Personal stories about surgery for bunions

These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.

Darlene, age 54: I was really surprised when I read that fewer people have painful bunions in parts of the world where they don't wear shoes. I guess I didn't realize how much my choice of shoes was affecting my foot until the pain got so bad that I asked my doctor about it. She asked what kind of shoes I usually wear and if I had tried wearing shoes with a lower heel and more room in the toes. I was skeptical. I mean, women have been wearing heels for decades! But I told her I would try it for 1 or 2 months and see what happens. I'm not much into surgery if I can avoid it at all.

Leslie, age 47: The dress code at my company requires women to wear suits, preferably with skirts and heels. Although I have switched to the lowest possible heel with the widest toe box, my bunion is still really painful. I can control the pain with anti-inflammatories, but the medication irritates my stomach. I'm going to have surgery to see if I'll be able to cut back on the medications and have less pain.

Giacomo, age 40: I'm an active person. I like to run and hike. My bunion is making this difficult, but I really don't like the idea of surgery. For the time being, I'm making changes in my shoes. I've cut my running shoes to make room for my bunion and use pads in my hiking boots. I've also made sure my work shoes are roomy and comfortable so I don't make things worse. So far, this has been working.

Marjorie, age 60: I really enjoy my daily walks with my two dogs, but lately it has been pretty painful. My bunion rubs on the top of my walking shoe and feels like it's going to wear a hole right through it. I've thought about cutting a hole in the shoe, but that doesn't seem like a reasonable option for every pair of shoes. It's important to me to be able to keep walking comfortably, and my doctor tells me that my type of bunion has an excellent chance of successful repair. I'm going to have surgery.