I had a bunionectomy 20 years ago. Now the bunion is coming back, and the pain actually woke me up. It comes and goes but now I am scared I have to do it again. Has anyone remedied the pain with orthotics or physical therapy? I will see the dr. this week and hear his opinion but I would like to know if anyone got better without surger. Thank you.

sorry to hear that your bunions came back after surgery! though i recently opted for surgery on one foot, i was able to put it off for a long time (and still haven't had it done on the other foot) by wearing the orthotic inserts i got from my podiatrist. the other thing he did to alleviate the pain was to inject cortisone in the bursa (though i wouldn't say it's the most pleasant thing to go through it's much less invasive than surgery and can help lessen the swelling and the pain temporarily)
other than that and just wearing the right kinds of shoes i don't know what else to tell you. hope your doctor has some alternatives for you.
good luck!