Re: Recovering after surgery

[Guest guest]

Right, don't push it. Stay within your doctor's guidelines. If you start feeling

really good, like you want to exercise, ask your doc, and ask about Physical

Therapy, then exercise.

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Hi There,

I had my cast removed on 3/11 - had the same procedures done (plus the ankle was

fused last march) I did 6 wks non weight bearing and am on 6 wks of partial

weight bearing. (half my weight - no gradual weight bearing) I have 2 screws

coming up through the heel and 3 big staples holding the joints all together.

The xray showed the bones had healed really well with barely a trace of a line

where they join.

This is my third surgery in less than 2 years - always the same 6 wks no weight

6 wks partial then I get the okay to start walking - which is easier said then

done. I haven't had any problems with the fusions following my doctors orders.

Maybe your bones haven't healed as well as needed to bear half your weight.

It could be your doctor is just extremely cautious. I see a doctor at Dartmouth

Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon NH, Dr Hecht. It is a teaching

hospital, I know my doctor is genuinely respected by his peers (since i was sent

to about 10 of his peers before switching from a Concord Ortho Dr and going to

Dartmouth for help)

 

Maybe you should try talking to your Doctor again and finding out why he/she

does it this way. Is it because your bones haven't healed well enough or they

are overly cautious. Just be careful not to overtax the fusion. Doing too much

too soon could really screw things up for you.

I know it's tough and so frustrating, patience is not one of my virtues and it

has been tough to be patient. Just hang in there. And remember - if you over do

it and break the fusion...you have to start all over again.

Hope

[Guest guest]

Hello there

I've had two of these procedures, and my doctor started PT on me from the start.

Weight bearing started after a few weeks.......25%, 40%, etc. up to 100% after 3

months. I had PT every other day the entire time. My PT was excellent, a bit

too anal at times, but did a superb job. Whatever you do, do not push the weight

issue too far If they say 25%, they mean 25%, not 50%, as I tired to pull off

the first time. I walk around today without a lot of the pain and complications,

and owe a great deal to my surgeon and my PT. And, exercise is key to

rebuilding your atrophied calf muscles. Walking, leg lifts, etc. are very

important once you've gotten the green light to proceed.

Best of luck. Hang in there. You'll be glad you did. And, if you feel you can

comfortably put 40% on your foot without " any " pain, and they are asking for

25%, tell them. I wound up advancing much quicker because I was able to put

more weight on my feet than they initially thought suitable. And, this helped

to rebuild my calf muscles much quicker as well.

Mark

[Guest guest]

Hi Hope,

Your message is right on. It is frustrating and difficult, especially if you

are hyperactive to begin with (me), so caution is the key word.

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I have been where you are, and I have to say that you need to start immediately

with a gentle exercise regimen which builds to a point where you feel, that's

enough because your body tells you so. Your body's affected parts will not be

able, according to articles to be found in this group

I did not do this for 28 years, although it's not true that I did nothing, for I

bicycled all over the Netherlands and my little parts of Germany.

Therapeutic implies a treatment or intervention, like what you just had done,

will fight the disease itself, and either push it back or cure it.

Unfortunately these operations will not change your basic disability/capability

per se, they may, however, make things easier to do. That I'm sure is the goal

of your physicians.

The operations I had 25 years ago made a big difference then, although other

structural support became necessary due to weakness, weakness I could have

overcome, as I am doing now.

I hope that helps,

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I posted last year regarding the surgery I had in Feb. 2008. It was quite

detailed, had many procedures done. Following all the time frames, 8 wks. in

cast, 6 weeks in boot, another 6 weeks of PT, I was still rolling out on my

ankle. On Oct. 31, I had ankle fusion surgery, including two screws to hold the

fusion. Again 6 wks. in cast, 6 wks. in boot with weight bearing. After that,

without the boot, walking full weight bearing. Went well for 6 wks, or two days

before 6 wks. were up, I experienced more pain than usual and more swelling than

usual. I immediately began wearing the boot and no wt. bearing as I was to see

the doc in 2 days. I was x-rayed and the doc said the x-ray was good but one of

the screws migrated slightly. I asked it this caused the pain and swelling and

he said he did not think so. However, ordered me back in the boot, with weight

bearing. Also ordered a bone stimulator 10 hrs./day to promote healing.

Swelling is down but I am putting minimal weight on it. He also ordered a

custom brace and shoes which I haven't gone for yet because of some swelling. I

see the doc on March 31, 5 months post surgery. I am hoping all will be well,

as the purpose of the surgery was to stabilize my ankle and not to have to use a

brace.

I understand that foot surgery is a long healing process and, at my age of 66,

it may take longer. I had my right foot fused at age 14 and it is fine, no

rolling on the ankle, however I do have the foot drop. I believe that the

younger you have surgery, the more successful it is. Good luck to anyone

contemplating surgery. Everyone is different, it is difficult to compare with

others.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the advice. I'm being really careful with the weight on the leg, but

wondered if pushing a little would accelerate the rehab. I guess not! I don't

think the doc is worried about healing, 50 Lbs up per week is just his standard

advice.

I can see I'm in for along haul here. How long after the cast was off do people

typically take to walk decently again?

Hope: did you choose to have 3 surgeries in 2 years rather than all at once? My

doc advised me to wait until we could do as much as possible at once rather than

have multiple recoveries. As it worked out I waited longer than I probably

should have, but the doc said that didn't make it any harder for him or me, he

was just afraid I'd break the ankle and then he wouldn't be able to fix things.

I said: " so, if I fall and break my ankle, I shouldn't come running to you? " He

didn't get it .... surgeons have no sense of humor. :-)

[Guest guest]

Hello there

Everyone is different when it comes to healing, rehab and muscle development. I

chose to have both of my procedures done 8 months apart, since I was healing

incredibly fast and wanted to get the procedures over and done with. My first

procedure went very well and I had no complications. My second procedure didn't

go as smoothly, since I developed a serious site infection 3 months out, and

eventually had two of my rods snap as well. Fortunately antibiotics eliminated

the infection, and my foot continued to fuse nicely, despite the broken rods. I

was lucky that the fusion was well underway by the time the rods failed.

I know what you mean about surgeons and their apparent lacking in the humor

department. When he told me the pain I was having was due to broken rods, I

then said.... " well now you can't complain when I make my first parachute jump.

The rods are already broken and waiting for you to fix them " I laughed out

loud.........he stared at me with a blank look.

Mark

[Guest guest]

OMG My Doc has a great sense of humor - as does the majority of his staff at the

clinic. I am a " get it all done at once " type of person but he wouldn't allow

it. My feet are seriously messed up. The Doctors at the MDA clinic did as little

as possible to guide me. They never once made any mention of any type of

surgeries I could have to help straighten out my feet. Every time I asked what

could be done they only offered counseling to help me transition to life in a

wheelchair. My feet are badly deformed. The Doctor I see doesn't really

understand CMT - he just started with and ankle fusion and some tendon

lengthening on the right foot and we took it from there. I only wait so long in

between because I'm trying not to lose my job. My Doctor was suggesting the

second surgery 6-7 wks after the first. He was disappointed and a little

surprised by the outcome of the first 2 surgeries. My ankles were still rolling

out after being fused. Although I guess it

wasn't the ankles, it was the heels - they were so out of place after years of

walking on the sides of them that we needed to move them and cut wedges out of

them. (Plus do the triple arthodesis) I'd have given anything to have this done

all at once. 2 surgeries vs the 4+ I'm looking at. My life has been on hold

since they gave me the wheelchair news on 11/18/05. It's been a long road

finding a surgeon and having the work done. I don't do PT - may try it after the

last surgery if I have balance trouble, it is just so expensive, I don't imagine

I can afford it. Will admit that I am having a problem with this last surgery -

the bones healed great - the incision on my heel where the screws were put in is

not healing well. Told my mother as she helped me tape it up that the doctors

leave an opening so I can insert a screwdriver to tightened the screws. She

almost fainted...hehehe...poor mom. Hang in there, patience, patience, patience.

Good luck with

everything, I hope you up and running around soon!!

From: lanman4choice <no_reply >

Subject: Re: Recovering after surgery

Date: Saturday, March 14, 2009, 12:07 PM

Thanks for the advice. I'm being really careful with the weight on the leg, but

wondered if pushing a little would accelerate the rehab. I guess not! I don't

think the doc is worried about healing, 50 Lbs up per week is just his standard

advice.

I can see I'm in for along haul here. How long after the cast was off do people

typically take to walk decently again?

Hope: did you choose to have 3 surgeries in 2 years rather than all at once? My

doc advised me to wait until we could do as much as possible at once rather than

have multiple recoveries. As it worked out I waited longer than I probably

should have, but the doc said that didn't make it any harder for him or me, he

was just afraid I'd break the ankle and then he wouldn't be able to fix things.

I said: " so, if I fall and break my ankle, I shouldn't come running to you? " He

didn't get it .... surgeons have no sense of humor. :-)