Mid-foot fusion: How long before you know if the screws have to come out? - Foot Problems Message Board

Midwest-JD · 01-13-2006, 07:00 AM

I'm wondering how long it usually takes for foot to be healed enough to know if the screws will have to come out? Is there a set time? How do you know if pain is from the screws, or still just "normal" part of the healing process? If anyone had their screws out, how long after your surgery were the screws removed? (I'm obsessing, perhaps??

)

My foot has much improved as far as the swelling/fluid-retention goes (since I started doing a lot more ROM and doing it with foot ELEVATED instead of down, in regular chair), but the PAIN is still much worse than before surgery, and I have a severe limp because of it. THe pain is all exactly where 2 of my screws are (doc said so too). He didn't say, though, how long I should wait before considering if those 2 screws might have to come out. (He did tell me before the surgery that some people have trouble with them and end up needing them taken out after foot is sufficiently healed... so how long before it's "sufficiently healed" enough to know if I might need the screws out?? (I know it probably differs from person to person, but I'd like to get a general idea)

Thanks

JD

sorefootsophie · 01-13-2006, 03:28 PM

Hey JD, You know I imagine each person would have a different time frame to have the screws removed. I guess also depending on what bones they are holding together. You would want to be really sure the pain is from the screw and not from the bone healing. Most past posters have talked about more than 6 months as sometimes delays can cause the bone to not be fully healed for 12 weeks (3 months). I know someone who had the screws removed 3 years later!

If I remember I'll ask on Tuesday when I go and see my doc. The appointment has been moved up a week so we can see (hopefully) just what is going on!! I got out of bed yesterday to turn off the alarm clock and whacked my foot(AGAIN...why is it always the sore one) on the wood post of the bed. It sent me to the floor!!

I have been trying SO hard to be careful. This has been on slip up after another. I have never had such bad luck. The foot is sure achy but not too bad in the boot. (And still a tad warm and swollen!) Saw some beautiful "dansko clogs"...will ask the doc about those too if I remember. The lady said a lot of people come in with prescriptions for them. Then...for some people...they are apparently covered by insurance!!! It sure was comfortable on my left foot (it has a rocker sole). Tried but couldn't squeeze the right one on!!! I'll go back in a couple weeks and try again.

Hope you have a good weekend! Maybe you'll hear more from others. Sophie

sorefootsophie · 01-15-2006, 11:06 AM

I have been cheating a bit by not using crutches. I found it so much easier to be compliant with the nwb cast on!! My family understood better then....They are fed up hearing about "my SORE foot"....will let you know what the doctor says on Tuesday and I will try to ask about the screws. Sophie

Midwest-JD · 01-15-2006, 12:18 PM

HI Sophie

Sorry your family is running out of patience - that's hard. I'm so blessed that MOST of the time my husband is pretty understanding - not always necessarily HELPful mind you, but he doesn't get mad if the house isn't perfectly neat/clean/organized. After this most recent surgery, he really was very good about helping - he did pretty well with doing laundry (I couldn't get downstairs or be up long enough to put a load in, on crutches, with terrible balance, throbbing....) and keeping up with some stuff, and my kids are very good too - part of our homeschool day, each morning, they have chores that I've taught them how to do - cleaning bathrooms, laundry-helpers, sweeping, vacuuming, etc. With me homeschooling them, and having pretty much constant back pain (aside from foot problems now!)

there is no way that I can do it all myself, and I'm SO thankful that my family usually have fairly good attitudes about helping when needed. The next thing both kiddos are going to start learning (after 9yo son is competent with laundry on his own) is meal-planning and prep. 13yo daughter is able to do some basic cooking, but is now ready to learn more... I'm working myself out of a job (for a few years, anyway!)

I hope you have a good appointment tomorrow, and that your doc can SEE what's going on in your foot on X-ray - I know that hardware issue is really a pain in the butt! (I have the same problem with hardware in spine, which makes it hard for them to get good X-rays OR MRIs.

Please listen to your doc and don't walk on the foot if it's not ready...

YOu don't want this to drag out any longer than absolutely necessary. Is he going to have you use a bone-stimulator?

Have a nice Sunday!
JD

wtwct · 01-16-2006, 12:03 PM

Sophie: I am sorry to hear about your slip and I am sorry to hear that your family is not being as supportative as they should be! I sounds to me like you have done a lot for them (when you were walking). Unfortunately, this is what happens. They will not know what you are going thru until it happens to them.

Of course you are going to slip. You have had your foot restructured, it takes a while to get use to it, not to mention the pain of it all. That throws your balance off also. Keep in mind that it has not been that long. I know it feels like years already, but it really has not been that long.

Just remember, we are here for you and YOU WILL get better, it just takes a little bit.

Julie