ganglion cysts anyone?

[LMC]

Yes, I have had them on both wrists about 15 years apart. My first one was on L wrist and it developed fast and was very painful, guess cuz I'm L handed and used it alot, had the cyst removed. Then the R wrist got one and I waited until I could not stand it any longer and had it removed. Recoveries stunk as it they were in a splint for 3 weeks and then I had therapy. At least on the second time I knew what to expect at therapy and how to get my ROM back quickly! Just have it removed when you can't stand it any longer.

 

[C.Ann]

My son has one between his thumb and pointer finger. Our doctor said it used to be called a Gideons cyst because they would whack it with a Bible to break the cyst.

My late DH had one on the back of his wrist from his teen years on - and this is exactly how he took care of it - whacked it with a Bible.. It would be fine for months and months - come back again - and he'd whack it with the Bible again..

Can you tell he wasn't big on "doctoring"?

 

[Chim Chiminy]

Sounds like I am the only one with one on the ankle!

My doctor did say they are usually caused by an injury, in my case I hurt myself working out.
The size varies, the doctor also said that is caused by fluid filling in and then leaking out. Sometimes it is huge and really noticeable, at at those times it hurts more. Other times it is smaller and just an annoyance.

Never heard of whacking them with a Bible, that sounds painful!

 

[focusondisney]

I've had 2: one on my foot, in front of the ankle. That 1 got kind of big & of course, became painful to have my shoe on. Got it removed, off work for 6 weeks coz it got infected & I'm on my feet all day at work. Second one developed about 4 months later on my wrist. That one was uncomfortable but not "painful". Afer just having the foot done, I didn't want more surgery. I did some online research & read that they can go down with massage. I massaged the area several times a day & after several weeks, it did go down. Now it is almost completely gone. I can still feel it, but it very small & only occasionally uncomfortable, like if I'm typing too much or something like that. Good luck!

 

[mykidsand_i]

I asked my Dr. about hitting it with something or doing the 'shot to take out the fluid'...

There are problems with both of those. In a ganglion cyst, there are two layers. There's the outer layer/bubble. It is made of a stronger material that won't go away unless removed by surgery, or if this 'poison stuff' is injected into it and that poison eats away at it- which doesn't sound very good!!! The second part to it is the fluid inside of the cyst. If it's 'hit and explodes' then, you get rid of the 'lump' only because the fluid is gone. The problem with that is, that you still have the outer layer/bubble left. And if that's left, the cyst almost ALWAYS grows back. Sometimes when they are 'banged on or popped' then, infection can start- because that material can cause infections if not taken care of properly.

My Dr. is doing the surgery in a week or two. I have infection in my wrist- right under the cyst. AND my cyst is wrapped up in tendons, nerves that go through my hand and into my fingers and a few blood vessels. I will choose to do it the safe way, because I don't want to loose feeeling in my hand or fingers.

NOW, my question is this. For the people who HAVE HAD THE SURGERY...Did your Dr. choose to put you under completely? Or did he/she just give you a bunch of shots under your arm pit area to deaden all feeling in your arm? I am wondering how they do that. Last time I had this surgery, they just gave me the shots under my arm pit area. It was painful! That area is very sensitive. I'll do anything to get rid of this thing, but I'm just wondering, that's all.

 

[Arielle22]

I had one on my left wrist about 10 years ago. My doctor offered to hit it with her large medical text book or wrap in in an ace bandage.

I went with the ace bandage and it went away in a couple of weeks. It has not returned.

 

[CruiserMom]

NOW, my question is this. For the people who HAVE HAD THE SURGERY...Did your Dr. choose to put you under completely? Or did he/she just give you a bunch of shots under your arm pit area to deaden all feeling in your arm? .

My doctor says the only way he does it is under "twilight" anesthesia in the day surgery hospital. That is how he does carpal tunnel releases too, even though I had read that some doctors do it with a local anesthesia in the office.

 

[kellyg403]

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NOW, my question is this. For the people who HAVE HAD THE SURGERY...Did your Dr. choose to put you under completely? Or did he/she just give you a bunch of shots under your arm pit area to deaden all feeling in your arm? I am wondering how they do that. Last time I had this surgery, they just gave me the shots under my arm pit area. It was painful! That area is very sensitive. I'll do anything to get rid of this thing, but I'm just wondering, that's all.

I had mine done at a day surgery type of place. I was given Valium, I believe, about an hour before I went into surgery. I don't remember a thing. I was up all night the night before doing things around the house and getting things together and worrying..lol. When I woke up in recovery the nurse said she could tell I didn't take meds too often, I fell asleep 10 minutes after she gave me the pills all the way to recovery. Most likely, it worked so well because I had very little sleep the night before!

Honestly, if they gave me anything more during surgery I don't know. I know that from front to finish I was there about 4 hours and 3 of those hours were waiting for the surgery and in recovery.

Kelly