Stylish summer shoes for bunion-sufferers

[VeryAnnieGertie]

Hi all - have searched in case you've already discussed - am searching for some nice summer shoes that I can wear despite my bunions. I have wide feet anyway and like to walk a lot. I just don't know what styles to target any more and have reverted to continual trainer-wearing, even for work (they're nice ones and I work in an arty environment, but I'd really like a change).

Any tips anyone?

[TimeForMe]

Thank you lavenderkate

And good luck to you if you decide to go through with having yours removed. Just give me a shout if you need me!

[lavenderkate]

Thanks very much Timeforme, that sounds fantastic.

Wishing you a speedy recovery

[TimeForMe]

lavenderkate. I had the op at Holme Valley Memorial hospital in Holmfirth and it was performed my a Mr Finney (who is gorgeous by the way!) I was told he is the best podiatry surgeon around and he told me himself that I have had the Rolls Royce of bunion operations. How's that for good NHS service!

Well today is 9 days post op and I am feeling great, have no pain and if it wasn't for the dressing think I would be walking almost perfectly. I can put weight on my foot now and looking at my foot, even with the special sandal on it looks, great, so slim and bumpless!

[choosyfloosy]

OP, I bought these a month ago, which clearly won't go all through the winter, but will get me through the autumn and early stages. I think they are fantastic. They have little plum-blossom branches and flowers on the heel too. Got them at Milletts, they were about £35.

[lavenderkate]

Timeforme!!! Thats very close to me. Would you mind telling me who with and where? Would be so grateful.
(Youre the girl in the class that everyone wants to be their new bestfriend )

[TimeForMe]

MrsAsp!! I will pop over and 'see' you!

Bunions I am happy to email you, I will do so now. I had my operation at a lovely little hospital in West Yorkshire.

[Bunions]

TimeforME
I am also really interested in your experiences as I have two large unsightly, and increasingly painful bunions .

Is there any chance you could e-mail me, so we can discuss off-line?

s i l v e r m u m (at)yahoo.co.uk

(without spaces obviously)

Can you tell us where you had your surgery done? Was it in London?

[mrsasp]

Message withdrawn

[lavenderkate]

Oh the idea of having a local instead of a general has decided it for me.

Thanks for the info Timeforme, and I'm glad it was so successful.
Sometimes the shooting pains in the bunion are so painful I think the recovery would be tolerable.
Very interesting about the pronating as both DDs recently started wearing prescribed orthotics.

[TimeForMe]

It's interesting you should say that, one of the mums at school has quite a bad bunion and has just discovered that hers has been caused by having one leg so very slightly shorter than the other. She has been given some insoles and has noticed an improvement, I think because the insole lifts the arch and takes pressure off the bunion. She would love to have the bunion removed but is wondering whether it would just grow back again due to the problem with her leg.

I hate to stick my nose in but I think the best way to decide whether or not to have the op, whether it is really necessary or not is to have the foot xrayed and a consultation with a podiatrist. It's all to do with angles and measurements as to whether or not you will develop further foot problems as a result of the bunion. It's actually quite technical.

[VulpusinaWilfsuit]

Thanks for the info.

I had heard somewhere or other on t'internet that they are often caused by overpronating anyway. Since I have been wearing arch-supporting insoles my bunions (as well as knee and hip joints) are less painful anyway.

I wonder if re-growth can be prevented by orthotic support? We need a physio on this thread...

[TimeForMe]

My procedure was the Hallux Valgus Surgery by Scarf & Akin Distal Osteotomy if you fancy googling

[TimeForMe]

Yes lavenderkate as far as I'm aware it was just a standard bunion op. It was a big bunion though, my big toe was almost dislocated due to it and the toe joint had grown extra bone to sort of balance things out IYSWIM. The consultant explained that I would have a triangle shaped piece of bone removed to straighten the toe and bring it in, the extra bone would be shaved off and I would have three screws inserted so if that's the standard op then I've had it!

My bunion was painful too and as a result I found I was walking on the outer edge of my foot to take the pressure off it, I think this has fared me well when it came to walking after the op. You are only really inactive the first 4 days after the op and then they like you to increase activity gradually, go by your body basically so I don't think you would be laid up for weeks if you decide to have it done. I've done quite a bit of walking today and I am sat with my foot elevated at the moment due to it feeling a tiny bit achey but I can honestly say I have felt hardly any pain at all, especially where the bunion was and all the work has been done.

VulpusinaWilfsuit do you mean this one? www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1051558/Pain-free-surgery-cured-bunions-just-minutes.html
I read about this when I first started researching bunion removal but it isn't done on the NHS and is quite costly.

What I didn't realise was actually how serious bunions are, is in they can cause quite a lot of further damage and problems to the foot due to the misalignment of the big toe. I was more bothered by the damage the bunion was doing to my boots and shoes but it seems the operation was actually medically necessary.

[VulpusinaWilfsuit]

Interesting thread. I have awful bunions on both feet. Would like to think about having them 'done' at some point as are getting painful.

I have heard there is a minimal invasion version of the op too (keyhole surgery etc?) - does anyone know about or had this done?

[lavenderkate]

Timeforme
Had no idea it could be done under local anaesthetic. How fantastic.

You might have just changed my outlook on life!
I have a very painful bunion with arthritis in it since I was 15. I'm not yet 40.
GP has said I need the op within next 5 years but have a 3yr old so dont plan on it just yet because all my friends have had to rest up for weeks. Which clearly aint possible!!

Was yours a standard bunion op? I mean would it be something I might be able to have too?
Terrified of having a general.

[TimeForMe]

VeryAnnieGertie I promised to let you know how my bunion removal op went so here I am!

After a very short wait I had my op last Tuesday. The operation was done under local anaesthetic so my foot was completely numbed. I was also given a knee block, sort of an epidural in the back of my knee so that my leg was numb from the knee down. This was to ensure a pain free 24 hours and a good nights sleep following the procedure.

Once my foot was numb I was taken in to theatre and began chatting to the two nurses. In just 15 minutes the bunion was gone! I kid you not, it took longer to numb my foot than it took to do the operation. I felt nothing, no nasty tugging or pulling or any of the things I had thought I might feel. The only thing I did feel was (quite a nice) vibrating sensation up my leg as the screws were put in. The operation wasn't traumatic at all.

Before the surgeon dressed my foot he showed it to me and gosh, it was just like looking at someone else's foot. Perfectly straight and so narrow! It looked beautiful. I had quite a long incision from my big toe down the side of my foot but it looked so neat and tidy. He has put in one long continuous stitch which, once the ends have been clipped next week will just dissolve.

I was given heavy duty painkillers to take for when the numbness had worn off but I only took them for one day as they made me ill but to be honest with you the pain has been minimal and very bearable so I haven't needed to take anything. I have had to sit with my foot elevated for 4 days, only taking trips to the bathroom but, between you and me I actually managed a teeny bit more than that

I've been back to the hospital today for the dressing changing and they have told me it is healing beautifully. Next week I have to take my trainers and will be leaving the hospital without my special sandal!! Back in my own shoes after only 2 weeks, even I am impressed.

So all in all it has been brilliant. Not too much discomfort at all. So if your bunion is still bothering you I can highly recommend having it removed. Hope the above helps, if you would like to know anything else then please feel free to ask

[Janey972]

VeryAnnieGerty - I haven't got bunions but have very wide feet. I can't wear converse either. Dunlop greenflash (available in a variety of colours/styles) fit me fine and look trendy (I hope!) HTH.

[TimeForMe]

Hi VAG, (this is IamNOTaBill)

I went for my bunion removal consultation today. Was seen by a fab male nurse initially who went through all my details, he went off to find the consultant (who was swooningly gorgeous!) who took a quick look at my foot and gave the go ahead. Had an xray of offending article then went back to reception and booked an appointment for pre op next week. When I go back for that I can choose the day of surgery!! And all of that on the NHS! It was brilliant.

The op itself is done under local anaesthetic and will take about an hour. I will then be in recovery just so they can keep an eye on things for a further 30 mins then I can go home. I've got to keep it elevated for 4 days only making trips to the bathroom then after the 4 days I can steadily walk around. I will go back for a check up and the dressing changed after 1 week then back again the next week for another check up and the stitches removed. Oh yes, I will be given a 'special' sandal to wear while the dressing is on but after 6 - 8 weeks I should be back in normal footwear! Yippee!!

So all went well today and I am equally as excited at having the offending article removed as I was before. I will let you know when I have it done how good/bad it was

[VeryAnnieGertie]

zanz1bar I sprained my ankle at the beginning of December, it still twinges - so do look after it and follow all advice! I didn't, and I think it prolonged the discomfort.

Let us know if you find some sensible comfortable not-beige shoes to wear though! I did see a girl wearing some sort of lace-up jazz-shoe yesterday (did not think to ask where she had got ) - hers were beige but a nice shade, with cut-outs at the sides. Thought they'd be light enough to wear with a dress or skirt (she was wearing a 50s style red polka-dot affair).

IamNOTaBILL - bunion blog - oh, please do! I might have to visit GP to see what she says about my options, though I have to admit I'm not in constant pain (unless wearing pretty shoes).

I bought a pair of converse all-stars this summer - was pleased at being all trendy-like...but they're very narrow and hurt my feet - so unfair.

[zanz1bar]

Slighty different problem, hopefully this thread will help.

I have sprained my ankle badly and been given strict instructions to get some sensible shoes.

So I am living in trainers, is there a summer solution for sensible, comfortable, not biege shoes?

I was wearing birkies when i did my ankle in and have chucked them out.

[IamNOTaBILLopenME]

I will let you know how I get on if you like. I could do a 'Bunion Blog'

[Rolf]

Veryanniegertie. I've worn Birkenstock mules but they aren't so comfy, I find. I wear big Birkenstock shoes in the winter as they have plenty of room at the front. I'm afraid I don't have any other summer success stories as I've worn those New York sandals for quite a few summers (I get new ones each year).

[IamNOTaBILLopenME]

I haven't had the actual surgery yet. I have bene to see my GP who has referred me and I have a consultation on the 14th of July. That's NHS. According to the GP I will be all done and dusted by the end of October!! Yippee!!

I've googled the op and all it involves and even though it seems to involve quite a lot of pain I'm still determined to go ahead with it. I have heard that they do grow back eventually but this takes about 10 years by which time I will be 65 and probably won't give a damn about me bunions!

[VeryAnnieGertie]

IamNOTaBILL (great name btw!) how did you get your surgery? - was it NHS? did you go through your GP? What have they said about it growing back?

[foofi]

The reason I'm wearing fitflops this year and letting the bunions hang over the side of the shoe (v attractive) is that I'm fed up of having to wear trousers in summer so that I can wear frumpy lace up shoes, which are the only comfortable thing I can find.