Just Had Surgery - Foot Problems Message Board

tori13 · 01-09-2007, 09:35 PM

Hello Everyone,

I had bunion surgery this morning, I am now back home and have some questions.

1. I have an appointment with the doctor on the 17th, what is he going to do? I don't have any pins in my foot just a permanet screw.
2. I am having ankle and back of knee pain, do you know what could be causing this or what will fix it?
3. When is my foot going to be completley back to normal?
Thank You for your help,
Tori

nattylite06 · 01-10-2007, 10:36 AM

My first post op my doctor took xrays, changed my bandages, gave me a walker boot, and gave me more pain medication prescriptions. Sounds like we had very similar surgeries.
As for the ankle and knee pain I had the same thing I think it was from laying in the same position for so long. I found it helped to make sure to put pillows behind my knee and bend it up slightly and move the ankle around every so often.
Hope this helps trust me the first week is the worst and then it gets increasingly better!!!

cderitz · 01-10-2007, 12:14 PM

I just had surgery two weeks ago on my bunion and had my first post-op appointment today. I have a pin sticking out of my foot and am on crutches right now, and will continue to use the crutches for another 4 weeks.

They removed the dressing on my foot, took x-rays today, removed the stitches and prescribed me different pain medication. I'll be back in 2 more weeks to remove the pin...can't wait to get it out at this point.

As for the pain on the back of the leg/knee...it most likely is due to how you are resting it. However, they told me that if I was experiencing any severe pain in my calf to go to the emergency room immediately because it could be a blood clot. So, if it's really terrible pain there, call your Doc. about it.

Hope this helps! Good luck with your recovery, go easy on yourself these next few days and let people cater to you.

All the best!

RightFootMary · 01-10-2007, 04:28 PM

Hi Tori - glad your surgery is over. When you go back for your first post-op appt more than likely the dr will remove any stitches and just check the foot for healing. He/she may also take some post-op x-rays to see what's going on inside.

Do you have a cast or soft shoe to wear? The most important thing to do is elevate, ice and keep up with the pain meds for a couple days. You may feel great now but when the anesthesia wears off you may not feel so good and it's hard to control the pain once it is there.

As far as the ankle and knee - the ankle could be swelling and if you are walking the knee could be affected as your gait is different.

It's probably going to take a good 6-8 weeks to be better and maybe longer to be completely normal. I know it is frustrating not to be able to do what you want but you can't rush these things.

Just veg for a while and keep us posted on your progress.

Mary

KathJack · 01-10-2007, 08:37 PM

Hi, Tori-- At my first post-op appointment, my doctor just x-rayed my foot and changed my bandages. (My stitches were disolvable and I didn't have pins, just permanent screws). He told me that I could do a LITTLE bit of walking (around the house) the second week and after Week Two, throw away the surgical sandals, start wearing large gym shoes and walk more and more each day. I think I walked to the corner by the end of the third week and around the block by the end of the fourth week. By the eighth week I felt pretty normal and could walk about a mile. At three months I could wear all of my old shoes and walk two or three miles. I never used crutches, nor did I have walker boots or a cast. (I had a double bunionectomy-- I just walked very very carefully and slowly at the beginning-- like a robot.) At 8 months, I feel like I am totally back to normal. Your pain should be much less after a couple of days and after the first two weeks you'll likely see substantial progress in your healing/rehab. Best wishes!