Hand surgery

[murph1]

Anyone have surgery on their hand to correct the thumb? I will be having procedure for correct thumb,trigger finger and carpel tunnel on my right hand. I am looking for ways to keep my arm raised for 3 days to keep the swelling down. Recoup time is 12 weeks.

 

[adimice]

I've had it done to both hands, at different times. In office procedure with a local. Felt like the Doc was taking a tire off a rim. Healed fast, I even mowed the lawn with a push mower the same day. Maybe not the smartest move.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Anyone have surgery on their hand to correct the thumb? I will be having procedure for correct thumb,trigger finger and carpel tunnel on my right hand. I am looking for ways to keep my arm raised for 3 days to keep the swelling down. Recoup time is 12 weeks.

No help here, but you sure have my sympathy. Sounds like a long, painful ordeal ahead.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Had bilateral carpal tunnel release in 2015. Palm was real tender and was uncomfortable to use a wrench or mallet in the shop but a few weeks later it was all good. Took 7 weeks off from work. Did right hand first, next week did the left.

Brett

 

[747driver]

I had carpel tunnel surgery 20 years ago on the right wrist . Effected the middle finger,forefinger and pinkie finger. Also moved the Ulnar nerve in right elbow...bone spur. Took off work 8 weeks, but took at least 1 year to get back to some normalcy. The surgery fixed alot of problems .....YEA

 

[Bird]

I don't know about the thumb problem, but I had carpal tunnel surgery on my left hand on Aug. 4, 1997, and on the right hand on Sept. 3, 1997. But the time I had the surgery, my pain was so bad that I had quit going to bed at night; just sat in my recliner. When the first (left hand) surgery was done, I overheard the surgeon telling the anesthesiologist that it was the worst he'd ever seen. The day after the surgery, the nurse called and asked if I was in much pain, and I assured her that I was hurting bad . . . not the hand that had the surgery, but the other hand. They said they liked to wait three months to do the second hand, but I finally convinced them to do the second hand after one month; instant relief.

Of course it does make a difference as to whether you get the right doctor. My mother had carpal tunnel surgery in another town and it didn't help. Then she had it re-done by the doctor I used, and that fixed the problem

 

[Dutch445]

i'm scheduled for both hands endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery 2 weeks apart , one nov 30, the next dec 14..
i'm hoping you have a speedy recovery! i expect to take a couple days off work each time, and basically
be on light duty, mostly desk work for a few weeks.

 

[Alien]

Me too. Seems to be all the rage at the moment... Left thumb, left index and middle fingers and right index finger. Thumb is carpal, fingers are trigger finger or Vikings disease. That is early next year. Monday coming I will be in hospital again for a re-do of a surgery I had a couple of months ago.
The hospital is getting to know me well, or at least some parts of me...

 

[arpt209]

My oldest brother had some type of ligament repair on his right hand. Can't tell you what it was but he had some pieces of All Thread sticking out of the back of his hand and the base of his thumb. He said he had to go back to the doctor every few weeks "to get his nuts tightened". I guess this went on for months. Don't know if he just enjoyed it or if it was a legitimate part of the treatment. He seems to be doing much better now several years later. I have carpal tunnel & hate the fact that my hands go numb. Plucking at a keyboard seems to make it worse. The next day I spend more time shaking my hands to try to get my fingers to wake up. I have to have the surgery but will wait until the wife is all done with chemo & radiation and I can have a couple of other more important surgeries done first.

 

[rustyshakelford]

i'm scheduled for both hands endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery 2 weeks apart , one nov 30, the next dec 14..
i'm hoping you have a speedy recovery! i expect to take a couple days off work each time, and basically
be on light duty, mostly desk work for a few weeks.

If you can talk them into doing them one week apart do it. Quicker recovery and less down time

Brett

 

[oosik]

I've had carpal tunnel done on both hands/wrists - at different times. As I remember, it healed fast and really didn't upset my daily routine that much. Initially right after surgery and for a couple days thereafter it felt like a deep bruise. This was done around thirty years ago and has not been repeated on either hand/wrist. Done with a local anesthetic with a sheet draped down so the patient can not see the operation. If the doc stops during the operation and asks "would you like to see?" - I strongly suggest you decline. I SINCERELY wish I would have. I'm sure glad he remembered how to put it all back together.

 

[ultrarunner]

It's been 15 months since I snapped the tendon in one finger...

Doc said I should let nature takes it's course... still not 100% but continues to improve so I am grateful.

As a result I have not been doing the strenuous work I had been... no concrete work, framing, roofing and heavy mechanics... all my callouses are gone and I have never had hands so soft.

It takes time and we do a lot of hand surgery at work... for some it's the pain that makes the decision easy to opt for surgery...

Don't overdo... let your body be your guide and for carpal tunnel... don't use your hands and especially palms has Hammers.

 

[3Ts]

I had carpal tunnel surgery and elbow at the same time. After the surgery I could not make a fist and should have been able to do so. Doctor grabbed my fist and forced it closed - I screamed. I could not hold on to things after the surgery, even a piece of paper. However! after healing for many weeks I gradually got the use of my hand back. It is now better than before the surgery and I have full motion and strength back. I just didn't heal as fast as the doctor expected me to.

 

[murph1]

Thanks everyone for the advice and get wells. Surgery is on 12-8. December will be interesting for sure.

 

[poncho62]

Had the carpal tunnel done on my right wrist about 20 years ago....Froze it in his office. When he cut it, it felt like a pair of side cutters cutting a piece of wire. My left wrist bothers me now, but at 65 I likely wont bother with it.

 

[oosik]

Murph 1 - not to worry. I'm sure the Dr has told you - this is out-patient surgery. Just remember - every day after the surgery, you will feel better.

 

[ultrarunner]

We probably do about 12 a week... so far no complaints and some of the staff has had it done here...

They do get over a month of leave... a lot wanted to use their sick leave before the company was sold... so a lot of surgeries just prior.

 

[ArlyA]

I had both my wrists cut. One done in the spring and the other in the fall, so as to miss less work. My work is snow related and in the fall and over the winter months. (no one would miss my anyway) Nonetheless, my CTS was so bad, I was being woke up at night from it and happy to say, the surgery worked.

Good luck.

 

[Dutch445]

If you can talk them into doing them one week apart do it. Quicker recovery and less down time

Brett

i'm hoping to continue working light duty, computer/office work after the surgeries. they recommended doing the dominant hand first,
so it has a head start healing before doing the 2nd.

i did have both hips done same day 5 years ago, and missed 6 weeks of work, and was glad to have both done and over with at
the same time, although there were some delays getting out of hospital as i lost quite a bit of blood during surgery so they kept
me for a few extra days

 

[murph1]

Any idea's for gadgets to keep the hand raised above the head ???