I’m not a medical professional but I agree with @Knowsstuff about ChatGPT. Don’t use ChatGPT to get medical info, advice, or suggestions. ChatGPT regularly (on a lot of topics) is incorrect.
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It typically agrees with what you want. It’s how you prompt it as well. Open evidence with search for medical citations. But you also have to have some medical knowledge sometimes to help make sense of it all. I work on the backside of medical AI. We set the guardrails etc. Lots of discussions on this as well.
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@conmama what kind of shoes have you been wearing for the time since your bunion surgery.
That’s an important question. I have a bunion, and I have donated almost-new shoes that I thought would be okay, but ended up hurting. I just grin and bear it, because if it hurts, it’s out.
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Thank you!
Since it’s summer I have been wearing Vionic sandals with arch support. I wasn’t able to even wear sneakers because of the bursitis by my pinkie toe. It’s something I’m a bit concerned about now that we’re just about done with summer.
She trued cortisone injections on the bursitis location but it didn’t work. The 6-pack prednisone did the trick each time.
As far as exercises, I’ve been pulling my big toe out and down per her instructions. Pulling my big toe up is great, and pushing down by itself is getting much better.
When I have tones of manageable swelling, where it seems I’m healing, my gait is great. Then I’ll try going for a walk outside for 10-15 minutes and it flares back up the next day. I’m in the process of buying new Altra sneakers with a wide toe footbed and more flat on the bottom. I trued hokas and it really hurt the ball of my foot.
I keep thinking it will resolve itself when I have those days I feel like it’s doing well and I can walk ok around the house, etc.
I used to know the inventors of Altra. Lol. They have been bought out since. Also look at Kuru shoes. Many of my female patients swear by them. You can look up per pathology also. KURU Shoes for Pain Relief and Comfort | KURU Footwear KURU Shoes for Pain Relief and Comfort | KURU Footwear
Without seeing x-rays etc (no I don’t want to lol) it’s hard to o have an opinion. I have been where you are as the surgeon. Usually people heal fine especially after doing one surgery on one foot. I don’t think I ever had someone not do the contralateral one after but have had some that took much longer. We usually say it takes a year for healing but I am not even sure I fully believe that. Lol.
It my cases (your not going to like this next statement. Lol) it was mostly the patient used to doing the first one then took more liberties on the second one.
Did I ever tell you about the patient that had a bunion sx done then spent the next day and weekend standing in 90 degree weather at Lolapololazza. Ha. Yes. People do that. She couldn’t understand why she was swelling. These are educated people also. 
I can 100% honestly say I never did anything to compromise my healing. I had it in February and even in March when the pin came out I was pretty much housebound. Sat elavating my foot. I’m retired so could do that and did it!
Did you ever have any patients like me that truly were slow healers (crossing fingers that is it) and it took a year or so to heal?
I’ll take a look at those sneakers. Thanks for that info!
Yes.
So they did actually use a pin?? That is very interesting to me. Not that it’s wrong but most use a screw these day’s. I wonder why? If the bone is “soft” due to another issue is the only reason I would use a pin . I was trained in pins /wires then screws/plates etc. They all have their places.
I say pin not knowing the proper terminology . It was probably a screw.
not me
Sorry. Just go with it. Lol. I need coffee. Lol.
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Keep on them (the doctors!) lately I find I need to be my own (noisy) advocate more than in the past. It’s proven that women are not taken very seriously when it comes to health issues.
I hope the MRI gives some information that’s needed! 
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@conmama,
I hope everything works out well for you.
Surgery is always an unknown with recovery.
I got my MRI results back. Many things look ok according to the report. These were the negatives
- Mild thickening of the medial collateral ligament at the great toe.
- Low level marrow edema within the sesamold
- Subtle soft tissue within the third webspace but dues not extend to the plantar soft tissues
Conclusion:
- Focus of is soft tissue edema plantar/lateral to the 5th MTP joint. Findings suggest chronic pressure related change, no adventitial
- Focus of asymmetric soft tissue fullness plantar margin of the second webspace. Although subacute changes of prior capsular sprain or capsulitis at the second MTP joint favored, small neuroma could have this appearance as well. Clinical correlation is needed.
- Mild reactive marrow edema tibial hallucinations Sesamoid
- changes of osteotomy of the first metatarsal neck with solid bony fusion. The remaining bones of the forefoot are intact without edema, fracture or malignant.
@Knowsstuff , in layman’s terms what is he saying if you wouldn’t mind reading it. Thank you!
I am somewhere hiking in the Pocono Mountain area. But tell me exactly where your pain is?
But it’s pretty much a normal post surgical read.
My my apologies for interrupting your vacation. The pain several places. Mostly right under my 2nd and 3rd toe. It’s swollen, achy, sometimes throbs and swells bad. The ball of the foot swells too.
The outside of my foot by my pinkie is swollen and throbs.
Then sometimes everything seems to calm down.
I had a Morton’s neuroma removed on the other foot 3 years after he did that bunion surgery.
Please enjoy your vacation and don’t concern yourself with answering. Thanks!
Have they tried separate local injections to the areas you hurt in? Also diagnostic ultrasound is better to visualize the neuroma etc that you have actually.
So these are separate issues than the bunion.
Have you tried orthotics. Sorry I forgot if you answer that.
They only tried an injection around the pinkie tie about 4 months ago as she thought it was bursitis and it didn’t work. The 6 pak prednisone did for all the swelling.
I’ve only been wearing vionic sandals with arch support. I’m trying to find sneakers. You mentioned Kuru above and I’m also going to order Altra. I just never had this issue with the other one.
I am asking about real orthotics. Not something with an arch support.
On x-ray when looking at your AP x-rays there is something called a parabola. Look at each metatarsal head’s. The second one should be longer then the first with a stair step going down to the third metatarsal head then fourth then fifth. 1st and Third should more or less be the same height.
Are you seeing this?
On the lateral x-ray is the 1st met head raised?
These would be things to know. If they didn’t inject the neuroma, why?
I don’t have the X-rays nor custom made orthotics. I’ll raise this at my appointment next week. I’m assuming the custom orthotics will take the pressure off and allow it to heal, then the best outcome is just back to normal? Have you ever had a case where where the swelling never went down?