Post-Operative Lateral Ligament Reconstruction with InternaBrace

So, I tore my ATFL in my right ankle about eight years ago, back when I used to run too much as a teenager--and it took them years to finally realize that I was actually very hurt and not just complaining about simple sprains. Well, I underwent surgery at the end of last month with a great orthopedic surgeon in my area, and I'm still non-weight bearing at the moment, but I was wondering if it was normal for me to be feeling some pain still. I got the surgery on the 28th of September and I'm still in a cast. The pain I'm feeling might be in my head, but I feel like I can feel where they drilled into my bone. I don't know if I'm psyching myself out or not, and I'm doing great besides that weird pain. I have minimal swelling, the stitches (I had 5 small ones) have been removed, and I'm able to feel my foot and move my toes and stuff. But I was hoping that either this bone pain is in my head or that it will go away very soon because it's annoying.

For those of you interested, this is what they did to me, but be forewarned, the video is very graphic:

Link to Video

Anyway, I have no metal in my ankle--and according to my surgeon the fibers they used will eventually become part of my body. I think it might be a fairly new procedure, but I'd appreciate any input from knowledgeable sources.

a reply to: rukia

i know these are not the same but still. surgery is surgery

my wife had a lipoma removed from her upper back 2 months ago. super quick and routine surgery. she still has pain.
i had surgery on my hand after an accident at work a little over 3 years ago. it still hurts ALL the time. enough to where i am on a good deal of vicodin every day.

i had a spinal fusion done 16 years ago. took a piece of bone from my hip and fused with with a titanium cage and a cadaever bone. i still get pain from that though it is not bad. more like discomfort but i was in pain from that for about 5 years.
from post 5 years till now, so 11 years it has been an annoying discomfort.

that is the long of it. the short of it will be the lame ass 'everyone is different' answer.
some people bounce back from x surgery immediately and others can have the same surgery and never be right.

sorry man

a reply to: TinySickTears

Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that! This is my first major surgery--I heal well, and I'm still young--so hopefully I'll be right as rain shortly. Just got kinda freaked out and was wondering if feeling a drill hole is even possible. I think that the chances are it's probably me overthinking it.

Regarding my recent surgery, I didn't take much of my pain meds from the start (I got Percocet) because the idea of pain meds don't sit well with me--although I took one today because my pain was getting kind of irritating. But being on Vicodin for so long doesn't sound like a very good idea to me. Have you considered alternate therapy for your pain? I hope everything works out for you, too.

a reply to: rukia

thanks for the well wishes but honestly, no i have not thought about other methods.
im fine with the meds.
every 12 months or so i have to get on something else for a bit to let the ole liver recoup. the acetomenophin is bad for it.
i dont take many anymore.
couple a day

a reply to: rukia

Orthopedic surgery takes time to fully recover from. I had acl and maniscus surgery and it took me months to get off of crunches and to feel normal again. I also experienced Phantom pains, like there shouldn't be pain but since my body was in trauma for so long my body kept a memory of that pain. It takes at least 4-6 weeks for bone to heal itself. You're still early in recovery. If your really worried then bring it up to the surgeon at your next appointment or call the office and speak to the Dr's nurse. If your supposed to be doing PT keep it up, you don't want to have a build up of scar tissue and lose your range of motion. Good luck!

a reply to: ckhk3

Thank you! That makes me feel a whole lot better. ^_^

a reply to: ckhk3

some phantom pain never goes away.
i lost most of my ring finger in that accident and i get a lot of pain where there is no finger