Had carpal tunnel surgery yesterday

[MaryB]

Doc said it was the worst he had seen, I have an incision that is 2 1/2 inches long because he had scar tissue to deal with from the first carpal tunnel surgery. He also cleaned out some crud from the base thumb joint, he thinks I broke off a bone spur and had been grinding it up in the joint for 7 months. Might need more surgery on the thumb down the road to fix it. All from the car accident in Nov. Had no wrist problems until I bent the shift lever with my hand... can't wait to get the wrap off tomorrow and change the bandage to something more comfortable. I can already tell the difference though, 2 middle fingers aren't as numb. As the swelling from surgery goes down that will improve more.

[Bzcraig]

Praying for a complete healing for that hand and the other injuries from the wreck.

[NewbieDave007]

I'm glad things are feeling better. I was supposed to have it done around the first of the year but I've been too busy with work (and a little chicken), but it's good to hear from someone that's going through it.

Is this your dominate hand?

Thanks.
Dave

[MaryB]

Yup, my right hand so I am being a lefty. Good thing that working with hand tools fixing electronics taught me to be ambidextrous. The only thing I can't do very well lefty is hammer a nail. But I really really want a shower and doc said NO until Saturday. Then I can plastic bag the hand and duct tape it and hold it high to keep it dry. And no range trips for at least 2 weeks [smilie=b:

[NewbieDave007]

I guess I'll be lucky whenever I go in since it is my left.

About ten plus years ago I had surgery on my right hand to repair some tendons and that wasn't pleasant.

Did you say that you've gone through this before? If so, how's the PT?

[facetious]

I work with a guy who broke his right arm and had it in a cast. He said the hardest part was learning to use TP with the other hand.

[MaryB]

Yeah wiping lefty is ummm, different... PT wasn't really much, mainly stretching exercises.

[altheating]

Had both of mine done last year. Yes the numbness went away immediately, I mean immediately during surgery! A week later I had laser eye surgery on both eyes. Talk about being able to shoot better, being able to see the target and being able to feel the trigger , what a difference. Dr said to wait till the bandage was off to take a shower, no way no how I could wait that long. I put a plastic bag over the hand with a rubber band around my forearm! Held it high and hit the shower daily. He'll I even went in the pool that way. The surgery only took 15 minutes each.

[trapper9260]

Hope all work out for you and it stay taken care of for you.I have carpal tunnel in both my hands and one was due to when I broke my elbow when I was in the navy.so after all these years I learn how to live with it.not count other problems but that s how things work out. was told by some that they had the surgery for it and then later on it came back so hope it all work out for you.

[Lloyd Smale]

dont do what i did. I had my right done and had a shoot to go too a week afterward and got stupid and took out my 500 linebaugh and on the second shot it just felll out of my hand and I said a very decriptive ouch. that hand was sore a year after. the other hand was healed and all pain gone in about 2 months.

[searcher4851]

Good luck and wishing you a speedy recovery.

[DR Owl Creek]

I wish you Good Luck, and a Quick Recovery too!

Dave

[leadman]

I have had both done, along with 2 thumb joints fused and one replaced with a ceramic ball. Several tendon releases also. Take it easy on the hand and it should heal up alot faster.

[fryboy]

i learned to shoot left landed long ago ,also hammer a nail - not as good as right handed but way better than i write left handed ( but then again considerin' that writin' never was my strong point ...lolz ) thankfully the 'puter types somewhat easier to read :P
sadly as we get older we also heal slower , this is actually a time that zinc is our body's friend ( erm now dont go chewin' ww's tho as multi-vitamins are the easiest way to get it ) when i couldnt shower/bathe i did alot of sponge baths [uuggh] the only thing that saved me was a friend who was a hairdresser who gave me a discount just for a shampoo , i can cover an extremity but the body would be a trick !
think of it as a "half" vacation ! give your right arm a couple of weeks off ( yes'm it's hard to not try to use it ) and a bit of limited duty afterwards for a bit ,somethings are better for the waitin' ( except that no shampoo deal ) and also consider if your fone or 'puter has vocal capabilities ( talk to text/type etc )

[TCFAN]

Just went to the doctor yesterday and was told I have carpal tunnel in both hands.Just have to love that test that they gave me to find out that I need surgery.The doc gave me 3 shots to ease the pain and relive the numbness that I get at night.She did say I will need surgery some time this winter if not before......Terry

[Bad Water Bill]

Young Lady

Does that mean I have to wait for a DRs OK from your DR before I or others can start picking on you AGAIN?:bigsmyl2:

The only thing my DR will OK for me is a complete committal.:oops:

[smoked turkey]

I have been there and done that. I wish I had not waited so long to have it done. According to my doctor, the longer you wait and the older you get makes a full recovery less and less. He told me the numbness would likely remain. It has been years and for the most part my hands still are some numb like being asleep. The doctor said his goal was to reduce the pain I had in my hands to the point I would be able to sleep at night. Before the surgery most nights I would have trouble with hand pain. I would get up and sleep (sort of) in my recliner in the living room for three or four hours each night. The pain went away so now if I have trouble sleeping it is not from hand pain. I would say to TCFAN, Terry don't wait too long. Mary, glad you are now on the mend. Just stay away from those big bore handguns!

[MaryB]

Trust me, after seeing the 3 inch long incision that is J shaped all the way down onto my wrist I won't be shooting! Wearing a wrist brace to keep from flexing the wrist but doc said typing was okay, need to move the fingers as much as I can stand. Might try shooting lefty, be a good skill to learn... soon as I can pull the slide back with my right hand

[GT27]

Just went to the doctor yesterday and was told I have carpal tunnel in both hands.Just have to love that test that they gave me to find out that I need surgery.The doc gave me 3 shots to ease the pain and relive the numbness that I get at night.She did say I will need surgery some time this winter if not before......Terry
Technology is not so great sometimes,as we use our hands more in this day, and age!:shock:
I agree,the test is like a medieval torture device,shocking the nerves in the arm, and the hand to get response measurements,but after that its all downhill,use vitamin E oil on the scar after it heals, and massage it daily to lessen the scar tissue,unless you want to leave it, as chicks dig scars! The surgery is well worth the prep though,but I do recommend one hand at a time unless you have a wife thats willing to do the TP thing for you,(good luck),or you are really a great contortionist, and can wipe yourself with your foot!!!:bigsmyl2: The longer you wait,the more damage it is doing leading up to atrophy ,and the weaker the hand will be post surgery...Don't wait,get it done asap!

[TCFAN]

Technology is not so great sometimes,as we use our hands more in this day, and age!:shock:
I agree,the test is like a medieval torture device,shocking the nerves in the arm, and the hand to get response measurements,but after that its all downhill,use vitamin E oil on the scar after it heals, and massage it daily to lessen the scar tissue,unless you want to leave it, as chicks dig scars! The surgery is well worth the prep though,but I do recommend one hand at a time unless you have a wife thats willing to do the TP thing for you,(good luck),or you are really a great contortionist, and can wipe yourself with your foot!!!:bigsmyl2: The longer you wait,the more damage it is doing leading up to atrophy ,and the weaker the hand will be post surgery...Don't wait,get it done asap!

Thanks for the info.I was thinking of having both hands done at the same time,but I might rethink that now.As for the scars I just turned 70 and don't really have any "chicks" that would care one way or the other...........Terry

[trys357]

Speedy recovery .. I'm being accessed for carpal tunnel both hands at the VA July2.

[flounderman]

wife is due for thumb reconstruction, carpal tunnel, and releasing some nerves, in a couple of weeks. Pain in the thumb she says is the worst pain she ever experienced, and shes been shot. A technique I try to teach to women that have problems pulling a slide back, is to hold the slide with the weak hand and push the gun forward with the other hand. You can use your whole hand to grip the slide instead of just finger and thumb.

[Newtire]

I had carpal tunnel done and quit going to the PT. It was hurting my hand worse. I started doing things that I used to do and it all got better. Took me about 6 months to finally get over things to where I forgot about it.

What screwed me up was where they asked me to test out on a "Squeez-o-meter"(?) and I just gave it my all. Take it from me, don't do that. Next time they asked me to do that, I just gave it a little squeeze and put it down. Told them, "No thanks!" It'll get better though.

[MaryB]

I can lead to permanent nerve damage in the wrist that affects the fingers so I would get it fixed.

[MaryB]

What they did on my palm and into my wrist

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/2014-06-21_13-44-30_157_zpsf46c8c67.jpg

And back of thumb where they cleaned the inside of the joint

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/2014-06-21_13-44-11_259_zps172234f2.jpg

[Bad Water Bill]

Looks like you had a lady surgeon.

They generally make nice neat stitches and little scarring so I have been told for many years.

[MaryB]

Dr Lee, oriental guy, funny, easy to talk with

[MT Gianni]

I hope that you are continuing to heal and soon resume a full schedule of fun filled hobbies.

[MaryB]

healing but no way would I even think of firing a gun. Forgot and picked up a gallon jug of water from the fridge. After my eyes quit watering I used my left hand lol