Hello,
I'm scheduled to undergo Austin bunionectomy and tailor's bunionectomy with osteotomy on June 10th on my right foot. I know everyone's different but I just want an idea for when I'll be able to return to work which I assume will be when I can drive so when does that generally happen?

I have expected I will be out of work for at least 4 weeks if not longer. Does it seem reasonable that I might be driving at 5 or 6 weeks? Or should I plan on at least 8 weeks? My podiatrist said 4 to 8 weeks but I've noticed many of you went beyond 8 weeks before you were driving? My recovery involves a surgical shoe, NWB activity and crutches for a week after which I should be able to hobble around with limited weight on my right foot.

Any advice from anyone who underwent my specific procedure would be appreciated!

I think judging by what Joll43 went thru you might want to plan on 6-8 weeks but my bunionectomy I was able to drive and get around at 7 weeks. To be on the safe side plan for atleast 6 weeks for sure. GOOD LUCK HONEY and keep in touch!!!!!!!!

Oh and BTW, you will not be weightbearing and off crutches in one week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is ridiculous and absolutly not right. Some docs say that but they are way wrong!!!!! Please read all these posts and you will see!!!!!! I would plan on 8 weeks! Bones take 6-8 weeks minimum to heal and you shouldn't have weight on them during that time for goodness sakes!!!!! I had an Orthopoedic surgeion do my surgery and he told me NWB for no less than 6 weeks and hobbling after that until comfortable enough to get in a very wide tennis shoe!!!!

Oh and BTW, you will not be weightbearing and off crutches in one week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is ridiculous and absolutly not right. Some docs say that but they are way wrong!!!!!

I think you should go by what your doctor says, he/she has the medical degree.

I was partially weight bearing at one week. Of course under the direction of my doctor. And I am healled very well, I was back to work in 2 weeks and back to work standing all day in 4 weeks.

I think it all depends on what you have done, how extensive it is, and what your doctor feels is enough for you to do.

Hi
I had an Austin bunionectomy with Allograft (cadavear bone) on April 1st. :) I was allowed up that day in my Chevron boot to go to the bathroom only :nono: . I had to use a walker for 3 days. Two weeks after that, my stitches were taken out and I was moved into a soft shoe. My left foot is where my surgery was, and I was released to drive after two weeks as long as I did not take any narcotics (duh). I am a nurse, and my MD told me to plan on being off for 5 to 8 weeks. I am now on day 19, and doing well. I went to the grocery today. My MD does not want me up for longer than 20 minutes an hour :nono: and I have to wear the boot when i am up. :yawn: Good Luck, I can't wait to wear nice shoes again without pain. :wave:

Hello, I am 3 weeks post op tomorrow. I had an Austin Bunionectomy with 2 permanent screws, and a 2nd toe metarasal ostectomy with 1 pin. I was put into an wedge shoe, that allowed me to walk right away. This shoe keeps all weight off the front of the foot, and allows me to walk on my heel. Even with this, I used crutches for the first 5 days. Now I hobble around in the shoe, and hobble I do. The shoe throws your whole walking balance off - you'll see.

Driving, I am not able to drive (my right foot was done) until I am released from wearing this shoe. I asked the doctor last week how long I will be in this shoe and he informed me at least another 4 weeks (that make it a total of 6 weeks).

As far as work, I really think it depends on your job. I have a desk job, but I would HATE to sit there for 8 hours a day, there wouldn't be a real comfortable way for me to prop up and ice my foot. I did go back to work in 1 week, but only for a couple hours one day a week ( I guess that really is NOT back to work! :rolleyes: ) :) If your job requires standing & walking, I think any sooner than 4 weeks would be really hard, if not impossible.

Everyone heals very differently. My foot at 3 weeks is very swollen, and tender. I am very cautious on it, or around people. My foot is better than last week, and I expect each week to get better & better! At this point of healing, I am not allowed to put any weight on it, nor would I want to!

Like Lou, I was told not to be up on it more than 20 minutes per hour as well.

Excuse me AMINK, but there are plenty of Doctors who paint you a rosey picture and tell you that you'll be able to walk way before you should or can. So then the patient gets on that foot way too soon and ends up hurting herself or having more foot surgeries in the future. I know as well as anyone that we all heal differently and are all having different procedures but it doesn't take a medical degree to know how long bones take to heal and any one with common sense will take it easy and not rush the healing process.

I agree that doctors tend to paint a rosy picture of bunion surgeries. I saw three different docs before I had my bunion surgery and they all gave me different estimates on when I could bear weight, go back to work, etc...
Two said the pain would be minimal and since I was so young they could "virtually guarantee I would have no problems" and be back at work in two weeks. Um...that's definitely on the rosy side and they didn't discuss the possibility of complications. There was only one who said that this was going to be pretty painful, that the amount of time i would have to be off work was much longer than the other doctor's had said...basically, he was very straightforward. I don't think anyone on here claims to be an expert but many of us have had similar experiences and can share those. Also, i think b/c so many of us have had problems we have done a lot of research on all the foot procedures - I now know much more about foot anatomy than I ever wanted to. Ever. In my mind the whole purpose of this board is to share what we have learned and what has happened to us - no one is claiming to be an "expert." I think it's great that folks take the time to tell new people about what their recovery was like; we shouldn't chastise people for reporting what they have learned through experience or research. Okay, my little rant is done.

THANK YOU RLMM!!!
I appreciate that alot. Who better knows than us anyway! I would venture to guess that 99% if these docs haven't had any of these kinds of surgeries we are all dealing with! I would much rather be MORE PREPARED than not. If my doc would have told me one week the I wouldn't have lined up all the help I did and told my work the accurate amount of time I would be out! Better to safe than sorry!!!

Thank you everyone for your replies. I appreciate all of your input. I happen to be a pharmacist and have to stand all day and while I only work a day a week right now (home w/ 2 small children during the other days!) I think even going back to work one day a week may be very hard for me. I had really hoped to be back after a month but I certainly don't want to rush it and compromise my recovery in any way. UGH. I guess it is best to plan on at least 6 weeks. I think my biggest problem is the crutches and/or hobbling... with 2 small children (9 mos and 2 1/2 yr old) I can't afford to be hobbling: I need to be running to keep up! I guess it will be good that I will be able to visit my parents for a few weeks to get help with the girls. Like everyone here, I am hoping to be a super-healer and be back to my life quickly!!!

Thanks again for your stories and advice.

I agree that doctors tend to paint a rosy picture of bunion surgeries. I saw three different docs before I had my bunion surgery and they all gave me different estimates on when I could bear weight, go back to work, etc...
Two said the pain would be minimal and since I was so young they could "virtually guarantee I would have no problems" and be back at work in two weeks. Um...that's definitely on the rosy side and they didn't discuss the possibility of complications. There was only one who said that this was going to be pretty painful, that the amount of time i would have to be off work was much longer than the other doctor's had said...basically, he was very straightforward. I don't think anyone on here claims to be an expert but many of us have had similar experiences and can share those. Also, i think b/c so many of us have had problems we have done a lot of research on all the foot procedures - I now know much more about foot anatomy than I ever wanted to. Ever. In my mind the whole purpose of this board is to share what we have learned and what has happened to us - no one is claiming to be an "expert." I think it's great that folks take the time to tell new people about what their recovery was like; we shouldn't chastise people for reporting what they have learned through experience or research. Okay, my little rant is done.
GOOD LUCK R
Sue :angel:

Maddiesmom--You might check out the roll-a-bout. Its a scooter like thing where you rest your injured leg on the cushions and push with your good foot. I know you can rent them and they have a web site. It has helped me a lot. I can't imagine chasing little ones without it!! My 17 year old races around the house with it.
Linda

I work as a pharmacy tech, and know how hard the day is on your feet. Luckily I went back to work after 2weeks and the pharmacist/owner allowed me to sit with my foot on the trash can.

I hope you have an experience as good as mine. I have been walking/hobbling since a few days after surgery.

Yes, I am sure some people have gone through hell with their surgery, but I have gone through worse with other surgeries.

And yes it does take 6-8 weeks for the bone to completely heal, but at my 4week visit the x-ray showed the my bone was 90% better and I could be full weight bearing.

All I am saying is go by what your doctor tells you, not by what we tell you, as everyone is different. But as a pharmacist you know this LOL Good luck.

is that how the MD will determine when it is ok to come out of this soft shoe, with an xray? :confused: