Bunion question

My Mum had the op just over 10yrs ago. She maintains that bunions are hereditary. She had both feet done at once, so the break the bone, slice a bit off, and reset it. She was in plaster for about 4-6 weeks. Some people who have it done say it is the most painful operation ever exeperianced, but my Mum was fine.

You'll have to see your GP about them, who will refer you to a consultant, and you'll go from there.

? zooneycat. For some reaso I feel silly about going to my GP about it but that is what's recommended so have no idea why I feel stupid about it ?

The op does sound painful but glad your mum was OK after it.

Is a bunion the hard lump that develops on the big toe side of your foot?

Yep, that's the one. It's very attractive........

Yep Sunset21, it is.

I have had them on both feet for as long as I can remember, they seem to run in both sides of the family. I had always worn properly fitted shoes as a child, but still got them.

I am about to look into seeing my GP about mine, as they are starting to feel more uncomfortable now, many shoes I can't wear for long without them hurting. I am scared about the operation though, and being out of action for weeks. Especially doing it all twice over. Am hoping it will be covered under my BUPA, but probably not.

Apparently there are over 130 different operations they can do, depending on your circumstances though.

I kept looking at the side of my right foot whilst on my hols, I have wide feet anyway and my mum has bunions, I don't want one ?

Tahiti - my mum had hers done on Bupa. As long as you don't have any exclusions on your cover, I don't see how they could refuse it. And get them both done at once - my mum knows people who had one done and never went back for the second. it is a very painful procedure but worth doing. My mum is so pleased she had it done and is feeling the benefits already.

Hopefully you won't get it sunset! There is not family history with me but I have heard it can be heridatary.

I just want to wear shoes without the pain around that area and my feet swelling up!

What happened there, I posted a big reply and it disappeared!

Anyway, who thought to call it a bunion? Such a silly name, it makes it sound like a joke and it's so not. Like a carbuncle!

My mum had both feet done in February this year and she goes back to work next week. She has a very active job, so if you're at a desk you may get back sooner. She has two very neat scars on each foot (glued shut!) and screws in the bone. I stayed with her the first week as she was pretty much bed ridden. I was there to make her lunch and keep the house going, stuff like that, as my dad couldn't take the time off work. She wasn't in plaster but had heavy bandaged for the first few weeks. It sounds like it's very painful but she's glad she got both feet done as she knows people who had such a bad time for one foot and never went back for the other!

She insists it's hereditary, which obviously I'm very pleased about. I'll have to make sure I join up with Bupa in about 2040 so I can get mine done!

My Mum had both of hers done about 5 years ago, and unfortunately, they're coming back. She's always worn sensible shoes, so would seem to be some kind of defect in the way her feet are formed (especially as they're coming back, I guess).

She wears a corrector in between her big and next toes, which may help you as a first step measure - you can get them from Boots and the like.

Hi decibelle

can i ask, how bad were your mum's feet for them to put her forward for surgery? My bunion isn't massive but it is noticeable as it sticks out, is red and a bit swollen. i wonder whether they would consider surgery now or when i'm older and it gets worse (i'm 29 now)!

Decibelle, that is good to know re. the BUPA cover, might wait a couple of months before seeing the doc then, as the cover with H's new job doesn't kick in until then, and I don't think his current one will quite offer complete contintuity of cover.

Didn't know you could get them done together, not an option at the moment with 2 small children and school runs to do, H would not be able to get the time off I don't think , but maybe in the future.

I have also heard of a new surgery which is microsurgery, but that is private, not NHS. You can apparently walk out of the hospital (albeit heavily dosed up on painkillers).

I am also worried about them coming back, as I have had them so long. But it would be lovely to wear shoes and not have red, sore bunions every day.

***TMI***

Mum's big toes were almost at right angles - urk! She was living on codeine. She was trying to wait until she retired in August, but she couldn't wait. I think she had the microsurgery - she had one night in the private hospital then was punted home with copious amounts of painkillers. She borrowed the church wheelchair, which was pretty invaluable for the first 48 hours or so.

You might as well wait the few months for the private cover. Mum was offered an op within a week of going to her GP! The NHS list was quite long, she might still have been waiting.

Your poor mum, but at least she has it sorted now. Mine isn't at that stage yet, just red, swollen and very sore. I don't take painkillers for it just get on with it. Codeine wouldn't be an option though as have been very sick taking that before.

Oh well, i suppose I better call docs and get an appointment.

?

? I've had the surgery, and Oh. My. God., it was, and still is, very, very painful.

I've said that unless I'm a cripple and can't walk anymore, I'm not having my right foot done for all the tea in China.

Mine was on my little toe - called a Tailor's Bunion and yes, I believe it's hereditary, although my Mum has hers on her big toes.

If I do any thing of any good on this forum, one of the things I'd recommend is make sure you're fully prepared if you go ahead with foot surgery. We weren't, and as a consequence it was one of the toughest tests in our marriage. With all the sh!te we've been through in our lives in the past 6 months, having me 100% reliant on someone else was horrendous, to say the least. As a couple, we are stronger than that, but it very nearly was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Make sure everything else in your life is on an even keel, that you've got support from family and friends, and that you're not left on your own in the first couple of weeks for very long. You'll need help with everything.

Sorry to lay it on thick, but seriously, the pain was excruciating.

This is my before picture, and this is my after

Op was on the 23rd Jan, and I'm still suffering, albeit not too much. It takes months and months and months for the swelling to go down. I go for 3 x 2 hourly physical therapy sessions a week to regain mobility in my ligaments and muscles, and it hurts like no tomorrow. Another 2 hour session later on. Oh joy!

? Peaches and thanks for sharing. Poor you, it sounds awful. Who knew that something like a bunion could cause so much pain and disruption! From your pics, it looks like it's made a big difference. I hope that mine one won't need surgery and I can get along with it as it is, but I know there's not many options.

I didn't realise physio would be needed afterwards as well but I suppose after an operation on your foot, you would need some rehabilitation.

I'm now a bit worried as well. I have a smaller lump on my little toe on my left foot too but didn't think this was a bunion but it can be painful and it's a hard lump so not sure, it might not be because I don't think it's the bone. Better get this checked out as well in case.

Hope you get better soon peaches.

x

Hi daydreamer.

I have bunions on both big toes. I was referred to the hospital with a view to having surgery to correct them, as other interventions weren't (aren't) helping the pain that I get from them. The Specialist said to me that my bunions were most likely to be hereditary, both because I can't wear high heels/tight fitting shoes - never have been able to - so live in boots/trainers/and if I can get them to fit, flat shoes (and certainly nothing with a pointy toe!), and because of the age at which they developed (late teens - I'm 28 now).

After discussion though, we decided that now was not the right time to have them 'done' as I would be likely to need them re-done in 10 years time, then 10 years time, then.... so I am just 'living' with them for now. (oh, and they wouldn't even entertain doing the op. unless I had tried all other interventions first - which I have)

hth

Thanks fiorelli. I'm sure they probably wouldn't even think about me having surgery now anyway but I'll go GPs and see what they recommend. I am lucky that some days I don't notice it as much, others like today it's more painful. It's liveable with anyway and I don't need pain killers. Although I don't wear heels often, I do have some pointy shoes but I can only wear them on good days. Fair to say, that they suffer for it afterwards though and sometimes the bunion can protrude a bit - eww! Most days I wear rounded toed flats or trainers.

?