So I had hammer toe surgery on June 12th. I have to say the pain on a scale from 1-10 was a 5. The pain is not that bad to me. Maybe because I didn't have the get the pins inserted into my bone. But I'm now starting to walk a little bit with the use of the crutches. He said if I go back to work I have to wear a surgical boot which I find extremely unattractive. Is there any other shoe out there that I can possibly wear? I might just keep wearing the orthopedic shoe.
Hello, I'm having the surgery soon. I am going to a doctor in Quincy for mine but I am having the minimal invasive surgery. Supposedly I can leave wearing my flip flops with a small bandage but they will only do 1 foot at a time. I have one toe on each foot that needs correction. The doctor said since its minimally invasive, I can drive myself home and I can return to work that same day as long as I don't walk around too much for the first couple days. I will be having it done in about a week. I'm a little nervous but ready to get this over with. I'm sorry I don't know of better shoe you could wear to work vs. the surgical boot. That must be a pain.
I wanted to send you a private message about this so we could compare doctors but I guess because I am a newbie I don't have the privilege yet.
Aww rilesbean don't be! That's good you can return to work. Yeah it says if your newbie you can't pm! But I hope you check back and read this. I was nervous too seeing it's my first surgery. If they put you to sleep its a breeze which I'm sure they will. All I remember is five doctors being in the surgery room. I started at 1:30 and woke up at 4:00. The pain is minimum trust me when I say this. I had four toes done on my right foot. I need crutches to walk but he said I can take baby steps. I'm getting the second surgery done in September.
Oh and my Doctor is in East Boston where I currently live. His name is Dr. Berman.
P.S. - Try not to be nervous!
Last edited by dare2bedifferen; 06-19-2009 at 04:00 PM.
dare2bedifferen, thanks for your reply! Since it's a minimal incision surgery I will not be asleep. I'll will just have local anesthesia to numb that part of my foot. I am getting the second foot done in late July/August.
I'm so glad your recovery is going well! It's nice to here a good story on this surgery.
When do you plan to return to work?
Glad both of us are getting it done and over with before the next winter. I don't have to tell you last winter was a nightmare and I can't imagine trying to recover from surgery with all that snow and ice!
dare2bedifferen, thanks for your reply! Since it's a minimal incision surgery I will not be asleep. I'll will just have local anesthesia to numb that part of my foot. I am getting the second foot done in late July/August.
I'm so glad your recovery is going well! It's nice to here a good story on this surgery.
When do you plan to return to work?
Glad both of us are getting it done and over with before the next winter. I don't have to tell you last winter was a nightmare and I can't imagine trying to recover from surgery with all that snow and ice!
He said Monday June 29th but I have to wear the surgical boot for 4 weeks grr! I know the snow here is heavy! Good thing we are getting it over with.
Can't wait to next summer to finally show off my cute toes!
But I'm sure you'll feel nothing when they numb it. Try not to worry. I'm sure you'll surgery will come out just as successful as mine. He told me there will be bruising because it's still in the healing process. But I don't mind.
Thanks! It's comforting to hear that your surgery went well. It's really scary reading all the things about floppy toe and such. That's one of the things I've been worried about so it was really good to hear your story. I will have to post next week and let you know how it went.
Thanks! It's comforting to hear that your surgery went well. It's really scary reading all the things about floppy toe and such. That's one of the things I've been worried about so it was really good to hear your story. I will have to post next week and let you know how it went.
Thanks I'll be looking forward to hearing from you. I want to see how it went. and I'll update this when I get my stitches taken out tomorrow. Most people that get the pins experience floppy toe but they said after seven weeks I believe the toe straightens.
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Just a recap I got my stitches taken out. I have to admit it wasn't a fun experience at all. All the pulling on my skin was driving me insane. It's still bandage up a bit but tomorrow I get to take the bandage off. My toes are indeed swelled up like a sausage but he assured me that they will look like that for awhile. It's kind of painful when I walk. I am now wearing the boot lol. People stare like what happen to her but I think it'll be worth it in the end. I think July 8 I can officially wear normal shoes.
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So, I had the surgery today. The worst part was getting the needle to numb my toe. I didn't feel pain, only pressure. The worst part of the whole thing is this ugly shoe boot. I just want to cry over it! I know i'm being silly b/c there are worse things that can happen but I just can't wait to get rid of it. He said I'll be in it from 1-3 weeks depending on how my healing goes. I can walk around fine but I'm trying to walk as little as possible to hopefully speed up the healing process. I asked about being numb for when I get the stitches out in 2 weeks b/c of what you said about how it was uncomfortable to have them taken out. He said no to the numbing but i bet it will hurt.
July 6th is coming soon-I'm so excited for you that you can wear regular shoes!
How are you otherwise? How was being back at work?
Okay so about 5 hours later and now it hurts!! Not sure if its the toe that he did or the others b/c the bandage is so tight. He said I could loosen it but I'm afraid to touch it. I tooks some of the pain meds so hopefully they will kick in soon.
Rilesbean I'm glad to hear you went through it. My doctor prescribed me medication but the one he prescribed was strong. So I ended up taking Aleve and that helped me a lot with the minimum pain. I'm sorry it hurts I thought he said you could wear your flip flops? I know the shoe is ugly. People stare at me still whenever I wear the surgical boot or shoe. Going back to work was a scary experience. My feet hurt a little if I try to move them. I work at a daycare so the little girl almost sat on my feet. I'm so nervous because I really don't want anything to drop on my feet or anyone bumping it by an accident. My feet are still swollen. Did he say when u can go back to work?
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I should be able to wear flip flops or open toe shoes in about a week as long as I am healing properly. I have to go back this Wednesday so he can see how i am doing. I had lasik eye surgery and that was worse, so I don't know why I'm being such a baby about this.
Now I just have shooting pain here and there but it actually feels better when I'm up and walking. I could have gone back to work today. I also work with kids (so I understand why you were paranoid about then stepping on it or dropping something on it) and have about a week off before summer school begins.
I tried to wear my own flip flops today but the bandage is so thick that it wasn't really comfortable. The bandage is supposed to get smaller each time I go see the doctor. So we'll see on Wednesday. Like you said, I can't wait till next summer when this is all a fleeting memory.
It's good to hear that you are doing better. The more progress you make the lesser pain you will have. That's how I see it. Your lucky you don't have to wear the boot though! Did your doctor tell you to apply ice to your feet? I'm still applying it to mine because the swelling is still visible. But my feet look much better than before. Even through the swelling I can see a major difference. I see my doctor on Monday so hopefully he'll say I can return to regular shoes. The boot is unbelievably heavy.
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Hi! Yes, i am doing better. After that day my pain was a lot less during the day. However, I was unable to sleep at night for a few days b/c I kept getting foot cramps and the only way it would feel better was to get up and walk. I actually have no pain when I'm up and walking. I haven't been icing. My foot doesn't appear swollen and he told me to keep it dry. Maybe he'll have me ice after my stitches are taken out?
I have sort of a soft shoe type of thing on. It's not heavy but it can get hot especially since its been humid out.
My next appointment is Wednesday and hopefully it is still getting better.
I will be so excited for you if you can wear your normal shoes on Monday. Just in time for some nice weather! Let me know what happens.
Hey! I went to my appointment on Monday and he was wondering why I was still wearing the boot.. he hadn't told me when I can take it off. He noticed that the top part of my foot was swelling because of the boot. I no longer have to wear it I can now wear normal shoes! So excited only down fall is I can't wear shoes like Nikes, Hells, Flats because they may hurt my toes. I have to wear shoes with a lot of room for now because my toes are still swollen. Only thing I could find to wear in my closet are the Crocs. He said no plastic but I guess the crocs are okay.
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So happy for you that you don't have to wear the boot! Did he say you could wear things like open toe sandals if they have a lot of room at the toes?
I go back to mine tomorrow. I'm scared to see what it looks like with the stitches in it. I'm hoping I healed really fast and he'll take them out tomorrow. They don't bother me too much but now I know what you mean when you said they were kind of annoying. I can feel them pulling at my skin.
Also, do you have scarring? I'm wondering what it will look like when the stitches come out. I've seen other people (not hammertoe surgery) have a raised bump where the incision was that doesn't go away.
Hey rilesbean sorry if I'm late with the reply. I do have scarring. I think I have more of open cuts though, it's where the skin is peeling on the part where the stitches use to be . I can now wet my feet and wear shoes as I said before ( sorry for repeating myself) but he said next week I can purchase some merderma and start applying it to my toes. I have raised bumps but he assured me the swelling takes awhile to go down . He said I could wear sandals as long as it's wide toe sandals, ( I wouldn't prefer flip flops) the other day while I was in the house barefoot I banged my toe and it killed so bad I cried like a newborn baby. You just have to be careful when you wear shoes. The only shoes I can wear without having pain is crocs. They're ugly but they're very comfortable. I might purchase some more. Hope all is well! Tell me when you get the stitches taken out.
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Hey rilesbean sorry if I'm late with the reply. I do have scarring. I think I have more of open cuts though, it's where the skin is peeling on the part where the stitches use to be . I can now wet my feet and wear shoes as I said before ( sorry for repeating myself) but he said next week I can purchase some merderma and start applying it to my toes. I have raised bumps but he assured me the swelling takes awhile to go down . He said I could wear sandals as long as it's wide toe sandals, ( I wouldn't prefer flip flops) the other day while I was in the house barefoot I banged my toe and it killed so bad I cried like a newborn baby. You just have to be careful when you wear shoes. The only shoes I can wear without having pain is crocs. They're ugly but they're very comfortable. I might purchase some more. Hope all is well! Tell me when you get the stitches taken out.
Yes, I've seen lots of before and after pics from the surgery and the scarring usually goes away nicely. I got the stitches out thursday and it didn't hurt like I thought. But it killed when he touched it. I am now wearing open toe sandles. Anything else and my whole foot will swell. Also my last two toes are stills swollen. Not sure why b/c those were not the ones operated on.
I have to wear a little bandage on it for the next couple weeks to keep away infection but the bandage is very small. My toe is so straight, I couldn't get over it.
That's good! Although I'm not sure why your other toes that have not been operated on are swollen..hmm did you ask your doctor about this?! The top part of my foot swelling has gone down. If you are allowed to put ice on it I would do so just to keep the swelling down. Doesn't the toes look so much better straight? I think the surgery is worth it. I tried on an open toe sandal the other day and my second toe is short! It has always been so friggin long before the surgery now its all in place. Can't wait to get the other foot done ( minus the pain afterwards)
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