[Guest]

I just had my sesamoid in my right foot removed. It had been fractured for a year and a half, but all the doctors I went to couldn't tell me what was hurting me. They treated the pain and luckily I ended up getting cortizone shots and orthodics, which is basically what I'm told is supposed to be the first treatments for the condition anyway. My first question is why couldn't my doctors (3 different podiatrists) figure it out in the first place? I've now had surgery to remove the fractured one, but my doctors have still been very vague about when I can walk on it again and what the long term effects are. I read up on it on the internet & found that sometimes surgery doesn't always help or that you can get bunions easier. It's been a week and a half and I'm afraid to go to work because anytime I stand or try to walk on it it hurts soo much the next day. My doctors haven't given me crutches because they say they don't really want me walking before I feel ready, but when will I? As you can guess I'm getting a little sick of all doctors, I had to go to one every week for 3 months at one point in time and the others just shook their heads and said that it was a mystery, but they did the best they can I guess. One thought that it was the slight bunion that I had and wanted to put a pin in me. Even the doctors I'm seeing now had to look it up in their medical books to figure it out.It's been a pretty horrible experience and I hope that others don't have the bad luck I have. So I guess my third question is why was it so hard? From what I've read it's not that uncommon to fracture a sesamoid or to just be born with it in two pieces.

[Guest]

Yes, fracturing a sesamoid and being born with one in two pieces are both quite common. Therefore, diagnosing the condition of a fracture versus being born with it in two pieces can be difficult. If it is a fracture, taking part of or the entire sesamoid out is a very good treatment because they do not often heal. If you were born with it in two pieces, taking it out can work but a treatment of injections and orthotics are typically recommended first because the area is normally just inflammed. Therefore, some doctors shy away from taking the sesamoid out in case it is not fractured even though surgery is a realistic option. I hope that helps a little. Your doctor should give you an actual answer if you ask when you can walk but it also depends on where the incision is and your own pain tolerance. If teh incision is on the bottom of your foot, doctors normally keep patients off their feet for about three weeks. If it is on the side, the time is less since you do not have to walk on the sutures. In either case, it will be painful in that area while your body is healing. Have a nice day and please write back if you have any further questions.
[quote] I just had my sesamoid in my right foot removed. It had been fractured for a year and a half, but all the doctors I went to couldn't tell me what was hurting me... [/quote]

[Guest]

Yes, fracturing a sesamoid and being born with one in two pieces are both quite common. Therefore, diagnosing the condition of a fracture versus being born with it in two pieces can be difficult. If it is a fracture, taking part of or the entire sesamoid out is a very good treatment because they do not often heal. If you were born with it in two pieces, taking it out can work but a treatment of injections and orthotics are typically recommended first because the area is normally just inflammed. Therefore, some doctors shy away from taking the sesamoid out in case it is not fractured even though surgery is a realistic option. I hope that helps a little. Your doctor should give you an actual answer if you ask when you can walk but it also depends on where the incision is and your own pain tolerance. If teh incision is on the bottom of your foot, doctors normally keep patients off their feet for about three weeks. If it is on the side, the time is less since you do not have to walk on the sutures. In either case, it will be painful in that area while your body is healing. Have a nice day and please write back if you have any further questions.
[quote] I just had my sesamoid in my right foot removed. It had been fractured for a year and a half, but all the doctors I went to couldn't tell me what was hurting me... [/quote]