I had my scarf bunionectomy done 11 weeks ago..with 2 permanent screws..i see a bump returning..not huge ,but definitly not straight like it was last month..my doctor says i have very hypermobic and flat feet. also i need orthotics..which i will get after the summer..i live in sandels june,july and august. Im so upset...has anyone had a bunion return????

you may just be seeing the bone as the swelling is going down.. my doc also told me it's normal for the toe to move back inwards slightly, which may be happening to you and thus looking like it's returning..

well Jules, I would like to give you encouraging advice, but we both know what I am going through :eek:

However, I have heard that when your toe swells it may appear as though it is moving over, but it may not really being doing that. Also, it is natural for the toe to move inward a little, but not alot. I would def. go to your doc and have him/her look at it now, because they maybe able to do something to stabilize it if it is indeed moving.

Good luck!

Liz

I do understand what you are saying,my doc did tell me that i have no arch at all..and that will make the bunion return..so i desperatly need orthotics...thanks

Hi Jules,

I was just about to start a new thread on this topic...

I am about 1yr post bunionectomy (w/ osteotomy) right foot and about 9 months post bunionectomy (w/osteotomy) left foot. You would think because my right foot was done first that it would look better scar-wise and just overall. It doesn't. In fact, I am unhappy with it. It, like yours, is bent again and I have a bump. To me it looks like I have another bunion. I've been seen by the doctor who says my toes did move after the surgery but he's not sure why but that it does happen. He says it's not as straight as he'd like it but it's still better than how it was. NOT EXACTLY the outcome I wanted!

My left foot looks fabulous. You can barely see the scar. My right foot's big toe is bent and the scar is very visible and purple in color. The difference between the two feet: I made the doctor splint my left foot because he did not splint my right and once I was unwrapped and could see my right foot it was beautiful. Slowly, though, I saw my toe moving back to where it was. I, too, have flat feet and I'm sure that did not help. My impression of this is: no splint and flat feet= nothing to keep your healing bones in place. Everyone said I was overreacting and trying to get them to be perfect feet so I just stopped worrying about it. Now I realize I was right all along and by the time I knew I was right it was too late to splint my foot and get the result I really wanted.

Bummed for you and for me. You would think a podiatrist would have anticipated this...

I try and remind myself (with pictures of my feet before surgery) that I am WAY better than I was and that I didn't do this for the looks of my feet but for the comfort. But then I think about getting another bunion and having to go through all this all over again and I want to scream! My podiatrist assures me this will not happen and that I will not get another bunion (I have a permanent screw in my big toe which is supposed to keep it in place... not sure then why it moved in the first place!?) but who knows if he's just trying to cover his own butt??

Just curious... were you splinted?
Good luck to you,
Emily

I dont want to sound stupid. but what is splinted? do you mean did i have a cast? I had a soft cast on for about 4 weeks. when i spoke to the doctor about what looks like the bunion coming back, she explained that the dynamics of my feet are to turn inwards when i walk like walking on the area where the bunions once were. hard to explain..that they are completely flat no arch hardly at all. and she keeps stressing the importance of orthotics..which i do agree i need, but am trying to hold off until summer is over.you cannot wear them in sandals. also, the permanent screws are pretty painful at times and i would like them taken out. but im only 3 mths out, so way to early to talk about that.. anyway, my toe definitly moved over towards the 2nd one. and i do see a bump there..which i do not have on the foot i had done 13 yrs ago..oh well, we shall see what happens..

Hi

Yes, splinted means wearing a cast. I have recently had a double bunionectomy, was splinted because I did not have screws put in. My casts come off on Friday, 19th May (only two days to go). When I had my casts changed, I noticed both my toes were leaning towards the second toes.

My surgeon had warned me previously that it is sometimes difficult to get the tendons at the correct tension - they are either too loose or too tight. It looks as if my tendons are going to be too loose. I prefer too loose to too tight as that would make the toes stiff.

So, my point is that the leaning towards the second toe does not indicate that the bone did not heal properly or that it healed in the wrong position - it indicates a problem with the tendons.

I'm sure that's what the problem is, and apparently one can have the tendons adjusted afterwards if it's too uncomfortable, although that would entail further surgery which wouldn't be so painful as it would only be on the soft tissue.

JuneBee

Are you getting orthothotics? what is your docs view on them? my ligaments are also loose...my toe is not stiff at all. its very early to tell on you if your toes will drift over..give it more time for all the swelling to go down.

I'm at two week, and I've got these toe separators to wear between my big toe, and the second toe. I've noticed that when I take them out, my toes still drift inward a bit, but not half as bad as they used to. My doctor told me the longer I wear the separators, the better.

2 weeks post op from a double bunionectomy with chevron osteotomy, no casts, just gauze bandaging

I've been wearing the separators as well since my surgery last year.. my toe wants to go back inwards. I still have a bunion on my right foot that will probably need surgery here in the next year, so I wear them on both feet anyways. I just figure that even if it does move inwards some again, my foot was so bad to begin with I'm not sure it could ever get that bad again.

I had my casts removed today and now my feet are very swollen, and the right toe has definitely drifted towards the second toe. I am wearing toe separators on both ops. I have a further appointment in six weeks time. I had ex-rays taken today, and when I asked if my bones had healed properly, the doc just said 'it's very hard to tell'

Honestly, what an attitude. I then complained about my right foot and he said maybe they can do something later on about that. Even if it means breaking and resetting that toe, I shall do it.

Now I'm trying to walk again, very carefully as my feet feel tender and vulnerable. Also I had sheets of dry skin and scabs from the dissolving stitches. I had to soak my feet in salt water for ages in order to get it off.

I can't get into any of my shoes comfortably, so am still having to wear the hospital velcro sandals although they rub on my tender scars.

Nothing was mentioned of either physio or orthotics. But this is the National Health Service, so what do you expect?

JuneBee (very disappointed so far)

I had my casts removed today and now my feet are very swollen, and the right toe has definitely drifted towards the second toe. I am wearing toe separators on both ops. I have a further appointment in six weeks time. I had ex-rays taken today, and when I asked if my bones had healed properly, the doc just said 'it's very hard to tell'

Honestly, what an attitude. I then complained about my right foot and he said maybe they can do something later on about that. Even if it means breaking and resetting that toe, I shall do it.

Now I'm trying to walk again, very carefully as my feet feel tender and vulnerable. Also I had sheets of dry skin and scabs from the dissolving stitches. I had to soak my feet in salt water for ages in order to get it off.

I can't get into any of my shoes comfortably, so am still having to wear the hospital velcro sandals although they rub on my tender scars.

Nothing was mentioned of either physio or orthotics. But this is the National Health Service, so what do you expect?

JuneBee (very disappointed so far)

JuneBee,
I just read your post, and I'm sorry you aren't getting strong answers and good recovery. How long ago was your op? "Hard to tell" is a pretty noncomittal answer, and would certainly annoy me! He should darn well be able to tell from radiographs whether they are in the proper position, (!), but bone growth is slow, and there are several members here who have been disappointed in the longer recovery because they weren't healing as quickly as they'd anticipated. I don't guess he'd send you out without a cast if it weren't sufficient with the separators. As far as no pt, did he at least give you instructions for exercises? I don't think I'd go 6 weeks with nothing other than hobbling, especially unprotected, but that is just me. There are several bunionectomy threads going, several who have more experience than I, as mine was a different deal altogether. Ask around, they will tell you the swelling does continue for quite a long time, especially when you start walking again, and don't ice and elevate so often. Maybe also call the Doc, and ask his assistant some questions, sometimes they will take a little more time and compassion. For the friction, a hint that might ease it: instead of one thick pair of socks, try wearing one thinner one with a thicker one over it. Let us know how you are. You have prayers. Kim

Hi Kim

Thanks for replying and for your prayers. I had my double bunionectomy on 30th March, was plastered up for seven weeks. Plaster came off 19th May. No screws or wires were used. Dont know why though. The surgeon said they could split the bone. Maybe it's because of my age (66), maybe he found my bones weren't strong enough. The surgeon is quite a forbidding character so it's not easy to ask him anything.

The assistant doctor I saw last Friday didn't recommend anything except trying to walk outside and not just around the house. No exercises were mentioned and when I asked about PT he said 'not with this type of thing'. How different to the other posts on this board! I feel as if I've been neglected or deserted. I suppose that's the NHS for you. The waiting lists are shorter than ever before, but the aftercare is almost non-existent.

I'll wait and see if things calm down. They'll feel better when the scarring has settled, I hope, as it's very sore indeed.

Cheers, JuneBee

Junebee, my doctor never said a single thing to me about p.t. or ice for that matter...so ,i never used iced or went to p.t....i do find it interesting..the way doctors operate....isnt it?