Re: Ankle fusion experience

[Guest guest]

Hi Lorna,

I've had both my feet and ankles fused also. Each of

my surgeries took almost 6 hours though. Was almost bed

ridden for 3 months for each one. I have to use a electric

wheelchair all the time, so basically I had the surgery to

relieve alot of pain from the way my feet laid or any

movement I could do. I got rid of wearing the heavy braces

and the ortho shoes. I can do a little standing, but it is

really very insecure for me to do that. The 2 operations

basically took the year 1999 to heal, but I would do it

again in a heartbeat!!! It's really fun to go buy regular

shoes once again, that hasn't happened for over 25 years.

Thought I would just give my input on the subject.

in Nebraska

[Guest guest]

Tom, I have had fusions. Yes it had helped me in many ways. BUT you lose all

your thigh muscle. I can't do yard work. I can't walk up a curb. I have to

think about stepping over a hose. I think your better off with braces if you

want

to do yard work and walk up stairs.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I had my left ankle fused in a triple arthrodesis operation when I was about

16 or 17. This was because the lengthening of my tendons (both feet) had

worked better on one than the other.

The operation went well. I can't remember there being too much pain

afterwards - it wasn't pleasant but then it wasn't unbearable - whereas I

found the tendon lengthening (when I was 13) to be quite unbearable - I had

awful spasms of pain that built up to crescendos, and pethadine did little

to help.

As I say the arthrodesis wasn't too painful, but then again they gave me a

morphine machine with a button that I got to press whenever I wanted more,

which was most of the time, so I ended up as high as kite for a few days (I

consider this a major plus of the operation in hindsight - morphine is

bliss). The morphine had drawbacks, since my body got quite itchy all over,

and I couldn't pee and had to have a catheter in for a few days. I didn't

think it was terribly pleasant to have a big bag full of my urine hung on

the bed. Also they had to put a tube in to drain the blood out from bleeding

(I think this is normal), and it hurt a bit when they had to rip it out!

I am now 28 years old and there have been no complications that I know of.

Admittedly I haven't seen a specialist for probably about 10 years but

that's because there have been no problems. The ankle gets sore if I

over-use it and can swell up a little. It's true that I'm not know as an

outdoors kind of guy but I've never shied away from an outdoor activity on

the grounds that I " can't do it " - even long bushwalks (3 hours is long for

me) haven't been a problem - my feet have been a bit sore, that's all - and

that's both feet, not just the left one.

For me, having grown up with feet problems, I mark the operation as the

point after which I could begin to forget about CMT for a while.

I was on crutches for ages afterwards. I bravely went on a camp to a

rainforest with my year group at school, and even participated in long

rainforest bushwalks on crutches. My arms muscles were pushed far beyond

exhaustion! But I've got good arm muscles as a result which I am quite happy

with, since I am generally not that well off in the muscle department!

I hope this information is helpful! It's just me, and that's a tiny sample

size, so please don't put much weight on my testimony itself. I think my

surgeon did a good job - what if yours stuffs it up?

Steve

[Guest guest]

I had my ankles fused. Its like wearing AFOs but you don't take them off. My

sons may not ever need the fusions because the vitamin C is helping them get

so much stronger. I predict that Adam will be out of his braces in a year.

[Guest guest]

,

I have had both ankles fused for the past 28 years and have had no problems with

either

of them twisting or turning since then and believe me, as a child I was the

typical kid

jumping out of trees, running, riding my bike, etc..

Prior to the fusions my ankles would turn in constantly causing me to fall. Out

of all my

" corrective " surgeries these 2 were the most beneficial to my ability to walk

without injury.

[Guest guest]

I have had bilateral ankle fusion as I have said before. The pain was so

severe that I count it as a blessing. I am still able to move my ankles as in

my foot up and down. The only thing I cant do much is move my ankles back and

forth from side to side. Hmm, not sure why I would want to lol.

The procedure was not bad at all. The surgery was basically painless.

The performed the surgery with a spinal and some twilight sleep. The only

thing I did different for the second surgery was to tell them NOT to give me the

big shot for pain before the spinal and I woke up. On the first ankle I wanted

to scratch my nose off. This is a side effect of the pain med they used. It

was awful.

The recovery period was 3 mos in a cast. I have a spinal cord damage so

I was unable to use crutches as my " hopper " doesn't hop anymore. Therefore, I

used a walker. After the first couple of weeks I was off to church etc. I

had lined up alot of books and knitting projects so it was not bad at all. My

husband even made some good dinners to suppliment the many dinners our church

friends provided us with to maintain our weight (and it sure did LOL)

I am on the vit c now and am seeing my toes uncurling and my thumbs

staying in the joint a little more. I pray for more progress!! At least I know

I will still be able to play my instruments in the band I play with and to keep

knitting and sewing.

Candy

[Guest guest]

thanks for the insight. i must think it over some

more. its just that the AFO really kills. i take

Vicodens just to cope with them. thanks again,

dave