rumbletum or anyone else with experience of bunion surgery

[magicfarawaytree]

I waiting for a referral for bunion surgery. When did you have the operation and at what age? If you have had surgery what limitation do you have interms of activity - what sports activities do you have to avoid? Its there an issue with carrying heavy weights? Can you wear heels at all?(for a few hours every now and then or never etc) Have you had a problem with the scars? where did you have your surgery ie manchester, london etc? Have you had any prolems ie arthritis etc that is a result of having had the operation?

TIA

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No experience of it myself but my mum had one of her bunions removed. She is really really pleased she had it done as she was sick of the pain with her foot etc. She had to wear a bunion shoe thing to take the pressure off her foot which she hobbled around on quite easily - she even rocked DS to sleep while wearing it!

However, the recovery time for a bunion is a good 3-4 months - you aren't in pain all that time by the way but you won't be able to wear heels or close fitting shoes until a good 6months after -mind you, my mums bunion was pretty bad to start with so that may have impacted her recovery time.

She has no regrets though and is loving her bunion free foot and plans on getting the other one done at some point!

DH had it at age 36. Now 39. Had it done at Ipswich.
Worse now than before. Big scar. Had a month off work after.
He can only wear supportive shoes now. A work he can't wear the steel toe capped boots.

DH had this done about 3 yrs ago (early 40s), mainly because gout was also affecting the joint and exacerbating the bunion. He had it done at a BUPA hosp in Herts by Rod Coole. Outpatient, home same day. On crutches for about a month. Shouldn't drive for about 6 weeks (although he did so earlier as left foot and have automatic car).
Surgery v. successful, and was playing squash and football again within a few months. Small scar, but not really noticeable, but is a man! Can't speak for the high heels, either.
He says don't have it done unless it is absolutely necessary, as it is major surgery and apparently notoriously liable to go wrong. Make sure your surgeon knows what he's doing. Oh, and get some strong painkillers for afterwards.... sorry but it does hurt.

this is not making me feel any more positive about the surgery. I definitely dont intend to get in done unless I have to. My problem is that I have had x rays done and it looks ( cant say for definite until have seen surgeon) like I might be approaching last chance saloon for repair rather than salvage. Salvage being bones fused and definite restriction on mobility - probably not as bad if your are in your seventies but in your forties with very young children not good. The pain is not so bad but the speed of progression of the bunion recently is scary. Having three children close together has just sent the bunion into overdrive. There is no way of knowing whether the deterioration will slow or continue at the same speed. | feel well and truly stuffed.

thank you all for your replies.

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i have bunions magic. (and 3 young kids )
ive thought about having them done, but i had them checked years ago (i was 21 then) and the consulatnt bloke said, yes, theyre bad, and i can operate, but you have to wear special shoes for ever afterwards and even then theres only a 50% chance it'll work.
i thought might not go down that route then.
he advised me to stop wearing heels to stop them getting worse and just live with it till they are unbearable, and then do the op.
ive worn flat shoes almost every day since then and they havnt gotten any worse, nor do they hurt at all. if i wear heels, on v rare occasions, a few vodkas helps with the pain

my are detoriating at a rate of knots depite me rarely wearing heels for the last 6 years! They had barely changed from 20 to 34. now in under 5 years the change has been phenomenal. the podiatrist thinks that being pregnant for tree years on the trot - 3 children in just over 2 and half years! is what may have cause the rapid deterioration but it is showing no signs of slowing. I have dislocation, nerve damage associated with the bunion.

I too have a bunion on my left foot and I hate it. It is not so bad in winter but in summer I hate the fact that is restricts what sandals I wear. It hurts whenever I do wear heels. I showed the Dr and he said it was not too bad but would get progressively worse although you can slow it down by wearing flat, roomy shoes, (sexy or what).
I've read aboout it on internet and spoke to DR, although never seen a consultant. They all say not to have it done unless absolutely necessary and not for just cosmetic reasons alone as it is major surgery and I could be disappointed with the result.
Don't know what to do though as I have heard of people who are really pleased with their op. I have two ds and dh works away for half the month regularly. Couldn't see how I would cope afterwards. What a bummer. I know its not a major illness or anything but it is a pain in the butt.

mft,

I've responded before on your other thread, but will re-iterate my Dad'd experience.

He had his done somewhere in London (sorry, don't know the details) with a specialist who did warn him that the surgery can change the 'architecture', for want of a better term, of teh entire foot. Basically, 5 years later, this has happened and he's now in a lot of pain and on the waiting list to see him again.

Sorry this is negative, but I just wanted to re-inforce the point to anyone else reading that surgery is certainly not cosmetic and there are risks that the results won't be as you may be expecting.

I've inherited the problem and, although my feet are piggin' ugly, won't contemplate the idea until I need to. Being early 40's with a full-time job, DH also away during the week, 2 DCs and dialy 30 mile round trips for school runs alone, thei is something I'd never contemplate until I was desperate.

a digression i know, but i had 3 in 2 and a half years too. hello fellow nutter!

DD it is a pain in the bum. I dont know about you by my shoe collection is lurrrvely! it consists of two pairs of shoes at the moment. To get those I had to try on at least 30 pairs of shoes. wide forefoot with bunion normal sized heel! short of hand made shoes or a lucky punt I am out of luck in the footwear department.

BL I dont mind you being negative at all - bunion surgery isnt a cure it the best they can do with a bad job it seems to me. ( i bet my feet are uglier than yours)i do really appreciate you coming back to me on this thread and the other one. Your fathers experience is exactly what makes me positive I dont want the operation unless I have to. The problem is from what has been said to me so far I appear to be approaching the 'until you are desparate' stage. I was referred to the podiatrist for othotic insoles but the condition of my feet ( there is also a suggestion that there may be some arthritis in the joint another limiting factor in the repair vs salvage operation choice) mean surgery may give me a better outcome. ironically, cosmetically for me, surgery will make my feet look even worse so I still wouldnt be able to wear pretty sandals. I have a nightmare finding shoes to fit already even ugly comfortable ones. wide forefoot with lovely bunion and normal heel. so I feel damned if I do damned if I dont. I am waiting to see the consultant at the moment - It has taken me a month to research and choose a hospital to be referred for consultation. Other than the pain I am trying to find out what other limitation people have interms of mobility even if their operation appreared to be successful initially. There are no long term studies that describe the more longer term effects of surgery. I guess i am still in shock a bit because I thought I have always had them they are ugly but they at least are not getting any worse... until i had kids. would swop them for the world though - bunions not the kids

AM - I do think being a nutter is a prerequisite for popping them out that fast isnt it. its hard worth but worth every wept tear --- sometimes.

hark work even

well i hope your op goes well, if you have it. will you come back and post about it? im keen to hear any first hand information.

just had my operation for bunion on 29th Nov. I am 72. Op was a success, and I took a lot of pain killers, but didnt suffer too much. Still have a swollen leg and foot, but I think Ive got bored with having to rest it up. and am not sure how much I should do that as you get no advice. They done say how long it will take for the swelling to go down.

It depends on exactly what surgery they are intending to do.
Most gp's would advise against an op unless you are in constant pain and its affecting yourday to day life as it has a success rate of around only 60% long term with certain procedures.
Agian depending on what surgery is planned then wearing high heels could be difficult.
Some procedures can mean 5-10 days in hosp, in plaster for 5-8 weeks and some physio so make damn sure you ask for all the worse case scenarios from the specialist before making your descision.