Have you had bunion AND hammertoe surgery? Tell me about it please

Wilkanoid

Apr 8, 2015 at 6:11am Edited

I know it's different for everyone, but I am specifically looking for feedback from people who have had bunion AND hammertoe surgery (sorry for the caps) in one procedure. I have been living with my condition and am not suffering, but the condition is progressing and I may not be able to ignore it in a few years. Right now, I have a date scheduled in early July to do the surgery.

I've received good and not so good feedback from a number of people who have only had simple bunion surgery. The hammertoe increases the complication of bunion surgery. I have heard from a friend who has had, to put it mildly, a horrific experience with complications including constant, severe pain two years out and hip issues. I know not everyone will experience this, but I want to hear from other people as well.

Have you had this done? How are you faring weeks, months or years later? Thanks!

KarenMarlowe

Apr 8, 2015 at 6:35am

I did not have hammertoe surgery, but I did have surgery for hallus limitus, which resulted in a piece of my big toe breaking off and floating around. It took a very long time for it to heal--you're on your feet all the time--probably about two years until it started feeling normal again. However, I was in a lot of pain, and I would do it again. Still hurts sometimes, but I can walk without being in agony.

Wilkanoid

Apr 8, 2015 at 7:03am

Thanks, @marylago. I want to make sure I understand this correctly - a bone broke off during/after surgery? If you don't mind, could you PM me the name of your surgeon?

Wilkanoid

Apr 12, 2015 at 3:26am

Does anyone else have words of wisdom for me?

j_r

Apr 12, 2015 at 5:03am Edited

I come from a long line of bunion- and hammertoe-havers, but my feet, while not conventionally attractive, don't pain me at all. I have two younger sisters who have undergone a total of five foot and ankle surgeries, all of them unsuccessful to one degree or another, and I have vowed never to do it unless I absolutely have to. The sister who had three surgeries now needs another, just as soon as she recovers from six months in a cast and boot, because the bunion-hammertoe part didn't "take." It will not surprise you that neither of them wears sandals.

One sister is a PE teacher, and the other was a lifelong runner with half-marathon and marathon training under her belt. Their mobility has been severely curtailed. We're in our 50s.

As you say, it's different for everyone. But in our case, there's no record of success with foot surgery.

SuzanneNg

Apr 12, 2015 at 6:02am Edited

I had both surgeries done , and on both feet, at the same time. I took the semester off from college (so this was in the early 90s) to get it over with. The freakiest thing for me was seeing those little pins sticking out of the top of each toe, and the side of my foot, and trying to not catch them on anything. Used a Dr Hammerschlag out of Hackensack medical center. He was a young doc at the time, so he is likely still practicing.

ETA, he seems to still be practicing... http://orthospecialistsnj.com/orthopedic-surgeons/warren-a-hammerschlag.php

KarenMarlowe

Apr 12, 2015 at 6:57am Edited

Wilkanoid said:
Thanks, @marylago. I want to make sure I understand this correctly - a bone broke off during/after surgery? If you don't mind, could you PM me the name of your surgeon?

A piece of bone broke off due to the injury; the surgeon corrected it. I'm not going to recommend her, because while I felt she was good, she seemed a little shady to me... Hard to explain.

Eta - just seeing your comment now.

pageturn

Apr 12, 2015 at 7:52am

I had both. The bunion was more successful then the hammertoe. They take a long time to heal. The hammertoe left me with a permanent cramp in my toe and inflexibility.

Wilkanoid

Apr 12, 2015 at 9:43am

@SuzanneNg, how are your feet now?

@pageturn, when you say permanent cramp, does it actually feel like your foot is cramping in the conventional sense? I know that there is some risk of limited mobility after the surgery, but I can't get a sense of how that affects regular activities - i.e., what exercise can't you do? How does the limited mobility/cramping affect your walking, stair climbing running?

@j r what do you mean when you say the hammertoe part didn't 'take?' Did the condition return to pre-surgical state?

This is NOT encouraging LOL

j_r

Apr 12, 2015 at 10:29am Edited

Yes, her bunion toe has begun to drift back into the others, which are bunching up (I think that's the medical term). The other focus of the surgery was to raise her arch, which required some complicated installation of screws and bolts.

It's frustrating to say the least.

mumstheword

Apr 12, 2015 at 11:04am

I had both the bunionectomy and hammertoe done in 2003 when I lived down in Old Bridge. I had an excellent surgeon and I told him I would only do it if he guaranteed me no pain. He laughed and said he'd do his best. Well, I went home with my bottle of pain killers and took one the first night just because I was told to do it, and that was the last pain pill I took. I listened to him 100% about keeping off my foot for the proper amount of time, didn't drive until he told me I could. Despite the calls from work (when are you coming back??????), I stayed out the full 8 weeks (thank goodness I was working for a firm at the time that paid me 100% salary throughout). I haven't had any problems with that foot since -- thank goodness! Good luck with your surgery -- after all is said and done you'll be glad you did it.

jim4284

Apr 12, 2015 at 11:16am

I had the surgery on February 6. Was in a lot of pain the first week . I had the surgery at summit medical group. It went very well . Had x Rays taken last week and everything looks good , I was only out of work for 1 day and had to wear a boot for 3 weeks . I was mot allowed to run for 2 months and that was the hardest part . I started running again last week . I do have to go back in May to get the rod taken out of one of the toes . This will only be a 2 week recovery .

conandrob240

Apr 12, 2015 at 12:19pm

My mother had this about 10 yrs ago and wishes she never did. Her pain didn't decrease much from what she had before the surgery, she has ugly scars and the toes have basically migrated back to what they were before. and it took close to two years before it healed fully.

pageturn

Apr 12, 2015 at 1:01pm

Wilkanoid, the cramping is if I'm too inactive.. The immobility I've learned to compensate for - but would be a problem for a runner or someone super active. And yes, it has started to migrate back. This is after about four years.

Wilkanoid

Apr 17, 2015 at 5:07am

So now I'm on the fence, but still convinced that something needs to be done about my progressing condition. I will have to speak with the surgeon again.

jasper

Apr 17, 2015 at 8:10am

Wilkanoid, I didn't recognize you! That wouldn't happen to be a marmoset, would it? ; - )

I can't help but wonder how much the difference in outcomes has to do with individual anatomy vs. surgical skill, or perhaps some combination of both. It is disconcerting to think that you could go through all of this only to have things stay the same, or even worse, get worse. Are you able to get references/testimonials from your surgeon?

Wilkanoid

Jul 10, 2015 at 3:12pm

The deed was done today! The doctor said that everything went as planned. She previously told me that I would wear a tall boot for the first couple of weeks, and could walk on my heel if I needed to. In the end though, they decided to give me crutches. They're ... interesting. Nothing to report yet today. I'm taking pain killers as recommended, every 4 hours. Mr W is making dinner as we speak, and I'm camped out on my couch/nest which I prepared after reading countless bunionectomy blogs. I guess people need something to do while sitting and sitting and sitting.