operation I am lucky enough to also live in a Bungalow so stairs is not an issue while recovering..
Thank You again for you reply, I wish you a continued good recovery, I will keep in touch, everyone on here has been so good, I have no friends I can talk to about all this and it's so nice to be able to speak to others that understand.. 😄 thank you everyone 💐💐💐