Hi all, I have read some on this board for a while now. I am debating on having bunion surgery and wanted any input on the pain of recovery. I have on and off pain on one foot with that bunion and the doctor said that it would be an easy thing to fix....just cut open on the side and shave off the bone. My question is how is the pain....how long is the recovery....are you able to walk or get around? We are moving the first of July so I have to be able to help. Is the pain of going through it worth the result, since I my pain now is every now and then....not like an all day thing. Thanks for any help and advice.

Hi Vicki,

You should get a second opinion. The surgery your doctor is suggesting is hardly ever used, and does not correct the problem, just takes the bump off for a while. Please research the web, and read about this. Also, bunions do not halt, they become progressively worse over time.

I am 2 weeks post op today. I have bunions in both feet, and my right foot was always worst than the left. I did not have pain everyday (I work from home a lot, and go barefoot) but I would ALWAYS have pain if I went shopping, wore any type of shoe with 1 inch or higher heel, jogged, etc... My feet have bothered my for more than 15 years.

As far as pain, everyone is different! I didn’t feel much pain at all in the first week, week 2… much more “discomfort”.. aching, throbbing pain, but I am not sitting here crying in pain, but resting & icing my foot and doing fine.

For me, the time was good to get my feet fixed now. I haven’t had insurance in over 15 years, and I finally do – so this was a motive for me, my work situation is great, that I am able to take all the time off I may need, and I am 43 years old.. and decided I rather do it now than 10 or 20 years from now.

It is a big decision, and I wish you luck on making the right choice for YOU.

hey vicki :wave:
read the post I AM A NERVOUS WRECK, BUNIONECTOMY

all the pros in here helped me through it... and i am a nurse who was very chicken.. but it was a breeze... i took the pain meds for a bout 5 days, and felt very little discomfort.

My MD will not release me to work for about 6-7 weeks because i am on my feet alot, but some go back week 3 or 4 if they have a deskjob.

i had my bunionectomy April 1st, and I am still in a soft shoe boot..
i believe if you can stand it , i would put it off until you get moved so you can properly recuperate. :)

Vicki,
That's a hard call.If the pain does not bother you that much I would say wait.But then again bunions don't get better they get worse in time.Although it does sound like you have a mild bunion and not much would have to be done to your foot to correct it.With more severe bunions they have to cut the bone and use screws.So recovery is more intense.This is just my opinion and I'm sure you will get other great advise from the members here.Good luck with whatever you decide to do. :)
Sue :angel:

Get a second opinion!!! I had my bunionectomy January 25th, had two pins and several stitches. Was non weightbearing and on crutches for 6 weeks. Had Physical thereapy for 4 weeks and finally was able to wear a big wide tennis shoe at week 10ish. The recovery is the most painful those 1st couple of weeks. Don't go to a doc who just shaves the bunion off!!! I didn't even think that was medically ethical anymore!!!! Read a bunch of these boards to get an idea of what we all went thru and are still going thru!!!!
Sharon

Please take our advice and get a second opinion. Shaving the bump will not fix the problem permanently. You need to find out what is the root cause of the bunion in the first place. I've had bunions on both feet. One progressed slowly and the other rapidly. My daughter (22) has mild bunions right now. The doc said if he removed them at this point, she'd probably need surgery again in her 40's if she didn't wear orthotics (she has flat feet). He suggested getting orthotics now to slow down the progression of the bunions but to hold off on surgery at this point.
Welcome! Linda

It's all about that base wedge - if you don't have to have a base wedge osteotomy (wedge taken out of the bone further down the foot - maybe two inches below the bunion), it makes all the difference in recovery time. That cut adds at least a month to your recovery........trust me.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who answered my post. I have thought about this and have decided to wait until after we move in July to have my surgery done. I then will have to get another referal and visit a new doctor (we're military), but hopefully the new one will be better than the first one. I have to admit, I knew nothing about bunion surgery before I went, so I thought nothing of it when he told me that it would be simple, "just make an incision on the side and shave it off". But after I got home and did some research to help me decide whether to go ahead with it or not, I also, have some of you have mentioned, read that just shaving the bunion off does not solve the problem. Do they grow back? I don't think that I have anything out of alignment or anything like that requiring pins, etc. I guess I still need to read up on it. I am a 33 year old mother of an almost 6 year old so I need to do this at the right time, so I will be able to still be mobile. Anyway, thanks again for the help.

Im glad you've decided for a second opinion! Let me just tell you that there is no "right" time for this surgery. YOu just have to make arrangements and be prepared. I have 2 small children. I had a relative come stay with me the first week then my husband took care of me the next 6 weeks doing absolutly everything. Just educate yourself!!!