Proximal 1st metatarsal osteotomy - Need Advice

barb4675 · 11-15-2009, 12:39 PM

Hi,
I'm scheduled to have surgery in May 2009 but I'm not sure if I should go through with it...here's the problem.
Both my feet are supposedly not in great shape - the left "looks" a lot worse than my right. But from what I've been told by my orthopedic surgeon both have lost some range of motion and are a bit weak - I was also told to do physiotherapy for 9 months prior to the operation...possibly more if my feet don't show enough improvement. I am also wearing toe separators, orthotics, night splints...and exercising my feet on a daily basis.
Before all of this (over a year ago), I was having this excruciating pain in both my feet - that's when I first made an appt with my orthopedic surgeon...but even prior to seeing the doctor...it took 5 mths before I could even get an appt to see my doctor, the pain seems to have subsided. Don't get me wrong, my feet still hurt, but not like before. Both my doctor and my physiotherapist believe that they can save the right foot from having the operation, but to them the left foot is somewhat of a disaster (after looking at the xray). The problem is - it's my right foot that seems to be hurting more than my left...another problem is - I can't figure out if I should go through with the operation because even if the pain is still there, it's not as bad as it once was and I think that I can live with it (if it doesn't get any worse). My question to all of you is - has anybody ever experience this excruciating pain that I'm talking about (that I had over a year ago)...it was a very sharp pain that literally prevented me from walking. If so - did the pain go away and have a tendency of coming back at a later date? I'm trying to figure out if I should go through with the surgery (on possibly both my feet) or just wait it out. I live in Canada and the operation is covered here under medicare and I have a job where I can take off a few months without a problem...but I'm afraid of the surgery, as I know that there could be some complications. Thanks to all who reply...

Janesfoot · 11-15-2009, 12:56 PM

Could you give more information about what the surgery will correct? Is it bunions? Where on the foot did you feel pain? Thanks.

jane806 · 11-15-2009, 02:00 PM

I have the same question - are you talking about a bunionectomy? If so, then yes, I had severe pain in which I couldn't even have a bed sheet on top of my feet. But that pain went away and never came back quite as bad. When I first met my surgeon, he asked if I had pain and I told him no, that I thought it went into remission. Of course, it doesn't go into remission, but it does go away for some reason. It doesn't mean the damage is gone. I had a lapidus bunionectomy on my left foot in August and am scheduled to have the same on my right foot in early December. My left foot is feeling great and I don't regret my decision at all. I followed my doctor's orders to the letter and have healed quite nicely. I also think it's important to eat a healthy diet so your body has the nutrition it needs to heal itself (bones forming unions, soft tissue, etc.).

barb4675 · 11-15-2009, 04:39 PM

Oh yes, it is definitely for bunion surgery - I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that

! I've had bunions for many years but it's only started to be painful for the last few years. I'm assuming that it comes from years of figure skating, as I know of other skaters with the same problem.
I was the same way Jah763, the bedsheets hurt my feet too! When I told people about that...they looked at me strangely. Don't take this the wrong way, but it's nice to know that I'm not the only one that had the same problem. The pain is on the bunion area (when you touch it)...and usually on the top area of my foot. That excruciating pain that I was talking about...hasn't returned in about a year...and I thought that if all I had to do was just deal with the throbbing pain that I have now, then I would skip the surgery. I've read so many horror stories that the thought of the surgery makes me ill. I've also heard that you are more prone to arthritis after this type of surgery, which sounds terrible too.
...I do seem to have almost constant pain these days...but like I said, it's not the same as it was a year ago.

Northwind · 11-15-2009, 05:17 PM

Hi Barb, greetings from northern BC. I had the same dilema when deciding to have that joint in my foot fused. I'd had a bad flare-up a year or so ago that felt like someone was jamming an ice pick in the joint. I got a steroid injection and that settled it down for a bit. It was slowly getting worse again. I was trying to decide whether it was bad enough for surgery. When I reflected on the past couple of years, I realized that it had caused me to alter my lifestyle quite a bit. As long as I did not move it much, including by walking, it was fine. I was not prepared to be a couch potato. Also, my hip was giving me major grief because of my altered gait. I had the surgery on Oct 28 and I feel it was the right thing for me to do.

I mentioned to my doctor that the bed sheets bothered it and he looked at me like I had two heads. It is also nice for me to hear others who have had that experience of annoying bed sheets.