At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
Hi Everyone,
Well I finally did it! After years of putting off surgery, I finally just did it! Work will have to grow up & figure out how to get along w/o me!
My surgeon ended up doing more than he had planned. What I found the most interesting was when he said when he touched my post tibial tendon it basically disintegrated. He said that were so many tears, he could not believe I could walk on it.
(at this point I want to stick my tongue out at the doctors who said there was nothing wrong or be littled my pain!! I told U so!)
for the record, about the only way I could walk on it was with an aircast on, which I wore for a year) I just want to yell at the stupid surgeon who suggested that I go to PT to stengthen it w/o even knowing that it was constantly tearing. Don't get me wrong, I believe in PT, but not when U know it is making it worse.
Anyhow, he did the tendon transfer from my big toe to the ptt, rebuilt my arch, realligned my foot by splitting the heel and repostitioning it, grinding off the bone edges and lengthened the achilles tendon. I have 4 screws and some kind of little metal block between my heel & arch.
The first day was not too bad, until the nerve block wore off then...OMG!!! I was getting meds and the pain was unbearable...about every 45 minutes it would become excruciating....they couldn't give me meds fast enough....I put the old labor breathing to work ....it was not a good couple of days. I couldn't believe they were even considering sending me home the same day as surgery. I aksed the nurse what would happen if I had gone home? I can not imagine...I would have been out of my mind!! She said U would have had to go to the ER...spare me an ambulance ride....glad they kept me. I had surgery on Friday and went home on Sunday. Saturday night they were considering putting a nerve block back in but the anisthesist was stuck in surgeries. They added Lyrica to all of my pain meds to help with the nerve pain. I am posting this on Thursday...6 days after surgery. It has been a rough week...the meds make me naseous and constipated so I studidly took Correctol and over corrected....diarhea and crutches are not a good combination, especially when your head still weighs 2000 lbs!!! Hopefully that is all behind me!
Unfortunately I cannot open all of these postings on my phone so I am sitting at my computer...and it is starting to throb, so back to bed I go! I am not depressed...I needed to do this....it will get better. I would just like to make my personal DR look at what was in there and see what he says about that! I like going to his PA so much better...so if U get a Dr who won't listen to U ...keep looking!!!
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
Tenderfoot,
I'm looking at the same exact surgeries. Please take care and rest. Everyone has told me the first two weeks are extremely important to have your foot elevated and rest, rest, rest. I'll be following your postings. Hugs to you.
PS When you had your MRI did they do it just of your ankle or of your ankle and calf?
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
I am looking at the same surgeries too, with lateral column lengthening, and he thinks I may have ruptured the spring ligament as well. The recovery terrifies me but I also know it's not reasonable to think I can continue to function with the pain I'm in. After a very, very lengthy discussion with my doctor I think I've almost convinced myself I don't have any choice, now it's just figuring out timing.
Best of luck in your recovery, I hope your past the very worst of it!!
Interesting that you spent two nights in the hospital, my dr said I'd be on my way home within 6 hours - that seems so quick to me!!
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
I had full foot reconstruction and lengthening of my Achilles tendon in may of 2012. I have to agree with you turning off the Nerve Block was the worst part. I too had surgery on a Friday and they turned off the block without removing it on Saturday and WOW they kept it off for about 4 or 5 hours and eventually had a Pain management doctor in to see me who determined it needed to be turned back on immediately. They turned it off and removed it on Sunday and i found that extra day made a world of difference. I stayed a total of 3 nights and went home early evening on Monday but it was always in the plan for me to stay in the hospital.
I have seen 7 surgeons before I was sent to my current surgeon who took one look at the X-ray and knew I was in severe pain and had to action right away. I had my first surgery in July of 2011 and then my second this year all on the same foot! If there is anything I can help you with please let me know My advice is lots of rest and elevation, they also had me place ice packs on my cast to relieve some of the burning from incisions I had 5 on my foot and one on the back if my calf!
Good Luck with your recovery it may hurt now but it is all worth it in the end~
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
Hi Ex dancer, I really don't remember what the MRI was of...I think just the ankle. I had an MRI probably 7 years ago and they never did another one. I wore an insole that helped for 7 years then I reinjured my ankle last year. I couldn't get a Dr to do an MRI. My personal Dr be littled my pain actually. We serve on the same Arts board, he is the president, I am the Vice, one of our other board members had a tear in her achilles tendon...the 3 of us were having a discussion about our injuries. He said the achilles injury was much worse than mine....he would not even give me a referal...never ordered any films either...this was supposed to be a trusted friend. So I toughed it out a few more months, found the PTTD Aircast which enabled me to walk through the day...I went to see the surgeon I had seen 8 years ago to see if I could get a new prescibed orthotic. He said go to PT for 6 weeks....ugh...I already knew all of those exercises...I can do those at home....actually couldn't do some of them w/o severe pain. The orthotist looked at my foot and said I definately needed surgery. Any how, I saw 2 more surgeons, one who admitted he could not do all that I needed done so he referred me to another who knew right away what to do....finally!!! Sorry...I didn't mean to write a book....guess, it was just nice to talk to someone other than my dog! Good luck on the road to your recovery!! Hope U will be dancing again!!
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
NC Girl 96 I hear U!! figuring out the timing is impossible!! There is no good time!! I run a restaurant....I waited until now because it is a slower season for us but a hard time to find workers. It is stressfull to separate myself from my business and hope that my employees don't mess it up
I would ask your doctor to let you stay in the hospital longer if possible. Originally mine said it would be outpatient too. He scheduled the surgery at a hospital rather than a surgical center just in case I needed to stay for pain management. God Bless him!!! I honestly don't think they should send anyone home same day after surgery. I think it is a mess of our whole insurance & medical system. Insurance doesn't have to pay as much and the hospital has less liability if they send U home right away...I don't get it!! Whatever happened to caring for what is best for the patient?!! Good Luck to U!! Being in pain sucks....
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
hi Kizzle3!
What did they do on your second surgery? I hope I don't have to do anything else....except maybe remove some screws if it is all healed right. Your nerve block must have been a bit different than mine. They put the nerve block in for surgery and said it can last anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. They said it sometimes wears off slowly with feeling increasing gradually and sometimes it comes all back at once. With the pain block I had pain level about 4....about 14 hours into it, it wore off big time! I still had some sleepy sensation but the pain was through the roof!
You saw 7 surgeons!!! How frustrating!! One sent me to PT for 6 weeks and then told me to come back and if I still had pain he would refer me to another. I was so mad I knew I shouldn't do the PT at that point...I knew there had to be a tear at least. So I went out on my own and got a referral from my PA...her referral referred me to a surgeon who knew immediately what to do....What a relief that was to finally be understood!!! I am icing and elevating...took a short break to sit in a chair & elevate but otherwise it has been flat in bed with leg above heart. A memory foam mattress topper is a Godsend!! so comfy!! Thanks for your support & best of luck in your long recovery!
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
Tenderfoot - that's interesting what you said about doing it in a hospital. I asked my doctor where he operates, and he gave me two choices, one is a smaller, satellite type hospital, the other is a major, large hospital. He said his preference is to do all major surgeries at the larger hospital because they are better equipped...maybe this is part of the reason why. I do know though I will go where my doctor is most comfortable operating!
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
Hi. I had flat foot reconstruction surgery on July 20, 2012. Currently, that puts me at 14 weeks post op. The specific procedures i had were, calcaneal osteotomy, tibial tendon repair, metatarsal fusion, and lengthening of achilles tendon. It was a 5 hour surgery starting at 3pm on a Friday and i was in the car headed home by 9pm that same night. I did have a nerve block that wore off by morning. The Dr told me the first 3 days would be the worst. Boy, was he right. It was brutal. I was griping the pillow and was taking a perc every 90 minutes. I turned a corner on day four and could take the meds as prescribed. After two weeks I felt better. I had been sent home in a splint and stayed in a splint. I was to be non weight bearing for 6 weeks. I began driving and used a knee scooter to get around. By the 6th week, he gave me crutches and said to begin partial weigh bearing. By 8 weeks he said, ditch your crutches and walk. I just couldn't wrap my brain around the fact that i could walk on it since it was wrapped like a club for the last 8 weeks. I continued to crutch around for several weeks after, went down to one crutch and now i can hobble around on my own. I began therapy but they are not familiar with my surgery and i didn't find it to be challenging enough. (Heat, massage, stretch, ice.) I feel like I can do this at home. My Doctor seems to be annoyed and says i should be further along. My husband is annoyed because the Doctor seems annoyed and i want to punch them both in the neck! NO ONE WANTS TO WALK MORE THAN I DO, JERKS!!! I wasn't prepared for such a long recovery. not to mention my other foot is just as flat and i have been compensating all my weight on it for the last 14 weeks and have plantar fasciitis in the heel. I'm in serious pain for every step i take. I have two young kids who i'm trying to keep up with and i feel like my recovery is at a standstill. My Doctor suggests a more cutting edge, aggressive therapy center where they work on professional athletes. My first appt is tomorrow and i hope this helps. Unless you've had the surgery yourself, everyone (including doctors) seem to be out of touch with this recovery process. It ain't no joke.
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
Quote:
Originally Posted by tenderfoot
My personal Dr be littled my pain actually. We serve on the same Arts board, he is the president, I am the Vice, one of our other board members had a tear in her achilles tendon...the 3 of us were having a discussion about our injuries. He said the achilles injury was much worse than mine....he would not even give me a referal...never ordered any films either...this was supposed to be a trusted friend.
Oh this just makes me so mad. I had a similar doctor for the first two months after my injury. He seemed like he was trying not to laugh at me when I said how much it hurt. I am not a violent person but I would really like to smack both your doctor and mine. And then smack em again for good measure.
Don't worry about writing a book. I do that all the time. I'll get to my point eventually but I go through Montana to get there.
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
I am having the same surgery Friday, May 24. There may be a cotton osteotomy as well. I had preop yesterday and was assured that my Dr. Does not want pain. Hum. My biggest fear at this point. P
Oh and killing myself on the crutches.
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
I am having the same surgery Friday, May 24. There may be a cotton osteotomy as well. I had preop yesterday and was assured that my Dr. Does not want pain. Hum. My biggest fear at this point. P
Oh and killing myself on the crutches.
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
Good luck 1legwonder! It has been almost 7 months since my surgery. Things took longer to heel than expected. I was 3 months nwb, about 5 to 6 weeks pwb . I started some physical therapy in Jan, at first just working on range of motion, moving my toes & massage to reduce sensativity. The past 4 months I have been working hard rebuilding the lost muscle....I had nothing left in my calf after those first months of nwb. I have been working out 2 to3 hours a day, 6 days per week for 4 months. I have no pain where the tendon was transferred. I do have pain on the outside of my foot at the incisions where they went in to cut my heel. I have some heel pain & some burning and it seems now the padding on my foot is thinner. I am wearing a gel insert & a heel gel insert. I can only stand a few hours on the hard floors at work. But I am so happy with it! The pain is much less than before, just different. I have taken advantage of the PT gym, using weight machines, treadmill (which I never thought I would) recumbant bike & stepper. I had trouble with the eliptical because my achilles & calf muscle are so tight that it is hard to keep my heel down on the pedal. I still can not bear full weight standing on one foot on tip toes. I can't jump on that foot. I don't quite have the flexation to be able to run..i can do a short spurt on level 4 treadmill, but mostly about 2.5 to 3.5 comfortably. There is some pain but not too bad. I am getting in shape, have lost 20 lbs which feels great! I feel like I am finally getting my life back! In June I will start teaching water exercise classes. I will also be working an office job at our city pool for the summer. It gives me a break from being on my feet all day. I have not worked very much in my restaurant the past 7 months....just last week I ran the floor & it was too much for my foot....so just a few hours at a time is all I can handle on hard floors.
I hope all goes well for you. It is a long, frustrating recovery, but worth it!
__________________
FDL to PTT transfer, calcaneal osteotomy with medial slide & lateral column lengthening, gastrocnemius recession, first TMT arthrodesis, bone graft from calcaneus to first TMT joint.....Oofda!
Re: At home recovering from PTT and foot reconstruction surgery
Good luck 1legwonder! It has been almost 7 months since my surgery. Things took longer to heel than expected. I was 3 months nwb, about 5 to 6 weeks pwb . I started some physical therapy in Jan, at first just working on range of motion, moving my toes & massage to reduce sensativity. The past 4 months I have been working hard rebuilding the lost muscle....I had nothing left in my calf after those first months of nwb. I have been working out 2 to3 hours a day, 6 days per week for 4 months. I have no pain where the tendon was transferred. I do have pain on the outside of my foot at the incisions where they went in to cut my heel. I have some heel pain & some burning and it seems now the padding on my foot is thinner. I am wearing a gel insert & a heel gel insert. I can only stand a few hours on the hard floors at work. But I am so happy with it! The pain is much less than before, just different. I have taken advantage of the PT gym, using weight machines, treadmill (which I never thought I would) recumbant bike & stepper. I had trouble with the eliptical because my achilles & calf muscle are so tight that it is hard to keep my heel down on the pedal. I still can not bear full weight standing on one foot on tip toes. I can't jump on that foot. I don't quite have the flexation to be able to run..i can do a short spurt on level 4 treadmill, but mostly about 2.5 to 3.5 comfortably. There is some pain but not too bad. I am getting in shape, have lost 20 lbs which feels great! I feel like I am finally getting my life back! In June I will start teaching water exercise classes. I will also be working an office job at our city pool for the summer. It gives me a break from being on my feet all day. I have not worked very much in my restaurant the past 7 months....just last week I ran the floor & it was too much for my foot....so just a few hours at a time is all I can handle on hard floors.
I hope all goes well for you. It is a long, frustrating recovery, but worth it!
__________________
FDL to PTT transfer, calcaneal osteotomy with medial slide & lateral column lengthening, gastrocnemius recession, first TMT arthrodesis, bone graft from calcaneus to first TMT joint.....Oofda!
My advice is lots of rest and elevation, they also had me place ice packs on my cast to relieve some of the burning from incisions I had 5 on my foot and one on the back if my calf!
