bunion op, Has anyone had one? Do I or don't I?

[longlashes]

I am 46 and have had a bunion for years. It is a bit painful althought not agonising and I have managed to find shoes I can wear so that you wouldn't notice it and I wear boots and leggings in winter. However, its starting to get worse, not so much more painful, but my big toe is starting to curl over my next toe ( how attractive). I had an x ray at hospital and the surgeon said it is a big op and a long recovery time. He said it was a lot to think about, but its better to have it done sooner than later as the younger you are the better it will heal.
I work as a nursery nurse and am on my feet the whole time, so would have to take loads of time off work. I have looked at recovery times and it seems like it would take weeks, even months to heal. I am petrified I will never be able to wear nice shoes again. Also dh works away on the oil rigs 3 weeks away 3 weeks home and I may have to be on crutches for weeks. Do I have it done or just sort of ignore it. I have such an active busy life and it seems like it will all go on hold just for a toe! so do I or don't I?

I had both feet done at the same time a few years ago. I now wear heels when I want to, can wear any shoes I like and don't have any pain.

Before my op, I was in constant pain and could only get one pair of very loose shoes on my feet.

Get it done while you're young enough to cope easily. Have it done just as your husband gets home, so he's around for the first couple of weeks. Then you'll have to do online food shopping and your teens will have to cook for a couple of weeks.

I had it done when I was quite young - both feet. Had a brilliant surgeon and was in plaster casts up to my knees for 6 weeks with a walking bit on the bottom so I could hobble around after the first two weeks or so.

Before I had it done, shoes would often become painful, especially in hot weather.

Since having had it done, shoes are no trouble (also high heels, in fact I prefer them), I worked as a waitress for a number of years and have always loved dancing!

Thanks for all your thoughts. Have phoned my gp she is lovely. She is going to call me Monday and discuss my options. Think I probably will have it done at some point but don't not quite yet. Am ok with it at the moment, but every summer | get cheesed off when I can't wear nice sandals. Last year I found both high heels and low sandals which were lovely and disguised all, they were from Next, so I was lucky.

I had both feet done at the same time a couple of years ago. It sounds like you are having a proximal osteotomy, which will require a cast. I had distal osteotomies on both feet, which is the mildest surgery.

Both involve shaving off the bony lump, then breaking the bone, straightening it by inserting a pin. Your ligamnet may be tightened as well.

The pain for the first 3 days is pretty bad. You 'll need Volterol 75mg. don't allow them to prescribe Volterol 50mg, as you have to take it X3 daily, which is a faff. 75mg is an easy X2 daily. Do take paracetamol continously for a few weeks. Paracetamol is hopeless for breakthrough/new pain, but it actually very good once you're on top of it.

I was off my feet for 2 weeks, but in hindsight I should have waited 3. I had pretty bad stiffness for about 6 months, but it was better as long as I went for a long walk every day. I was back running after 6 months.

The first month post-op was pretty miserable, but I did have toddlers at the time. I don't regret it at all; I love being able to wear pretty shoes now!

Puzzl, in the 11.5 years I have been a podiatrist (not a surgoen just an ordinary pod) how many patients do you imagine I have treated who have actually had the operation?. Err more than a few.

As you can see I didnt fall out with jenniec79 nor did she with me, we both have opinions and the training and experience to back them up.

I do not have an irrational dislike of orthopods, but I am allowed to have my opinions as is jenniec79. I do not come on here to be nasty to people or upset anyone I want to make sure no one is giving harmful advice on foot care or spending more than is needed on footcare.

I thought we were being fairly well reasoned and multidisciplinary tbh!

And I appreciate the time you have both taken to give me your thoughts and opinions, same with everyone else, thankyou.

Good luck with it LL whatever you decide. Keep us posted!

Well, I started this post a few months back and was so undecided, but a few weeks ago I woke up one morning and thought, thats it, I am going for it. I looked up the surgeon online. It was all good, he is clinical lead and specialises in lower limb surgery. Luckily for me dh's job covers the whole family with private health cover, so I have booked the exact date I want, in April in the private suite with an overnight stay.
The surgeon has phoned me at home to speak to me about it and I have been back to see him. Dh comes home form the oil rig on the friday and I am having it done on the monday end of April.
Work were brilliant about it. I have been a teaching assistant/child practioner
for 12 years and am entitled to six months full pay and they have said not to come back until I am totally ready.
Am sort of bricking it though, but my mind is made up!

Good for you lashes! Hope all goes well and you're happy with the result.

Ah thanks, I can't stand another summer of frumpy, lumpy shoes, so here goes!!

Glad you've made your mind up. Let us know how it goes

Yes def will do thanks, hopefully all will be good!

Good luck. It will be worth it.

My mum had hers done last Nov - she is 65. Hers was quite bad - and getting more and more painful with time. It was starting to affect the way she walked - and as she has had the hip op already - didn'twant to risk throwing that out of alignment too.

After deliberation she had it done. it was under a local anaesthetic - behind her knee I think she said.

Recovery time - well, she had to be totally off the foot for two weeks. Only going to bed and the loo. After that she was encouraged to use it more. It is stillslightly swollen - but other than the long thin scar looks fab. She is pleased to have had it done.

Hope it all goes well for you too. Just make sure that youget DH and DSs to look after you post op for a few weeks!

i know someone had this done in her 50's. she was off her feet for about 6 weeks and was in agony...she only had one done, was supposed to get the other one done and said 'no way!'

I have had both my bunions corrected. Am extremely happy with the result and am so happy i had it done :)

Thanks rumbletum and yes I will get dh and my dss to look after me, dh goes away for 3 weeks , that will be 2 weeks after I have it done, so ds1 18 and ds2 17 will have to get on with it. I will make sure they know how to use the new washing machine!

Keep on top of the painkillers - paracetamol is most effective if you take it regularly rather than waiting till it hurts iyswim.

I didn't find it hurt anywhere near as much as I'd been told it was going to, so you may be ok that way.

You'll need a cast protector so you can bath/shower, also I got a plastic stool from Ikea which I sat on in the shower - it was the sane height as the side of the bath so I was able to shuffle backwards onto it.

Also if you're having a general anaesthetic (on phone so can't scroll to your last post) then don't be surprised how wiped out you are for a couple of weeks - I had afternoon naps and 8.30 bedtimes

Best of luck with it all, let us know how you get on.

I was wondering about bath/shower thanks for that. Could do with some early nights as well, am having general anaesthetic, so I could look on the bright side and know that I am catching up on my sleep!!
Thanks for the supportive comments, sort of wish the date would hurry up and get here so I can get on with it, though know i will be dreading it the weekend before. But I have def made right decision.

this lot were where I got my cast protector from - next day delivery.

I had mine done (with a scarfe osteotomy and soft tissue release) at an Orthopaedic Hospital. 6 weeks recovery, off crutches in about 2. No pain.

Hope yours goes as well

Thank Flisspaps glad yours went well. IShallWearMidnight, that is really helpful thankyou. Will def be ordering from there I love my baths and showers .

One of my friends had hers done today, so I'm waiting to hear how it went! I'm on standby to go and help her if she needs help with anything as she lives on her own (another friend is picking her up from hospital and staying the first night).

Hope she gets on ok. Let me know, though even it its bad I am still doing it .

well,i have done it! Went in Monday and had it done am now laying on the chair with my foot up. Felt pretty crap up until today, but think it must have been the painkillers, felt really faint and weak but have laid off them today, taking ibuprofen and paracetomol, feeling much more human. Have even had a shower and washed my hair, sticking my foot out of the shower and balancing on a chair. Have ordered a limbo . Have got to go back on 8th may. Have got crutches and am not too bad on them. Not sure when i will leave the house though. Absolutely hate it but was so sick of my big ugly painful bunion!