Mid foot fusion dilemma

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Helena55
Helena55 Member Posts: 3
in Living with arthritis

I am awaiting mid foot fusion surgery which could happen in the next few weeks, however the three months non weight bearing recovery period is really concerning me. Having been shielding for the past year the thought of being housebound for another three months is worrying me and I am unsure whether mentally or physically i can cope. Covid permitting there are people I want to see and places I want to go. I am 66 and live on my own, I am overweight and already have two knee replacements so my mobility is already poor. I just don’t know whether to put it on hold for a year and hopefully enjoy the summer. I can still use my foot and I can still walk, albeit painfully and with a limp but enough to let me get out and about. I am worried I might regret having it done and might regret it if I don’t. Has anyone else had this procedure done?

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  • jeddison1985
    jeddison1985 Member Posts: 211
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    Hi @Helena55 firstly let me welcome you to the forum I hope you find the information and support you are after from our wonderful community.

    I can see from your post that you are concerned about your pending foot fusion surgery and what impact it may have on your life, either if you do or do not decide to have it. It is understandable that you are concerned and hopefully we can point you towards the right information and you get some similar experiences other can share to help with your decision.

    The site is full of information and I wanted to signpost you to some information leaflets that could help

    Information relating to foot surgery which includes fusion surgery:

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/surgery/foot-and-ankle-surgery/

    Some tips for arthritis related surgery:

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/your-experiences/hints-and-tips/surgery-hints-and-tips/

    Information related to foot pain and some hints / tips on how to manage:

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/foot-and-ankle-pain/

    Please feel free to search the forum for others with similar experiences and I am sure that some of our community will be able to help.

    Take care and I hope you make the right decision for you and get some relief soon.

    Thanks

    Joe

  • Helena55
    Helena55 Member Posts: 3
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    i have looked at those links thanks, they did lean more towards ankle fusion which I think is more common than mid foot. I know I will have to have them done (both feet are bad) but it’s whether I can afford to wait 14-16 months. I am still no nearer to making a decision.

  • Rina
    Rina Member Posts: 85
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    Hi @Helena55, I haven’t had mid foot fusion but I do understand your dilemma. I waited ten years before I had foot surgery for my RA - job was too important, children were too young, parents were too elderly.... I found loads of different reasons and so struggled along in quite a lot of pain. Four years ago I finally got them both done within seven months of each other and had to stay off my feet for three months each time. It wasn’t easy - my other joints suffered and I sometimes felt quite low but now I’m so glad I did it as i can walk so much better and have far less pain. I’m not sure I regret waiting so long though. It just didn’t seem right for me at the time and in fact my consultant told me one time when I said I wasn’t sure ‘ You’ll know when the time is right’.

    I can imagine if you’ve been isolating the thought of a further three months being stuck at home must be hard. Perhaps you could ask yourself ‘ how will I feel in October if I don’t get them done? And how will I feel in October if I do get them done?’ Maybe that will help you decide?

  • Numptydumpty
    Numptydumpty Member Posts: 6,417
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    Hi Helena55,

    Ive had triple fusions in both my feet, now waiting for ankle fusion. I’m 65 and live alone. The first two weeks after surgery you do have to keep your foot raised. After that you can move around more, just keep your foot raised as often as you can. I bought an electric wheelchair for use indoors. Moved my bedroom to the ground floor and had a shower installed in that room. I already had a mobility scooter for outdoors. You don’t have to be housebound for the whole three months, and after a few weeks you’re in an air boot anyway, so you can walk (albeit somewhat awkwardly) without fully weight bearing.

    I visited friends for food and drinks on several occasions while still in plaster. Once in the air boot things were almost back to my normal.

    I wish you luck

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