I had a bilateral, chevron bunionectomy on June 5. I am recovering quite well. I went in this week and have had my feet re-wrapped. I am hobbling around nicely in my "wooden" shoes with no crtuches. My husband is helping me with the toe exercises (though those hurt really bad.) I am having very little pain otherwise.
The main problem I am having is that I seem to be very emotional. My mom was here taking care of me the first week and my husband was with me the second week. I have moments when I just sit and cry and nothing makes me feel better. Has anyone else experienced this? I have never done this before and I hate this feeling. My mom has told me that it is very common to suffer from depression after surgery. I have been off of work for the last two weeks and return tomorrow. I am really hoping that that helps. Has anyone else suffered these feelings??

It's common but much of it has to do with all the drugs they pump into you before, during and after surgery. Just ask your doctor for an anti-depressant for now. Remember it's just a toe and it's just temporary. Think of all the people that get injured and never get to walk again. Thankfully, this is not something I've ever suffered from after having been through 20 surgeries. It is what it is.

I had a few crying fits in the first weeks after my bunionectomy, largely due to frustration from the difficulty of getting around and not being able to do such simple things for myself. You get more exhausted than you think you are, and I think that contributes. It does keep getting better, especially once you're able to get out of the hobbly-shoe! Good luck!

I had the exact same procedure done June 13, and I was feeling the same way. For me it's just the frustration of feeling helpless all the time. I absolutely hate asking people to do things for me, especially really simple things like getting me a glass of water. So here is what I did:

A while back, my orthopedic surgeon's partner recommended Taryn Rose shoes to me. They are beautiful fashion shoes developed by an orthopedic surgeon, but unfortunately they're also incredibly expensive (typically about $495 a pop), so I couldn't really afford them (I hate to use my credit card on clothes). Anyway, today I woke up and decided I needed something to cheer me up. I needed something tangible to remind me of all the great pain-free days I will have in the future so that when I get depressed, I can just look at this thing and replenish my determination.

So today I bought a pair of TR shoes, because what could be a better motivation than a pair of cute shoes that are good for your feet? On top of that, they were only $245 (yeah, "only" haha). Zappos also has a 365 day refund period, so even if it takes several months for me to get into a pair of dress shoes, I can still send them back if they don't fit. The free overnight shipping thing also helps. The reviews were from people with bunions, rheumatoid arthritis, and plain old wide feet...and all of them said they are great.

The point is that now when I get depressed, I'll have something to look at and remember all the reasons why I decided to get this surgery in the first place, and how great it's going to be when I finally can wear those shoes and not be in constant pain. It's really helpful to have that when things get rough.

I also recommend having someone get you a lawn chair or some other outdoor furniture so you can sit outside and get some sun. I'm sure the increased time indoors isn't doing us any favors, especially when the weather is so nice.

Good luck and you have all my support! :angel:

My husband will wait on me but I don't like to ask either. However, I have devised many things to get what I want. The easiest is a backpack with holders for a bottle of water. Use your imagination. I can get just about anything while on crutches. Yankee ingenuity goes a long way. One of my coworkers has been on crutches at the same time as me. She was always struggling to get through doors until she happened to see me do it one day. A light bulb went off in her head when she saw how easy it was.

i hope the depression does not last long. i think its frustration. every day will get better and better. soon you will be able to wear regular shoes and you wont even remember the surgery. you are lucky to be recovering so wonderful! take it from somebody who did not recover. enjoy life. debbie g

Thank you all for your encouraging words. It is nice to talk to others who have been through the same thing. I went back to work today and feel a little better. I am sure it will get better over time. I know I am very lucky overall and feel very guilty about whining. Thank you for listening to me and again, I really appreciate your positive words.

Surgery is an emotional thing.
I had two bunions corrected and did not experience it.
However, I have experienced it once in my lifetime and it is difficult.
If you continue to feel this way, then seek out help.
I told myself ,after going through the depression, that I would never go through it again without seeking out help.
It may just be brief because of all of the emotion of the whole situation.
If this is your first sugical experience, that would heighten the experience.

you are not whining. this is where to tell your feelings and hope someone will respond. be happy