Carpal Tunnel

[brekin67]

I am having carpal tunnel surgery this week. Have you had the surgery? If so, how long did it take to recover? Anything else you can tell me about it would be appreciated.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

My wife and my father both had the surgery. They both said that the pain from the surgery was horrific and that they would not have done it if they had known. Both took over 6 months to "recover". It did resolve their problem, but at a real cost.

However, that was more than 10 years ago. I understand that the technique used today is different and much less painful/difficult to recover from.

 

[brekin67]

Thank you.

 

[Tink888]

I had the surgery done on both hands about 20 years ago when I was in my early twenties. I want to say that it was about six weeks total recovery for both. Surgery was done on the first hand, two weeks for stitches. After the third week I had the second hand done and by the end of week six I was all set and back to work.

I don't remember it being overly painful. I didn't need anything more than tylenol w/ codine. Just inconvenient not having the use of my hand while it was healing.

The surgery did work. I haven't had any issues since.

 

[EdiePA]

I had my right hand done five years ago. I had very little pain post-op, only needed one Vicodin the night after surgery.

I was off from work for three weeks because my job involves so much typing. For awhile after surgery, I did have some numbness at the surgical site, but that went away.

I was so glad that I had it done -- I didn't realize how many things I had given up because of the carpal tunnel (knitting, cross-stitch)

HTH
Edie

 

[chyam]

I had the surgery done on my left hand Oct. 28th..I didn't have any pain, nothing that an Advil wouldn't take care of...and I really didn't need that! I took it mainly as an anti inflammatory. They took me into surgery at 6:45 and I was awake at 7:15 wondering when the heck they were going to do the surgery!..by 7:45 I was out of there and we were at Panera having breakfast...they told me not to drive that day, and honestly I did later that evening. I had a soft cast on for a week and then a bandage over my stitches for another week, then I started Physical Therapy....and actually had more pain after those sessions then at any other time...I had perpared myself for the surgery before hand by doing extra grocery shopping etc. so I wouldn't have to do to much lifting.
My left hand was so bad that I couldn't even tell if my hair was wet anymore. I have not had any tingling since before the surgery.
I was able to use my computer keyboard and type as usual the same day as the surgery.
As far as recovery time it will depend on your job...they told me 6-8 weeks. I ended up being off for 12 weeks because my job requires lifting and pushing and pulling also working 12 hour shifts, but an office person probably would be back to work in 4-6 weeks. The only problem I had was my wrist stayed swollen and black and blue for along time, another reason why they kept me off.
I would and will have it done on my right hand later this year, it was the best thing that I could have done. I have never been in a hospital, never had stitches or anything before so I was a little apprehensive.
I have heard some horror stories but I do believe the surgery has come along way since even 10 years ago. And it also depends on your Dr. and their experience.
I am quite happy. Any questions feel free to ask. and good luck.

 

[brekin67]

Thank you for your responses. I have been nervous, but I feel better now after hearing from you.

 

[ragdoll]

DD had carpel tunnel surgery two weeks ago. Right after surgery she and her fiance went out to lunch and shopping for several hours. Now, I must tell you that she has a very high pain tolerance and nothing keeps her down. But this should give you some reassurance. She was told to start to use it right away even though it was wrapped pretty good for the first week. She did say that it is more painful this week but I'm guessing that is because she is following doctors orders and is not babying it. She isn't scheduled to go back to work until the first week of March as she is a dog groomer and really uses her hand a lot. Good luck! You will do great! Please let us know how it went.

 

[Witch Mountain]

I had the surgery several years ago. I think I took a couple of pain killers the same day as the surgery and that was it.

My doctor said he normally told patients six weeks before they could go back to work, but he'd done previous surgery on me and said I could return in three. (with a lift restriction of 20 pounds for a month) However, because he wanted to make sure that I followed his orders, he rolled gauze the size of a softball and wrapped it into my dressing. It sure made getting dressed interesting.

I have had no post op complications. It doesn't hurt unless I am moving the contents of a house, which I seem to do far more than I'd like. Heck, a friend is a nurse and was asking about my wrist surgeries and couldn't even find the scar.

 

[chyam]

You will have to keep it real dry for the first week if you have a soft cast like I did, I used umbrella bags or newspaper bags over the cast to take a shower, and if I had to go somewhere nice I went into a cheap salon and had my hair washed and dried, since it was a little hard for me to really scrub my head...lol and yes dressing was a little harder than normal but it just gave me an excuse to go b**less and real casual around the house.
You will be fine. I took pictures of my scar after they took the cast off and it did look pretty awful since it was black and blue. But not really painful. Good luck and let us know how it goes for you.

 

[goofyernmost]

I had my left hand done about 6 years ago. They used what was called a Beere(sp?) Block. It was done Microscopically. All they did was put a numbing agent in my left arm. I was awake for the entire procedure (about 15 minutes) and then sent home as soon as I was able to move my fingers. (immediately). At the time I drove buses so I actually waited 3 weeks before starting back. No problems and no more symptoms. No pain at all and no physical therapy required.

The Right hand I had done about a year and a half ago. Same procedure. Same results. By then I had an office job so I had the surgery on Friday morning and was back at work on Monday. It started to ache a little by around lunch time so I left early and was back in on Tuesday morning. No pain (just the slight ache), no problems, no physical therapy. Both are like new now and I have never had a reappearance of any of the symptoms. If that isn't what your Dr. is intending to do...ask about it. Mine warned me that once he got in there, if he saw anything that might not be fixable under the microscope he would have to resort to the standard method which is a little more painful and has a longer recovery time.

 

[tvguy]

I guess I just have been lucky, or inherited good structure in my hands.
The people I work with that have had the surgery were always the ones that were in jobs involving less typing, and were far younger than me.
I'm 53, played piano as a kid, and typed on a MANUAL typewriter for the first 10 years of my career, and spent 40 hours a week on a computer keyboard, and untold hours at home on the computer, no issues. Although some of my coworkers say I really BANG the keys on the computer keyboard, like I am still using a manual typewriter. Maybe that's a reason too.

 

[Witch Mountain]

You probably do, TVGuy.

I rode a bicycle 50-75 miles a week and played piano two hours a day when I had my first RSI crop up at 13. Some people (like me) must just have lousy luck. That was DeQuervain's, which is an inflamed tendon sheath. Had them removed in both wrists at different times in my 20's. Then reconstruction after I shattered my wrist, bone spur surgery as a result of that, then carpal tunnel. That's why my doctor knew what kind of recovery I should expect. All but the reconstruction were done under the Bier Block.

Even though I've got lousy grip strength in general, I'm still the go to person in the house if a soda or water bottle won't open. Weird.

 

[kellyg403]

I had the surgery done about 6 years ago and it was the best thing I ever did. At some point, I will get the left done. I remember it being painful the first day, nothing that ibprofen didn't handle though. I never filled the pain meds they gave me.

I was out a total of 6 weeks, but that was only because my work does not allow you to come back if you have any limitations. So, I could have easily gone back around week 3 for light duty.

Kelly

 

[TimeforMe]

DH just had the surgery this past Tuesday. The whole thing from entering the office to leaving was about 1 hr. It's his right hand and he is right handed so it's a little bit of a hassle, but he hasn't really been in much pain at all. It's just wrapped in gauze bandage with a sock over it with the toes cut out. He's taken a shower a couple of times and just has to make sure it's covered with a plastic bag so as not to get wet. He's only taken the vicodin twice since the surgery and really says it's felt pretty good. He could tell the difference immediately in how his hand feels; especially when sleeping. He would wake up every night, several times a night with numbness, etc. He's so glad he had it done and will have to eventually have the left hand done as well. He goes back in 2 weeks and I guess will find out then when he can return to work, but most likely in 3-4 weeks. Good luck--it's a piece of cake (according to DH).

 

[Simba's Mom]

I had the surgery about 9 years ago, and like others, I'm so glad I did. The surgery began at 7:00am, and by 8:30 I was home eating breakfast. There wasn't much discomfort. I do remember going to WDW just 3 weeks later, and the only problem was that I couldn't use a knife in that hand yet to cut meat. So I still remember my pre-cut prime rib at Cinderella's Royal Table.