Hammer toes...Got them?

911 said:
I have no idea. Medicare and my supplement paid the bill, which I never saw. It was a very easy operation. I was in twilight, but mostly awake, just not real alert. I thought that I would wake up with some huge bandage on, but I only had a gauze pad and a piece of tape over my toe. Doc told me to leave it for a day and then just put a Band-Aid over it. I was able to take it off to shower.

I’m sure that your foot doctor could tell you the costs before you decide.

Before having it repaired, I had pain
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Sounds like good news. To me that is.
 
Ruth n Jersey said:
I have a hammer toe as well. My drug store carries a little silicone cap that you slide on the toe. When the pharmacist showed them to me I thought they were condoms. I'm glad I kept that thought to myself. Anyway, I'm sure it won't fix the problem but it relieved the pain for a whole day of walking.
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I have bunions on both feet, but the doctor said if they aren't painful don't have any surgery. So, I haven't.
 

Irene said:
The only thing that can repair bunions/hammertoes is surgery, sorry, not these plastic things they sell. I have bunions on both big toes and bad hammertoes - thanks Mom! ;-) I've learned to live with it, but no cute shoes for me! And no surgery. I've gone this long with it. I know it affects my gait, and causes sciatica (comes and goes), but I've learned to deal with it, good days and bad days.
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Well, I don't have major hammer toes like that picture. I have them. Do they get more prominent with age?
 
gennie said:
See a Podiatrist. I had two extremely painful ones and the doctor fixed each with a ten minute process that required no 'twilight' time, no pain other than for a deadening shot, no recovery limitations, no pain since and immediate straight toes. He finished with a simple Bandade and I wore my regular shoes home.

It took two separate visits because Medicare would only cover one per visit. Six months later: no pain, straight toes.

As to cost, Medicare and my supplemental policy took care of all costs but even without insurance, there is no reason it should be expensive. It was an extremely simple procedure.
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Straight toes! Are they fused now? Can you bend them?

I was at my podiatrist's Friday, and we went thru all kinds of options. I have hammer toes, and my last 2 toes before the little one (which is folded under kinda) are bent so much that I can't wear some shoes. That really pisses me off too.

I've been trying to find some tennis shoes , but can't because of my dang toes..

Podiatrist said my toes would fuse if fixed. Idk what to do.
 
dobielvr said:
Straight toes! Are they fused now? Can you bend them?

I was at my podiatrist's Friday, and we went thru all kinds of options. I have hammer toes, and my last 2 toes before the little one (which is folded under kinda) are bent so much that I can't wear some shoes. That really pisses me off too.

I've been trying to find some tennis shoes , but can't because of my dang toes..

Podiatrist said my toes would fuse if fixed. Idk what to do.
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They don't bend but they don't hurt and I can wear any shoe I want. Probably would have trouble with stilettoes but I'm long past that age. However I am to the age that I don't do any running, jumping, etc.
 
I was thinking after I posted this that it's prob better to have them straight and fused, than bent and fused.

At least I'd be able to fit them in to a pair of shoes. And they wouldn't look so deformed in sandals.
It's embarrassing.
 
My procedure was so simple that it was not a money making thing for the doctor.

I apologize for my skepticism but that might figure into a doctor's enthusiasm when an alternate procedure could help his office revenue more.

The reason my procedure called for two visits was because Medicare would only pay for one toe a visit.

However, even when the two visits were separated by several months, Medicare refused the second toe so I eventually paid $200 for the second toe even though it should have been covered. Losing the pain made it worth it to me.
 
gennie said:
See a Podiatrist. I had two extremely painful ones and the doctor fixed each with a ten minute process that required no 'twilight' time, no pain other than for a deadening shot, no recovery limitations, no pain since and immediate straight toes. He finished with a simple Bandade and I wore my regular shoes home.

It took two separate visits because Medicare would only cover one per visit. Six months later: no pain, straight toes.

As to cost, Medicare and my supplemental policy took care of all costs but even without insurance, there is no reason it should be expensive. It was an extremely simple procedure.
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I am very interested in what this procedure was. I have hammertoes on both feet but only two are really high - one doctor in Florida wanted to do one foot at a time, the pin surgery, and my doctor in Maine said "well I can make alot of money with that surgery but you wont notice any difference" Wow. Probably getting a third opinion. I have a toe cushion and am just stretching them - pushing them down - my self and going to see if that helps. Major surgery sounds tough and I am very active so sitting around for 5-6 weeks would suck big time.
 
ChimeraKip said:
I am very interested in what this procedure was. I have hammertoes on both feet but only two are really high - one doctor in Florida wanted to do one foot at a time, the pin surgery, and my doctor in Maine said "well I can make alot of money with that surgery but you wont notice any difference" Wow. Probably getting a third opinion. I have a toe cushion and am just stretching them - pushing them down - my self and going to see if that helps. Major surgery sounds tough and I am very active so sitting around for 5-6 weeks would suck big time.
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I can sure understand about not wanting to sit around for 5-6 weeks. I am not up for that either.
 
ChimeraKip said:
I am very interested in what this procedure was. I have hammertoes on both feet but only two are really high - one doctor in Florida wanted to do one foot at a time, the pin surgery, and my doctor in Maine said "well I can make alot of money with that surgery but you wont notice any difference" Wow. Probably getting a third opinion. I have a toe cushion and am just stretching them - pushing them down - my self and going to see if that helps. Major surgery sounds tough and I am very active so sitting around for 5-6 weeks would suck big time.
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I have the middle toes that are hammer toes, but give me no pain or discomfort.
 
My masseur gave me some of those toe separators that the nail techs use for pedicures. He said it will help straighten my toes that tend to bend under. I have yet to try them.
 


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