I have found these posts helpful to read through and l to know that there are so many of us out there with foot pain following bunion procedures. I had a lapidus procedure done 5 years ago by a podiatrist in northen Virginia USA who has been recognized by many different organizations as the best in the area. i thought this is going to be a a great result. Well, the foot looks a lot prettier but it hurts SO much worse the the bunion pain ever did. i would gladly take my kickstand of a bunion back and trade it for this pain.
I had the first metatarsal end and the first midfoot bone fused together by cutting the cartilage off and roughing up the bones and then hitting them with 3 large screws to hold it in place. i also was talked into doing the bunionette on the side of the foot (pinky toe) area as well. which i dont get too much pain from although it has thrown off my balance to catch myself when i fall to the side.. (leave the bunionette if you can it helps with balance)
Since having the surgery, my foot has felt so different and not in a good way. at times, it does not even feel like my foot. like i am wearing someone elses foot with pain.
Last year in september, i was so sick of the pain (pain in foot where surgery was performed and pain in the back of the calf, uncomfortable tightness) i went back to the podiatrist who did the surgery and asked him to remove the hardware that i was having pain. he was able to remove 2 of the 3 large screws. the other is buried in the bone and said he would need to break the bone to remove it so i asked him to leave it alone and not remove that one.
Now, a year after the screw removal surgery, i have had the worst pain since i had the initial surgery. my entire calf was extremely tight as well as all the tendons on the inside of my arch, down to my big toe and under the head of the first metatarsal.
i took myself to the podiatrist again and explained to him all the severe pain i had over the weekend and he quickly diagnosed with plantar facitiis and gave me a night split and an injection in the facia on the heel of my foot. i was not happy with this so i went to an ortho for foot and ankle 2 days later for 2nd opinion. he sent me for an MRI and to also look into having a nerve test done that i have set up for NOV14 due to the waitlist for this nerve dr. he told me to come back when i had all these tests complete so he an have a real good look at me. there was confusion with the MRI center so i ended up going 2 weeks later for the test. i asked them to send the results to my podiatrist, who did he surgeries, the ortho who asked for the test and then also my general doctor.
i had a follow up appt with the podiatrist set already for this past Monday, yesterday and so i went. he asked about the plantar facitiis and i told him that the pain in the foot was still there in the entire arch and also in certain spots inside the sole as well as tenderness in the toes and on top of the foot. lastly, i told him about the bruising feeling under my first metatarsal head and the crunching and slipping that i had been feeling when i got out of the bath with no shoes on.
he pressed on the sesamoid bone and tears came to my eyes.. now he has diagnosed me with sesamoiditis as well as plantar facitiis. he gave me a steroid injection in the lateral sesamoid and I FELT PAIN FREE for 8 hours due to the pain block he mixed with the steroid injection. he then told me to go to physical therapy and they will help me with the sesamoiditis, foot stiffness to build up the strength in my foot… what? ive been out of any surgical shoe for well over a year my foot is strong… he also recommended that i have dry needeling done, like accupuncture. however he didnt tell me how to wrap my foot for my new condition nor did he tell me to pad the area or not to walk on it for a while. he didnt offer any further prescriptions for inflamation or pain. he just didnt follow through.
2 hours later, i took myself to my general doctor to tell him whats going on with me and to get a referral for the best podiatrist or foot surgeon in the DC area. he gave me a blood work sheet and wants me to have an MRI of my back and knee due to some pain and numbness while driving and then we can talk about some pain medication when i come back..
(i wasnt in much pain due to the pain block administered in the sesamoid by the podiatrist at the time so i didnt push)
well, i taped my foot up this morning and put on my tennis shoes and ate 800 mgs worth of ibuprophen as well as a 500mg tylenol and out the door i went to do my sales rep job. i drove which is painful die to arching of the foot so i tried to brake with the heel and gas with the entire foot. i walked on the side of my foot mostly from store to store that i visited. by 3 pm, i was in severe pain and crying on my way home. i called the general practioners office but hes off on tuesdays so no getting him to call me in something for my pain and anxiety. i came home, took more ibuprophen, and drank a large vodka with sprite that helped relax me and now im up at 2:15 am with pain and cannot sleep… thats the reason for all this rambling, i cant sleep…
if anyone has had any similar stories with the lapidus procedure, please respond
if your reading this post considering the surgery.. please reconsider, i would take my ugly throbbing bunion back anyday…