I had a chelictomy in June of 06. It was a horrible recovery and I didnt feel any better. I did PT and it made it worse. I finally told my foot Doc and he did x rays and an MRI. The end of the story is Im bone on bone in the big toe joint. I have NO cartlidge left. So when I walk the bones grind together. So to keep me pain free hes got me in a walking cast. Its been about 9 weeks of this hot cast and what a pain in the butt doing steps and walking. So now I need a fusion. I will have the surgery in a few weeks. I dont have a date yet. He did tell me I wont beable to walk on that foot at all for about 7 weeks. How long is this recovery and is it painful afterwards. I need to know what to expect. The June surgery was horrible and all I did was sit with ice and keep my foot up. I am not a laid back person and sitting kills me. Well, I also need to know if people that have had this done, did they go to sleep for the surgery or just the twilight sleep. The Dr said it was up to me. I don't want to feel screws being drilled into my bone. What is the best way to be put to sleep for this type of surgery? PLEASE HELP me and give me any info you have. I need to know what to expect. I have 3 little ones and will have to have a lot of help. THANKS A LOT for your time on this matter.

Lisa in Ohio

hi fooie, i think you are having what i just had in nov. big toe fusion aftr 2 failed bunion surgeries. i was in the cast 8 weeks and then a rocker boot and now a week into a sneaker. so its 13 weeks now or 14. i can barely walk in the shoe even though its wider and bigger. i was put to sleep and it was day surgery. i was nwb. i can barely walk now and i am extremely active person. you may want to rent a wheel chair and use a roller chair. get a seat for the shower and make sure you do nothing to harm the post op foot while recovering. you only have time. i cant seem to get the swelling down so iam going to call the dr today. i know its miserable, but you have to do what you have to do so in the long run- you will be able to return to all activities and your kids. my last one just got his drivers licence so i lucked out. i hope you have family and friend you can count on and try not to feel guilty. debbie good luck

Why are you going straight to fusion and by-passing an implant? My doctor is adamant that fusions be done only on elderly,sedentary patients or others for whom the cheilectomy and implant have failed. He's very conservative.

Hi fooie - when I had my bunionectomy and metatarsal fusion in Oct the dr (pod) told me that I would be in twilight sleep - not general - no tube down my throat. He even said I could be more awake and tell him what to do LOL. Anyway all I remember is getting a needle put into the IV, getting myself on the table and being woken up 2 hours later. Never heard or saw a thing. I was groggy afterward and felt like I had a couple drinks - without the benefit of the alcohol LOL.

Good luck with your surgery - please let us know how you make out.

Mary

Why are you going straight to fusion and by-passing an implant? My doctor is adamant that fusions be done only on elderly,sedentary patients or others for whom the cheilectomy and implant have failed. He's very conservative.

My foot Doctor said an implant has to be redone every 7-8 years.. Im only 39 and hope to live a long time. So I would be having surgery a lot. He doesn't want to do this fusion but I have no choice really. Unless I would like to wear a cast everyday.. NOT... Im so tired of this aircast. I have to do something so I can feel nornal. Its been almost one year since the first surgery. I want to enjoy summer. THanks a lot for your help.

Lisa in Ohio

Hmmm...perhaps that's his experience but I know others have longer time frames. Where in Ohio are you? If you are in/near Cincinnati or Cleveland, I'd go to whomever the football/basketball teams use. If Columbus, whomever OSU athletic department uses. I hate to see you limit your options because of one opinion.

My doctor is so upset about doing a fusion but he has no other choice. I don't want to go to another doctor. I really like my doctor and he has been very good to me. He has showed me the MRI and x rays. There's no cartiledge left at all in the big toe joint. I have called the cleveland clinic about seeing a Dr that takes care of the browns football players and the lady was so rude. She said do you have a sports related injury? I said no and she said why are you calling us then? She was so nasty to me. So that's the story and I guess I have no choice than other to get my toe fixed once and for all. Thanks a lot for all your help. You guys have been awesome to me. I go to the Dr tomorrow and hopefully I get a surgery date soon. Im so nervous about this and I feel horrible for my mom, daughter, and boyfriend. They all will be doing everything for me for a long time. Keep me in your prayers.

Thanks Lisa in Ohio

fooie, i wtried the implant and it did not work on me. i would go for the implant. the fusion will cause your big toe never to move and you can only wear very low heels. i wish the implant worked on me and i was nnever told it would have to be done in 7 or 8 years. even if i had to do in years i would do it. fusion can always take place later on.

Lisa: Now I remember about the clinic. Not sure why you called them instead of the Browns front office though...and I would have said yes it's a sports related injury anyway! Because, HL generally is - it's called turf toe or tennis toe. I still would try the implant first. As debbie said, a fusion is the end of the road.

I have to agree that if it was my foot I would go the implant route first. But your doctor knows your foot and it sounds like he has specific reasons for proposing the fusion. Although it does sound like your cheilectomy was too little too late so it begs the question why wasn't he more agressive to begin with?

Like I said before my doctor has tried everything to even get me through time without surgery. he is not a cut happy Dr . Some Dr's are looking for reasons to cut you. He has tried everything for me. Thats why he has me in a cast to keep me pain free. He really doesnt want to do a fusion but there's really no other choice. I never wear high hells so Im sure that will never bother me. I just want to be pain free and beable to walk again.

Thanks Lisa

Well I went to the Dr's today and he had me get another X ray. It looked the same as the one done in November. Im bone on bone still. He wants me to have another opinion from a Dr in his practice. I don't know whats going on now. Im so frustrated and confused. There's a definate problem. He said an implant is not so good because it needs redone every 10 yrs. And there's a HUGE hole. He said that an implant is not always the answer. Sometimes they are very painful. PLEASE help me and let me know what to do here. Monday I see a Dr in his office. Lets see what he says. PRAY for me.

Thanks Lisa
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