I had bunion surgery on both feet last summer and a hammertoe repair on my right foot. I still have bunions and a hammertoe! I am not pleased! I guess I didn't go to the right surgeon - I didn't have much guidance and I didn't do enough research. My question is to those who have had this type of surgery with good results. What kind of surgeon did you go to - a podiatric surgeon or an orthopedic surgeon? I went to an orthopedic surgeon who had additional training in foot and ankle surgery but only a few years of experience. Big mistake! I know they say "practice makes perfect" and everyone has to get their practice in on someone but I have already been practiced on and it is someone elses turn! I am sure there good orthopedic foot surgeons and good podiatric surgeons as well as some of both that aren't so good.
I had a lot of work done on both feet - the big toe metatarsals were cut, repositioned, and screwed into proper alignment. That part looked good on the x-rays to me but what do I know? The bunion deformities came right back but at least the "big bumps" are gone. The hammertoe is altered but not for the better - it is not as crooked now but it still sticks up and pokes through my shoe leather and it somehow got moved over closer to my big toe so it rubs against that toe worse than ever and is still very uncomfortable.
Does anyone know of some good websites where you can check the credentials of a podiatrist including like how many years in practice, articles they may have published, etc. I can find some of that info on orthopedic surgeons but I don't know where to go for podiatrists.
I wonder if orthopedic foot surgeons are better for foot injuries and podiatrists are better for bunion and hammertoe repairs when it comes to operating. I want to get at least my right foot redone since it is still really bugging me. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Brooke....
Just read your post to Patty Anne...
Wow, I hate to hear things like this. I have to say that I had an excellent orthopedic surgeon whose specialty is feet and ankles... He loves feet!!! I looked up his credentials on the Massachusetts Surgeons list...and he has always specialized in FEET. A year ago on my right foot..as I said before... I had bunions, hammertoe, and midfoot fusion. This year I just had a mirror image done on the left foot. I have been very pleased. How long were you in a hard cast??? 7 Weeks for me.
Yuch...comes off in a couple of days.
Yes, by all means search for a surgeon... and ask around for good people.
I would like to find a good web site too, but have not been able to.
Good luck with your foot re-do. Stinks doesn't it...
Judy

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Judy

Dear JudithC,
Thanks for replying to my post. Yeah, it DOES stink!!! Right about now, I wish I lived in Mass. I did not wear a hard cast for either foot but I didn't have a fusion procedure either - I had a screw put in each foot to hold the cut bone in place. A friend of mine had very extensive work done on both of her feet and she did wear a cast with both - she had metatarsals fused, etc., etc. I am not totally convinced that her orthopedic surgeon was the best one out there but he is not on my insurance list anyway. With me, each foot was bandaged with a coban wrap around it for the first week and then bandaged with an ACE wrap around it for one more week. I had to use 2 crutches with no weight bearing for 4 full weeks, then partial weight bearing with 1 crutch for an additional 2 weeks. Crutch walking can really slow you down! How was it for you - wearing a cast? My friend described it as a torture chamber for the foot! My feet were just wrapped but the right foot especially felt like it was trapped in a pressurized torture chamber. Did you use crutches or a walker? I have never worn a cast and I think it would drive me crazy! I also had hand surgery last fall and I was supposed to wear a cast after my first post-op visit but my hand surgeon was kind enough to prescribe a removable splint when I told him I was claustrophobic about having a cast. Was I ever!!! Even with the splint, I was having panic attacks but I could at least remove the splint to relieve some of my anxiety when I needed to. Three surgeries in 4 months might have just been too much for me. All that lost time and I still have 2 messed up feet! BTW, my hand surgery went well - that Dr. was excellent. I am glad your foot surgeries have gone well - I wouldn't wish these poor results on anyone. Anyway, I have an appointment with a Podiatrist in about a week and a half. Someone told me that Podiatrists are the original foot surgeons and that specializing in foot and ankle surgery for orthopedic surgeons did not come about until 1992. I have other foot problems anyway that need to be addressed by a Podiatrist - I don't think an orthopedic surgeon would want to bother with some of the other foot problems I have. This whole messed up foot thing runs in my family. Two of my aunts and an uncle have had similar problems and had surgery on their feet. I think my uncle had good results (he lives far away) but one of my aunts wants to have more surgery on one of her feet and I don't know how my other aunt even walks - you should see her feet! My mom has "it" too but she does not choose to have surgery as she is in poor general health anyway. At least I didn't pass "it" on to any offspring of my own since I had problems with infertility. I sometimes remind myself of this when I get down about being childless. Sorry for rattling on so but sometimes it is therapeutic for me. Good luck on your continued healing - geting the cast off must be a relief but we both know that healing for foot surgery takes a long time. Take care!
Brookej