Re: ankle fusion input/advice

[Guest guest]

Hope,

I had my ankles fused several years ago. I have been in major pain ever since.

I have heard of others being pain free so don't let my bad experience stop you.

Also, I recently found out that both of my fusions are broke completely so now

I get to decide if I want to go thru it again. I have 4 boys and not sure if I

can keep up on crutches. However, I can't keep up the way I am now either.

Good luck.

Jen

[Guest guest]

Hope,

This is not exactly about ankle fusion, but in 1994 I fell and broke my left

lower leg. (about 2 inches above my ankle bone) Oh Yeah, it was 9 days before

my wedding day. Leave it to me to make every thing more difficult. lol

Anyway, I ended up having surgery the next day. My miracle surgeon was Dr.

Udapa in Wise,Virginia. When he looked at the x-ray he noticed my ankle bones

were all shoved to one side due to me

spraining my ankles dozens of times growing up.

He fixed my break with a plate and six pins and while he was in there he

realigned my ankle bones! I got put in a walking cast the morning of the day

before the wedding. I was in the cast for about 2 months. The pins were

removed a year later.

The point of my story is, when he fixed the bones in my ankle it made it so much

stronger. Where it balanced my foot, all of my

calluses on the bottom of my foot went away and have never returned.

I have sprained my right ankle since then but not my left. The right one is so

weak, and you can see where my ankle bone (the big one on the outside) sticks

out more than the one he fixed.

I also have the painful calluses on the right one. I have joked and said I need

to break the right one in the same place so it can be fixed. lol Has anyone had

anything similar happen to them? In case anyone is wondering.......I was able

to walk down the isle.

Unfortunately the marriage only lasted 3 years. I think God was trying to tell

me something when I broke it, I should have listened!

Hope everyone is doing well,

[Guest guest]

Hope,

I am 59 years old and was wearing double upright braces on both feet for three

years before my surgery. I was having great difficulty walking and very poor

balance.

My first surgery was on my right foot in February 2005--a complete ankle fusion,

straightened my big toe, lengthened my Achilles, and flattened my arch.

My 2nd surgery was January of this year. My doc thought he could preserve some

movement in my left foot so he straightened my big toe, moved my heel over and

lengthened my Achilles, but elected not to fuse my ankle.

The first surgery was a huge success and the second not so much. My left foot

is rolling out still and I plan to have it fused in January.

I have great faith in my surgeon. It took me a long time

to make the decision. Dr. Horton had recommended surgery before I stared

wearing braces. I had to get to the point of severe and frequent pain and

almost total inability to walk before I decided to go ahead with surgery.

At this point, I am absolutely certain that I made the right decision. The

outcome of my second procedure was disappointing, but, compared to where I was

before my first surgery...well, there is no reasonable comparison.

I am almost completely pain-free, my balance is terrific, and I can walk much

more than I could at any time in the last 4-5 years. I am losing weight and am

focused on maintaining as much mobility as possible. As I lose weight, what

pain I do have when I walk takes longer to appear.

A final word about fusion. My ankle is fused but I still have movement in the

front part of my foot. My ankles functioned very poorly for many years, so the

fusion is huge improvement and I miss nothing--absolutely nothing. No I take

that back. My wife used to rub my feet and would rotate my ankle; that felt

good. Now

she rubs my foot, it feels great, but rotating the ankle is not possible; a very

small price to pay.

For myself, I had almost nothing to lose and everything to gain. I am in

excellent health (knock on wood) and look forward to the next era of my life.

Good luck with your decision.

Tom

[Guest guest]

Hi Hope,

I have had fusions done. I am happy with mine. I can walk on grass now

[Guest guest]

Hello Hope,

If we are shy about a medical problem that doctors are not too up on, how can we

ever expect to get proper treatment? When I go to medical

facilities I leave my shyness at home in all respects. It is difficult

enough to get complete coverage without having this get in the way. I

always ask if the provider is uncomfortable, but shyness is

counterproductive to the best care possible and after all it is a job

with close and personal necessities. Why make it harder for care givers?

EdM from NH