Morton's Neuroma

[alwaysunderfoot]

Hi everybody! I had my surgery this morning. Actually about four hours ago. I came home about 2 hrs ago and thought all was well. Well, it's coming to life now!! Really burning and hurting but I'm sure thats normal. Hopefully all will go well. The Dr. seemed to think so. I'll keep you posted since I won't be doing much else for awhile. I hope you're all doing better. Still having alot of pain? Don't over do it because of boredom!

[RobinSchares]

The same thing happened to me after the second surgery. I was hurting before I left the hospital. I called the surgeon twice and he didn't return my call but it felt as if they cut the bone, and finally able to talk to a doctor that was on call after hours that told me to take a scissors and snip that bandages and it helped instantly and what a relief. Try that. I couldn't get on top of the pain until that happened. I wish you luck. What did they give you for pain? Is it helpful? I had morphine and it didn't touch it that night of surgery. After snipping the bandages it helped.
Good luck to you and try ice too placed behind the knee, that helped as well. Keep it elevated highter than your heart and make sure the boot is not to tight. Relieve some pressure.
Take care

[klr]

Thanks - I called the doctor's office and they said I could come in and be fitted for a 'shoe' today - the kind with 2 velcro straps - versus a 'boot' which they said was overkill for MN. My daughter took me and I was glad to wear it out of the office (I wore a fuzzy slipper into the office). Today it has been 3 weeks since surgery and it seems to be getting better. Will keep you posted. What would we do without the internet?

[RobinSchares]

not sure what kind of shoe you are referring to. I had to wear a boot that went up to the knee with about 5 velco straps but I also had tarsal tunnel surgery with the neuroma surgery which is where they cut all around the ankle. The boot was a must for me. Are you able to walk without crutches yet? I had to wait 4 weeks on the second foot before putting any weight on it at all and then another 2 weeks of only walking in the boot limited amount of time. Then transistion to a shoe and it's been over 7 weeks and I sometimes still struggle. Good luck with the "shoe". Do you use an orthodic with that as well then?
Are you having pain?
My scar from the surgeryi in Sept. is barely visable for the neuroma surgery but the tarsal tunnel surgery the scar is huge (cause I want to wear sandals someday).
Take care.

[klr]

3 weeks and one day post-op.

The pain isn't too bad when I walk (so far I just around the house), the good thing is that when I sit down or lay down there is very little pain (finally - yeah!!).

I need to get the other foot done eventually so I am wearing orthotics on that foot, but just a sock and the velcro shoe on the other one.

As a follow-up to the other person's experience. I too had a lot of pain once the surgery anethstheic wore off and the pain meds (Vicodin) didn't seem to help. I called and got an appointment and the doctor re-bandaged me (made it looser) and that helped some.

[alwaysunderfoot]

Well It's been 36 hrs. since my surgery and I must say it's not as bad as I feared (at least not yet!). They gave me Percocet for pain and I have to take Phenergan for naseau and it has been doing well. So far I've only taken six pain pills. I really try not to take very much if not absolutely necessary. They gave me another velcro shoe also. I have such a big bundle of bandages though that theres no way I could get it on! I've only been sitting here one day and already stir crazy! I guess I've made 20 trips to the porch today! Very carefully of course and only on crutches. I haven't tried to bear any weight on my foot. The dr. said it would be six weeks before I can walk on it. Did they tell you to wait that long? I'm going to try to stay off it because I hope this is my last foot surgery for a long while. Thanks for your help and suggestions. Having people to share this with is great.

[RobinSchares]

Sounds like we had the same problem with the bandages being to tight. I think the second foot had considerable swelling, which resulted in pain from the pressure of bandages. Vicodin would not have helped me much I don't believe as I was on them from before the surgeries. They gave me a 24 hour morphine pill (so only one pill a day) which was great and some percocet for break through pain.
I was spoiled by the recovery of the first foot and the second foot went nothing like the first one. Much more pain and much slower recovery time. I wish you luck but I hope you do both anyway as the option is just to live in pain without surgery. Make sure that the first foot is well enough to handle all your body weight before scheduling the second surgery. They like to run you through that without being ready. I am glad I had the surgeries and looking forward to working again some day. SOON. Remember I had tarsal tunnel surgery the same time as the neuroma surgery which was the reason recovery was so slow. It had been 6 weeks of no walking and elevating higher than the heart. I got lazy and doing anything after that was difficult and took a lot out of me. Good luck with yours and make sure that you don't go barefoot, or just in socks as that is a big no-no and could run into complications such as stump neuromas and scar tissue.
I can relate to the abscence of the terrible pain though. It was amazing when I realized that this was not like it was before the surgery and what a great way to live (without chronic pain). I wonder if the surgical cuts make arthritis more possible as now when my feet get cold it feels like arthritis is in there.
Let me know how quickly you are recovering and good luck to you. Make sure you let others take care of you as if you would fall or reinjure that area you are in trouble. I kicked myself in the tarsal tunnel surgery with that big boot I had on and that was some kind of pain so be careful.
Keep us posted.

[RobinSchares]

Yes, I was instructed to not walk for 6 weeks with the second foot. No weight bearing at all. After 4 weeks I was able to use only balance weight which is next to nothing. The first surgery was different and I was able to walk and bear some weight in 4 weeks. Please limit your going to to the porch as it seems innocent enough but you don't realize how banged up you are getting as it is usually wrapped so tight you cannot feel it. I noticed just sitting in the car was horrible in getting the foot banged up. The more down you stay the better. It is HARD and takes so much discipline, especially when you are on percocet as you don't really feel much pain. That was a helpful drug though and the pain was well managed. I was impressed with how they managed the pain and my family doctor was in charge of that as the podiatrist was not comfortable perscribing narcotics. First surgery was the 10th of Sept. and so I have literally been on narcotics since then and worry about side effects of going off them. Not sure when or how we are going to do that but think it will be uncomfortable. After about a week they gave me the fentyl patch instead of the morphine which works well too.
How are you able to get an orthodpedic shoe on with the bandages?
The worse part was not being able to take a bath for so long. I was cut pretty badly for the tarsal tunnel surgery.
Good luck to you. I agree with always underfoot that we want to be sure to not overdo it out boredom. I think that is the best advice you will get. It is so hard to stay down but remember that the pain could be worse than before the surgery if we don't take the time to heal. You will eventually get use to laying there and along with that came some self-pity and depression. Did you get some different meds alwaysunderfoot? I don't think pain promotes healing so I wish you luck there.

[RobinSchares]

the problem with those trips to the porch is that during those times the foot is not elevated higher than the heart, which is the most valuable thing you can do.

[alwaysunderfoot]

RobinSchares, I know I shouldn't be up and I'm really trying to stay put! That's so hard to do! I hate to ask my husband and son to wait on me but I can't do very much by myself. I seem to be having more pain today than yesterday but nothing intolerable thankfully. I'm having to take the percocet more often today but it helps. I hope you're doing ok. Are you in your regular shoes yet? Does your foot take sharp pains when you first prop it up? It seems like mine has to "settle down" after moving. Are you back to housecleaning and stuff? I imagine you are sooo tired of this since you've been off your feet so long.