I have had bunion surgery in ONT., on Jan.7\15, on the 20th I return to the hospital for my lst follow up.
I have no idea what kind of surgery I had was only told what he would do and it was to cut under my knee, inside my lower leg and remove the bunion and I believe over my small toes on my foot. I have a pin with a ball sticking out of my big toe other than that I am wrapped and some cast on the back of my leg so I cant see anything.
My question is does any one know if this pin will be removed as it sticks out of my toes at least half a inch and is so gross.
I have been bed bound since I came home with foot elevated in the pillow I was told to buy, only to the washroom and back. A lot of swelling has gone down as I can feel how lose the wrapping on my foot and leg is.
I was given oxycodne for the pain but now take maybe 2 over 24 hrs., wondering if he would also repeat this perscription or another pain med as putting the foot down to head to the washroom is really painful still.
I would appreciate any feed back or anyone that has this surgery done any news that they had gone through after the surgery.
Thanks K
Hi Karen,
I think the first thing I would do is ask WHY did they cut below your knee! seems to have nothing to with bunion surgery
good luck!
I too was wondering why they cut under your knee. I wouldnt have had it done without knowing exactly what was going to be done...you could ring the surgeons secretary and ask any questions you have ....good luck
It is only few days to your follow up appointment Karen so perhaps make a list of questions and keep asking until you understand. It is very unusal to be doing anything above the ankle while correcting a bunion so he must have done something else as well. The screw which stick out will definitely be removed, this kind of screws are onlny temoporary. Also, don't be shy in asking for appropriate pain management, it is only you who can tell what and how much you need. Good luck on the 20th Karen. You definitely need to know and understand what was done, why and how long will be your recovery as it really seems not just the bunion surgery.
Hi Karen
I had my operation on 29/12/14 and had a follow-up appointment on 14/1/15. I had a bunionectomy, Weils and also hammertoe repair on the second toe which has a pin sticking out of it. All the stitches were removed in this two week follow up. I have another appointment on 2nd Feb (just over 4 weeks from op) when they will remove the pin if everything has healed well enough. I think they may do an x-Ray to check. So, I don't think they will remove your pin quickly.
My consultant advised me to elevate my foot as much as possible, but also to ice it several times a day, using a bag of frozen peas. This is not easy if you have thick bandages!
Judy
Oh I did ask but it was booked so long I forgot all the details, but when he drew on my leg and explained it all it all made sense, just for me to explain it would a mess. I have heard of the same procedures from others that have had the same surgeon, oh believe my did some homework.
I answered on the post above but I will find out all the details on tuesday coming & thanks.
No it was only bunion surgery but it was quite huge the size of the bunion and my toes were starting to get moved to the side, but like what he had told me many months before my surgery I don't remember the exact names for everything he was doing, I was just glad to have it done as walking after awhile was really getting painful and buying shoes to fit with the bunion was getting costly.
sounds painful, i believe but could be wrong mine was a layidus, sound from what I have read and talking to people that was mine.
I was never told about ice packs and your right I don't know how that would work cause my leg and foot especially are really wrapped with some cast here and there for protection, but it is mention once the stitches & bandades are removed I can as needed. The swelling has really gone down though which is great, I almost feel like I could pull my foot an leg out of the wrapping but wouldn't of course. My leg is up in the pillow that I had to buy and take to the hospital with me the day of my surgery, the only time it's out of the pillow is a trip to the washroom and back but I think it's really paying off.
I know I will have xrays lst., then stitches removed if there ready but it's this pin thing sticking out of my big toe that sends me.
We have a huge shephard that is a real suck so I stay in my room with a gate across and a swing board my husband added so the fool can't jump over and he is not impressed with me. It's been to cold to leave him outside so I stay in my room but I have everything I need in here. We have let him in daily so he's not to upset lol but he will sit on the other side of the gate and talk and moan away to me it's priceless but I'm so afraid of him hitting that pin as he's a big boy and full of energy so the sooner it can be removed the better.
Not sure why they couldn't cover it with someone as looking at it alone sends me and anyone that has visited also.
Some else told me to let my leg dangle for awhile to get the blood back down before I use my crutches of course no weight bearing and that really helps but back up in the pillow as soon as I done.
Any pointers are so welcomed and thanks for your feedback & good luck.
I can only echo all that has been said on here to be honest. I think that sometimes we are anxious when we first have our consultations and it is easy to misunderstand or not remember some of the things that the surgron is saying especially if they are using medical lingo! We all need to ask quaestions and tell them if we don't understand in fact I'm wondering if we should ask for a written explaination of the procedure that we will have done.
coming on this forum, I now realise that surgeons have their own preferences of procedures for similar conditions.
I was told that I would have the bunion 'shaved off', two bones broken and fused together, a metal plate inserted permanently and correction to the 2nd hamer toe would be in the way of tightening the ligament!! Now to be honest that's what I remember him saying but I have forgotten other things that he said.
Karen if you read through all the threads on here you will see a varity of procedures and recovery timelines.
But I guess that the thing that we all have in common is that we did indeed have quite traumatic orthopedic surgery and this will take varying time to heal and get us back to mobility. So we can all have empathy with each other.
ood luck
Poor doggie - that's so sad! I've covered my foot with a stretchy sock so I don't have to look at the pin. A sock might not go over your foot, plaster and all, but perhaps you could improvise? How about a sleeve from an old cardigan? But it wouldn't protect your toe from the dog!
Hi. You should have been given some paperwork to come home with which will say what the procedure was that you had done. A copy of this would lpossibly have been sent to your GP. When you have this, you could do some research regarding what exactly that procedure entails. I know that my surgeon wrote on my lower legs during my discussion with him on the morning before surgery to indicate exactly what was going to be done during the surgery.
Good luck with finding out what happened to you and with your recovery
great idea to cover it, I'd like to just remove it lol, I will have to cover on Tuesday as it's suppose to be -?.
I got brave again and went out with the dog and he was great as my foot is tucked up so I don't chance using it but he is 6 yrs. old but thinks he's a lapdog and acts more like 2, when he lst came flying at me he was told to sit and that he did, he's quite the boy but still have to be on guard with him.
thanks Judy
A print out is a awesome idea but I'm sure they would charge for that too lol
I know the slicing was also something to do with my legiments in my leg if that rings a bell to anyone. I'm not to concern with the past now it's going forward is the issue I suppose as I can't change what has been done.
Less swelling or pain when I lower my leg so that has to be a good sign from what I have read on another site & speaking with people that have also had similar surgery done.
There is for sure many kinds of bunion removal surgeries and from what I know like any operation once your open things can change. As I said he never mentioned the pin in my big toe that I would of remember lol so there must of been a reason and I'll find out Tuesday when I go for xrays and see him Dr.Veri is his name if anyone has had him or going to him.
Thanks for your reply and all is helpful.
I was given instruction on the follow but nothing on the actaul surgery but I'm sure he will go over it all when I see him or I will be asking for sure.
He also drew where he would be cutting and such on my leg\foot but never mentioned anything about screws or pins but that I will find out also.
He also mentioded about returning to work light duties, no way will I with that thing sticking out of my toe. I do work out of a office and can work from my home but the biggest part of my job is going to building to do inspections and dealing with health & safety in which some building do require safety boots which there is no way I could wear one with a pin even with these things they call clackers that are like a safety boot your own shoe slides into them and there is a band that goes over the back of your heal and the front of your own footwear is covered so that won't be happening and I couldn't imagine trying to drive myself to the office each day and then sit behind a desk for 8 hrs almost but I will see what he says about that on Tuesday also.
I have lots to ask him. lol
Thank you Karen
Hi Karen
going back to work in your situation would be pure madness not just from the point of view of pain but also safety which seems to be in direct conflict with what you do.
Your doctor seems to be a bit of a 'dont care very much' person to say the least so you need to stand up for yourself. I am not sure how much walking you have done so far but I am guessing that not that much. Wait and see as most of us find going back to walking quite difficult (this seems to usually happen after 6 or so weeks of no weight bearing) and the swelling seems to prevent most people from wearing normal shoes and in some cases any shoes. I may be one of those people as my 6 weeks is up next week and I am looking longingly at my husband's sleepers as they are the only shoe that I can put on my foot so far.
Write a list of questions and another list of requests eg : pain killers, medical certificate for work
good luck
Karen I agree with Mishe re your work situation. You might find that your employer will not permit you to return owing to their health and safety policy. If you haven't told them about the surgery and you do return to work their insurance may not cover you for any work related injury. If you have told them and they accept you back at work they may be neglecting their responsibility to act under their business H & S policy and you might not be covered by insurance for any injury or accident. It is a dificult one for people who need to return to work but you have to be honest with them and tell them what surgery you have had. Sometimes companies request that you see their appointed occupational health specialist, who will assess your fitness to carry out your work. Some employers will facilitate your return by offering you light duties or a phased return to work but you may not be able to carry out any work that might jeopardise your recovery etc. You need to talk with a Manager where you work really.
I had surgery Nov. 4, 2014 and I have been in a real shoe for only one week. It isn't wonderful but better than the big black boot I was in for weeks. In reply to the ice thing, my doctor had me put the ice on the back of my knee to cool the blood down going into my foot because the bandages were so big the cold couldn't penetrate them. It seemed to work just fine. But now that I don't have the bandages and still have some swelling I am applying directly to the foot. You can make an ice pack in a zip lock bag using 3 parts water and 1 part alcohol. It doesn't freeze solid and conforms to the foot. Hope this helps.
I have met this surgeons many times but he was explaining to me about the return work & I explained my title a Area Manager an what it involves as he was telling me he does a standard letter for anyone that needs one for work that if there is light duties to be
he may be of different view if you tell him that this kind of letter may make him legally responsible if things go wrong for you
he does not seem much of a human being but my guess is that if you tell him that you need medical certificate untill you are completely recovered as otherwise you will be at risk and that could put him in a very uncomfortable position, he may listen differently