Had fusion of first great toe on Wednesday. Doc also removed plate from a four year old spiral fracture of my fibula at same time. Two years ago, I'd had right gr toe fused....darn. I forgot how painful the recovery was. Air cast irritates the ankle site and any pressure on toe hurts. When medications wear off, I'm running a 6-8 on pain scale. With ice and fully effective drugs, I'm at a 4 or 5. But that doesn't last long. Doc still says 2-4 weeks NWB.
Don't be manly. Take the darned drugs for a few days! Keep your foot elevated and soon you won't need to be manly. Pain will stay more manageable if you do not let it get out of control.
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Life is too short to wear tight shoes. ~ May you have happy feet in 2012.
Don't be manly. Take the darned drugs for a few days! Keep your foot elevated and soon you won't need to be manly. Pain will stay more manageable if you do not let it get out of control.
She's right, you know! You'll feel soooo much better (sooner) if you take them as prescribed. I took mine every 4 hours (as prescribed) for about a week, and then started backing off, mostly because the pain was so much less by that time. I HATE taking anything, even tylenol, but those toes made me... I went almost 24 hours right after surgery with NO pain drugs (they made me sick to my tummy) before I got some that worked that didn't make me sick. Boy, was I ever questioning my decision to have my toes "done".
BTW, I'm 5 1/2 weeks ahead of you, but I had both of my great toes fused. The 4 weeks NWB was the worst. I hated being in that wheelchair! Walking now for 2 weeks tomorrow.
Keep your chin up! Take those drugs (as prescribed) as long as necessary, they really will make it easier. You'll be back on both your feet before you know it!
I was given Tramacet and was directed to take it every 4-6 hours. I took it every four hours the first couple of days. Sometimes I think I took one after three hours once or twice. I had my surgery on a Wednesday. I had a spinal and twilight meds, so had some pain medication that they put in during surgery. Unfortunately, I did not react well to the twilight meds, and did not keep the first oral pain med down. By the time I got home (an hour drive from the hospital) I was ready for more, and a good sleep. Thankfully, that is all a distant memory now, and well worth the trouble!
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Life is too short to wear tight shoes. ~ May you have happy feet in 2012.
i had fusion on my big toe with lowell jr! i live in highland park and it was done 5 years ago. there is no pain just cant wear cute shoes. just follow what the dr says and dont be manly! you will be fine. it takes up to 2 years for all the swelling to go down.
this sounds like me .. I've was in a cast for 9 weeks from April 27 to June 29. I have been in the boot now for 4 weeks. After 9 weeks of nwb, the boot and crutches was like heaven. I used the scooter for the 9 weeks. I totally recommend to use the scooter to get around ... so much easier. One problem I have had through the entire recovery, is the because I am "walking" unevenly, either by kneeling on the scooter or with crutches and wearing the boot is that my hip keeps popping out. I have issues without all of this, but the unevenness aggravates it. I go to the dr on Tues to see he will put me in a shoe. BTW, I had bone fusion in the 1st & 2nd metatarsals, gastric recession and morton's neuroma surgery. The neuroma was not removed as when it was opened up, it was inflamed, so hoping that by cutting the sheath it will allow the pressure to release. I am anxious to go the next step. I am so anxious to drive again.
You'll feel soooo much better (sooner) if you take them as prescribed. I took mine every 4 hours (as prescribed) for about a week, and then started backing off, mostly because the pain was so much less by that time. I HATE taking anything, even tylenol, but those toes made me... I went almost 24 hours right after surgery with NO pain drugs (they made me sick to my tummy) before I got some that worked that didn't make me sick. Boy, was I ever questioning my decision to have my toes "done".
