What is bunion surgery and recovery like?

tkrfail21, I'm delaying bunion surgery. But my braver sister had it done on both feet. I was with her throughout and she took no pain medication and had no complications. She had to stay off her feet for two weeks. And was supposed to keep them elevated for 80% of the time the first week and 50% of the time the second week. She was given PT for a month following. It's funny how many ways there are to exercise your feet. Her feet are now quite pretty, for feet.
Your feet look nice, your bunion doesn't look very big, but at some point we don't have a choice.
I hope you have luck. If you have a sister invite her over for a couple of weeks.

Thank you for the description of the process. Your sister must have a high pain tolerance. I've had 5 surgeries on my knee replacement and needed the drugs. I have ptsd from my knee experience which was hell. But I can't walk without pain so I know I have no choice.Sent from my Galaxy

I think she must have had a good surgeon. She says staying off of it for two weeks is crucial. She advises lots of good movies and someone to order around.
I hope you have an easy time of it. Your knee surgery must have been terrible. Wow, five surgeries on your knee. Anyone would need those drugs.

Thank you for your support.

@gently Your response is making me hopeful. I fear I will need to have it done, too. Did your sister have lapiplasty? How soon could she drive?

I had bunion surgery on one foot years ago. It was successful and the bunion did not return.
I have now, decades later, developed a bunion on my other foot.
I am wearing a little rubber “toe spacer.”
I won’t have surgery for this bunion for 2 reasons.
My age, I am decades older now, and also the post op pain was unbearable without heavy duty pain killers.
But I am a person who feels a lot of pain (very low pain threshold) where others might have minimal pain or none.
Plus, I had to use crutches and had no weight bearing for some time then wore an air cast after that when walking.
But all that is just me…we are all different.

I had a bunionectomy and double osteotomy on both feet 3 months apart. I had heard from almost everyone how sorry they felt for me as that was the most painful surgery so I was expecting the worst. Other than the recovery time, it was a piece of cake. I had almost no pain, I only took the pain killers the first day or two. I followed my doctor’s orders exactly. No weight bearing the first two weeks, and then I wore the lovely boot for the next few weeks. I’m 5 years out and the scars are barely noticeable. I don’t consider myself a high pain tolerance person as I’ve had other surgeries that I felt for the first week or so, so I attribute this to my wonderful surgeon.

@tkrfail21
I’ve had 3 bunion surgeries. The first two failed (meaning my toe drifted back because the surgeon didn’t do the type of surgery that would have prevented that.) last one was minimally invasive with a foot and ankle doc who knew what he was doing. First doc just broke the big toe put in a screw to hold it straight and shaved off the bunion. There are other better procedures. Ask your foot and ankle guy. I did it because of pain.

Get an ice machine! Ice, ice, ice. It will help control the pain and swelling. Look at Polar Ice machines - or maybe you can rent one from a medical supply store. The last one I had done, i took pain pills for two days, then tylenol and occasional pain pill at night. Elevated for the first week with ice machine, put no pressure on the foot - get yourself a knee scooter if you can. Follow doctor instructions to a T.

Wow. Thank you for all this information. I am encouraged to move forward. Sent from my Galaxy

@misseygirl
Thanks so much for the fedback. I'!m 75. My mother and brother both have a bunion on only 1 foot like me. I too have low pain threshold. Drugs don't seem to help. Only make me sick. But, cannot walk without nerve pain so I've got to have surgery.