All About Morton's Neuroma: Surgery & Recovery

NOTE TO READERS:  I am writing this post for other sufferers of Morton's Neuroma who may be considering surgery. It turned into a book by the time I finished, and is full of details and pictures. Possibly TMI for anyone else. 
FYI: There are now over 200 comments on this blog post (as of May 2013). Most questions have already been asked and answered. Please remember to scan the comments under this blog post if you have specific questions. 


As I write this, I am two full weeks out from having surgery on both feet to remove Morton's neuromas. Let me just say first that I am doing great. But I will start at the beginning...

I am a 52-year-old woman (almost 53), 5' 4" tall. My weight fluctuates between 128 and 133 regularly. I'm in overall good health. I've exercised regularly and faithfully for the past 21 years. I have never smoked. I did not drink alcohol at all until the age of 43. And I drink alcohol moderately/socially today (a glass of wine, a margarita, a girlie martini). I have no other health conditions other than silent reflux. And I tell you all this because my doctor told me that complications are more likely to occur in heavy smokers and patients with other health issues; like diabetes. I would venture to say that being overweight could make this surgery more difficult, as well.

I have never been a runner. (I ran the 50 yard dash in 9.7 in sixth grade. I was not born to run, you might say.) And I'm not athletic. I burn calories and increase my heart rate simply for health and weight control; usually indoors while reading or watching TV. If I have abused my feet, it has been by wearing the wrong shoes. I spent much of my life wearing very high heels on a regular basis and shoes that were cute rather than sensible. I remember shopping with my mom while I was still in my twenties and making fun of her for the shoes she was trying on. She was in her forties. And she said, "One day you will stop wearing those heels and buy comfortable shoes, too. Just wait." She was absolutely correct. Nothing is as important to me as comfort today. But the damage was already done.

A few years ago (within the last five, but I can't remember precisely when), I started to notice weird pains in the ball of my foot when walking. I have always liked to walk around barefoot in the house. It just feels comfortable to me and my mom always made us take our shoes off in the house. So it felt foreign to keep my shoes on inside as an adult. But I remember when I started to feel these shooting pains and sensations going into the third and fourth toes. The best way I can describe it is that it felt like my toes were cracking as I walked. It was a weird sensation. There was tingling and numbness (which later evolved into sharper pain). Initially, I just thought I had aging feet. But when that toe stuff started, I got worried that something more was going on. So I got online and Googled my symptoms. That was the first time I had ever heard of Morton's neuroma.

I asked friends for foot doctor recommendations and several people urged me to see Dr. James Yu at Tennessee Orthopedic Alliance in Nashville. I was also urged to skip going to a podiatrist and only consider a medical doctor who specialized in the foot. That seemed like good advice to me (no offense intended to podiatrists). I saw Dr. Yu the first time a couple of years ago. At that point, my left foot was giving me more problems than my right. And I tried my first cortisone injection. It was not as awful as I expected it to be. Not pleasant, but I was impressed with how well I endured it (since I consider myself a little wimpy when it comes to pain). I got some relief for a while. But not nearly long enough. I still wasn't ready to consider surgery, though.

Over time, the pains and weird sensations increased in both feet. I knew I was going to have the surgery at some point, but I was still trying to avoid it and put it off. When I did it, I wanted it to be at the end of winter so I would have months of sandal wearing ahead of me while my foot was still sore. Part of my procrastinating also had to do with my high deductible and forking over the cash. LOL.

This past Fall my pain increased a little more. Cold weather seemed to worsen my pain. One night during an important event, I had to sit down because the pain was so severe in both feet. And I was wearing shoes that had previously been some of my most comfortable. But for several minutes, I could not have walked to save my life. It was terrible. And all I could do was sit and massage my feet (in public). I knew that nobody comprehended the level of pain and I felt like a prematurely old lady. Since I have always made fun of myself and called myself a baby, I assume nobody thinks my pain is as bad as it is. I'm beginning to think I'm not as wimpy as I believe I am. I'm just very expressive and I talk about whatever I'm feeling (bad AND good) more than the average person. I also don't try to appear tough by downplaying anything. I tell it like it is (from my perspective, of course).

My right foot was the worst when I went back to Dr. Yu in early January because I had a trip to Disney World planned with my kids and grandkids (5 and 6). I was a little concerned about how my feet would hold up, but knew the weather would be warm enough for me to wear my most comfortable shoes and sandals. I also thought cortisone injections in both feet would probably be a good idea. This time my injections were given by Dana Duff, Dr. Yu's PA. Wow. All I can say is, if you live in Nashville and need a cortisone injection, he is your guy. I did not feel pain. I was absolutely amazed at his skill.

I suffered with frozen shoulder for about six months this past year and while in physical therapy for that, I had mentioned my neuroma issues. My therapist suggested I go to Target and buy WalkFit orthotic inserts. I did and they helped take pressure off the ball of my foot. But I could not insert them into all of my shoes. I did, however, have one pair of recently purchased shoes that were absolutely perfect for the orthotics. (Does anyone know why this word is spelled both orthotics and orthodics? I've seen it both ways and both appear to be correct spellings.)

The shoes were Merrells I found at TJ Maxx. They have a rubber sole, but not much padding (room for the inserts). They are a loose fit with a fabric upper and a zipper up the center. And they were the first shoe I was able to wear after surgery...

Cortisone and comfortable footwear got me through the week at Disney World. I was so pleased when the five and six-year-olds complained of being tired long before I felt tired. Yay, Grandma Shari! LOL.

The same day that I got my cortisone injections, I made an appt. for a surgery consultation with Dr. Yu as soon as I was back from WDW. The catalyst for ending my procrastination was our upcoming move to West Virginia. The timing just seemed perfect. I could get all of my packing and unpacking done, then have surgery and rest for a while. I knew I had one of the best surgeons and I didn't want to go to a new place needing foot surgery. So in those first few weeks while John was needing to devote all his time and energy to his new Honda store, I decided to have the surgery in Nashville and stay with a friend for the initial recovery. That turned out to be a wiser decision than I could have imagined. My friend was a Godsend to me. I could write a whole post on what a great caregiver and friend she was. I told her she struck the perfect balance between being attentive and nurturing (she anticipated every need I might have and made me so comfortable in her home), and yet never hovering over me. I had plenty of solitude (which I enjoyed) and plenty of attention (which I enjoyed). But I also told her I would not brag too much about what a great caregiver she is because she obviously doesn't want to go into business as a caregiver.

I had surgery on March 6. We arrived at Baptist Ambulatory Surgical Center at 6:00 am. I didn't feel too nervous. But my blood pressure was a little higher than normal for me, so maybe I was. Being the Facebook junkie I am, I was taking pictures with my phone while awaiting the procedure. After asking me if I still wanted surgery on both feet, the nurse wrote "yes" on each.


I was not given general anesthesia. I was given IV propophol (yes, the same drug Michael Jackson received for sedated sleep). It was great. It worked fast. The last thing I remember is feeling some discomfort in my IV and thinking maybe it was not in position. I mentioned it to the anesthesiologist and he said it was the medicine going into my vein. I don't remember anything after that until they ceased the drug and I woke up post-op 30 minutes later. The surgery itself was a breeze. And I was not in pain when I woke up.

My friend Connie teases me that the anesthesiologist had to wait for me to finish giving the nurse my sangria recipe before he could explain that I would feel the propophol as it went in through the IV. That's why I had to ask what I was feeling. I didn't shut up soon enough for him to tell me in advance.

I was alert enough to immediately ask for my phone so I could take pictures following surgery. This is what my post-op feet looked like...

The first actual pain I felt was when I hobbled into my friend's house after surgery. We had to make two stops on the way home; to pick up my prescription for pain and also for a couple of pillows I wanted at Bed Bath and Beyond. I had forgotten to bring my pillows from home and my neck is still not completely back to normal after frozen shoulder. I wanted to make sure I didn't develop neck problems recovering from foot surgery. But by the time we got home, whatever pain relief I had left over from surgery was wearing off. And I hadn't taken my first pain pill. So I got to a chair just as quickly as I could after entering the door. But within 30 minutes, I began to feel relief from the hydrocodone. And I only took 5 mg. (along with 500 mg. acetaminophen). I believe this combination is a Lortab.

Dr. Yu said to stay off my feet (except to hobble to the bathroom) for the first two days. I assumed Day One was the day of surgery. Then, on the third day, he wanted me to start moving around more. He explained that I could not do any damage to my feet. But I could cause swelling if I tried to do too much too soon. And while there is no way to completely avoid swelling after surgery, it could affect how well the incision healed (cosmetically) if I caused a lot of swelling. He said the surgery went well and I should only need pain meds for the first couple of days. He said that the nerves would be sent to pathology to confirm they were damaged. Then he assured me that he had never removed a nerve that had not turned out to be damaged. Prior to surgery, that had been the only concern I'd had; that he wouldn't get the nerve that was causing the problem. I didn't want to be his one exception. So I was very relieved when the nurse told me a week later that the pathology results were positive for Morton's neuroma in both.

I took my pain pills every four hours the first two days and was amazed how little pain I experienced. I was uncomfortable, and walking was definitely a challenge (if you can call it walking). You feel like Frankenstein at first. Obviously, it was more challenging because I had surgery on both feet simultaneously. But never at any time in my recovery have I regretted doing both feet. I have been so glad I made that decision. I hobbled around on my heels and on the sides of my feet better than I imagined I would. And because my doctor said I wouldn't need pain pills by the third day, I attempted to stop taking them. I have a mental condition I call model patient syndrome. Just like I was obsessed with getting A's in college, I was determined to be a star patient and not fall short of the goal. I did so well all day that Thursday (Day One being Tuesday) that I decided not to even take a pain pill that night. My friend suggested that I take it even though I was not in pain and was feeling sleepy without it. I told her I really would take it if I needed it. But I fell asleep without it. I later realized it wasn't the best decision and was motivated by my model patient syndrome. Although I can't say I was in a lot of pain during the night, I did not sleep as soundly. I had a harder time getting comfortable (because you can't really use your feet to position your body). And there was more discomfort involved when I did have to hobble to the bathroom. It would have made more sense to take it.

When my friend came in to check on me Friday morning and saw the pill still laying on my bed table, she shook her head and said, "You're hard headed." John calls me Hard Head sometimes (playfully). And I don't think of myself this way. But all through frozen shoulder, I tried to be brave and not take pain pills except when I could not bear the pain. For some reason, I have a need to prove to myself that I'm not a baby. I imagine that the people around me think I'm exaggerating my pain. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's the way I grew up.

So I decided to stay ahead of the pain a little bit longer, regardless of what the doctor's expectations were. I was able to take them six to seven hours apart, but I took them on schedule for the fourth and fifth days. It was a good decision and one I recommend to others. If for no other reason, the pain pills made me more comfortable as I got up and down, spent more time on my feet, and ensured a good night's rest. I continued taking them before bed as needed for another week.

I did not venture out of the house until the seventh day. And when I did go out, a friend picked me up and took me to lunch. I was feeling so good that I decided to walk into Victoria's Secret and pick up some lotion I like. That night I could tell I had walked more. My feet were quite sore. But I wouldn't call it pain. I could tell they were a little bit swollen by the way they felt. They didn't look so swollen, but the bandages felt just a little bit snugger. Not tight. Just a little snug. I never unwrapped my feet until my stitches came out. So I never saw my incisions during this time.

Bathing was another challenge, but not as hard as I anticipated. I like to soak in the tub. So what I did was step into a dry bathtub, sit down and hang my feet over the side. Then I ran the water. My friend had a great hand held shower head. I just had to remember to take it down before running the water. I soaked, cleaned up and washed my hair all by myself with no problem. When I was done, I let the water out, then put the bath mat inside the tub, stood up (weight on my heels), stepped out and dried off. It went smoothly every time. And it was refreshing. But it did use up a lot of energy.

Except when I was up and moving, I kept my feet propped up at all times. Sitting in restaurants, I propped my feet up on a chair or in the booth. Sitting at the kitchen table, I propped my feet up on another chair. I even slept with my feet elevated on a large pillow. I was comfortable that way. It wasn't a problem.

I went out a little bit every day the second week. I went to lunch Monday and Tuesday. I was able to keep my scheduled appointment for hair cut and color Tuesday afternoon. I went out to dinner with friends Wednesday night. My friend and I went for a massage Thursday afternoon. I went to get my stitches out Friday morning. But I cannot imagine doing any more than I did. Being taken to lunch and keeping appointments for pampering are much different from returning to work. I would not be ready to go back to a job yet. And I'm thankful that I don't have to.

I had the most foot discomfort (mild pain) on Saturday night and Wednesday night (which would have been Day Six and Day Nine). I think it was from a little swelling. We had to wait in the bar for our table at Carabba's Wednesday night and I tried to sit at the bar without having my feet up. I was immediately uncomfortable. Thankfully, one of my friends offered her lap. And I accepted the invitation. I then put my feet up in the booth once we were seated.

There were times I could feel my incisions and other times I just felt like the bottoms of my feet were severely bruised, sore and tender. Today, which is Day 15, my feet don't even feel sore unless I'm on them. I am still not putting pressure on the balls of my feet. But I am not having to avoid letting them touch the ground like I first was. They are not as sensitive. Some patients report numbness and an inability to wiggle their toes for a while. I am not aware of any numbness in my foot or between my toes at all. And I could wiggle my toes the very day of surgery. I stretch and wiggle them a lot to increase circulation.

I have had a variety of sensations and minor pains in the ball of my foot since surgery. Most of them are spontaneous and short in duration. But my first thought is always: Is this normal or have I done something wrong? But I found a blog by another MN surgical patient with many comments and was reassured that everything I felt was normal and common. Even though I'm doing so well, my feet have suffered an invasive trauma. Tissue and nerves have been "messed with" in the process of getting to the damaged nerve. There has been cutting and sewing and manipulating. So everything inside is disturbed and needing time to heal. But there were many successful outcomes shared. And I felt very encouraged that I'd made the right decision to have the surgery. I also read about patients taking stronger pain medication and having a hard time walking; needing crutches or canes (with only one foot affected). I know every surgery and every person is different in its recovery process. The surgeon makes a difference. The health of the patient makes a difference. The location and size of the neuroma makes a difference. Caregiving makes a difference. Following instructions makes a difference. And I have tried to follow my doctor's instructions to the letter.

I was a little surprised when the nurse removed my bandages to take out my stitches. Because my pain wasn't bad, I thought maybe the incisions weren't very big. It looked worse than it felt. But she said the incisions looked great and I was healing well. She said the biggest pitfall for people who come through it as well as I have so far is that they tend to overdo. She urged me to give my feet lots of rest for a full four weeks, no matter how good I felt. She said I could try wearing shoes any time, as long as they were comfortable. And that my feet would let me know what shoes to avoid. One stitch had some skin grown over it and removing it involved a little gentle digging with a tweezer. It hurt, but wasn't any big deal. And it was only a minute or two. It was kind of like a stubborn splinter. The other ones came out with no problem and only stung a little. I did take a pain pill one hour prior to my appointment, as advised, to take the edge off. But I could have done it with nothing.

When I told Julie (Dr. Yu's nurse) that I had needed the pain pills a little longer than two days, she laughed and said all the doctors tend to dismiss the recovery as nothing. She said men seem to have a harder time than women. And she always tells patients what to realistically expect. She also said every foot, every patient, every surgery and every surgeon is different. She told me I had one of the best and that patients come to him from several other surrounding states because of his reputation. That was really nice to hear.

I wore the protective boot/sandals exclusively until Sunday afternoon, Day 13. I liked wearing them because it alerted observers to injury or surgery. I felt like it would make people more aware and more cautious around me. It also served as an explanation for why I walked like Frankenstein when I looked otherwise fine. I stood a lot more than I probably should have Saturday evening because I attended a special event (my son's ordination) and was 100% in the moment (feeling no pain). I could have sat down more, but I felt fine. Only later on did I feel some repercussions of standing so much. My feet were very sore. But I think that is probably to be expected as activity is increased. I had some visible swelling when I took my socks off that night, but it wasn't alarming swelling. After a night of sleep, the swelling had gone down.

I am spending my third week trying to stay off my feet a lot; letting them rest and heal. I don't need to be anywhere or do anything. So there is no reason to push myself. I know. I'm very fortunate to be able to sit around for as long as it takes. And fortunately I am not the type of person who needs to be doing something every minute. If I have my laptop, books, programs recorded on TiVo, I'm good to go. And the most discomfort I have currently is in my back, shoulder and neck.

My sciatic nerve is bothering me. I assume it's from walking abnormally for the last two weeks, messing up the alignment of my body. And it could also be from sitting so much. And I think I have strained something in my shoulder this past week. I am freshly recovered from frozen shoulder (six months) and when you cannot use your feet to reposition yourself, you overuse other parts of your body. My left shoulder is a little sore. But it's nothing compared to the pain of frozen shoulder. Actually, I would rather go through this surgery and recovery ten times than have frozen shoulder again. That pain was excruciating day in and day out for months. And the three months of physical therapy were agony; especially in the beginning. At one point, I couldn't even talk about the pain without crying. My nerves were so shot from the chronic pain. In comparison to that, this surgery and recovery has been an absolute walk in the park.

I can get my feet wet now. But I still find it easier to sit in the tub rather than stand in the shower. I'm not supposed to soak my foot in the tub yet, so I still prop it up on the side. But I can wash the bottom and run water over my whole foot, which feels good. I cannot, however, put even gentle pressure on the ball of my foot. I have to touch it lightly or else I trigger what feels like electrical impulses running through the foot. It is still sensitive to pressure. A couple of times I have had some shooting pains. But they went away as quickly as they came. Mostly what I have is soreness and tenderness.

I have bruising. But the incisions are healing so well. Julie said to use sunscreen or cover them with bandaids when wearing sandals or going to the beach. As long as I don't expose them to too much sun, they should disappear into fine little white lines eventually. I'm going to be extra cautious, I think, and cover them with bandaids when I go to the beach in June. But even if I wound up with ugly scars, I wouldn't care. I just want relief from the neuroma pain. It will be a while before I even try on a pair of heels. Wearing high heels isn't important to me and I don't want to cause another neuroma to form by abusing my feet. I look at women in those really high heels now and want to warn them. But we all have to make our own mistakes. On the other hand, I will enjoy being able to wear a pretty pair of shoes with low to medium heels on occasion after I am fully healed. But I'm not even thinking that far ahead. I am more eager to be able to exercise than I am to wear heels.

I'm going to share some pictures at the bottom of this because you may or may not want to look at them. I thought I would make it easier for someone to skip the pictures by doing it this way. I want to stress that the incisions look more painful than they actually are. I'm sharing to show you what a successful procedure looks like and what is normal as far as bruising. Of course, I don't know at this point if I will get complete relief from pain simply because I am healing so well. I know some people do not have successful outcomes and are still in pain after having this surgery. But I do know that two nerves positive for MN were removed successfully from my feet and my recovery has been uneventful thus far. So I have every reason to expect the best results. I'll let you know if it turns out otherwise.

 Bandages on (Day 2).

Bandages coming off (Day 11).

 Seeing my incisions for the first time.

Removing the stitches.

 Butterflied.

Day 14 Feet.




I'm looking forward to a much needed pedicure and some pretty polish on those toes.




Comments

Anonymous said…
So, how much time total do you feel it took for you to fully recover from the surgery. I am just about completing my forth week after a bilateral MN procedure and I am having the feeling of walking on marbles. I am up and down on my feet at work. This past week I have noticed the feeling of walking on a rock or marble on the bottom of my foot. Also, after 4 weeks, I don't feel very comfortable driving. I think I may need to take an additional week and then see how I'm doing before going back to work.
Shari said…
You know, I am so glad that I have documented my progress in installments because now that it's been 3 months since my surgery, the details are getting fuzzy. I'm trying to remember exactly when I started driving. I don't think I even tried to drive until I was about six weeks out. The thought of having to step on the brake suddenly made me apprehensive. I was told that giving my feet enough rest for the first full eight weeks was a good idea. It was the surgical nurse who told me this (not my doctor). And I think she was right. I would occasionally have the sensation of a pea in the ball of my feet at times. But it would come and go. I rarely ever feel this now. My feet are doing great. The progress was steady. But I've noticed a huge difference between the two month mark and the three month mark. I started going to Zumba last week. I've had some soreness from jumping around, but nothing I can't handle. I take a couple of Advil before I go. And I went back two days after the first try. I did not have to work after my surgery and I was so glad I had the ability to rest my feet a lot and get off them when they started to bother me. The nurse told me the biggest hurdle in recovery is pacing yourself and not doing too much too soon because you think you're doing so well. More time off is probably a great idea!
Anonymous said…
My doctor ended up giving me an additional 6 weeks. Still not able to spend a lot of time on my feet and I notice in the evening, toes seems to swell. Kept thinking I must be the biggest wimp but my doctor said no, it is both feet and that complicates the process. Am having a hard time finding shoes to fit because of swelling. I am hoping that I turn a corner this next two weeks. Running out of sick time, but have plenty of personal/vacation time. Thanks for your response.
Anonymous said…
Whoops, meant an additional two week, total 6 weeks....
Anonymous said…
Hi Shari
This is a great story and sound just like my recovery, only difference I went back to work after 3 weeks and think it was too soon. I am around 10 weeks post op and stll feel a little pebble like feeling in the ball of my foot. I too had some electric like feelings but they are fading.
I saw my surgeon yesterday as I have a plantar plate tear and another neuroma in my right foot entailing 6 weeks in a boot. I feel that this time may force me this time to stay off my feet.
Thanks again for documenting your progress as I now dont care what people think I should be doing. I will do as I am told and need to do.
Cheers
Vicky
Shari said…
Good for you, Vicky! The more I rested my feet, the better they felt. They still get sore if I do too much and it's been four and a half months now since my surgery. It just takes time, but my healing has been steady. Thanks for your comments!
Natalie Lakas said…
Thank you so much for The detailed account of your surgery and recovery!! I am 9 days post-op and still in a bit of pain. I'm having a lot of trouble with feeling I'm behind in my recovery because I still do most of my 'getting around' with the help of my crutches. I make attempts every day to walk, but it feels like the stitches are pulling. Anyway, that's probably TMI :)

I have been very encouraged by your journey and really enjoy reading your blog!

Thanks a ton and God Bless!!
Natalie
Shari said…
Natalie, every surgery and recovery is different. None of us has the exact same neuroma or surgeon. Don't feel like you are behind. You just have to be patient. I'm four months out and still have days when I feel the swelling in my feet. They are bothering me tonight, as a matter of fact. Thanks for letting me know my blog has encouraged you. I was reassured and encouraged by someone else's blog, so I wanted to share my positive experience to put other patients' minds at ease. And just know that with me, there is no such thing as TMI. LOL. (If you knew me, that would be funnier. I'm the queen of TMI.)

Keep in touch and let me know how you're doing!
Anonymous said…
Aloha Shari,thank you for documenting your surgery for mortons neuroma. I originally went to the podiatrist for heel spurs but inquired about pain to the ball of foot. I kind of self diagnosed it as mortons neuroma from looking on the internet. I hate to say it but I have read alot of horror stories about having the surgery..more pain then before surgery....long recovery time,etc.....any ,I wish I had access to a Dr. like yours . My doctor just wanted to treat with new shoes and some padding. I asked him to give me a cortizone shot to help me with the pain, honestly i just don't know what to do. I'm really don't want surgery but will consider if all else fails,your story was very helpful thank you,aloha from hawaii
Anonymous said…
Shari, thank you so much for your story about your MN surgical experience. I am scheduled for surgery next Wednesday on the left foot and wondering why I hadn't bothered to google the procedure before today (unusual for me - as I google EVERYTHING!) - in any event I found your story most helpful as I prepare for my post-op period. I hope all remains well with you and your MN (and shoulder) issues are fully resolved!

Suzie
Shari said…
Aloha from Hawaii, if you do have surgery, consult a medical doctor/surgeon who specializes in the foot. From all I have read, I would discourage you from a podiatrist. Your successful outcome has a lot to do with your choice of surgeons.

Suzie, thanks for your comment and I wish you well in your surgery and recovery. I'm so glad you found my story helpful. I am doing great. I do not have any pain like the neuroma before surgery in either foot. I still have minor swelling at times and soreness when I'm on my feet for a long time. But it's more of a normal foot ache from overuse. It is not sharp pain. I even walked in low heeled sandals last week without any pain in the balls of my feet. I still have some soreness in my shoulder and don't have full range of motion without discomfort, but frozen shoulder takes a long time to fully recover from. I'm just thankful I am not in the severe pain I was in for a while! I can handle a little soreness.

I would love to hear how you're doing post-op if you feel like checking in again!
sarahpaschall said…
Hi! I just stumbled upon your blog after googling some facts about MN recovery. I'm 26, suffered with MN for 4 years now (bad shoes + lots of running), and I'm slated to have surgery in two weeks. It bothers me enough that I can no longer be on my feet after 30 minutes. I also met my deductable this year since I gave birth to my son, so this surgery will be FREE! I'm just a little concerned about being able to run again. How would you say you're doing now that you're a few months out? Also, was it difficult to go up and down stairs? I'm a little worried about climbing our apartment stares with a 6-month old and post-surgery. Again, thanks for your very detailed post. Very helpful!!!
Shari said…
Are you doing both feet? If so, you'll be hobbling for a few weeks. Make sure you have help with the baby for a while afterward. And I wouldn't suggest going up and down steps alone for the first couple of weeks. I wasn't supposed to lift anything for (I think) the first eight weeks. Your feet will need lots of rest in the first couple of months. But progress is steady if you don't overdo it and cause setbacks. You will have soreness and tenderness for two to three months. But I'm doing really great now at five plus months out. My scars are fading and I don't have any foot pain. But even this far down the road, they still sometimes swell slightly if I'm on them a lot and get a little sore. I've heard it takes up to a year for them to be 100% back to normal. So don't be discouraged. I am so glad I did it! Thanks for saying hello!
Anonymous said…
Glad to read your blog. I thought I was going crazy there. I had my surgery on my left foot on 6/25. Am now going for physical therapy for 4 weeks. It just doesn't seem like it is going to get better but, after reading here, I have hope. Thank you!
Shari said…
Thanks for commenting. My goal was to reassure other patients by sharing my good experience. Hang in there! It is gradual, but consistent progress. I'm at six months now and mmy feet are doing great.
Anonymous said…
I am six months since MN surgery between 2nd/3rd toes. Ultimately, I am no better, really. This surgery did not work for me, seriously.
Shari said…
I am so sorry your surgery was unsuccessful. May I ask about the surgeon who performed it? Was he/she an MD who specializes in the foot? Or a podiatrist? Do you have any idea what his/her success rate has been with this procedure? My surgeon came highly recommended with a great success rate. I was advised against a podiatrist. And because the outcomes can vary, I was not willing to go to anyone but the best I could find. I would have traveled, if necessary (as many do to be in the care of Dr. James Yu). Sometimes a new neuroma develops. Actually, Dr. Yu said a new neuroma always develops where the nerve is cut. But how the blunt end is positioned against muscle determines how it heals and whether or not it will cause pain. He really seemed to know what he was doing and I have been so thankful I chose him for my care. Perhaps seeing a different specialist would help. I know it's a lot to go through for a poor outcome and hard to think about repeating the procedure. But it sure feels good to be free from that horrible nerve pain I lived with for so many years. If I developed another neuroma over time, I would repeat the surgery.
Anonymous said…
Thanks so much for posting your experience with this. I just had the surgery (literally just two hours ago!) and reading through this gave me a great idea of what to expect and some good ways to approach things. Ty!

Hope you're still doing well :)
Cindy Thomson said…
I'm so happy I found your blog, Shari. There are so many discouraging stories out there, but I suppose those who had bad experiences are more likely to write about them. I had the surgery 13 days ago on my right foot. The doctor said my foot looks really good, swelling and bruising are minimal. He said, "Believe it or not." I must have looked at him funny. I'm doing pretty well with my boot, but in the last couple of days I've been feeling a tugging. I think it's near my big toe. My neuroma was between the second and third toe. I was just googling to see if this is a normal sensation, and of course I'm hoping it will go away. It's the weekend so I couldn't call the office to ask.

Thanks again for sharing your experience. I'm able to take it slow too. I'm working, but I'm an author so it only involves being on my laptop. My house is a mess, but oh well! My feet are more important!
Shari said…
Thanks for responding, Cindy! I have posted many updates of my progress and I even posted pictures of how well my scars are fading this week. Weird sensations are a part of this surgery and recovery. Totally normal. Just give your foot all the rest it needs. I had so many weird sensations and I always wondered if they would go away. They all did. But even seven months out, I still have an occasional weird sensation. Always temporary. I think it's because this is a nerve issue. Sometimes I still have feelings like electrical impulses going through my feet when I rub them on the bottom. It's not pain. More like tingling. I'm sure it's because nerves were severed in both. But I don't feel it any other time. Anything is better than the pain I was in!!! As you know. LOL. By the way, I am also an author working on my second book. : ) So we have more than our neuromas in common!
Anonymous said…
Thank you so much for sharing. I'm thinking of having the surgery on my right foot. I'm just nervous as my job requires me to drive most of the day. I'm seeing a great podiatrist but now am having second thoughts? He has been the only dr. Who has been able to help me thus far...

I'm 41and the pain is unbearable. It seems to get worse every week and the cortisone shots last less and less. It was refreshing to read you story and see your pictures. (The scars scare me) reality hit home fast.

Thank you!
Jennifer
Shari said…
Jennifer, don't let the scars scare you. Look at my most recent update and see what the scars look like now! They continue to fade.
http://sharihowerton.blogspot.com/2012/10/seven-months-post-op-mortons-neuroma.html

I definitely recommend you see a foot specialist/surgeon and not a podiatrist if you elect to have surgery. I'm sure your podiatrist is a good doctor. And he might be very experienced at the surgery. But if someone is going to cut on me, it's going to be the very highest level of expertise I can find. LOL.
Cindy Thomson said…
Shari,
From looking at your pictures, I'm thinking you did not have a walking boot, at least not the kind with the rocking heel like I have. After talking to my nurse, we think the boot is causing me pain. It's the only time I have this severe pulling senstation. I think it's actually causing what it was supposed to avoid, me bending my ankle. She said try the post-op shoe, which I'm trying to do but I'm a little chicken to put my weight on it. It's tender but I don't have that pulling. Just wondered if you or anyone had any times about the boot. I'm supposed to go in tomorrow if it's not better. Thanks.
Shari said…
Cindy, I wore the standard post-surgery boots. I think I used them for about four weeks. Felt like Frankenstein in them. But I liked that they kind of "announced" to the world to be careful around my feet! LOL. My doctor said I could wear whatever was comfortable when it felt comfortable for me to stop using the boots. Even with the boots, I had to put most of my weight on either the sides of my feet or my heels. And I was worried about what that was doing to my feet because I had some sore spots on the sides of my feet after a while. But they are fine now.

My first shoe was a Merrell that I could insert my orthotics into. It takes months for your foot to stop swelling. Mine still swell a little bit occasionally. But I can wear almost any shoes I want to now. When my feet bothered me, I just tried to get off them and let them rest.
Cindy Thomson said…
It's good to know that you wore them for four weeks, just to know that's typical.I don't think I'll get back into the walking boot they gave me. It's the tall, ski boot kind. I just hobbled around in the post op shoe and I think I'll be fine. Thanks for the explanation about HOW you were walking. I get that. Your story has helped me so much, Shari. God bless you! :)
Randy said…
It has been 4 weeks Tomorrow the
30th of November since I had both of my feet operated on, The nueroma was between my 2nd and 3rd toe's. I don't have any pain to speak of but I still have swelling more so in my left foot but still in the right also. It is in between the ball and the toes. I was up and on them quite quick do to my circumstances and the doctor said everything was looking good. My question is how long did you notice the swelling which still makes me walk on my heel and the side of my foot. Thanks Randy
Cindy Thomson said…
Randy, I hope Shari doesn't mind me jumping in, but I'm just a week ahead of you. I still have swelling, but every day it's just a little bit better. I'm able to wear some shoes, but they have to be loose on the top. I have a pair of mesh running shoes that are the most comfortable. Wearing shoes is a recent step for me, though. Mine was also between the 2nd and 3rd toes, but just one foot. And like you said, that's where the swelling still is. Did your doctor tell you to massage the scar and also the bottom of your foot? My doctor told me to do this with vit. E oil five times a day for about 5 minutes. That does help. He also told me my foot would not feel "normal" for some time. Reading Shari's experiences has helped me to be patient. Being on my feet a lot does cause swelling, and it's better when I'm off it, so I'd recommend you rest your feet as much as you can, and hang in there!
Shari said…
Cindy, I appreciate you jumping in. I was on the road today and not able to respond earlier.

Randy, my surgery was eight months ago and I still notice my feet swell a little bit sometimes if I've been on them a lot. It is much less now than it was even two months ago. But this is a very gradual recovery. I'm glad I posted updates numerous times on my blog. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't be able to remember the details well enough to answer specific questions. You can search my blog for those updates by entering key words in the search bar (upper left hand corner of the blog). Just enter neuroma update and months or weeks. You will quickly be able to see different stages of my progress that way. It seems to me that I noticed a major improvement with swelling after about three months and again at six months. But I would have to check back on my own updates to say for sure! It's been eight months now and my feet are doing really well. But I read that it can take up to twelve months for them to feel completely "back to normal" after surgery. Cindy is right; rest your feet as much as you can when they swell or get sore. That really helps. Also, I think it's a little more challenging when you've had both feet done as opposed to just one. Hang in there!
Randy said…
Thanks for answering my question to my post on Shari's blogg. I have started massaging both feet like a mad person and in just one day I see a tremondous difference, I was massaging them just not as much. Its crazy how this all started just by a pair of boots, I bought a pair I really like several years and used them for Riding my horses mainly, when they started to wear I bought another pair just like them but a half size smaller because the original ones stretched and I had to put inserts in them several months after purchasing them, Lord I wish I knew then what I know now. You all the rest of the story, anyway thanks again for answering my question I beleive they are going to heal just fine and Im not going to have any trouble with them. I wish everyone good luck with your recovery and Shari I will put you in my prayers as you fight the battle you and your family have in months to come. God Bless everyone and good luck. Randy
Randy said…
I tell you what the massaging has made a huge difference, I'm in my forth week post surgery this is Saturday Tuesday will be 5 weeks, and I am going to wear boots for the first time this afternoon while preforming with the church band I play in at my moms Retirement center, I probably won't wear them but for several hours but as of now they feel great, the massaging has really helped with the swelling that was between the ball of my foot and my toes to the point that I can wear the boots and it not bother me to walk on the ball of my foot. Again I want to thank Shari and Cindy for answering my post I think I will be on a horse and wearing boots alot sooner than I had thought. All I can say is Happy Trails.
Shari said…
That's great news, Randy! So glad to hear you are improving. Just remember not to do too much when your feet start feeling better. It's easy to overdo it and wind up with sore, swollen feet. And you are very welcome!
Anonymous said…
Hello Shari, thank you for starting this blog and for sharing your insight and experience with the MN surgery. My name is Jim from Bellevue, WA and I am 61, a career military retiree and just had the surgery on my left foot Friday, Nov 2. My surgeon is a very experienced podiatrist who also teaches at the University of Washington. Many folks who I have come in contact with say he is called "The Neuroma King". I chose to have him perform the surgery after consulting at least five other podiatrists and one orthopedic surgeon that specializes in feet. I mention this only to offer a differing opinion on your steadfast rule regarding choice of surgeon. There are very successful surgeons in both career fields just as there are some not so successful. In the end, I chose the surgeon that I was most comfortable with that practices specifically on feet every day.

OK, so yesterday I stayed down with my leg propped up and was pretty much pain free. This morning while first getting out of bed, I leaned over to put on my surgical sandal and experienced a very sharp pain in the bottom of the foot, probably from the stretching motion. Now I'm back in the easy chair, foot up with pillows and iced. I am only taking 3 Ibuprofen tablets, 4 times daily which seem to work - so far. I have crutches on hand but think they may be more useful later this week.

I am very anxious to see how my recovery goes over the next couple of months. Based on that, I will try to figure out what to do about the neuroma(s) in my right foot that has bothered me off and on for the last15 years.

Thanks again for your comments and those from others that are sharing here.
Shari said…
Thanks for weighing in with your experience, Jim. Good to hear from you and I'm glad you are doing well. I must admit that anyone with the nickname of Neuroma King probably knows what he's doing! Take care.
Randy said…
Ok it has been 6 weeks this past Tuesday and I can tell that this is going to be just fine. I can walk on the carpet barefoot and put pressure on the ball of my foot, I can stand on one foot in the shower and wash the other one, I still can't wear boots but I am in a comfrontable pair of tinnis shoes. I hope everyone is doing good and their recovery is coming along good. Have a good Holiday season and God Bless
Shari said…
Good to hear from you again, Randy. And I'm happy you are doing well. I've been meaning to add an update about myself.

Just over the past week I have started noticing a little lumpy feeling in the ball of each foot now and then. Mostly when I am on my feet a lot, exercising or wearing low heels (which are not painful now). The bumpy feeling is not painful or even uncomfortable. It's just different. My guess is that scar tissue may be trying to form around the affected area. So I have been trying to massage the balls of my feet daily to break it up and I do notice some improvement. Problem is, when I don't notice the feeling, I forgot to massage my feet. :)
Shari said…
By the way, I am eight months out. And I have noticed that my boots, which used to be loose, are now fitting perfectly. They are not too tight. But either I still have minor swelling in the ball of my foot or my feet are now ever so slightly larger as a result of this surgery. Another reason I'm glad I did both at the same time.
Randy said…
Seven Weeks today. 13Who would have ever thought how much difference it makes to be able to stand flat footed while taking a shower, it sure makes a big difference to not have to stand on the side of your foot and balance. It is getting better everyday the only thing I really have left is the swelling between the ball of my foot and my toes, its not painful but it is just plain uncomfrontable to put alot of pressure on it when walking.
Randy said…
Ok it has been 7 weeks today since my surgery, who would have ever thought how much easier it is to take a shower and be able to stand flat footed, and not have to try and balance standing on the side of your foot. I would have to say the only thing that bothers me is the swelling between the ball of my foot and my toes, it dosen't hurt it just is uncomfrontable to put alot of pressure on them when walking, other than that I am satisified completly. Randy
Cindy Thomson said…
Hi Randy,
I hear you! 8 weeks going on 9 for me and I get what you are saying. I have noticed, however, that I can put my foot all the way down now. Still not normal, but definitely better. I'm back to my aerobics tape now and it feels great. Low impact, but a fast pace and I have no trouble keeping up now. Things are getting better! :)
Anonymous said…
It has been so helpful to read about everyone's post neuroma surgery experience. It helped me so much as I read what to typically expect week to week. I am now 6 weeks out and almost pain free other than some slight swelling. I am back in my regular sneakers though the right one is slightly tighter (surgical foot). I have been driving for a week and am now driving pain free which is something I wasn't able to do for the year I was dealing with the neuroma. The only real problem I am having right now is a tight achilles tendon from walking on my heel and limping. I start PT next week for that (twice/week for 3 weeks). The bottom of my foot still gets tingly if I run my hand across it at the end of the day but it isn't painful.I would say that at this point my foot is about 85% better and if I ever develop a neuroma in the other foot I would just opt for the surgery rather than trying all of the conservative measures. My surgery was done by a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon which is where my orthopedic surgeon sent me.hiodad
Anonymous said…
It's really helpful to read this blog and everybody's comments!
I'm on Day 4 and wondering whether to take my bandages off today. So far with the pain meds I've not had any pain issues at all. I can feel a little tugging around the incision area occasionally but so far (touch wood) I am really pleased to have had the op. I've had my foot up a lot of the time and my Fiance is being wonderful, looking after me (btw, definitely have someone after the anaesthetic - I passed out on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night, he was so worried, bless him)!
So, looking positively into the future - it'll be so nice to be able to wander around the city again, knowing I wont have to worry about the pain :)
Shari said…
Helen, I would not remove the bandages this soon. I left mine on until my stitches were removed. It's really important to protect your incisions from bacteria and infection. And the bandages also alert others to a delicate foot. I used to worry about someone accidentally stepping on either of my feet and I liked wearing the surgical shoe as a red flag for others to be careful around me. LOL. Glad the blog and comments have been helpful to you! I love the Internet for sharing information!
Shari said…
Anonymous, I still experience that tingly sensation when I rub lotion on the bottoms of my feet or massage them. It feels like minor electrical stimulus and I have wondered if that will be a lasting side effect. But it's no big deal and the only time I feel it is when rubbing the skin on the bottom of my feet in a certain area (usually the softer skin of my arch between the ball and heel of the foot). I never feel it when doing normal activities, walking, standing or even working out.
Joanne said…
Hi guys thanks so much fir sharing ur experiences. I've lived with a neuroma for the Aston thirteen years totally rubbed my twenties. Been passed pillar to post for years. Been told to try insoles,cortisone injections.none ever worked. Had numerous MRI scans, all mot Lear if neuroma or not, but i can't do aerobic exercise, get a burning sensation on my ties excruciating. Can't even shop for long now this kills me.
Had unsuccessful urgent 2009 when surgeon did not remove nerve pain continued.
Now on day 6 of surgery again,better surgeon I'm led to believe. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it works this time.
Has been really inspiring reading everyone's posts. My foot a little sore nit agony, I am able to be mobile but get easily exhausted finding pain on right hand side if foot away from incision but all bruised. Been given crutches help a little.
My bandage fell off last night so able to see incision on foot very similar to pics above.

Was planning on taking 6 weeks off work to I've my foot rest but already feeling guilty for this length if time as I am able to walk about. Just going to play it by ear. Know I need to rest it more but I'm a bad patient, so independent.

Any advice from people how to prevent another one of these, I have no idea why I got first place. I have an extremely high arch and broad feet. Don't think really wore narrow shoes but do like my heels on nights out.
Anyway good luck to any one else getting surgery and thanks again for sharing x
Randy said…
Nine weeks today and I am wearing boots all the time now, what a releif I was getting tired of tennis shoes, very little pain if any now still alittle swollen between the ball of the foot and the toes but not to bad at all really, I had to run in a pair of boots the other night when I had about 25 cows get out of the pasture and into the street, thank god it is a country street and very little traffic. I now that this is going to be a successful surgery because of the way everything has gone so far there is no more not in my foot and I can like I said wear boots again where before the only ones I could wear somewhat was a pair that was old and seemed to be shaped to the bottom of my foot, It really has been nice to read everyone's comments on there experience with this awful problem and I hope I have helped someone descide to go on and have the surgery that is on the bubble because of all the negitive post that are out there. Anyway everyone have a great holiday season and a happy new year, and Happy trails. Randy
Anonymous said…
I am 7 weeks post surgery by an ortho doc who specializes in feet surgery. i would never do this again. I had a bunionectomy and MN between toes 2&3 & 3&4 removed. I cannot walk on my foot without severe pain on the ball of my foot. I soak it 3 to 4 times a day & rub a anti imflammatory cream on it after each soak. I am a nurse & cannot go back to work. I am really depressed over this. I try to walk with tennis shoes that are 1 size bigger & MD gave me a spacer to put between my big toe and 2nd toe as I am unable to flex foot without it. I have not slept a night without it being elevated since surgery on Oct 25th. I also have it elevated all the time when I am sitting. I do also have some swelling but not excessive. My toes finally touch the floor when I do try to walk. I am at a loss. Going to ask MD to start PT.
Shari said…
Anonymous, you had a lot done to that foot if you had two neuromas removed plus a bunionectomy. I believe you will see gradual improvement over time. And PT is probably a good idea. I'm sorry you are having these issues and I hope you are feeling much better very soon. It feels like it's taking forever until you get over the hump.
Hello, I am 14 days post surgery for two neuromas same as poster 2 up - 2/3 and 3/4 spaces. I am at exactly the same recovery as you were Shari at 12 days so this is all good I think. Can't yet fully walk flat, toes hurt to put on floor and stairs, shocks every now and again (big ones) and the images you have look just like my foot. Nurse said I need to try to wear pumps all the time now (tired and I can't get my foot in) so still in the surgical shoe. (Again I like how this alerts people. Trying to walk without crutches but struggling. I also have had pain in my joints the last two nights same as you had (elbows, shoulders, knees, probably from walking funny and weight bearing). I am having 5 weeks off work I'm a drama teacher in a UK high school, so walk a lot amongst other things. Will see how I go with that when I return Jan 15th...if not later. Thanks for this blogs, it is really useful, been reading it for the last few weeks thought I would finally post today.

Kerry
Anonymous said…
I have been preliminarily diagnosed with Mortons neuroma in, my left foot. It feels like elecrtical shocks are being sent down my foot whenever the ball of my foot flexes. It started years ago, and I thought it was just due to certian shoes bothering me. Now it is constant and sometimes even hurts whem I am not even moving. I am also a nurse, but don't have to spend constant time on my feet, thank goodness. I am being sent by my GP to a podiatrist who works out of an orthopefic surgery office and specializes in surgery. My friends who are physical therapists who have worked with him say he is excellent and he has great surgical reviews online. I am scared though now, that is he not an actual orthopedic surgeon, although I have seen them screw up plenty of patients, but I have also seen podiatrists screw up patients as well. My GP is totally opposed to surgery, wants me to try steroid injections. My feeling is this, I am 38 years old, relatively healthy, great circulation, not a diabetic, I want those things OUT of my foot. They hurt so bad. Also I have had steroid injections into my back for herniated disc and IME they were very tempory and I had the systemic effect of gaining weight with every injection, I have just lost quite a bit of that weight I don't want to risk putting it on again. I cannot walk for more than five minues, if that, at this point without severe pain and numbness. But there are people all over the internet saying how horrible and ineffective this neuroma surgery is. I am very depressed today about it. I have my appt with that podiatrist in about two weeks I guess I'll know more the. I feel like if he offers me orthotics or a steroid injection, I am going to grab him and shake him and yell, "Get these things out of me! NOW!!!!!" I just don't feel like I can live like this much longer.
Shari said…
I preferred a medical doctor who specialized in foot surgery personally. But I have had other patients report that they had excellent results from surgeries done by a podiatrist. I think the key is finding someone who has lots of successful surgeries and comes highly recommended. I had both feet done at the same time and I have never regretted it. It's a gradual recovery and you can't get in a hurry. You must be patient and give your foot plenty of rest while you are recovering. But I am so glad I had mine removed. The steroid injections give very temporary relief. And orthotics did not eliminate my problem. For one thing, I couldn't use them in all of my shoes. I am older than you are and I didn't want to accept the limitations of my neuromas for the rest of my life. If you are healthy and you follow instructions to the letter, I think that a successful outcome is far more likely than an unsuccessful outcome. My doctor did not push me toward surgery. He explained to me that some patients are determined to avoid surgery at all costs and want to try every other option. Some people (the most active ones) just want it out ... NOW. He said that the people who have complications usually have other factors (like you described) and that considering my age and my overall health, he expected me to do great. And I did. So don't be depressed or scared. I really think you'll be fine. I would just suggest you find out who in your area is the best at this surgery and the most highly recommended and have that person do the cutting. Any time someone is going to take a knife to my body, I want the absolute best person around. I don't always trust a doctor's recommendation as much as I do other patients' recommendations because doctors are like anybody else -- sometimes they recommend a friend or a golfing buddy.
Anonymous said…
I posted on Nov 29 for the first time. I'm now 10 weeks out and the neuroma pain is completely gone. I have another issue with that foot that requires some PT but they can manipulate the foot as much as they want and the surgical area feels fine. For me it was definitely worth having the surgery. It's nice to be able to wear slippers again without pain. Also nice to be able to walk barefoot on wood and tile floors. Now it's on to orthotics because it turns out I have a structural issue with the foot that most likely caused the neuroma.5
Anonymous said…
Thanks for the reply Shari. I will keep you guys posted. It is amazing how different people react to these neuromas. I have a coworker that I was talking to the other day that said, "Oh yeah, I have one of those, I just quit wearing high heels, now I am fine." Wth? At 5'10" wearing high heels is not exactly an issue for me, so there goes that. She was just so cavalier about it and I am in agonizing pain much of the time not even walking on the darn thing. Ah well.....we'll see what the doc says. I am glad I was able to get opinions on the doc from my physical therapist friends. I feel they are pretty objective because they don't actually work with him anymore, this was based on past jobs they had. I do find it hard to trust docs recommending other docs for just the reasons you mentioned. I shall keep y'all posted. Happy New Year!
Shari said…
All neuromas are not the same. The severity of the pain can be from the size of the neuroma, or where it's located. Some patients CAN avoid the pain simply by not wearing certain shoes. I endured mine for years by avoiding certain shoes. At one point, the left one was the worst. Then another time the right one hurt more. I only know this because my foot doctor documented which one was bothering me most at different visits. I had cortisone injections three different times. And I wore orthotics for a while. But they didn't fit in all my shoes. I could avoid the pain the best in the summer, when I only wore sandals with comfy soles. But even still, the neuromas just kept getting worse. One night was a turning point in my thinking, as far as choosing to endure them rather than have them removed. My son was being ordained and we had to stand for several minutes during the service. I was wearing shoes that had previously been comfortable for my neuromas. But all of a sudden the pain was so intense I knew I could not walk the few steps over to my son when the service was over and I had to sit down and rub my feet. It wasn't an ache. It was severe pain. Another time shortly after that, I went in Target for a few things and I was wearing Danskos (which are supposed to be the most comfortable shoe you can wear). They were not tight. There was no reason they should have aggravated the neuromas. But the severe pain was so bad that I had leave my cart in the middle of the aisle and just get to my car as quickly as I could. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to make it to my car on my feet. There is no way to describe that kind of pain to people who don't know what a severe neuroma feels like. They think your foot just hurts (like average foot soreness or pain). It is nothing like that. It can be incapacitating. I understand what you are going through. I have also met people who have said, "I think I have one of those" when I've described the initial sensations that alerted me to the problem. When they say that, I know they are at the beginning stage of their discomfort. When I first started noticing that something was wrong with my feet, I didn't have the pain all the time. I had the crackling feeling in my toes more in the beginning and didn't know what was going on.

I like comfortable shoes and heels are not important to me either. But it's nice to know I can occasionally wear them for a special event without being in pain now. I still wouldn't wear them often because heels are probably one of the reasons I got neuromas in the first place. I used to wear them all the time. My feet feel better than they have in years and I go days without even thinking about my feet now. But when I do, I always think about how glad I am that I had the surgery and had them both done at the same time. It's been ten months now since my surgery and my feet feel great. The scars have also continued to fade. Happy New Year to you too! And please do check back!
Anonymous said…
Hi, I had mn surgery on November 16, 2012. My foot is still a little sore. My calf is very sore. If I do not have a sneaker on I can not walk flat foot. I walk on the side of my foot. I still use a wash cloth under my foot in the shower to pad it. I'm wondering if my doctor will suggest therapy at my next visit which is a month from now or if I have past that mark. Do all mn patients get p.t. after surgery? My leg hurts and so does my foot.
Shari said…
I can assure you that it is very normal to still have soreness two months after surgery. In fact, you will have soreness for many months to a gradually lessening degree. My doctor so downplayed the recovery that I expected to be pretty much healed at two months. And I was so relieved to read online not to expect to have a normal feeling foot for twelve months. This recovery takes time and you have to give your foot rest whenever it lets you know it needs rest. You will have some swelling when you overdo it for many months. You will periods of time when you feel that little lumpy feeling in the fall of your foot and times when you don't. That's a great idea, putting a wash cloth under your foot as a pad in the shower. Wish I would have thought of that! Not all patients have PT. I didn't. But I did massage the ball of my foot whenever I felt that lumpy sensation. I wanted to break up any scar tissue that might be trying to form. I had this just about a month ago and after several nights of vigorous massaging, the sensation went away. I'm not a doctor, but I would guess that your calf is sore because you are not walking normally and you're stressing your calf muscle. My knees bothered me a lot the first few months. And then it stopped. I really think the way I was compensating for my "injury" was affecting my knees. I also walked on the sides of both feet and on my heels initially. It puts a strain on other parts of your body to walk abnormally. It can also throw you out of alignment. My guess is that you will see a lot of improvement by your next doctor visit. But expect to have soreness for a while. I shared my ongoing progress in followup posts and I usually titled them with the length of time it had been. I'm so glad I documented the details (for other patients) because it's all a blur now. I would not be able to tell you the details off the top of my head after this much time has gone by.
Cindy Thomson said…
I am 3 months, 1 week post op, and I have to say each day gets a little better. Mostly I'm walking without noticing anything now. But like Shari says, it comes and goes. I'm not wearing all my shoes yet, but that's okay. My husband bought me a pair of Croc boots, tall ones, that nobody realizes are Crocs. They are so comfortable. I am wearing orthotics that my doctor prescribed after my surgery. For me, they are comfortable. One thing that developed I'll mention in case it helps someone else. After getting the orthotics I developed a bump at the top of my instep. I went back and had him look at it. He said it was a bloodclot, but not the kind you have to worry about. It's a post-op thing that sometimes develops and it will go away eventually. I'm supposed to keep massaging, and I do top and bottom several times a day. It really helps with the stiffness and the doctor says it will break up the scar tissue. Also, at that time the sole of my foot would turn purple at times and then go away. He said this is post surgery blush, and normal. That was at 2 months and I'm seeing very little of that now. Just wanted to mention that in case anyone else was worried about it. For me it would have been nice to know that earlier.
Monique said…
Shari--many thanks for your ongoing posts and replies to folks who leave comments. I am five days post MN surgery on my left foot--between 2nd & 3rd toe. To make things more interesting I also found out I had a stress fracture at my third metatarsal while in for the cortisone injection. So my podiatrist, who's also a surgeon, recommended I go ahead and have this pesky neuroma removed, as I'll be in a boot anyway for 4 weeks while the fracture heals. Thankfully was able to do it December 31, 2012 because I was at out-of-pocket max with insurance for the year. He was very understanding.

I am encouraged by your continued, slow recovery. You sound EXACTLY like me, always healthy and on the go...so you can imagine how impatient I am with the recovery time. I've been through two spinal fusions (secondfusion.blogspot.com) and never thought the one to two year recovery period would end. Your details, which are NOT TMI for me, are helping me envision what I can expect. Of course, I went back to work day three because I was bored out of my mind at home. Folks, DO NOT do this!!! Listen to your surgeon. I do not need to work, but needed to get out of the house.

I must be patient...I know the end results will be reflective of how I treat my feet during the recovery process. I will continue to follow your posts and am so glad you are taking the time to be honest with every detail. I need some encouragement right now, as my pain level has increased the past 24 hours...and I HATE Oxycodone...but also know that straight acetamenophin is NOT doing the trick to relieve the pain. I've only taken 5 Oxycodone post surgery...I, too, want to be a model patient.

Well, planning to spend the weekend with my feet up and catching up on my reading. I will check back often to your blog to see what I may expect. God Bless...you are an angel.
Shari said…
You are so right! Your healing will reflect how well you care for your feet. And they will talk back to you when you do too much. My doctor said that after eight weeks, not to worry because I was not going to do any damage. But any time I didn't rest them enough, they would respond with soreness and swelling. There for a while I would alternate between thinking I could do anything and then having to keep my feet up the next day or even a couple of days. But I can do pretty much whatever I want now without consequences. Even Zumba class doesn't cause me any discomfort now. But I still do notice a slight bit of swelling from time to time. And it seems like my feet are just a tiny bit bigger since the surgery, which could be swelling. I don't need a larger size. But some of my shoes feel just a little less "roomy" in the toe box. This may still be temporary, since I won't hit 12 months until March 6.

Thanks for your comment, Monique! Please do check back. It makes me very happy to see that my blogs are encouraging and helping other patients!
Anonymous said…
Thank you so much for this informative and detailed account of your MN surgery. I have the same problems you have (had)? Mine is in both feet as well as a frozen shoulder (right). I had the shoulder surgery in 2009 and it took a yeear and a half of physical therapy to get over and back to normal. Persistance was the key. I did a lot of the PT at home with an instruction sheet to guide me.

I was vasilating between a pod and an ortho and have decided on the ortho after reviewing his experience compared to the pod here locally. Making the appointment this week! I have suffered non-stop with this for the past year. It's time!!
Just an update am now at exactly 5 weeks today and was due to return to work Monday, I have had an extension of another two weeks. I had 2 neuromas removed in one foot and am struggling still to walk on the flat of my foot. I have been massaging cream in but get the same electric I used to by doing that. Still a lot of nerve pain and am feeling miserable. Only left the house three times in 5 weeks.
Shari said…
Hang in there! It really does get better with time and patience. I had a lot of electrical impulses when I rubbed my feet for a long time and I still have them to a lesser degree now. But only with certain pressure points. Not when I'm walking around. I was thinking last night as I was doing Zumba how great my feet felt and how I wasn't even having the slightest soreness like I had when I first started going a few months ago.

Anonymous, your frozen shoulder experience lasted even longer than mine. From beginning to end, I endured a lot of pain for about six months and lingering less severe pain for several more months. PT was grueling and painful, but since I'd had it in the other shoulder years ago and knew that it would eventually get better, I never considered surgery. PT did not help me the first time. But it did the second time. Neither the shoulder nor the feet have been easy, but I am doing much better now. Hopefully my next "affliction" won't be any time soon. :) I hope God thinks I've had enough for a while.
Thanks, went in the bath just after posting that and my scars are now red/black, I think I may have pulled them, or they are just pulling because they are healing and getting tighter? or they are reacting to the cream - maybe thats why my pain is bad hese last few days. Thank you so much for this blog btw, i HAVE READ ALL OF IT.

Regarding frozen shoulder - my mum had three lots of cortizone injections and that worked for her shoulder - not sure if you already tried this.
Shari said…
Yes, I had a couple of cortisone injections the first time I had frozen shoulder. I just did physical therapy and waited for it to improve the second time because the injections didn't really help much. My scars were red for a long time after my surgery. Do you have a follow up visit with your doctor soon? Seems like I had a follow up visit about six weeks after surgery.
I went to the doctors at my local practise yesterday for the extension, but he really doesn't know anything about mortons. I don't see my surgeon until May. The scars were a normal colour yesterday it is today they have gone red/black and the pain in the last hour is immense, will sit it out till Monday and go see my normal doc Monday if it is still in a lot of pain. Thanks for the help Shari x
Cheryl said…
Hey Shari, I guess I forgot to mention that I had surgery to correct the frozen shoulder because a bone spur was found on an MRI. That's why it took soo long to completely get well. Thanks again for you wonderful blog!! I am taking your advice to find the most qualified surgeon for this MN. It is so limiting! I used to be a hiker and did a portion of the Appalachian Trail just a couplr pf years ago in my 50s! An a tent camper, sometimes in remote locations. Anyway, I don't know anyone who has this problem in Florida to recommend anyone. Any ideas? Thx so much. You are a blessing.
Shari said…
Cheryl,

I sure don't know anything about doctors in Florida, but if I were you I would Google sports medicine in your area and look for MDs who specialize in the foot and ankle. I would schedule a consultation with a couple different ones and ask how many of these surgeries they do and what the success rate is. I found my foot doctor through word of mouth. I simply asked all of my facebook friends if anyone knew of a really good foot doctor. And when several friends highly recommended the same guy, I went to him. He was in Nashville and I could have gone to someone in Murfreesboro where I was living for convenience (40 minutes of driving) but convenience is never my main priority when it comes to health issues. When I went back to have my stitches removed, Dr. Yu's nurse told me that he's so good at MN surgery, people are starting to come to him from other surrounding states. When a surgeon does a lot of the same surgeries repeatedly, they get better and better at doing them. So I would just think the more they do, they more skilled they are. But you have to feel comfortable with them. I really liked Dr. Yu. He never tried to push me toward surgery or away from it. He just explained to me why people go ahead and do it. By not having them removed, I would be accepting a lot of limitations at a relatively young age. Did I want to accept those limitations? And the answer was no. The next question was did I want to get it all over with at once or do one foot at a time. I always want to get something unpleasant behind me as quickly as possible rather than dragging it out. So I opted to be a little more awkward and uncomfortable at first so that I didn't have to go through the whole process of recovery twice. And I have never regretted that decision.

I'm glad my blog has helped you! And I know a little bit about what you went through with that shoulder. Sorry about the bone spur and the surgery. I'm glad you're better.
Anonymous said…
Love the blog & I hope I have some helpful things to add. I'm 5 weeks into healing. 2 MNs each ft. Had surgery on both feet @ the same time. I highly recommend (esp if doing both at the same time) have some type of chair to sit in! Just the 8ft to the potty might as well been a mile away. I used my desk chair with help from husband! The only steps I had to endure were just to get onto the potty. I was able to at least get into the kitchen & comp room a little. So I didn't have to sit on the couch 24-7. I listened to my feet though, when they said 'enough sitting, more propping up', I did just that. I've had a lot of the same feelings with the zaps, numbness & aches, some REALLY strong zaps & jolts for the first 2-3 weeks! I also have fibromyalgia. Not sure if or how much more problems b/c of that.
During the 2nd wk my toes felt like they were in ice water/extremely achy/& unbelievably uncomfortable. At my next Dr visit I said "yo, ya gotta help me, its 24-7 discomfort & I can't sleep!" (I don’t like & can’t function on the strong meds but needed something at this point). He gave me a mild valium. It helped calm the nerve endings. It didn't take away all of the pain, didn't zonk me out, but did relax me a lil bit. I was able to fully function. It made it bearable & I was able to get some rest. During this 5th week, I still have a tiny bit of the achy toes but much better & on no meds, except some advil.
I HIGHLY recommend NOT removing your bandages until your Dr visit & let them do it. I had my stitches removed 10 days after surgery. Everything looked great. I was doing what I was supposed to. That evening my hubbs thought it would be nice to get me out of the house & have dinner by the water. Just a few steps to the table but getting back into the car I felt like I stepped weird & had some stinging. Sure enough, I tore 1 open on the left ft, 2nd toe near pinky.
I have shower bags I HIGHLY recommend!! They are called LIMBO & made in Great Britain. My Dr office said they looked far & wide to find an actual shower bag that worked & did what it said it wouldn't do which was leak! & THEY DON'T! You can submerge them in the tub! The only thing with the shower bags are b/c they are so water resistant & no air gets in or out, the area that is covered starts to sweat immediately. So until I am able to get the feet wet, I just sponge bath the part of the legs, but SO worth the money for these bags.
My calves & arches have been feeling like they want to cramp b/c of the way I've been walking. I've been massaging those areas with oil or some lotion. I love ALBA products, they are organic & natural. I'm trying to bend my big toes some while massaging, hurts a lot & move/wiggle my other toes as much as they will allow me) I haven't tried a normal shoe yet, but see some of the suggestions here. Haven't driven yet for same reason. Fearful of having to hit that brake pedal. The balls of my feet feel bruised right now & driving just does not sound appealing at all yet.
Dr as of now has me using AB ointment & large bandaids on incision sites, but haven't been told I can wash/scrub the areas yet.
The Drs DEFININTELY don't tell you any more than the ???'s you ask them. So you have to be your best advocate & yes, the girl nurses give me the best & most detailed answers! This has DEFINITELY been worse than I thought it was going to be but so far have not regretted it. I researched 3 1/2 years & had 2 Drs.
Good luck everyone, thx for your posts, & hope I have been of some help. & anyone that has any help for me, it's much appreciated. Thx for letting me get it all out!

I too don't mind wearing the shoes out, b/c it DOES let people know you have something going on & anyone I am around KNOWS I like at LEAST a 2FT buffer around my tootsies!

V. Yeager
Anonymous said…
For the person in FL if you are anywhere close to the Stuart, Ft Pierce area, I go to Dr.Gotkin & there's also Dr. Gubernick (he assisted My Dr on my surgery. Dr Gubernick is an avid tennis player (trophies & all) & he had double MNs & Dr Gotkin performed surgery on his own colleage. I went to another Dr that only detected 2 MNs in each foot. He had the ultrasounds & all the fancy machines. Dr Gotkin, all he did was touch the areas of my feet & knew right away I had 4!!! And after surgery 4 confirmed MNs. I would have had to have surgery twice with the other guy.
Here is the website. Hope you are close enough that they can help. Very pleased with the entire office.
http://www.footsurgicalspecialist.com/staff.html

V. Yeager
Anonymous said…
Hi I am day 12 after surgery to remove a neuroma from 2nd and 3rd space right foot. I had my opereration done from the bottom of my foot. I haven't had too much pain to deal with in my recovery so far. On strong pain killers for 2 days. My worry is 2 things firstly I don't think I was given the correct shoe its a big heavy rocker type shoe designed to keep toes off the ground but gives support to the heel and half way up the foot right where the neuroma was. Its painful to walk in it also can't put any weight at all through my foot. I don't go back to see the surgeon until 21st and get the stitches out that day. Was supposed to go back to work this week but can't even make a short walk outside yet. I have really sharp pain in my big toe joint and around the 4th and 5th toe that don't seem to be getting any better. Does this sound normal am I expecting too much?
Shari said…
Anonymous, the shoe may be different when the incision is on the bottom of the foot. Mine was not a rocker. But I did have some aches and pains in my legs, hips and knees from walking so abnormally (on my heels and the sides of my feet) while I could not put pressure on my foot. It just takes time to get back to normal. And one thing you cannot do is get in a hurry. Our bodies all heal a little differently. We all walk differently. And our surgeons probably don't always give us the exact same shoes, instructions, etc. Some patients were told to massage their feet. My surgeon never told me to do that. I did it because other patients suggested it. That's one of the reason I wanted to share my experience on my blog.

V. Yeager, thanks for sharing your experience here, too. I did not use bags on my feet. I just dangled my feet over the tub and used the hand held shower sprayer while sitting in the tub. It took a while longer than normal, but I didn't find it to be as difficult as I thought it would be.

As far as the scars being black (I think someone mentioned that), the only reason the scars look black as well as red for a while is because of the black marker they use to draw a line where the incision is going to be. I thought that black ink would never wash away. It took a long time. But it's completely gone now. I just have little white lines. Some people have a hard time seeing them at first when I point to my feet and say, "See my incisions?" By the way, I say that most often to younger women wearing those really high heels. I'm trying to help them avoid ever needing to read this blog. But I doubt many of them listen. :)
Cindy Thomson said…
I had a rocker and it also caused me too much pain. The doctor said it usually helps, but it didn't help me. He allowed me to use my post op shoe instead but to use it every time I walked anywhere. My advice to the person asking about this is to call your doctor and ask. The rocker boot is supposed to help you, not hurt you. Maybe it needs an adjustment. You won't know unless you ask.
Anonymous said…
I would definitely talk to the Dr about the rocker boot. Especially if it is unbearable. I can't imagine having the incisions on the bottoms! OUCH! So sorry for you.

@Shari...it's so funny how things work out sometimes. We had 2 really bad hurricanes that blew through here 2 weeks apart several years back & tore my house up pretty good. I had new showers put in & the one in my bath is a walk in with a corner seat & detachable handheld. Who knew when we put that in that it would be a life saver for me! Everything is SO daunting...especially the first couple of weeks! So that helped along with those bags. Dr or no one told me to massage either, yet at least! But it just made some common sense to me to try & rub some of the knotting & tense feeling away.
I too have experienced hip pain & lower back pain from having to walk funky. I'm going out Tues. which is my next Dr appointment & afterwards go to the store & see if I can find some regular shoes I can wear. I'm trying to convince myself right now to try & take somewhat normal steps & try & bend the ball...juuuuust a little when I walk ;) lol Though, the surgical boot doesn't allow you to really bend much anyways.
Any advice on shoes? I'm looking for comfort. & I too keep warning my sister who has literally 125 pairs of heels...(some are REALLY high, she's gonna regret it! I've even been sending her pix of my feet! lol
Tale care. V. Yeager
Anonymous said…
Thanks to V Yea. Jewett Orthopedic Clinic in Orlando about an hour away. I just don't know anyone with experience with them. There's also an Ortho in Melbourne but but it doesn't list him as a specialist in this area. Will tread carefullu and ask LOTS of questions. I heard of one lady who had surgery for this anf had a stump neuroma come back 4 years later. Ughh! What a thought.
Shari said…
My surgeon explained that there is always a stump neuroma after the nerve is cut. Whether or not you can ever feel it or have problems has to do with how the end of the severed nerve is placed and how it grows. A certain number of patients will have problems again. They can come back and new ones can form. That's why it is not advisable to continue wearing the wrong kinds of shoes, etc., after removing MN. You may be prone to developing them again in the future. The surgery does not guarantee you won't ever have another one. My surgeon apparently did a good job (so far anyway) placing the end of the nerve in the muscle or fatty tissue where it wouldn't be a problem. But I do know people who have had unsuccessful MN surgeries. As with any surgery, the outcome can be a gamble. Nobody knows going into it who will have the success and who will have problems. That's why I wanted to increase my chances of a good outcome by going to the best surgeon I could find. I just happened to have friends who recommended one in Nashville highly and he was great.
Shari said…
v. Yeager, the shoes that felt the best for me early on were Merrells. I took a picture of the first ones I wore. I found them at TJ Maxx. They are roomy with a fabric upper. I also bought a pair of Merrells sandals that had good support and found that my feet felt better when I wore them as opposed to sandals with no arch support. It's not quite sandal weather yet, though. I've also been told that Crocs are good. I didn't find them to be any better than Merrells.
Anonymous said…
Hi there, I'm in Queensland, Australia...going to have surgery on one foot shortly. OMG I can't wait. Battled with MN for around 3 years and now it has killed the two things I love to do: rock and roll dancing and hiking!
Thank you for such an indepth share, it was great to read. Funny how similar in some ways we are; I too have disc problems in my back with sciatica and STILL have frozen right shoulder. And the pain is worse than what I've had in my back so yeah I can relate to what you say there too!
My doctor said in around two weeks I'll be getting around ok and in about 8-10 weeks is when the scarring starts and sort of swells and then subsides. Anyway, thanks so much again for having written about your experience. Regards Michele, Queensland
Anonymous said…
Hi Shari,
Your initial blog was amazing. I could have written it myself; including suffering from a sciatic problem, due to so much sitting after surgery. I am 13 days after surgery for a MN, a bunionectomy and also having a hammer toe repaired on my left foot. My doctor told me 6-12 weeks for recovery. I guess that I thought that he was exagerating. After reading all the posts of others, I guess my recovery may be longer that I anticipated realistically. I have been instructed that I can place no weight on my foot and that it must be elevated 24-7. I cannot have it hanging down any longer that 5 minutes in any given hour, just long enough to use the restroom. I go back to the doctor on the 21st. I am very anxious to see what my next instructions are. I came home from the surgery in a boot very similar to your's, but 2 days after surgery was given a large, non-flex boot that goes up to my knee... Such a wide variation of recovery and post-op directions... Thanks for sharing your story. Brenda H
Anonymous said…
Hi Thanks for the advice on the rocker type shoe. I did ring the hospital and was told it was the wrong type shoe I have been given a normal post op shoe and the difference is unreal. I am able to walk a lot better now. Day 13 and I do feel a lot better even walked round town for a couple of hours today but that was too much really. I am now very achy and my foot is swollen. I will take it easy for the next couple of days..patience
Anonymous said…
Well I finally had my appt with the surgeon/podiatrist. It went really well Imo. He feels that the neuroma is between my second and third toe metatarsals, and he stated that this was more unusual, that most people, like ninety percent have them in between the third and fourth. I have pain in both spots, though it is much more severe between the second and third, so he feels that while there may be more than one neuroma, he wants to focus on the most painful first. He also said that due to risk of compromising circulation to the middle toe, there was no way he would do surgery on both at once. He is basically going to address the worst one, and, providing I have the surgery, if I still have probs afterwards we will look into removing the other one, but he wants to wait about a year between surgeries to make sure the middle toe has not been damaged. So today he talked me into allowing a stetoid/lidocaine injection into the second and third toe metarsals as a diagnostic tool, to make sure we were on the right track. He said if we were I should get instant relief from the lido and then it would wear off after a few hours and then within the next few days I should start improving due to the steriod. I think he may be on the right track....I had NO PAIN!!!!!! for the first time in years, and I walked around the mall for the next two hours with not a single bit of pain. Now it has been several hours, and the shocky pains are returning, just as he said they would. Hopefully I will get the other pain relief soon. He showed me on the xray how close the bones are between the sevond and third toe metatarsals, and that it is a more difficult procedure to get the neuroma out, but he says he can and has done them many times and feels I am a great surgical candidate. I was so adamant that I wanted this problem *fixed* not covered up, ultimately, that he did not even offer me orthotics. I think I would have punched him if he had. I am so sick of this, but it was so nice to be able to walk around.....I had forgotten what it even feels like to walk without pain. So I am to go back in three weeks and report back results and then we will look into further planning and diagnostics.
Kate said…
I had my MN surgery two months ago. I usually walk on the side of my foot now because it feels like there is a bump om the bottom. I can't imagine trying to massage my foot. I'd go through the roof. When I walk I lift my big toe for some reason and the top of my foot from my big toe to my ankle is very sore. My neuroma was between the 3rd and 4th toes on my right foot and sometimes it still hurts to drive. I feel best when I have my sneakers on.
Anonymous said…
It is so inspieing to read your account of this surgery. I hane put this off for over a year now but can't take the limitations the pain causes. I can't drive now or do a lot of the things I loved to do - hiking, biking and so on. I finally spoke with someone who had the surgery done over 12 years ago and no recurrance! I was impressed and saw her walking as prood! I made the appointment for next week and pray I get the same good result. Cheryl in FL
Unknown said…
I had the Morton's Neuroma surgery and am pleasantly surprised on the great outcome so far. First off, I drove the day after surgery. I rode my horse 4 days later and the barn is an hour away. I just had my stitches removed (2 days short of two weeks) and can walk fairly normal. I walk a little more on my heel just because I don't want to cause too much swelling. I had very little swelling. I just put on a Dansko clog type of shoe and can walk normal. I don't work outside the home but I could have gone to a job shortly after. One week after surgery I drove an hour to the barn and rode 3 horses. I only write this because it seems like only people who have problems post. Because of that I put my surgery off for years.
Shari said…
I just want to say that I appreciate all the feedback from those of you who have shared your experiences. Thanks for weighing in for the benefit of others looking for information.

Linda, I also have had a great outcome to my surgery, but your experience is hard for me to imagine. I'm so happy for you that you've had such an amazing recovery, but I do want to point out -- for the sake of other patients -- that driving the day after surgery is not something anyone should expect to do. There is no way I could have done anything but sit with my feet elevated and take pain pills the day after surgery. And I think that is the experience of most. I am assuming you must have had surgery on the left foot if you were driving that soon. For anyone who has surgery on their right foot or both, this would be extremely ill-advised.

I wanted to share my positive outcome for the same reason as you; so many people post horror stories on the internet and I wanted MN sufferers to be reassured that there are many successful surgeries. I was walking on my treadmill for an hour yesterday and telling my husband how great it is to be able to walk without pain. I endured those neuromas for longer than I should have because I was so apprehensive about having surgery.
Cindy Thomson said…
That's interesting, LInda. I'm always amazed at how different the experience can be for different people. Like Shari has said before, it depends on your fitness level, your health, the size and location of your neuroma. Everyone's different, but it's my belief that with a doctor who is experienced at this, most people have good results. The recovery may vary but with time it gets better.
Kate said…
I don't think I'm having a bad experience. I think I get better each day. I expected pain but not in some of the plces I'm getting it so I was just wondering if others felt the same and what they were doing to lessen some of the side effects. If I could do it over, I'd deffinately do it again because I feel better than I felt pre-surgery and I know that I will fully recover with time. I wrote in with a problem because I think this blog is to help others who might have or have had similar issues and can offer helpful tips they may have used to recover or to give hope to those who think their recovery is taking longer than it should. I'm happy that Linda Had such A great recovery but I'm grateful also for all of the others who wrote in about their difficulties and how they handled them. Those comments didn't scare me. The responces to them help me.
Shari said…
Yes, Kate, I did intend this blog post to be informative and helpful for anyone having a problem as well as sharing positive outcomes. I think most patients experience some type of bump in the road even with the most successful recovery, and it's important to have realistic expectations of the recovery process! It IS a process! Linda's story sounds like Wonder Woman to me! And I thought I had a great recovery! LOL
Cheryl said…
Hello Shari, I'm reading your blog again in order to get up the courage for Monday's visit with the foor and ankle surgeon. Are there specific questions I should ask when I go? Other than relating how much pain I'm in should I question the success of past surgeries, etc.? Anxious in Florida!
Shari said…
Hi Cheryl,

I would ask how many neuroma surgeries he/she has performed and the rate of success/complications. I would ask what the usual recovery is like. I asked about stump neuromas after reading about them and my surgeon explained that they always form, but where the surgeon places the cut end of the nerve is key to not feeling it. (It's supposed to be embedded in the muscle, I think.) My surgeon was very up front that he couldn't guarantee I'd never have another one or I wouldn't have a complication. And he didn't try to influence my decision to have surgery or not have surgery. But he said that the people who are more likely to have complications have other health issues. And since I was healthy and still relatively young, he didn't expect me to have any and I didn't. I followed his instructions to the letter. And the only thing I thought after having it is that he tended to downplay the recovery a little bit more than I would after having it. He made it sound like I would be fully recovered in two months. I wasn't. I still have minor swelling and achy feet for quite a while (off and on). And I wouldn't have described myself as having normal feet for many more months. He acted like I wouldn't need pain pills for more than a day or two. I did need them longer. His nurse pointed out that he has only done the surgery, he hasn't had the surgery. So she thought he tended to make light of the recovery. She was the one who urged me not to overdo and to give my feet lots of rest.
Shari said…
I meant to say I still HAD minor swelling and achy feet longer than that. My feet are feeling pretty normal most of the time these days. But March 6 will be a year for me.
Cheryl said…
Shari,

Thank you so much for answering a nervous Nelly! I started my list to take with me. One thing I have heard is that if they ask you to sign a 'privacy agreement' run from that doctor. Not sure what that is all about...What a wonderful blog this is for those of us who are dealing with this painful condition. :D
Anonymous said…
Hello again. SHOE UPDATE!
Thnx for the advice on the shoes. I've had such a busy week & a half! I did find shoes actually,thankfully (after I read your helpful advice!) 2 pair!(We don't wear shoes in the house, so I needed a 2nd pair). They are box toe sneakers. Very flexible all over the shoes (you need to put your fingers in the upper& side to make sure they are flexible enough & wide enough. Some look like they are flexible but you put your hand up in there & they weren't very flexible at all. They are also light as air, which helps. I also got an xtra 1/2 size bigger than normal, for Xtra toe room. So far, my feet in both niether hurt nor bother me no more than they already do, they actually feel a little better when I wear them. But still for only when I have to be up on my feet, otherwise, shoes off....feet elevated!
One pair is K-swiss Tubes (outside pair) & the other pair Saucony, shadow genesis(house pair). Good arch support. Only downside is...all of these shoes have neon on them!!! lol My outside pair Are a black/grey with a touch of neon pink. Not too bad, but the house pair are all over neon yellow, with a hint of neon blue accents! I don't even care! Comfort is key & they aren't that bad looking. I am an 80's child, so it's like deja-vu.
I started PT this week & am driving on my own for the 1st time 6 1/2 weeks from surgery. I am now at my 7 week mark. The PT is difficult & has made the zaps come back a bit but that's the nerves that are being stimulated trying to reconnect & re-route. I have a tens unit (stim machine) at home, so this is very helpful. I am also daily massaging & my PT told me to use a golf ball & roll it under my foot. This helps to massage & also helps to spread those bones & get in between there in the ball of the foot. She also said rubbing the areas, & toes helps stimulation & helps with getting some feeling back on the areas that are numb. I think a lot of your recovery depends on how hard you work at your PT at home. My girlfriend who had 4 removed (2 each foot) like I did says that when she is on her feet for a long period of time, still has some swelling. 3 years later! This may not be the cast for everyone. But it's somethig to think about. It's a LONG term commitment & no short, easy fixes.
*hugs for everyone* & prayers for healing!!
V. Yeager
Anonymous said…
OH YAH! My Dr offered up that most Drs will not do 2 removals at once because there is a high increase in the fact that if they aren't skilled enough surgeons, you can lose the toe that is in between the spaces/neuromas they are taking out because of all of the arteries in there. My Dr also had his collegue in the the OR assisting & that is THE ONLY way they were able to do 2 at once, each foot, because 4 hands are needed. They've done well over 2,000 procedures of neuroma removal alone & he says he hasn't lost a toe yet! Thought that was pretty huge of him to come out with that info. He also said when we get our bill, we will notice there won't be a charge on the bill for the other Drs assist. He's all about the patient & getting them on their feet, properly. I had NO idea this type of Dr still existed in today's world. He also wanted to do both at the same time so I wouldn't be charged more & he didn't get paid any more to do 2 feet than he got paid to do 1. The PT they send us to also goes into OR to observe surgery so they can tailor your PT according to your surgery & my PT told me from here to Ohio, she says my Dr has been the best she's ever seen in the OR. Maticulous, & precise & all business. He's not happy unless the surgery is exactly the way he wants it. She told me ALL good stuff & re-affirmed for me that I found the right guy. So definitely do your homework before you decide surgery. I'm glad I chose to do both at the same time. Yes it sux to have both feet done but in the end, GLAD! I can't imagine having to go through this twice or 4 times for a Dr that will only remove one at a time. Chances are you may not follow through b/c you don't want to keep enduring this procedure. I didn't want to be put 'under' more than once & my Dr was so proud of me b/c that was my main concern & he said...that should be your main concern & he only wanted me under once & did not want to give me gas. We did IV sedation with a nerve blocker in the feet. Safer for you than getting gassed.
:)) V. Yeager
Have a nice weekend everyone.
Denise said…
I am having my neuroma removed on 2-6, and I'm scared to death. I am a Race walker and coach people to walk half marathons. But I'm affraid I'm not going to be ready to start walking by June. and my daughter is getting married this May and I'm affraid I won't be able to get a shoe on or dance at her wedding. I sure don't want any complications or a stump neuroma. I'm about to chicken out, but the neuroma hurts all the time as it is.
Thanks
D
Msglyn said…
I've been reading your comments all morning because I'm getting a little worried since I'm scheduled for surgery on both feet this Wednesday, January 30. My podiatrist/surgeon told me recovery was about a month & I would have a little numbness too. After reading all your posts, though, I feel he may be downplaying the recovery time. What scares me more than anything is that I may never be able to get back to my walking, exercising (taebo & Nordictrack) & most of all, my gardening!!! Since I got MN I have not sat so much in my life! I was wondering if any of you had hard knots on the balls of your feet with this? I have one on each foot on the ball of my foot right in line with the fourth toe?? If those are not removed too, I don't see how it could get any better?? Thanks for your help, & wish you all a speedy recovery!!
Shari said…
Yes! You will be able to resume your normal activities in time. Just be patient and realistic about the gradual recovery. Although I would say one month is an underestimation of a full recovery (normal feet again), you will notice improvement every week that passes. I have many more entries on my blog than just this one. You may want to search for others that document my recovery for months. I think wearing pretty shoes for a May wedding is a realistic expectation. You will want to find shoes that don't put pressure on the affected area of the foot. I have some heels that are comfortable and some that aren't. But I would buy a half size larger to accommodate for any slight swelling that will occur as a result of dancing and standing a lot. And I would suggest to grab any opportunity to sit and rest for a few minutes between standing and dancing. Your feet will let you know what you can and can't do. I am back to doing everything I ever did before and without neuroma pain. I do Zumba and I walk on the treadmill and use the elliptical. My feet feel better than they have in years. Just follow instructions to the letter for the first few weeks and I would say to give your feet as much rest as you possibly can for a full month.
Anonymous said…
Hi, really interesting to read your comments and those of others. I was finally diagnosed after about 5 years with 2 Morton's neuroma in each foot and could barely walk in any shoe, I did spend rather a lot of time and money searching for a comfy shoe. I felt pleased that the consultant finally believed me, my sister had had one removed so I recognised the symptoms early! I had one removed 5 months ago and one in the other foot 2 weeks ago. Am really pleased with the recovery of both feet but am still left with pain from remaining neuromas. Surgeon told me today that he is not keen to remove remaining neuroma. Am rather shocked and gutted as still cant wear shoes other than very squishy flip flops that I bought in E leclerc in France, they no longer stock them.... And I get rather cold in the winter. I teach PE full time so am a little stumped as to my next steps.. Don't mean to moan but I was banking on eventually being relatively pain free.. Any ideas?
Shari said…
If you are by any chance within driving distance of Nashville, TN, I would refer you to Dr. James Yu at TOA. Other than that, I don't know how to help. Dr. Yu told me that if they eventually came back, I could have them removed again. And I would in a heartbeat. I am so very glad I did both at the same time. But I had one in each. And they were both between the third and fourth toe.
Msglyn said…
Have any of you had the hard knots on the balls of your feet I asked about? Are these the neuromas that will be removed?
Msglyn said…
Surgery is tomorrow! I'm getting pretty anxious now & Shari I really appreciate your "book" of experiences & advice!! :) I will keep you all in my prayers & also ask for yours in the upcoming weeks/months!!
Msglyn said…
AND THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE POSTED!! You have all mentioned things I haven't considered that have also helped a lot!
Becky said…
I had MN surgery on my left foot about 25 years ago and remember that I went back to work the following week00a desk job. I think I wore a boot for about 3 weeks. Tomorrow I will be having the same surgery on my right foot, and I'm pretty sure that I need it again on my left. I need to be able to drive soon, because my husband will be having knee replacement surgery on Feb. 12th, and ONE of us needs to be able to drive! I'm 65 years old now, and retired. For the past year I have been walking at least 20K steps a day in a successful effort to lose weight--still need to lose more, but my Wii tells me I'm only "overweight" now, and not "obese"! I'm anxious to get back to the program, but will take it easy and follow the advice I've learned on your blog. Thanks for the information!
Msglyn said…
Surgery update: Had surgery on both feet yesterday & spent the day woozy sitting or laying around with my feet elevated. Feet ached a lot yesterday, but aren't aching today. Walking with the help of a walker to avoid putting too much pressure on balls of my feet where the pain is when I walk. Can wiggle my toes without pain. My podiatrist/surgeon and his staff at Deaconness Foot & Ankle Hospital in Oklahoma City have been amazing! Dr even called me last evening at home to check on me & to make sure I had made the follow up appt to see him this next Monday!! Haven't had a dr do this in years! Today the hospital nurse also called to check on me!! My hubby is a great nurse waiting on me hand & foot,,,literally!! I'm looking forward to a complete recovery, but I know now it is a process that will take time and patience!
Anonymous said…
Wow! This blog is a tremendous help after all of the horror stories I have read!!! I have been dealing with MN (two in each foot) for 4 years now. Did the Cortisone shots and orthodics for the first few years...blew up bad last year and went through months of alcohol injections. Those really worked but still felt the BB like feeling when barefoot and wearing most shoes with the exception of Crocs…so, after years of debating this and feeling like I wanted my life back again (e.g. golf, chasing my children, wearing shoes without pain, etc.) went and had my right foot done on 1/10/13.

My biggest learning and mistake (from reading this blog) is that HEALING TAKES TIME and YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT TIME! I had VERY unrealistic expectations after surgery…went back to work 7 days post op, went to the gym (upper body only) on day 9 and 11, tried to walk on day 7, etc. After my doc saw me on day 10, he could tell I was pushing it and ordered me to 7 MORE days of strict "toes above noes"…which helped a lot. Again, at 3 weeks out now and after reading this, I've realized that I'm NOT going to be running any marathons any time soon, as well as realized that what I'm experiencing now (e.g. swelling, occasional electrical impulses in the toes and foot, extreme tenderness and soreness at the ball of my foot) is all normal and will subside eventually…and actually, is getting better every week. At week 3, I'm actually able to walk a bit without crutches (particularly around the house) and am able to stand more and more each day…and again, that's with two nueromas removed from my right foot.

So…thanks for this blog! This and the one from Chris Freeland seem to be the only ones out there that aren't extremely negative or overly unrealistic in recovery time (I've read some that said they were fully recovered and running again within 3-8 weeks…I wish!). I'll continue to take it easy…continue to "listen" to my foot…continue to realize that what I'm experiencing in pain, swelling and electrical "zingers" in my foot is all part of the healing process…as well as continue to pray for a healthy recovery for me and others who have had this surgery ;) Again…thank you!
Shari said…
It is so rewarding to hear from others who have stumbled onto my blog and felt reassured by the information here. Many thanks to all of you who have added your own experiences for the help and benefit of other MN sufferers! I appreciate each one of you who have taken the time to let me know this blog as been helpful and add encouraging words for other readers! Even when I don't immediately respond to each individual, please know that your comments brighten my day every time I hear from one of you!
Msglyn said…
Surgery Update, Day 4: Night before last was up sitting in the bathroom so nauseous that I thought I was going to pass out!! I had not taken the Hydrocodone drugs in years!! Besides all the other side effects, they are terribly constipating, and this is what was making me sick. I quit taking them and started taking ibuprofen which actually worked better to relieve the pain!!! I was able to walk without walking on my heels so much!! The balls of my feet felt almost normal!!! Sorry if this is TMI, but thought someone else might need to know.

And to Anonymous,,, I read all those horror stories too, and I was really scared to have this surgery, but as active as I have always been, could not bear living with these MN any longer!! By the way,,,dont think I ever told my age!! I am 63 and don't intend to let this stop me from getting back to my active lifestyle!!
Nancy said…
9 days post op for MN right foot. Went back to work on day 4 post op which was probably way too soon as I'm a teacher. I did sit with foot up mostly, however, only managed a half day for the 1st 2 days, then a full day, one more half day and decided to take off Friday thinking a 3 day weekend with the foot elevated would be a smart thing to do. I'm having serious swelling numbness and bruising, all of which I'm sure are part of the process, however, after reading some of the posts relating how long some have been advised to not work, I'm thinking maybe I should take more time off. My surgeon did not give any orders regarding work, only weight bearing as tolerated. The surgery was Jan 24 and I do not see him again until Feb 12 to have stitches removed. This Blog has been incredibly helpful and informative especially since my first followup is 3 weeks post op. Many thanks to you Shari and to all who have posted their experiences...very helpful. I am an cyclist, runner, hiker and swimmer eager for Spring and to be active again after over 6 years of MN issues. At age 53 I am looking forward to continuing to be active, minus the limiting foot pain. Thanks again for the all the info, I'm feeling more certain the surgery will not be regretted as long as I am patient and allow the healing time needed.
Anonymous said…
I am having the surgery on February 14th, 2013. Thank you to all for your posts - I will be visiting this site often!! I have 6 weeks off before I have to go back to work, where I spend a LOT of time on my feet, and dressed up in heels. I'm thinking of buying some "comfort heels" now. (I am on stage every night for my job, so the dressing up thing is not an option. I am a Cruise Director!) I fly to Australia on April 1st, 2013. Lord I hope this goes ok...
Shari said…
Please don't rush the heels! Remember that heels may have contributed to you having this condition in the first place. There is a reason more women than men have the neuromas! There are lots of cute shoes these days that are flats. And if you absolutely have to wear "comfy heels" buy them with plenty of room in the toe box and maybe try some orthotics to take pressure off the balls of your feet. They keep your weight more on your arches. WalkFit are good and you can get them almost anywhere.
Msglyn said…
Had my first follow up appt today, 5 days post-op. The nurse removed all old bandages & wiped an alcohol-based lotion on my feet that cleaned off the dried blood & red iodine stains left after surgery. Doc examined my feet & told me I was doing great. He dabbed a little more iodine on my stitches & re-wrapped my feet with new bandages. I go back to have stitches removed 2-13. Except for being bored, I'm feeling great, no pain, just soreness!!
Anonymous said…
First…GREAT BLOG…THANK YOU!!! Second, I am 3 1/2 weeks post op, two removed from right foot…began walking (with a Croc) a day or so ago…limited but walking without crutches in which both my doc and PT says is great! I still get the occasional zinger down the toe (particularly when stretching or doing PT) and am very sore at the bottom/ball of my foot…to the exact spot, actually. My doc and PT says that all is normal and that is just nerves healing, repairing and still being sore from surgery. Question: Is this normal in your recollection? Will the "zingers" and soreness/tenderness on the bottom of my foot eventually go away? Again…GREAT blog!!!
Shari said…
Thank you so much. I'm glad you've found my blog helpful. And YES this is all normal and all the discomfort will fade gradually over time. Although, I must tell you, that I still have little electrical impulses and tingly feelings when I rub my foot in certain places. It is not pain or discomfort, though. And I never feel these sensations when standing, walking, exercising, etc. I don't even have any funny feelings while doing an exercise class. And I was able to stay on an elliptical for well over an hour last week with no foot issues. It's only when I press on certain spots (like rubbing lotion on my feet or massaging them) that I feel those sensations. They might be permanent. But they are no big deal and certainly are way better than the pain I was in!
Nancy said…
Almost 2 weeks post op. Experiencing numbness from heel to toes, top of foot and quite a bit of swelling....bandages feet pretty tight. First Dr checkup isn't for another week...will get stitches out then. I'm hoping that returning to work a few days post op is not causing any complications and that the swelling and numbness are a normal part of the healing process
Susan said…
This is Post Op day Four after surgery on my right foot only. It hurt so very much to walk before the surgery that the post op pain has not been nearly as bad as I had prepared myself for. I have my first follow up visit for a dressing change tomorrow, which I am worried about because I can tell the dressings are crusted with dried blood down in there and I am afraid it will tug on the wound when it comes off. Overall, I think this is really going to be worth it.
Anonymous said…
Hi Shari,

I have been reading your blog and want to thank you. I am set to have mn surgery feb 18th and have been scared out of my mind. I too have read the horror stories and that is what has me spooked. I had a question for you did your dr implant your nerve endings into a muscle or fatty part of your foot away from weight baring areas? By doing this that is how mydr says you prevent stump neuromas. Also I know you are a true believer in christ as am I and I really would appreciate for you to say a prayer for a successful surgery and outcome.
Anonymous said…
Anonymous…I was the guy who posted a few up from this post (e.g. 3 1/2 post op, two neuromas, wearing a Croc, etc.). I can tell you that one positive thing for me from going through this surgery is that I've never been so scared or prayed so much in my life…so I've really turned to God to help me heal. I will a prayer for you today…best of luck ;)
Shari said…
Saying a prayer for you now, Anonymous. I must confess it feels odd to say a prayer for anonymous, though. :)

In answer to the questions, my doctor didn't explain where he would tuck the cut nerve. He just said the placement was key to avoiding pain from stump neuroma. I trusted him to know where that placement would be.

Nancy, it sounds to me like your bandages are too tight if you have that much numbness. You are probably having a lot of swelling and don't have enough room. The bandages may be cutting off circulation. You should not be on your feet. You need to be elevating them to help with the swelling.
Anonymous said…
I am 4 weeks after surgery and reassured to read similar problems being experienced by other people. I was about to phone my hospsital help line to see if my symptoms were normal, but I wont bother now as obviously they are. Just wondered - has anyone attempted to swim? I hate not being able to walk/run/go to the gym etc but thought swimming might soon be possible. Has anyone given that a go and if so how soon after surgery?

Cindy Thomson said…
I remember my doctor telling me I could swim and do almost anything I felt comfortable with 8 weeks post op, but no ice hockey. Haha! Better check with your nurse first, though.
Anonymous said…
Hi shari
I was the one asking for prayer and about implanting the nerve endings, sorry I am new at this computer stuff I could only figure out hiw ti send it with no name lol. But my name is Tayna thx again for your response and your prayers...
Anonymous said…
Tayna again,also thank to the other anonymous for your prayers as well..
Anonymous said…
V. Yeager Here....hello all

It's been a couple of weeks. I had started the 1st week of PT. Well, that weekend a couple of my incisions started bubbling & opening. I called the Dr & he wanted to see me the very next day. Examined me & took samples of all 4 incisions to make sure there was no infection. I also have a blood disorder that makes me anemic & low potassium which makes healing a little slower. So even though my feet looked good & the incisions were looking good, the PT was too much, too soon. I had day 7 PT today & she thinks now I should be walking better, (when I started PT I was ahead??). But it's hard on days that I am active or they give me a lot to do plus the PT at home, then I wake up & they feel briused again & so I walk funny & my Therapist doesn't like it if I walk that way. So, I go by what my Dr told me & he said that this is MY recovery & *I* do what *I* feel my feet can do. It's important for you to know your own body. I feel a little stalled out right now, but keeping at it.

On another note...I asked my Dr for help. I plan on going to several races during speedweeks in Daytona, for NASCAR. For those of you who do not know about that, it is a LOOOOOOOOOOOOT of walking!!!! An insane amount. I KNOW I can't do that much, & for several days. (I wasn't going to go but my sister was going to surprise me with tix she already purchased....non refundable tix)...I told my Dr about it....he quickly said, "NO, I don't want you doing that much walking". He signed the papers for a temporary handicap placard, which I took to the DMV & in FL it cost $15. (at the track they make you park way across the road at the mall & it's far just to get TO the track...let alone walking around the track or to the seats). I thought getting a placard would be a lot harder or take more time to get, but it wasn't. And he gave me an RX for a wheelchair or scooter. So I am currently looking into those. I feel so relieved that I will not have to try & walk so much & that I have these 2 very important items to lean on. So, for those who are going into the surgery....especially for ppl like me, who had 4 MN's, both feet done at the same time... there's options out there to help you in the beginning. Just ask your Dr. I wish I had the temporary placard set up when I 1st had the surgery. I am not ashamed to use it b/c I know what I have is genuine. I am in pain & my feet swell very quickly. I also have fibromyalgia & not sure how much more that may or may not impact my recovery/pain/inflammation.
This Fri will be 9 weeks & I am giving it all the time it needs. Patience is key & of course, roomy shoes!!!
Prayers for all of us healing & for those who's surgeries are upcoming.
Unknown said…
Elizabeth in Italy
Hi everyone and thanks so much for all shares.Having surgery for mn bilateral( I hope) in France Feb 15th through surgical tourism It'a a private facility and have been assured that dr is specialist in foot surgery. Can't wait to get rid of this pain and be able to walk. Started after spending 6 days walking Hadrian's Wall 86 miles in boots that were too small and carrying a pack that was too heavy, have worn Birks all my life so was unprepared for this to happen..^^ thought my good behaviour had earned me a pass on foot problems...anyway very helpful to read all shares and I am hopeful for success, didn't think the recovery would be so long so I am glad to know that this will be normal and grateful that I don't have to work so can rest as this seems to be a very important aspect of recovery, was an orthopaedic nurse in OR for years but only did 'big surgery' didn't pay much attention to the small stuff, wish I had now lol! thanks again to all
Anonymous said…
Thank you for all the posts. I am 8 and 10 weeks post surgery. Found comments very helpful when I began to get frustrated with healing progress. It's nice to have something to compare my experience to. Still can't walk barefoot without limping or walking on the sides of my feet. Walk well with Merrell hiking boots with lots of arch support. I still wrap both feet every day to keep ball of foot from spreading out so much when walking. I've started massaging daily which seems to help. Thanks for the tip. It's true. I notice improvements each week. I hope it doesn't take the full year before I feel normal again.
Sandy C said…
Shari, It has been great to read your blog and all of the comments. I am to find out today the date of my surgery on left foot. I didn't know what to expect and my surgeon says since I have a "desk job" I can go back to work immediately!! I had planned to take 3-5 days off because no desk job is just sitting with feet up. I will play it by ear I guess but have a better idea of what is ahead of me...thanks!
Shari said…
These doctors who only perform the surgery and have never recovered from one do a disservice by taking the recovery that lightly. If you want my advice, do not go back to even a desk job that quickly. If you have the option to take more time off, I don't think you will regret staying on the couch with your feet up for a couple of weeks. When surgeons make the recovery sound so easy, that is what causes so many patients to think something is wrong even though they are experiencing a perfectly normal healing time.
Msglyn said…
Hello everyone!!! Just wanted to post a progress report 9 days post-op. I was able to walk around outside in my new Bearpaw boots I bought with the gift card I received at Christmas. I usually wear a 9 but because they were furr-lined, the 9 felt too tight, so I bought the only size 10 they had left & were on clearance too!! It was great to get outside again & enjoy some sunshine wearing REAL shoes! I have said prayers for all of you contemplating & recovery from MN surgery. I am SO much better even after only 9 days & I'm confident you will all do well too!!
Anonymous said…
Thank you for this informative blog! Never worry about TMI-it is so helpful for others in the same position. I had surgery a few days ago (only 1 foot at a time) and I rented a "knee cruiser". It has been a life saver! I can get around very easily. I highly recommend renting one from a local medical supply store.
I haven't even stepped on my foot since the procedure and I am not ready to. For those considering the MN surgery (one foot at a time) rent the "knee cruiser"!
Nancy said…
Day 20, compression bandage removed and stitches out today and feeling much better. Incision looks great, foot still very tender which I'm sure is expected and from the prior posts probably will be for at least a few more weeks. Dr. says to walk on it, however, I'm staying on the heal as the ball area is far too tender yet. I agree with the posts regarding the Dr.s minimizing this procedure and relating that I can begin my running training in about 2 weeks - I don't think I will be ready that soon and will listen to my body cues to decide how much activity and how soon. Thanks again for this forum to reassure all mn patients that what we are feeling is part of the healing and for the suggestions, especially the massage info (which my Dr scoffed at when I asked him). Continue to give "TMI" as it is helping so many patients.
Anonymous said…
I've been reading this post daily and soaking up as much info as possible--can't thank you all enough for sharing your stories. I have something to add that I don't think I've seen written about yet. After surgery and for 12 days I hobbled around in the post op boot that must weigh 5 lbs and has miles of velcro. It was helpful and not all that uncomfortable, but it is loud and wakes everyone in the house when you get out of bed in the middle of the night! I asked for a less "medieval" post op shoe when I went in to get the stitches removed. They sold me something made by Health Design that was no help--especially on my narrow feet. I tugged so much on the velcro and broke it off, rendering the shoe worthless, which I decided it was anyway. So I bought 2 more brands on line to try out--they aren't very expensive and since I'll be doing the other foot in a few months I can use them again. I didn't care for one of them, but the square toed Darco shoe was an incredible find. It is better constructed than the other ones and I found it very easy to put on and can get around much better now.

Yesterday was Day 20 and I felt I had really passed a milestone in being able to walk around with only discomfort, not pain. I know it will be several more weeks before I can matriculate in a real shoe, but I do feel like I'm finally going in the right direction!
Deb D. said…
Thanks to everyone who has posted their experiences on their mn surgery. I am on day 8 of recovery and had been wondering if my 'slow' recovery was normal. After reading this blog, I can tell my symptoms are normal. I am just contemplating the following...I took one week off from work and this next week is school vacation, as I am a teacher. When we return, it will be two weeks post op. I am wondering if returning to work is such a good idea. Prior to surgery, I tried to 'sit' as I taught to see if I could return to work a day or two after my surgery. I never realized just how much walking and standing I do as a third grade teacher. So, my dilemma, do I return to work after two weeks? I do have access to a wheel chair. Do I bring it to work in hopes of being able to get around the classroom, but with limited pressure on my feet? So, if anyone has any suggestions or would like to share their experiences about getting back to work, I'd appreciate it.

Shari said…
Deb, I think one of the biggest factors in when to return to a job is "One foot or both?" I had both feet done at the same time and I would not have been ready to go back to work. I am not employed, so that wasn't a decision I had to make. But if I had one good foot, I might have been able to be up and down in a classroom setting a little sooner. The best advice I can give is to let your feet tell you based on how you're feeling. And I would err on the side of caution rather than risk going back too soon. Your feet (or foot) will swell a lot more if you're on it a lot. And this will gradually decrease over time. But swelling will definitely be an issue for you longer than two weeks. Hope this helps.
Amanda said…
Hi Shari,

I live in Queensland Australia and had MN surgery on my left foot 6 days ago. I was operated on by a specialist Orthopaedic surgeon. Before surgery he checked my foot and discussed when I would be allowed back at work which entails 8 hr shifts on my feet. He advised he would give me a 4 week sick certificate. I woke up after surgery to see a very heavily bandaged foot.

The nurses told me the dr said I could weight bear on my foot so was not given any walking aids. Instructions given were to debulk my bandages at 2 days, take pain medication as required and have sutures removed in 10 days

My foot was very swollen and sore for the first two days and was taking every 4 hours panadeine forte. I had no idea I had to rest my foot so much as was given no guidance by dr. After two days removed bandages and looked at stitches, which very similar to pictures shown. I walk on the heel of my foot, and try to elevate when I can, but find I have quite a bit of swelling and soreness in my right leg as well, and want to know if that is usual. On Friday when I go to the dr's I will be asking a lot of questions.

Like others, if I overdo it I do get swelling back in my foot and pain. I am concerned I have a dr that has also played down the recovery, and feel like a woosy when I complain to my family that my foot still hurts.

Good luck to everyone with their recovery and will give an update after my dr's appointment on Friday
Amanda said…
apologies for above post, should have read my left leg has lots of swelling, not my right!!!!
Anonymous said…
Hi Sharri! I read your blog and all the comments and feel a little better about my surgery. I had a Morton's neuroma removed from my left foot 2 months ago, however I still can't walk. Even the slightest bit of movement or pressure causes me so much pain. I went back to school and work after a little over a month and maybe that wasn't the best idea. I may not have rested as well as I should have, however I am really discouraged at how much pain I am in. I am a very active 20 year old who loves to snowboard, rock climb, and run so I can't wait just to be actually able to walk again. I always feel like there is marbles in the bottom of my foot. Do these symptoms sounds familiar for such a long length in time? and do you have any suggestions?
-Danielle
Anonymous said…
p.s. I am taking off school and work in hope of healing...but would love any advice that you have to give :] thanks!
-Danielle
Shari said…
Danielle, that sensation of having a marble or a pea in the bottom of your foot is very common and it does last for quite a while. For me, the sensation came and went. Sometimes I felt it and other times I didn't. I was not in pain two months after surgery, but I didn't have normal feet either. And after being on them too much, they would definitely let me know that they needed rest. They would become very sore and they would swell. But it wasn't pain like I had from the neuroma. It is so hard to know if what you are feeling compares to what I felt. My neuroma pain was so bad that I never considered any of the discomfort following surgery to be that bad. I did have to take pain pills for about a week, but after that I took nothing other than an occasional Advil. However, I did have plenty of discomfort and swelling and soreness. And when I did, I just gave my feet more rest. Patience is necessary as this is a very gradual recovery. But if you are in a lot of pain two months after surgery, I wouldn't consider that typical. I think you should follow up with your doctor if you are in pain.
Anonymous said…
Hi…so if I'm reading all of these posts right, swelling, that pea like feeling/pain/tenderness on the bottom of the foot and the occasional electric impulses (zingers as I like to call them) is all normal six weeks after surgery and will eventually subside? I've had two removed from one foot, am walking better and better each week but was hoping I'd be running or 100% in 3 months…unrealistic? ;) Thanks again for this blog!!!
Anonymous said…
Thank you so much for your speedy reply! I don't know if my foot is in pain or if it is just VERY sore. It hurts/sore when I put pressure on it...is that normal the first couple of days of initially putting pressure on it after being in the boot/crutches? (practicly no pressure in 2 months and wearing walker boot and crutches. I am thinking maybe my foot and leg are very atrophied so using it again might be the source of so much pain/discomfort. A friend who had the same surgery suggested physical therapy. Did you do any physical therapy post surgery?? Again, thank you so much for listening and answering my questions, means a lot!
-Danielle
I am 4 weeks post surgery for 2 MN in left foot and started PT the week I got my stitches removed (day 12). I've done 3 PT sessions and found them to be very helpful, particularly in getting me to try new things (like walking with a normal heel to toe strike)--also the massages they give at PT are divine!
Shari said…
Yes, Danielle, that is completely normal.

I did not have PT after my surgery, but I did have PT for frozen shoulder and although it wasn't pleasant, it was effective. I am approaching the one year anniversary of my surgery on March 6 and I hardly even think about my feet these days, which is WONDERFUL! But I do still occasionally feel the little zingers if I press on certain spots and occasionally feel a little bumpiness in a certain spot of my toe pad area. At this point, though, it's just a reminder that I've had a surgery. It's never painful or even uncomfortable. And I can do anything I want to do without pain! I still avoid high heels, though. I've gotten used to wearing comfy shoes and I don't want to cause new damage to my feet. I tried a really cute pair of high heeled shoes on this week at TJ Maxx and was so tempted to buy them because they were not uncomfortable. But I didn't because I want to keep my feet in the shape they are in. The thought of causing a new neuroma to form by wearing shoes that put pressure on the balls of my feet seems so unwise to me at this point. They make a lot of cute shoes that are not so hard on the feet! Why risk it?
Anonymous said…
I am just finding this blog site...i had MN surgery on 1/16/13 in my right foot...pain started about 3 years ago, running and high heels (not all that high), then 7 rounds of injections. I was fine for about 5 months and it came back with a venjeance. MRI showed 2 MN. I was told no driving til stitches came out and no exercise for 8 weeks. took percocet the night of surgery and no pain meds since, but I have iced it every chance i got, until about a week ago. I drove the day stitches came out which was day 13. I did have those shooting pains like everyone talks about which scared me and as of today have not had any of those types of pain. my sciatica did kick in while limping after surgery and sitting around. I did go and get crocs, best thing i have ever worn (and was told by my kids to not in public with them) so i wear them in the house...I CANNOT go barefoot yet. Am wearing only flats. i have a desk job so work wasn't a problem. I am happy i did the surgery but still have weird feeling on the ball of my foot (2 nerves removed) and at the incision site, still pain only if i press on it. I feel like a sock is bunched up under my 3rd and 4th toes. I can move my toes but not enough to pick up a marble. I know the MN is gone and doc said that by 8th week, i should be able to do whatever i want. I hope to get back to running, but I feel i will wait at least another 2 months before even trying. I am walking my pug but not for long walks or even too fast. I am just now trying to massage my foot and am using "Gel scar pads" from CVS or walgreens to help with the horrible double incision. I used the scar pad on another incision on my leg and you can hardly tell. I was told by a plastic surgeon that did that on my leg to get those pads. and the store brand are great. You need to tape down the pad with some type of medical tape, and it needs to be worn for 8-12 weeks. I love to wear flip flops so i don't want those horrible scars to show as much. I will post again in a few weeks to update. oh, and my surgery was done by my podiatrist, who i have seen for years. I was quite confident in his ability and so far, just like he said.
Deb D. said…
Hi Shari,

After much consideration, I have decided to take another week off of work (week 3). I was feeling great at about day 13 or 14, so I decided to go out shopping with sneakers on! BIG mistake! I am now back on bed rest. I am hoping another week of rest will allow me to go back to work and see my kiddos (I teach third grade). While I miss working, my students deserve a teacher who is 100% focused on them and not on foot pain.
my2girls said…
Danielle, You should definitely consider physical therapy. I had 2 neuromas removed from my left foot almost 4 months ago and after 2 months I felt very much like you do. My foot was still very sore, I couldn't put much weight on it and I walked with a terrible limp. Then I started physical therapy and after 2 weeks (5 sessions) I was walking normally and could balance all of my weight on my left foot. Now I am back to walking/jogging wit no problem. I was also told by my PT to continue vigorously massaging the ball of my foot and incision area with oil, lotion or vaseline every day to break up any scar tissue and prevent those 'marbles' from forming. While massaging, curl your toes under (using your hand)and hold for 5 seconds, then bend your toes back toward the top of your foot and hold for 5 seconds. Do 10 reps pushing a little further each time. Stand on a rug or mat in front of your bathroom sink, raise up on your toes for 5 seconds and then on your heels for 5 seconds for 10 reps. Hold onto the sink for balance only when needed. Then balance all of your weight on your bad foot for 10 seconds 10 reps, again holding on for balance only when needed. When you walk make a conscious effort to use the normal heel to toe strike - even if it hurts. My PT told me you're not doing damage to your foot you just have to push through the pain. These are just a few exercises - your PT will have a lot more. The overall recovery was much longer than I had expected it would be but I'm finally back to walking/jogging and working out.
Hope this helps and Good Luck!
Sheryl
mara said…
i just had my surgery 13 days ago and have been reading this blog obsessively!
i keep reading about doing physical therapy- when should this start?
i dont have pain when i sit down with d\feet up, but no way in hell can i put weight on ball of my foot. it is swollen like a pumpkin and behind the toes so much they cant bend. feels weird and tight with all kinds of electric shocks
i tried to stay off my foot for the past 12 days, but have been hobbling on my heel here and there around the house- hopefully, i did not do any prolonging of recovery by this!
getting my stitches out in a few days, and am in the stage where i feel like i will never walk again and other depressing thoughts
tips on physical therapy? and anyone have weird misplaced shocks? when i touch the top of my ankle, it sends strong shocks down through my toes! help anbody? :)
Shari said…
I am amazed at the number of people reading my blog for information on Morton's Neuroma. And I love that so many of you are responding to one another and sharing your experiences. Please forgive me if I sometimes fail to respond to each question. I love it when another reader responds before I have a chance.

Mara, I did not have PT for either of my feet. But I have done lots of wiggling and massaging on my own as needed. Based on my experience, you have not described anything unusual. All the weird shocks and sensations we experience are a result of nerves being cut. Each foot will be unique, but the descriptions are all similar. You will walk again and have normal feet in time. Just be patient. You didn't do damage by giving your feet extra rest. I can assure you of that. Rest is good. And you will notice when you do too much for months. But the swelling and soreness just gradually decreases over time. But I still have some random tingly sensations now and then to remind me that I have had foot surgery. The good thing is it's nothing compared to the pain I DON'T HAVE. :)
Cindy Thomson said…
Just echoing what Shari said, Mara. What you described sounds typical. I had my surgery 5 months ago and my foot has progressed to the point that I don't continually think about it. The stiffness is greatly reduced but after I've been on it awhile (like today running errands) I feel the stiffness. It feels odd, but in no way painful, and like Shari said, this is so much better than the pain before surgery. I think the important thing to remember is that is a gradual process. Each day is slightly better than the day before. Hang in there. Better days are ahead!
mara said…
Thankyou for the feedback!
I meant i was worried i did some damage by walking around the house in the first 2 weeks, not resting
But i suppose i am being so premature with anything yet with my stiitches still in!
I am just so used to moving all the time that the whole thing is a shock for me and i am seeing the negative
But your stories are bery encouraging
I never knew there were so many people out there in th same situation!!!
Shari said…
My doctor said that I could not do damage moving around and walking. He said I could just cause swelling and soreness. He wanted me up and moving around some the very next day because he didn't want me to develop a blood clot. He said my feet would be the indicator of how much I could do but other than discomfort, he didn't put limitations on me. If anything, he downplayed the recovery. So I'm sure you're fine. But I remember worrying a lot and wondering what was normal. That's why I wanted to blog about it for others.
Anonymous said…
Hi Shari
It's Tayna I had my surgery for mn and bunionectomy feb 18th on right foot. My surgery was done by an ortho foot specialist. He has me on strict instructions of no wt baring for six weeks due to the bunionectomy. I hv not had any zingers as of yet and I hope I never do lol. I'm not going to lie the first week the pain was awful, but today the pain has not been to bad. Thx everyone of your post they truly hv helped me...
Anonymous said…
Shari and Sheryl and everyone else...thank you so much! My good still hurts so encouragement is just what I need and it is so nice to hear from other who are going through or have gone through the same things as me. I am going to continue to push for physical therapy...hopefully I can get the prescription soon! and thank you for the exercises Sheryl, I will definitely try to do those soon!
Hopefully next time I post I can talk about a good experience too! God Bless!
-Danielle
Anonymous said…
whoops! typo haha *foot still hurts
p.s. so thankful for this blog!
-Danielle
Anonymous said…
I'm 3 months post op on both feet and continue to have swelling and pain when trying to resume normal activity. I walked a few blocks to a restaurant and limped for the next two days. I expect soreness with more activity but didn't think it would last this long. I still don't feel normal enough to exercise. My balance isn't normal and I have a tendency to stumble. Any suggestions?
Anonymous said…
From V. Yeager.....
Hi Shari, Hi All.

I too am 12 weeks now. I'm taking it slow with recovery, because I can & my feet tell me so. My neuromas were very large. All four of them were 2cm - 3.5 cm big. Those exercises going up on the toes to rocking back on the heels with toes pointed upwards are very valuable. I do them in 3 sets of ten. The toe crunches are also good to do...even though they hurt like crazy!!! Get a hand towel & put in on the floor (prefferably tile or wood...carpet is hard!)& scrunch it up with your toes, pulling the towel towards you as much as you can ( I get about half the towel under my toes, then I push it back out & start again). Start with trying to do them for 30seconds if that's all you can do. My PT said work the minutes on upwards, next time try 1 minute, then 2 minutes. I do certain sets or numbers for a few days or a week & then I push myself to see if my feet will handle it. I can't pick up marbles just yet. I'm on my treadmill for .25 miles on 1.2 mph. Working on that heel to toe strike, properly. I choose to take it more easy when I go out to the store or to have fun & work on my PT at home. When I go out I do not push myself by walking around everywhere so I'm not ridiculously sore. The massaging DOES help, do it....every day! & ICE! I ice every night religiously.
When I wake up or sit for awhile my toes get stiff, so at first it takes several steps or toe curls to get them feeling better. I still have some discomfort when sleeping but not nearly as much. I also can't be on my feet for extended periods yet or standing in one place for too long. Or else I start that penguin waddle walk. I too am a bit clumsy & off balance still. I'm working on that when I stretch. I do a calf stretch on the end of my couch or bed & then do a thigh stretch (grabbing my foot behind me)to where I balance on one foot for 20 seconds. I do that 3 times. All of these helpful things I got from PT, which my Dr started me at 6 weeks....if that helps anyone with a time frame. For everyone surgery is unique & recovery is different. I say again 'paitence is KEY'. & ask your Dr questions...they don't tell you enough info & they make recovery seem lighter than what it is!
Happy healing all :)
mara said…
hi, its Mara again
Does anyone have any ideas on approx. how long it is before swelling on the ball of the foot starts to go down?
My foot is crazy swollen on the bottom, amd the ball of my foot is literally a ball it seems.
I just barely brushed it against the floor by mistake , and i thought i would faint... How will i ever walk on it?
Amd how does swelling ever go down on the bottom of the foot unless you kept it up 24/7 ....
Unknown said…
hi, I have read with a vengeance all the comments posted on this blog as I had my surgery March 1st after having Achilles' tendon surgery 4 weeks previous to that. Both my surgeries were also done by Dr. Yu here in Nashville, and he is fantastic. I didn't really know what to expect from either surgery but I did expect the MN surgery to be easier than the Achilles' tendon surgery, however I have been a little surprised at how much the MN surgery hurt. It is all that "electric shock" sensation that surprised me so glad to know that is normal. I went back to work on day 3 but I am an attorney and can sit at my desk and make my own hours so just went to the office for a few hours. For me, the mental part of sitting still was so hard even thou I could "work" from home, it is just not the same for me. I am doing pretty well I think and keep my foot up as much as I can. Thank you to everyone for all the advice and encouragement I got from reading this. Hope everyone stays well....Lorna
Anonymous said…
V. Yeager....
I personally have felt that feet up & ice ice ice as much as you can...especially in the beginning weeks are the quickest ways to heal quicker & reduce swelling. @ 12 weeks I still have some jolts....when you start PT & manipulate the nerves, they awaken & are trying to re-route & reconnect...so that is what the sensations are. At week 2&3 I had to have meds to help relax the nerves because they were so raw & uncomfortable in the top part of the toes/foot. I was about going out of my mind.
@Mara...I thought the same thing. I had such trouble for the first 4-5 weeks it seemed. I was like "how the HECK am I ever supposed to walk again?!?!?!" I was REALLY good about resting a LOT for several weeks. I had pretty good swelling into week 5 & 6. Right now (12 weeks)they are still a bit swollen & sore more if I am on them for awhile. I guess it depends on the surgery, how big the neuromas were & even how much a person weighs I would imagine will affect the swelling. Mine were very large...all 4 of them. A girlfriend of mine told me that she had the exact same surgery as me & 3 years later she still swells when she is on her feet for a long time. Will we have that??? I have no idea...but I will say this....When I got pregnant, my feet went up a 1/2 inch & now, after this surgery, I think I will have to get shoes that are 1/2 inch bigger as well for comfort. You are but only 2 weeks in...you definitely need to give it time & patience. I still had my major wrapping on my feet until week 4 & didn't start to massage & manipulate my feet until week 5 & then he gave me the ok for PT in week 6... it's baby steps with everything. It's been rough but I haven't regretted it yet, some days are harder than others, but I believe coming in time, it will be worth it. This blog from week 4 when I first logged in was SO helpful from what I've been feeling to what types of shoes to buy & what questions to ask my Dr. Hang in there!
Anonymous said…
V. Yeager
....also just FYI...my Dr & my PT both reassured me & insisted I understand that this process takes MONTHS!!! PT said mine could take up to a year to be 'normal' again. I think most Drs downplay the recovery time so you do not get discouraged. There's healing in a positve mind! I do not want to you to be non-optimistic about healing but yet not un-informed about the reality of recovery. My Dr downplayed it too, for a little while...when he figured out my questions & concerns out-witted his comments & answers! He KNEW I wanted the details ;)
There was also someone above that commented that they had trouble with the surgical boots & went with the box toed Darco's...that's what my Dr gave me too...they were VERY easy to use & for the most part comfortable & reliable.
Happy healing & blessings to you all :)
Anonymous said…
Hi v yeager
Tayna here, you said that you had to get put on meds due to your nerves being so sensitive. What was the name of the med?
Anonymous said…
8 weeks post op, 2 neuromas removed from one foot, 3 1/2 weeks on crutches, walking with Crocs now with slight limp, having been doing PT for the last 3-4 weeks (2-3 times a week...HIGHLY RECOMMEND!), getting better and more mobile every week! THIS SITE HAS SAVED MY SANITY!!! Initially thought something was horribly wrong with me (thought I'd be running in 8-12 weeks) but realize that healing is going to take A LOT longer than the docs say...mine said full recovery in 90-120 days...LOL!!! Again, thank you for this blog!!!
Cheryl in FL said…
Hello All,

I finally found an Ortho who correctly diagnosed my foot problem, The DPM claimed I had MN in both feet when an MRI showed that I really have Tendenosis a streched tendon and in only the right foot! As there are no tears only physical therapy for 8 weeks is recommended to relieve the painful symptoms. This eas yhe 5th doc I had seen to finally get a correct dx! You were definately right about getting the right doc. Cudos Shari. I am believing the physical therapy will resolve this and will be VERY careful not to cause this in the future....
Anonymous said…
Hi all,

This is Tayna I had surgery on feb 18th and just in the past few days I have been noticing some buzzing type feeling in my foot and in my toes...I just wondered if any of you have felt this after surgery? It doesn't hurt just feels odd...
mara said…
Hi Tanya
Yes to the buzzing! I had that too.almost felt like a cell phone vi bration, but nothing was touching my foot. I have all kinds of weird feelings like tHat and i am almost 4 weeks post surgery
I do hope that walking might be an option for me in the near future, but now the bottom of my foot is so swollen, it doesnt even sit level to the ground, not that I dare try and step on it
Good luck to everyone!
Anonymous said…
Hi mara,

This is Tayna thx for your response, glad to know the buzzing is nomal. I also had a bunionectomy so I've been a cast with no wt baring but in two weeks I will get my cast off and then a boot with partial wt baring instructions. So at that point I will be putting wt on it for the first time. I'm a bit scared because of the unkown pain if any I will have. I'm so sorry to hear your having trouble walking and I pray that we both are able to walk normally soon..
Anonymous said…
Hi Tanya, It's V. Yeager

Sorry it took me a little while to get back. Been dealing with a slipped disc in my neck, very painful!

He put me on mild Diazepams. They didn't take away ALL of the sensation but it made it so it was much more bearable. I could function normal & they didn't knock me out at all.

I had my surgeons appointment yesterday. I have been finally clear to soak my feet! Wounds are FINALLY all healed! 13 1/2 weeks later! I see him again in 6 weeks! So the appointments are growing longer in between :))

FYI....he also gave me something for the scars I've never heard of before. I told him I had mederma at home & he said this stuff has been around a lot longer & is leaps & bounds better! It's called 'Blaine Scar Care, physicians formula, Gel Pads' You cut the pads to the size you need (it comes in one giant pad)& apparently with proper taking care of, you can re-use one pad for up to 3 months! & it keeps working. Then, when I need another, the pad is big enough for MANY uses! I'm going to start them tonight as it says to put it on for at least 8 hours but 12 is better. Then, it has another solution to rub on for when the pads are not on. I will keep you all posted on how this stuff does. Has anyone ever heard of this? Says no matter how old your scars are....it will get rid of them permanently.

It's gonna take time for you to walk normally. 13 weeks in, I FINALLY feel like I am making progress on that.I thought I'd NEVER get there...but slowly it's happening. Just keep doing the PT...not just at PT but at home too!
Anonymous said…
So I think I know the answer but just want some reassurance...9 weeks post op, two removed from one foot...walking better every week but still have that fat, swollen feeling on the ball of my foot, pain on the spot where they removed the neuromas and the electrical impulses up the toe. Seems to be getting better every week BUT...is this normal 9 weeks out?
Shari said…
Absolutely normal! Especially with two removed from one foot. And everyone's feet are different. I don't remember a lot of swelling on the ball of my foot. I had significant swelling issues for months. It's been a year now, but if I'm on my feet a lot, they can still swell a little (although nothing major). And I still have those electrical impulses when I rub certain places on my feet. That may be a lasting side effect. But it isn't painful and I'd trade the pain for a few electrical impulses any day! Wouldn't you? :)
mara said…
4 weeks post op now and just discovered that Crocs are actually do able! Finally my feel are at the same level as compared to the Darco boot and a regular show on the good foot
Once you can bet over the fact that you have to venture out in pubIc in Crocs, they are a good option
Makes the limp less, which in turn makes everything hurt less
So yeah for Crocs
Does anyone remember about how long it takes until the swelling at the bottom of the foot starts to go down?
Cindy Thomson said…
Hard to remember, Mara. That's why it's a good thing Shari kept this blog! I'm thinking maybe 3-4 months. At that point my husband got me some Croc boots for Christmas and they were the best things until a couple of weeks ago when I discovered I could put my orthodics in some of my usual shoes and wear them. Woo-hoo! I am almost exactly 6 months post op now and only sometimes think about my foot. Not normal yet, but it doesn't bother me much and my foot looks normal. It does take time, but you will get there!
Steph F. said…
I just had my second neuroma 3/4th interspace neuroma removed on Feb. 25th. I am back in a regular shoe and went to work (as an elementary school playground supervisor, so my shift is only 2 hours) on Friday. I am still a little sore on the ball of my foot, but am getting around town with no help and have been driving since about a week and half post-op (which was much faster than last time, since it was my left foot this time). I've had great luck with this surgery, and as a long distance runner, I was easing back into running (with short 1-2 mile distances) at 3.5 weeks post-op last time. I'm hoping to start at 4 weeks this time, but that just depends on how my incision looks, and how much pain I am still feeling in the ball of my foot after another week. I know my results are probably not typical, but just wanted to share as a reminder that everyone is different, and for me, this surgery has improved my quality of life more than I can say! BTW, last time I DID have that "walking on a marble" feeling for several months...it was a strange feeling, but not painful like the neuroma was. I also had random nerve feelings and a major loss of sensation for quite some time. It's been a year and a half since my first surgery, and while my two outer toes still have some numbness, most of the numbness/tingling has vanished.
Anonymous said…
I am scheduled for surgery in three weeks and am scared to death. I just know I cannot live like this though and nothing else has worked.

I have been suffering with my MN for over a year. Up until a month ago, the pain would come and go and was manageable. The pain is so bad and I had the nerve blocks done that just irritated it even more.

My issue is that I do not do invasive surgery well. My body cannot even get a piercing without reacting negatively. I do not heal well. I have nerve issues anyway. I have had nerve damage in my back from an old surgery that should not have had anything to do with my back. It was something the doctors could not explain. I cannot EVER get an epidural. Two abdominal surgeries and I was back in the ER after the epidural was removed for a bad reaction. I have travelling nerve sensitivity that flares up occassionally and it feels like a sun burn on patches on my skin. I even recently tried to get Essure and was one of the 10% it does not work on.

I have had a bad acchilles tendon that required 3 months of PT and tennis elbow in both arms. I am petrified that something will happen and I will again be that small percentage that it does not work on or that cutting on my nerve will cause my body to rebel even worse. I want to call it off, but this is has got me down so bad I cannot go shopping. I love to exercise and I have a home business on the side that I make extra money at and requires me to stand alot.

Ugh! I am dreading this!
Anonymous said…
To recent post,
You have had alot of struggles with your and I understand how scared you are I fell almost two years ago, a fall down the stairs in my home. I injured both feet but right one was the worst . I tore alot of ligements and was in massive amounts of pain for nine months. Got sent to pt and with time my ligements healed but I was left with a bone that shifted and a neuroma. I was told I needed surgery because my bone would just keep shifting causing more trouble with the neuroma I was so scared that I kept puttimg it off. I was scared of being in more pain than before scared of being mangled etc...I am now for weeks out from surgery and have not been able to do any wt baring due to the bone that had to be fixed I've been in a cast with no wt baring but this friday I get cast off and into a boot with partial wt baring..I will also have to go thru more pt...In the end I finally surrendered to god and put it in his hands...My best advice is to make sure you have a good surgeon and that he feels with all the other health conditions you have going on that its not a high risk surgery ask alot of questions make sure you feel comfortable with the dr's answers ...The scriptures say that by his stripes we are healed...I will keep you in prayer....
God bless
Anonymous said…
Hi everyone,

This is Tayna and I have a question that I'm hoping one of you can answer and say its a normal part of the healing process. I had mn surgery and bunionectomy surgery both done at the same time and I'm now 4wks post op and I have had some of the odd sensations that some of you spoke about. I have some stinging in the tips of my toes and in the area of my incisions also some on bottom of my foot in between the toes where mn was removed. I have noticed some aching in all the same areas as well which is on and off, have any of you experienced this ?
Shari said…
Tanya, I don't know anything about bunionectomy recovery, but everything you're describing sounds familiar as far as the MN surgery. I had some stinging now and then and pulling sensations around my incision areas even after it looked completely healed. My understanding is that it isn't fully healed inside even when it looks healed externally. And just now when I scratched the arch of my foot, I had nerve ending sensations in the ball of my foot where the neuroma was removed. I am past the one year anniversary of my surgery by a couple of weeks. So this may be a permanent side effect, but it's no big deal to me. I have to touch a certain spot on my foot to cause it. I don't have it when walking or doing exercise or standing. And it's not pain. I had aching feet for a long time and I didn't have the bunionectomy. Remember that surgery is a trauma to the feet. It's invasive. So even though it's correcting something, it takes a while for all of that tissue to recover. I have aches in my body where there has been no trauma -- just from age and use! So I can assure you that aching is a part of the recovery. It will get better.

I count on all of you to give feedback when I am unable to give a prompt response to a question or comment. And you haven't let me down! I apologize if I miss someone occasionally. I am sometimes at the computer when I get a question and other times not. Sometimes I forget to come back and check in! My feet are not on my mind all that much these days. But I'm so happy my blog is reassuring others because I remember my own apprehensions, questions and worries!
Anonymous said…
Hi shari,

This is Tayna, thanks so much for your response I'm glad to know that what I'm experiencing is normal I was getting a little scared. Most of us have delt with mn for a long period of time and the pain along with the odd sensations of that. So to feel some similar sensations and achyness ect. after surgery kinda got me worried, but you have reassured me to give it more time and as long as I am following dr's instructions to the letter I should be fine. I will keep you updated. On a side note have you been watching the mini series the bible on A&E on sundays its awsome?
Shari said…
Tanya, I'm so glad I can put your mind at ease. I remember constantly wondering if I was healing normally. My doctor really minimized the recovery. But when his nurse removed my stitches, she told me he did. She was the one who urged me to give my feet lots of extra rest whenever they felt achy or swollen and to be patient. I also found the one other blog with lots of details like mine. And when I started reading other patients' recovery details, I knew I was doing fine. I had that one bump in the road with the stitch abscess. But it resolved within a week. If you haven't seen that blog post, you can search for it in the tool bar at the top.

I have recorded every episode of The Bible but have not started watching it yet. I keep hearing mixed reviews, but I know I will eventually watch the whole thing. I don't like when artistic license is taken with the Bible. But I will watch it as a drama and not as a documentary of history. A lot of people have pointed out inconsistencies with Scripture in certain episodes. However, overall I think it's positive. I'm happy there has been such an interest and so much buzz about it! I've seen the producers interviewed, and their intentions seem very good. Glad you are enjoying it!
Anonymous said…
Hey all :) V. Yeager:

...& a happy 1 year anniversary to you Shari! When I first looked up this blog, it was to get answers as to IF what I was feeling was 'normal' & the posts were both reassuring & the information also helped me to be more informative in asking questions with my nurses & the surgeon.
I look forward to when I am not thinking of my feet every time I get up. I know that's coming because the healing is making good progress now that I can tell. I'm makingit through stores without buggies, standing longer, walking better, can bend my toes MUCH better. But 14 weeks out I do still have pain in the toes & where the incisions are on both feet, the area feels tight. The tops of my toes are sensitive & sometimes almost itchy/sensitive...I just keep rubbing them, icing them, & give them rest! I think I am one of the ones that the 4 MN's were HUGE & is taking a bit more time to heal...so if anyone has very large ones, my posts may talor more to you.
To the person above with all of the health issues & is very nervous about going into surgery,I 2nd what the person who responded to you said. I have a LOT of problems myself. Fibromyalgia, CFIDS (chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome), bad neck/back, bad reactions to any surgery I have had. Discuss these thigs with the Dr THEN discuss them with the anesthesiologist!!! THAT's what I did!!! & they madea world of difference in the way I came out of surgery & recovery. I did my part in getting the info & giving it to the doctors but I did also give it over to God as well as I know he sees my struggles. After the surgery it IS pretty rough & it did exacerbate my other conditions but I just powered through, gave it time to heal, did what I was supposed to do & trusted these people that have posted on here & what my Dr has said. So if/when you do have the surgery & there is something that you aren't sure of, you can read, ask & gain knowledge. I pray for you to get your answers & be at peace with whatever decision you make. I have been asked if I regret my desicion b/c it is taking so long to recover....NO, I haven't. Even though 14 weeks out, I don't know what this 'normal' feeling will be yet...I'm still in the fight to get there. I know it will be better than what I was going through for 3 1/2 yrs.

btw...I am watching The Bible. It's good, a couple of things maybe in it questionable...but overall, very well done. Anything that makes me feel closer to God is good. But am I the only one who thinks the man portraying Jesus is absolutely gorgeous?!?!?! :))) or what?!
:) Happy healing everyone!
manelle said…
Hi...
im about to go in for a consultation with a surgeon about the mortons neuroma... my left foot I suspect has two... and it also has bursitis.
im getting my right foot done as well I hope...
but im petrified. I love the gym and exercise and im just so scared that ill never be able to do anything like that again.

im wearing a horrible looking boot on my left foot to calm down the bursitis...I lost my job and am doing my 4th yr of uni instead of working because I didn't really have a choice. and I know I need the op but its so scary. im only 22! :(
this is the first blog iv read that seems like it may actually fix my problem.. I read that the nerves can grow back a little and become more painful than before...
basically im freaking out!!!
Katy from Michigam said…
I had surgery on BOTH FEET on 3/13/13, I had been in terrible pain for the past 1 1/2 years, I wore my shoes from the moment my eyes opened because I could not walk barefooted, and taking a shower was hard I felt like I was literally standing on my bones! I encountered many foot problems at once, I never knew this pain existed, I went to 2 Podiatrists, the 1st gave me shots & foot exam and said I had neuromas in each foot, pf, tendonitis, and major calf pain, the 2nd gave xrays, and shots, and the Medrol pack, also had ESI for calf pain, and I finally got some relief, or so I thought, it started all over again! So back to the 1st Dr I go. Shots again, and exercises, motrin, and ice, he said I need surgery to get rid of this, Boy was I a nervous wreck. I am so thankful to have found your sight and I know that I am not alone and some of my fears, questions are answered here from other posts. I am recovering at home on the couch as many of us are, it is a long recovery for which I thought I'd be doing better at this point, 19 days recovered, I am still very swollen on the balls of my feet and am taking motrin/naproxyn for swelling and ice, how much longer til I get relief? Is there a turning point? Also I was wondering if anyone experienced night sweats? I wake up soaked. The Dr did give me a shot (he says the same shot I have been given thru out this ordeal)a steroid derived plus some other ingredients such as vit B, these shots make me anxious, do they have that effect on anyone here? I know I had both feet done at once so that may be prolonging my recovery. Zings and Zaps, and the swelling, UGH! I also want to add that I also have fibomyalagia which I have read is very common with Mortons Neuroma. Any Meds out there to calm these nerves down?
Anonymous said…
Shari-
Thanks for your story and your comments! I am having surgery next month and making preparations. I wondered if you ran into any particular trouble since you had both feet/neuromas done. I have the same issue in each foot and would rather take care of them at the same time - but envision myself on crutches for ever. It seems like for you the post surgery shoe was a great help? Any particular suggestions for having both feet out of commission for awhile?
Shari said…
In response to recent questions:

I did not run into any particular trouble having both feet done at the same time. I felt like it was more convenient to get them both over with simultaneously. In my thinking, if I was going to have to sit around with one foot up and take pain pills, why not sit around with both feet up and take pain pills? I couldn't imagine going through the whole procedure twice. And I never regretted my decision. I never even used crutches. I just hobbled around, keeping my weight on either my heels or the sides of my feet until it was comfortable to let the balls of my feet touch the floor. At this point, I would have to go back and read my own posts to remember details of each stage of my recovery. I couldn't even tell you when I started to walk normally, etc. It's been over a year now and I'm doing great. My best advice is just to be patient and plan on giving your feet lots of rest. Don't rush the recovery period. Especially with both feet. You'll be a little more incapacitated at first, but you'll be glad you got it all done at once. Bathing was a little more complicated initially, since I had to keep both feet from getting wet. I stepped into a tub/shower, then sat down with a hand held sprayer, hung both legs over the side of the tub, then turned the water on in the tub. I kept my feet outside the tub the whole time, but doing this enabled me to enjoy soaking in the hot water a bit (which I found relaxing) and then rinsing off/shampooing my hair with the shower sprayer. I then waited for all the water to drain, put a towel on the floor of the tub, stood up in the tub and then stepped out of the tub to dry off. I did all of this wearing my post-surgical boot to protect my feet. You have to allow yourself plenty of time as every move has to be methodical and not rushed. You will be exhausted by the end of showering, washing and drying your hair. But it wasn't as hard as I expected it to be. I was very careful, not wanting to trip or fall. That was the trickiest part of having both feet done at the same time. I was surprised at how quickly I was able to hobble around in those boots (without crutches).

I have never had fibromyalgia and I did not have any other medical issues along with my MN. But I have had a mild case of shingles and I have had two episodes of frozen shoulder. So I am well aware of nerve pain and how hard it is to endure. I had a lot of radiating nerve pain with my shoulders. I didn't take anything specifically for the nerve pain. But I did take hydrocodone for a while, a muscle relaxer and anti-inflammatory. I just hate the side effects of taking medication, so I wanted off of everything as quickly as I could.

I did not have night sweats from the surgery. I do have hot flashes because of age-related hormonal changes. But they were no worse during my recovery.
Shari said…

Manelle, at age 22, I would definitely have the surgery. You have a long life ahead of you. You don't want to live with MN limitations for the rest of your life. I don't see any reason why you wouldn't have a great outcome. I wanted to do it before I got any older because the younger we are, the better our bodies heal. I think you'll do fine. Just be realistic and patient. The recovery takes a while. I have addressed stump neuromas and nerves growing back in either previous posts or comments because that question has been asked before. My doctor said a stump neuroma always forms where the nerve is cut. But how the end is place in the muscle is the key to avoiding future neuroma pain. That's why it's so important to get a surgeon who really is an expert at this surgery. My neuroma pain is completely gone in both feet. But I still sometimes have some weird sensations from the cut nerve. They don't bother me. It's just a reminder that something painful was removed. I've never been bothered by numbness or any discomfort other than healing from invasive surgery.

I've never had any shots other than cortisone injections. I didn't require physical therapy or any kind of follow up care other than stitches out and one other follow up visit, which consisted of telling my doctor I was doing great.
Oops! Its Katy from Michigan, I forgot to include on my prior posting; I am curious to see how many people had their Neuroma sewn into the muscle and those who jus had the nerve cut (as I did) seems as some have a much shorter/less painful recovery. Also how long can I expect to take antiflammatories? They don't agree with me Motrin 600 or I Naproxyn 500, I think I need a different type of antiinflamatory, and I used crutches the 1st week to help me get around. Thankfully my husband was laid off and able to assist me daily which I am truly thankful for, I had both feet done and was unable to do anything besides lay on the couch!
Shari said…
Katy, I took Advil as needed. I can't remember how long I took it regularly. But I would occasionally take it when I knew I was going to be on my feet or for swelling here and there for a while. I didn't have a lot of severe pain after my surgery. I wasn't on pain meds for long, but I don't remember details. I believe I did give those details in follow up posts. This is only the first blog I posted. I shared periodically over a period of months. So you might want to search for morton's neuroma posts in the search bar (top left) and refer to those as well as this one (if you haven't). I don't think mine was sewn into a muscle. My surgeon described it as "tucking" the end of the nerve into the muscle.
Anonymous said…
Funat56...keep icing. The PT & Drs office still drill that in to me 16 weeks in now for me. & I still massage. This has done wonders for the recovery. My feet when swollen feel knotty & tight at times but I haven't had a sensation of walking on any pebbles (or scar tissue forming) at all from this.
I would not at all start any PT with stitches in! I had my stitches out at 10 days & didn't start any PT until week 5. & when I did my incisions opened still. This surgery/recovery will not let you rush it. It takes it's own time to heal & you have to listen to what your feet are telling you they like & don't like. You have to give them ample time to heal before you start to manipulate the area with PT. I was told to leave them alone & I did. I have 4 incisons, at least 1 inch each with very large neuromas.
I've found there are no 'large turns'...all of my 'turn arounds' have been small victories...but am feeling much better now. It DOES get easier.
@ Katy, I am not sure what my Dr did as far as sewing, tucking. I asked about it & he assures me that he got it right. He's done a few thousand of these surgeries & has done sports injuries for professional basketball & tennis teams.
V. Yeager
my2girls said…
Fun@56...sorry for the late reply. (I don't visit this site as often now that I am 4 mo. post-op and feeling much better.)I didn't start physical therapy until 8 weeks after surgery. I wanted to start sooner but my doc said the incision needed to heal and sweeling reduced a bit more before I could begin PT. My toes and ball of foot were very swollen up until 8 weeks. What I learned at PT was that icing was extremely important. They used gel ice packs that wrapped around my foot and then wrapped a pillow case or a wrap similar to an ace bandage to tightly secure the ice pack tight against my skin and left it on for 10 minutes. Sometimes I thought my foot would literally freeze off but it made a huge difference as compared to using an ice bag. I continued using this icing method at home and in just one week all of the swelling was gone. Now when I'm on my feet all day I ice them in the evening using the gel pack and ace bandage wrap. I know it's easy to get discouraged, but the healing process really does take a long time. If you think your foot is not ready for PT then it probably isn't. Ask your dr. if you're not sure. Hang in there, it will get better!
Sheryl
Anonymous said…
Had my surgery on March 1. I did pretty good the first 2 weeks then I have had a stiff foot and ankle the past two weeks along with nerve pain sensations throughout my foot and ankle. Doctor said this is part of the healing process. The doctor also said I could go back to work April 2. Is this common? Some days it is worse then others. Do you think it is healing correctly? I will appreciate any comments or digestions. Thanks
Anonymous said…
Sorry suggestions!!
Anonymous said…
Hi everyone

This is Tayna again I got my cast off friday and into a airwalker cast, I had mn surgery/bunionectomy surgery. My question is after mn surgery is it commom for the ball of your foot to feel swollen /knot like feeling where mn was removed? That is what I'm experiencing currently and wondered if it is normal, what do you do for it?
Thanks in advance for any response
joe said…
I've been badly misdiagnosed for the last 7 years and have been living with pain since 2006. I've been to many doctors only to have them guide me in the wrong direction until this month. Recently, I got an MRI done on both of my feet that showed extra soft tissue in the areas where I've been experiencing numbness and pain.

The soft tissue are neuromas in between 2nd and 3rd interspaces of both left and right foot; at least this is what MRI report states. I've gotten one cortisone shot with very little relief, if any, so far. I go in for another cortisone shot for both feet next week. Doc says that if cortisone shots don't work she wants to try alcohol injections. Has anyone tried alcohol injections? Any advice? It seems wrong to try to kill the nerve.

This blog is giving me hope, but recovery from surgery seems to be very long and that scares me. In addition, I already have a lot of electricity going on in my feet right now. It's been difficult to sleep when these little electrical storms happen. Shooting pains seem like a major side effect right after surgery with major swelling. Just a little apprehensive of taking the plunge if need be.


Any advice is welcomed.
Shari said…
While I can't give medical advice (not being a doctor) and I am in no position to tell anyone what they should or shouldn't do, based on my own experience, I would say not to be afraid of the surgery. The electrical impulses we've all talked about following the surgery is not pain. They are just little sensations when certain areas of the foot are rubbed (in my case). I have never had any pain since surgery that compares to the pain of Morton's Neuroma pain. Yes, the recovery takes time. But I never had a single day of wondering if I should have done it. The pain of the recovery was less than I anticipated. And with a recovery, you know that the soreness and swelling is going to lessen over time. There's light at the end of the tunnel. With the neuromas, you just have more of the same to look forward to. My neuroma pain steadily worsened. And I was not willing to accept the limitations on my lifestyle that neuroma pain dictated when I had the option of having normal feet again. I don't have electrical "storms" in my feet and never did have that -- even before surgery. My sleep was never affected. I just couldn't wear any shoes but sandals or Merrells. And both walking and standing caused pain. I had to give up every form of exercise I loved other than riding my semi-recumbent bike. Even tennis shoes, Danskos and flat sandals resulted in pain by the time I realized I had to have this surgery to have a normal life. I've read about other people who did the alcohol injections and advised not to bother. And the cortisone is just a temporary fix. Steroids shouldn't be used too often as they have their own set of adverse side effects. If you have a good surgeon who is experienced at this surgery, I would say to just get it over with. But I base that on my own good results. Nobody can promise you that you won't have a complication, that's the risk we all take with any surgery. But I just didn't think the recovery was grueling at all. Lengthy and gradual, yes. But not that difficult.
I again need some advice, so Thanks again for this site, and please keep posting because there are a lot of us still out there going thru this, and to be able to read others experiences has been a blessing. I had my stiches out at week 3, its not so bad, but being in there for 3 weeks they start to get comfortable in there, I had both feet done at the same time, and yes I would advise it if both feet need it, 1 surgery = 1 recovery. My question is the day after my stiches were removed as I awoke and started to walk I felt as if I had burst the scar open, very paiful, I checked and it seems to have spread a bit but it felt as if it was deep inside that opened, the 2nd day same morning feeling, not as bad but still there. Anyone have this happen? My other foot hurts somewhat but not like my left. I don't know if since the stiches are newly out that the tissues were held together and now they have the chance to relax/spread open? I phoned the Dr of this and they said it was normal and to stay off them, I have taken extremely god care of myself to ensure a good recovery. Yes I think the Dr's under estimate the recovery. Now the Dr says 3 months to recovery and will get swelling for a year, its an up and down process but at least there will be light at the end of the tunnel, so for the above post, just get the surgery, plan for it and better days will be ahead. I am just worried about the pain I am enduring with the scar pain and that feeling of the scar bursting open when I put weight on it. I appreciate any feedback if anyone has experienced this? Also, I am interested in the ice pack therapy, do I just buy a gel pack and put it on the skin and wrap w/ace bandage for 10 mins? I know icing is the key for swelling. Thanks! Katy
Also I wanted to pass along some advice my Dr gave me: He said to put my "walk fit inserts" in my surgery shoes, (the notorious back ones with the two Velcro straps) Lovely! I tried this, and wow, what a difference, its like heaven! we all know that relief. I will say that my feet are swollen making my width wider, I am going to put double stick tape on the bottom because they sometimes tend to shift around, not much but I feel that will help with comfort, I highly advise this as it as been great to get some sort of comfort with the surgical shoes. Also for those wondering about massaging, I asked when to start massaging and dr said not til after the 5th week as there is a lot of healing that needs to take place first. I have learned and accepted I must allow time to heal and not to rush things, I'll only set myself back if I do too much too soon, I know this is a longer process than many of us expected, especially if you have both feet done at once (advisable) but I am looking forward a pain free foot future!
Shari said…
I did have that feeling as if the inside (under the stitches) was still trying to pull apart. It was explained to me that there are layers of tissue having to heal beneath the skin and they don't heal as quickly as the outer skin does. Also, I had a stitch abscess -- which you can read about on my blog in another post. The internal stitches are suppose to dissolve over time, but sometimes they are "rejected" instead and work their way back to the surface, poking through the skin around the incision. You will know if this is happening (I posted pictures). And don't be scared. It doesn't happen to everybody. But it did happen to one of my feet and I was worried that I had caused it by overdoing. But sometimes it just happens. The thing is, you just want to stay off your feet if you feel discomfort. But my doctor continually assured me that I couldn't do any damage. I could only cause swelling and discomfort.
Anonymous said…
Hi shari
I had surgery about a wks ago and have noticed at week 6 that half of my foot pad is a little swollen and feels hard kinda like a knot. Did you have this and if so how long did it take to go away? The triage nurse at my dr's office told me it was normal and most of it would dissolve and the rest if any could be worked out. It has me worried I have never had any other surgery so I have nothing to compare it to.
This is Katy again and my stiches were removed last week, and Thank you Shari for sharing your experience of the inside stiches, I too experienced that problem. I am now 4 1/2 past surgery and wondering if I am going to get any better? This is a much longer recovery than my Dr. told me before surgery, now at my visits he is being more realistic by informing me that I won't be glad I had this surgery for another 4 weeks, with a total of 3 mos to really appreciate the surgery. I still have ball of foot pain along with my body being out of wack from walking on the sides/ball of my FEET. I am wondering what kind of shoe to try as I am so tired of the surgical shoes, I am hoping to find some that are EXTRA CUSHY, with good support. Also should I even buy any right now with my feet being swollen? If anyone has any info please pass it along and please give model#'s or as much as you can to help me in my search (not feeling up to shopping these days)! I am hoping to find some sort of shoe that is not too costly as I probably will have to replace them when my swelling goes down? my Pre-surgery shoes are too small, I hope someone out there has some suggestions, Thanks for any input.
OOPS, I meant sides/HEELS of my feet, surely I cannot yet walk on the balls of my feet yet! Any clue of when You experienced walking on balls of foot or normally? How about barefoot? Sorry to overload with all these questions, it just has been a long recovery.
Shari said…
Hi Katy,

Have you read any of my other updates besides this one? You can search morton's neuroma and/or surgery update in the search bar (upper left) and they should all pop up. I can't remember details anymore of when I did anything! It's been over a year now since my surgery and I've been feeling good for so long that it's all gotten a bit fuzzy in the way of details. But I'm sure I blogged about your questions along the way.

The first shoes I wore were a pair of Merrells and I know I posted a picture of them. I think it was in the four week post surgery range that I tried them. They are made of thin material and had plenty of room in them for my walkfit orthotics, which keeps your weight more on your arch and off the ball of your foot. Most of my shoes fit a little snugger after surgery. Even now that there's no visible swelling, I sometimes feel like my feet are just a fraction bigger than before surgery. I can still usually wear an 8 but some shoes that were loose are not loose now. And I bought a pair of flats in an 8 1/2 just because they seemed snug in my normal 8. But I haven't gone up a size across the board. It really depends on the shoe.

I never regretted the surgery, even in the early weeks. I expected more pain than I had. And I noticed gradual improvement. Every once in a while I'd worry about something and wonder if it was normal, but I was always assured it was. At this point, I am SO glad I went ahead and did it and got it behind me. You will be too.
Anonymous said…
Dear Shari greetings from Brazil ! Thank you so much for your blog. I am 15 days after surgery and could not find anything good about the surgery until I found YOU ! This wonderful internet tool allows us to connect around the world... All the symptoms you descrobed so well.... I wish you all the best and for your husband recovery !!
Andrea
Shari said…
Funat56...Yes! You will have swelling for months and I also had the bruising after surgery. It just takes time. I am so far past my surgery now, I can't remember details of when I experienced certain things and when they got better. But I updated my progress several times on my blog. This is not the only post-surgery update. So if you want to read more details, just enter surgery and/or recovery in my blog search bar. You'll get numerous posts popping up with how I was doing at different intervals post-surgery.

Thank you, Andrea! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know my blog was helpful to you!
mara said…
I am now 7.5 weeks post surgery, and i want to tell anyone considering doing the surgery... Do it!!!
Dont worry about the internet horror stories. They are few and far in between
I have been back at the gym fir 2 weeks now and feel good while exercising... Stairmaster and bicycle
I dont limp anymore with shoes on... Still cant walk barefoot cause it feels like a wlanut is stuck to the ball of my foot, and , if i walk a bit, my foot is really achy and sore feeling on top.. In the arch area, not sure why.
Also, it is a few millimeters bigger in all directions, so shoes are tight on that foot
But all in all, so far so good! Super glad i did it!
Am dreaming of a nice pair of shoes in the not too distant future!
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