Hi there,
I have decided to finally undergo the bunionectomy and I'm considering to do this abroad. After researching, I feel like India could be a goos place to do it and I would be prepared to stay there for the recovery time. I also found that East Europe offers high quality ( as it seems) surgey at an affordable price. Would anyone here be able to advise me on the process of getting the surgey outside UK?
Thank you
Hi Irene
I am 14 days post op from a scarf/akin osteotomy plus soft tissue release. I had this done in Yorkshire. Why do you want to go overseas for the op. I had 12 week lapse from going to my GP and referral to having my bunion removed. I had the most up to date surgery (minimal invasive surgery) that is available. You are totally off your feet for 2 weeks and then relatively sedentary for another four. You can not drive and depending on your job possibly housebound. It's important to get a reputed surgeon with experience in foot surgery. Turns out mine was one of the best in the country and specialises on athletes.
Thanks for your reply. Can I ask you about the cost?
Hi Irene, jinny here, I agree with Simone, why would you even consider going abroad? I had my surgery about 6 wks after going to see the specialist and there was no cost. Do you live in the UK? why not have the operation here with the aftercare as well. I have been told - back for stitches out after 2 wks, check up at 6 wks and final check at 12 wks. Would you stay away for that length of time? It's a slow old process but if you want to give your feet the best chance of a successful outcome you need to be patient and do exactly as you are advised. What does anyone else think? Has anyone else been overseas for this operation?
xx Jinny
Hi Irene. The surgery was free as I was an NHS patient. Privately I understand it is about three - four thousand pounds.
Cheers
I agree with Jinny2. It's a slow process leading to recovery!
I actually had my consultation trhough NHS and they gave me insoles instead. I would need to go private. NHS wasn't very supportive and the process went nowhere. Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it. It has been years of deciding for surgey and finally I feel that I really have to do this, but the cost through private is quite high. I am trying to look everywhere to find a suitable source.
Hi Irene,
I am now 6 week post op on my right foot and feel that all went quite well. At the end of the month I retire to Portugal permanently and I've looked into the cost in general. Last year I was quoated eu4000 (minimal invasive surgery) for both feet at one of the top hospitals in Porto that deals with general sports ops, so I think we are also talking top football clubs here! Since then I have also found some specialist closer to my home over there but don't know the price as yet ( I imagine a lot cheaper than Porto). Portugal has some of the best experts where surgery is concerned in Europe and from what I have read sofar they appear to concentrate on minimal invasive surgery. That will be my next move once I'm over there, but I will wait until the winter to have it done.
Irene, are you going for the surgery because you are in pain, or because of the way your feet look? I'm just curious why the doc would recommend insoles to surgery.
If it's because of asthetics, please don't do it. I'm five weeks out from surgery on Monday, and I'll never do the other foot. The pain was minimal, but the recovery is hard for me to take....it takes a long time, without being able to get around and without being able to drive. I had it done in the U.S. but of course, that is not cheap. But Medicare or insurance covers everything for US citizens. Many people here who do not have insurance go to Costa Rica for dental work, veneers, and surgery. It might be too far for you, but so is India. Costa Rica has an excellent health care system and is cheap.
Hi Joyce, I can't wear any shoes that create contact with the bone as of course, it causes pain. In the past 3 years I have started experiencing some pain that feels like a nerve pain shooting up my leg coming from one foot. Having said that, I have to be homest I also get really down because of how my feet look. It sounds very superficial but I have been waitng for years to come to the decison. I can't deny that this is has always been a very personal issue that goes beyond been embarassed.Was your case a severe one? Mine seems to be a mild case and I feel that my recovery period could be less if the surgery will be done with a minimal invasive approach.
Hi Irene
Even with a minimal invasive approach it still takes approx six weeks as the Bones and sift tissue need t heal and knit together. After that it is a long road to full recovery. I am a runner and cyclist and took years to deceide whether to have this surgery.
What? OMG!!
If you're in the UK I def wouldn't be traipsing half way across the globe to have your surgery.
What on earth is te attraction of going to India for the surgery? Or, are you just being sarcastic or attempting some weird kind of humour?
I live in West Yorkshire and had mine done on the NHS last November at Bradford Royal Infirmary. Excellent consultant surgeon - Mr C Mann.
A brilliant team work at BRI. So, any of them are highly recommended.
Do bear in mind that when you've had the op you'll hardly be trotting and skipping around for a very long time and so the logistics of getting from 'A' to 'B' need to be considered as you'll be on crutches and almost certainly be given a special heel wedge shoe to wear for several weeks.So, why make life more complicated for you than it will be following the operation.
YOU ASO NEED CONSIDER THAT YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO RETURN TO THE HOSPITAL TO SEE THE CONSULTANT AND TO HAVE YOUR BANDAGES CHANGED AND THE WOUND CHECKED FOR FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENTS 2, 6 AND MAYBE 8 WEEKS FOLLOWING THE SURGERY.
So India is hardly a bus ride away is it?
You need to be near home in my view.
THINK !!!!!!!!!!!
But then, I'm not noted for being anything other than very practical and extremely honest, direct and blunt with my opinions.
But, it's all very well intended and not to cause offence.
Good Luck!
Gillian
Well, then, Irene, I'm very surprised the doctor didn't recommend surgery. Pain is a good reason to have it. Yes, I was in pain and couldn't walk very far before feeling it. Mine was pretty bad and looked really bad. I also waited forever. I'm 67. I did google Costa Rican bunion surgery yesterday, and up popped India as well. They have what they call medical tours. It's just sad that you can't go to a doctor in the U.K. and tell them how much pain you're in, and get the surgery. Go in for another consult and just scream when he touches your foot. There is a great doc in NYC, Dr. Neal Blitz, who does minimally invasive surgery and you walk out of the office the very first day. You can google him. Then you could go home for after care. But then again, cost. So sorry.
Hi Jinny,
You're one of the lucky ones! I first aproached my doctor about having a bunionectomy in March 2013 as the pain for me was almost unbearable at times due to the fact that I have an allergy to analgesics and paracetamol barely helped. I finally had an appointment to see the specialist in January this year then the op was planned for early April. April arrived, and fter four hours of waiting to go to surgery I and some other patients were told that our ops had been cancelled 
. I was contacted a few days later for another appointment at the end of April, but that was too late as my daughter was getting married
early May. I was also having a cataract operation in May 14th and finally had the bunionectomy on May 28th 
. I personally would not consider going to India for this operation. I feel fine with Portugal or any other of our older EU member countries. I'm not so sure about our more recent EU members either if I'm honest. There's been too many plastic surgery nightmares and that would definately put me off any kind of op!!!!
Hi Joyce,
I'm not surprised that Irene's doctor didn't recommend surgery. I think it depends on where you live. Until two years ago I lived in Harrogate. I suffered from plantar fasciitis as well as very painful bunions, the worst bunion being on my left foot. Twice I mentioned this problem to my doctor and his answer was that it was quite normal at my age. I wasn't even nearing 60 at that time. I moved to the Manchester area two years ago, although it has taken a long time in my opinion from "doc to op" It was never discussed that I wasn't a suitable applicant. Some of the people going in for the same op were considerably younger than me, even in their 40's. I hope Irene gets what she wants on the NHS.
Hi
i am so sorry about what you have been through. Waiting around and then being postponed is so stressful. I do feel for you! Very disheartening.
Hi All
Definately a post code lottery. I have discovered you need to be firm with everyone in the system (NHS one that is).
Hi Simone,
Yes, it was disheartening at the time. But I'm now wearing my "Cosey Feet" excluding the VAT, that cheered me up 
. I just feel sorry for people that can't get it done on the NHS when they clearly need it!
Yes, I hope she does also. Very interesting. Of course, docs in the US want to do as many surgeries as possible. Mine is already talking about doing the other. More money....capitalism. In fact, you have to be really careful here that you don't have an operation that you don't need. I'm very wary. But my surgery was needed.
Hi Joyce,
At the end of the day everything is motivated by money. But the waste within the NHS is disgarceful to say the least. I recently heard that a local hospital had to transfer some files from one department to another - not too far away from what I was told and they used a fleet of 50 taxis 
. What happened to people and trollies? A recently built hospital, Southmead, in Bristol, in the south of England paid £250,000 for a clock that no one understands how it works
. How many bunionectomies could the NHS do on that?
I'm from the uk but live in Australia. Bunion surgery is not subsidised by our healthcare as it's considered elective (I'd like to give the Health Minister 4 bunions and see if that changes things?!) so at age 31 last year I went private in Australia. I didn't shop around for the cheapest deal I found someone really good who I trusted and waited til I could afford it.
Really you get what you pay for.
My guy was amazing and the follow up care was unbeatable.
Please really really think long and hard on this because feet are pretty much the most complicated mechanical part of your body and you can not afford to get this wrong.