Carpal Tunnel Surgery

[halfpenny43]

Anyone here had surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ??

i'm going under the knife this afternoon - no keyhole surgery for this done in NL so regular "open the hand, snip and stitch" type job.

Have been told that it will be done under local anesthetic, there there will be some pain / discomfort for up to two days afterwards.
I have to keep the hand elevated, not use it for 2 weeks etc etc etc. They are attacking my left hand - i am left handed.

As I've never had any sort of operation before - I just want to understand what to expect from people that have had it done.

Cheers
1/2p

[halfpenny43]

Well that wasn't pleasant.

[M400 NBL]

I hope you make a speedy recovery. When I train wrists I get a lump that momentarily appears in the centre of my wrist on the inside of my hand, and then painfully disappears.

Can I ask you what symptoms you had for carpal tunnel?

[halfpenny43]

M400 NBL said:

I hope you make a speedy recovery. When I train wrists I get a lump that momentarily appears in the centre of my wrist on the inside of my hand, and then painfully disappears.

Can I ask you what symptoms you had for carpal tunnel?

For years I'd been waking up in the night with a "pins and needles" type sensation. I'd started to notice it more recently when typing long emails or documents and also holding the steering wheel in the car. We took a vacation in May renting a small canal boat and navigated through 50-something locks - tying the ropes off at each lock, and I found that in the mornings my hands were completely swollen and very painful - so went to the quack.

He referred me to the Neurology department of my local hospital who wired me up to a machine that sent small electric shocks into the hand and they measure the response. The results were my left hand (I am left handed) was 100% "gone" and my right hand 75%.

I had the op on my left hand yesterday. Took around 20 mins in total.
The put 2 small injections of local anesthetic into the base of the wrist and slide the needle towards your hand. I squealed like a baby.

The surgeon was explaining what she was doing at each cut - cutting the skin, cutting through muscle, cutting the tendon etc. Because I was quite tense I think it hurt me more than it should - she kept asking me to relax, but I didnt find it easy (I rarely relax when someone is not hacking into my hand !).
7 or so stitches, a plaster, bandage, pressure glove and sling.

The wound is pretty painful and sleeping with the arm raised on a pillow was not comfortable.

I am supposed to keep the hand elevated till Thursday, then I can remove the pressure bandage. The remaining bandage and stitches come out on the 23rd.
During that time I am not supposed to use my left hand for anything in order for the scar tissue to form correctly under the skin where the tendon was joined previously.

Showering with a bloody plastic bag tapped to my arm was . . . entertaining !

[M400 NBL]

Cheers for your reply. I don't have any pain unless i'm doing certain exercises (I train for arm wrestling so these exercises are important)so it's nowhere near as serious as what you have described. Good luck with your recovery and keep us updated if you don't mind.

[halfpenny43]

M400 NBL said:

Cheers for your reply. I don't have any pain unless i'm doing certain exercises (I train for arm wrestling so these exercises are important)so it's nowhere near as serious as what you have described. Good luck with your recovery and keep us updated if you don't mind.

Sure.

Not quite as sore today but more painful than I expected.

[AMLK]

I am not sure I should have read about your op. I had the tests done just over a week ago and was told I had severe carpal tunnel in both wrists. I am currently waiting to hear from a orthopaedic hand surgeon as to the next steps.

Please update this and tellme that you now have no pain what so ever and that you previous post was a wind up!!

Though to be honest I am sick and tired of the pins and needles, numbness and pain I am getting that anything will be better than this.

[halfpenny43]

AMLK said:

I am not sure I should have read about your op. I had the tests done just over a week ago and was told I had severe carpal tunnel in both wrists. I am currently waiting to hear from a orthopaedic hand surgeon as to the next steps.

Please update this and tellme that you now have no pain what so ever and that you previous post was a wind up!!

Though to be honest I am sick and tired of the pins and needles, numbness and pain I am getting that anything will be better than this.

Hello AMLK

Maybe I'm just a wimp

It's still sore today but no pain as such.

I know exactly what you mean about how fed up you get - I am suffering a bit with my right hand now - trying to work typing emails, but the pins and needles are getting worse than they were before.

You'll be fine

Steven

[Steamer]

Just to spring this one back to life.

How are things going after the op?

I'm not 100% sure if what I'm suffering from is CT as I've not been to the docs. Strangley (seemingly) both right and left started acting up at exactly the same time.. No real reason, I'd not been doing anything out of the ordinary. Just started noticing dead / tingly hands in the morning for a few seconds. This was about 2 months ago.

I also had what seemed like 'trigger finger' for a few days too.

After you have the OP is it a constant weak point - or do you get back to original strength after you recover? Ie: nothing is going snap if you do a press-up or lift something heavy?!

[halfpenny43]

Steamer said:

Just to spring this one back to life.

How are things going after the op?

I'm not 100% sure if what I'm suffering from is CT as I've not been to the docs. Strangley (seemingly) both right and left started acting up at exactly the same time.. No real reason, I'd not been doing anything out of the ordinary. Just started noticing dead / tingly hands in the morning for a few seconds. This was about 2 months ago.

I also had what seemed like 'trigger finger' for a few days too.

After you have the OP is it a constant weak point - or do you get back to original strength after you recover? Ie: nothing is going snap if you do a press-up or lift something heavy?!

Hi,

Your symptoms sound similar to mine. I'd had the pins & needles in my hands for years but just put it down to being over-weight, no exercise and too much work - but certainly worth getting checked out.

Is it a constant weak point ? Too early to tell. I still until next Monday have 9 stitches in my hand and although I've now taken the bandage off, I am not supposed to be using the hand.
I have noticed that my hand is very weak, and I have limited movement in my thumb - for example I cannot move my thumb to touch the little finger - But I'm guessing (hoping) that this is due to the stitches and needing some physio.

But time will tell and I will keep you posted once the stitches are out.

Cheers
1/2p

[halfpenny43]

So a quick update. Had the stitches out today and the whole wound recovered with a plaster, as the skin surface is still open - however the surgeon assures me that the tissue and muscle under the skin is mended. Apparently the skin on the palms of your hands is similar to that on the soles of your feet - quite hard - and will take a few weeks to fully close and heel.

My wrist and palm is quite sore, and I'm supposed to take regular breaks whilst performing activities, but can start using the hand again. The full strength will not return in my hand for possibly 3 more months so I have to keep it exercising.

Am I now going to have the right hand done ?

I'm going to wait to be honest as I'm still not sure if the pain of the op is yet worth the results - early days I know, but not yet clear.

I'll keep you posted and if your not squeamish will put a picture of the wound on here later

[Steamer]

yes - thanks for the updates! At least you are 50% of the way there now.

I think I need to see the scar.

Does it itch? Reason I ask, I had a piece of glass cut my wrist (by accident!) and even ten years later the scar tissue still itches from time to time.

[halfpenny43]

Here you go - only a small format incase people don't like that sort of thing.



The area around the wound is itchy from the bandage I think, and the skin is so freaking dry It looks almost amphibian !

[Steamer]

The thumbnail looks worse than the big picture actually..

Is it too early to tell if the 'early morning' numb hands has gone away yet?

Also - did you notice general pain in a couple of your fingers as the symptoms got worse? I'm not sure if its just in my head now I'm aware of the problem, old age or just worn out generally!!

[anonymous-user]

halfpenny43 said:

Here you go - only a small format incase people don't like that sort of thing.



The area around the wound is itchy from the bandage I think, and the skin is so freaking dry It looks almost amphibian !

It looks better enlarged. As a small picture it looks a little like a bad girls parts

[halfpenny43]

garyhun said:

It looks better enlarged. As a small picture it looks a little like a bad girls parts

LOLOL

[halfpenny43]

Steamer said:

The thumbnail looks worse than the big picture actually..

Is it too early to tell if the 'early morning' numb hands has gone away yet?

Also - did you notice general pain in a couple of your fingers as the symptoms got worse? I'm not sure if its just in my head now I'm aware of the problem, old age or just worn out generally!!

Yes pain in all the fingers except the little finger. Not constant - when driving from holding the steering wheel, writing in meetings, or lots of typing

[SunDiver]

Please do update this over time. Very interested in this.

I've had carpal tunnel issues for a couple of years now. Intermittent P&N (much worse at night) in the thumb to one side of ring finger - little finger is a different nerve (ulnar instead of median) so if anyone has that, it's something else.

Anyway, had the tests - confirmed median nerve compression. Arranged for the CTR op and then cancelled at last minute...:-) I need to have it done at some point - just wasn't looking forward to the inconvenience more than the pain...

Hoping to hear your hand returns to its former glory...! Good luck.

[GTIR]

Incidentally, it was quite common in the 80's and early 90's for MotoGP (500cc Motorbike riders) to have that operation due to the strain on the wrists from fighting with the beasts they rode!

They were back riding in no time!

Hope your recovery goes well.

[AMLK]

Just wondering how you are getting on? I hope you are now completely free of symptoms. Will you be going ahead and having your other hand done?

I have had a letter from the orthopaedic surgeon to say I have been put on the waiting list for surgery. I am not looking forward to the op & recovery but since I am in constant pain now and really struggling with everyday activities I know that the op cannot be worse than this.

Couple of questions - How long were you off work? How long before you could drive again? - Driving is one of the worst activities for me, and since I have a 45min journey to work I am finding this increasing difficult.

Thanks,