Well....I was diganosed with CTS and I've been wearing a brace now for about 8 weeks and my hands are still falling asleep and I have pain in my wrist. My doctor is sending me to an orthopedic doctor and I am nervous cause I dont know what hes going to want to do. I really dont want cotizone injections and I have heard good and bad about the surgery. I have heard more good about it than bad so I think I am going to lean towards that. I heard also that some people go thru therapy for CTS but I dont have much faith in that either. Been thru that with other things and know other people too that have gone thru therapy and it never helps. Well..I will let you all know what happens with my appointment (05-10-04)

Take -Care
Diane

Im back....Well im going in for surgery on May18th. Wish me luck!! I am so nervous, I dont have much good luck and im so afraid that this isnt going to work. Even after reading all the good things about the surgery its still scarey cause its my right hand and im A RIGHTY. So, I will let you all know how it goes as soon as I'm able to type again.

Hi Diane
Good luck & try not to be too nervous. It's really not as bad as you think it'll be. I've heard of lots of people being sedated when they have the local anaesthetic. I wasn't given any sedation - wide awake throughout & believe me, it's really not that bad.

The success rate is really quite high so don't let the horror stories scare you. I had my CTS surgery done 7 or 8 years ago & my hands still work ok. I use a computer FAR more now than I did before surgery too!

Best wishes
Lidia
:)

Hi Lidia

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement. I think the reason I am most nervous is cause its my dominate hand and I am so afraid of something going wrong and I wont have use of it. I have been having some really restless nights the last couple of days, I just want to get this over with now so I can sleep! I have one more question....I have lost some feeling in my fingers, will that come back after surgery?


Diane

Hi Lidia

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement. I think the reason I am most nervous is cause its my dominate hand and I am so afraid of something going wrong and I wont have use of it. I have been having some really restless nights the last couple of days, I just want to get this over with now so I can sleep! I have one more question....I have lost some feeling in my fingers, will that come back after surgery?


Diane

Hi Diane
I think most of the time if surgery isn't delayed too long (i.e. actual nerve damage as opposed to just being a bit squashed) there's a good chance of normal sensation returning. My dominant hand took about 4 months to feel 'normal' again. I first thought that the surgery hadn't worked but was reassured that after being prodded & poked - the nerve takes a while to recover. It can be anything up to 2 years before you know how successful your surgery was. My surgeon (I'm in the UK) says he wouldn't consider 2nd surgery on the same hand until 2 years had passed. Moderately damaged nerves can regrow at the rate of 1mm per day apparently.

On another CTS board, I read of someone who had CTS surgery. This guy had just had surgery to his ONLY wrist, having lost his other arm some years ago in an accident. Imagine how concerned he was prior to surgery! His post was an inspiration to anyone having CTS surgery.

Hope you'll post & let us know how you get on.
Best wishes

Lidia
:)

Well, 3 more days til surgery.......Been having alot of pain on the top of my hand today, I sure hope this surgery works cause I cant take much more of this. I have had carpal tunnel about a year cause it started out with my hand just falling asleep and I thought maybe it was from my neck cause I had some neck problems a few years back. But when I couldnt take it anymore thats when I went in to my family dr. and found out what it was so I hope I didnt wait too long and end up with nerve damage. I will post as soon as I can after surgery and let you know how it goes.

Diane

I just read a few of your posts..Good luck on your surgery tomorrow!!!!
I will keep you in my prayers for a speedy recovery so you can come back here soon LOL Sending good luck your way as welll ~~~
Take breaks stretch your hand and wear a splint while on line...or if your doc says its ok..wear a splint while your sleeping ...
Get wel soon!!!! :angel:

I made it!!! I survived the surgery and im sitting here typing one handed. lol The first 2 days was the pits, i got sick on the vicodin they gave me for pain (yes I did eat first) and the 2nd day was running a low grade fever all day but today i am feeling better, still have pain but doing better. Been hard doing things wih my non-dominate hand but im getting by. Will be a while before i am back to normal and will know how it turned out but i will keep you all informed to my progress.

Diane

glad to hear your doin ok...i am not,,camt type alot...take care

Hi Diane
Glad to hear you're doing ok. What's your post-op care? I just had a big pressure bandage on for 5 days then that came off & I just had an elastoplast over the stitches. It was great to get my hand wet in the shower again! I got the stitches out after 2 weeks then that was it. My surgeon doesn't believe in physio or exercises. His theory is just use it & I agree that it works. I just gradually increased what I used my hand for but I'd say it was 4-6 weeks before it was anything like 'normal'. Strength is the last thing to come back.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Lidia
:)

Hi Diane
Glad to hear you're doing ok. What's your post-op care? I just had a big pressure bandage on for 5 days then that came off & I just had an elastoplast over the stitches. It was great to get my hand wet in the shower again! I got the stitches out after 2 weeks then that was it. My surgeon doesn't believe in physio or exercises. His theory is just use it & I agree that it works. I just gradually increased what I used my hand for but I'd say it was 4-6 weeks before it was anything like 'normal'. Strength is the last thing to come back.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Lidia
:)
I have a big bandage on also and its driving me crazy! Been real itchy the last 2 days. I go to the dr. tomorrow so hopefully I will get the same as you got. I cant wait to take regular showers again. I dont know what other treatment if any my dr. is going to want to do. Guess I will find out tomorrow.

Hi evil
hope your doin better...I am back to square one..hueting w.burning pain i nmy neck..i am gonna call today and tell doc..i want to get my nerve damage fixed and the CT..I have been going through this since feb...

Sorry to hear about your neck pain,etc.... I wouldnt wait on getting anything fixed. I am terrible for doing that and it has caused me more harm than good.

I cant wait for these stitches to come out and just to be able to use my right hand again. Its so frustrating sometimes cause Imma very independant person and its hard for me to ask for help. My boyfriend gets so mad at me cause he will be sitting right next to me and I will be ripping somethng open with my teeth and hes like "im sitting right here,you couldnt ask meto do it?" LOL Anyway, the day will come and I will be back to normal again. YEAH!!

Diane

Evileyes
I am laughing because ..I DO THE SAME THING>>LOL
I am usually doing everything myself and not used to being so dependant..
You have to stop and think for a minute This is what i tell myself...How am i gonna feel when i mess myself up even more and have as of recently been practicing asking for help!!!! Its really not worth it..I still dont like it but i know it is in my best interest.."for now"..I hope your feeling better..When do you get your stitches out??
I am still in the same shape..I go to the neuro doc on june 1st..Then on to see orthopedic doc on june 3rd...I am going to tell them ..I want to be on the road to recovery already..I have been this way since feb..I started going to docs about 2 months ago!!!! Still no relief and no income!!Now my husband is having problems and may have to have surgery on his leg...I know it will be at the least 6 weeks recovery time and i havent even had surg yet!!!So i am going to "tell " them lets get moving already!! Hope your having a good day!!!I need to take kids to school....
Whatamess@35

I dont think that I could ever get used to asking for help. LOL I get my stitches out on tuesday, would of been monday but its memorial day. Im hoping to get back to work on wednesday. I will be limited but I cant keep staying home. First of all im So bored sitting home and Second, I have no money coming in UGH I'm a single mom and getting NO child support from ex so I HAVE to get back to work. Im going to have to be very careful and keep doing as much as I can with my other hand.

Yea. i would definelty tell you doc that you need to get things moving along cause the longer you wait the worse its going to get. I have lost some feeling in my fingers cause i waited so long and im hoping it comes back in time. good Luck to you and your husband. Keep me informed.....

Diane

Hi Diane
I am sorry to hear that you still have numbness..
Maybe that will go away in time!! What kind of
work do you do?? I hope you take it easy..So as not
to reinjure yourself!!!how long have you been off???
I almost seperated from hubby back in the winter..
We got into counseling and thankfully have been working
things out..I just couldnt imagine "being on my own" and
having no income through all i have been through!!!
I commend you for doing it all on your own!!! I wasnt even
able
to wash dishes at first..
My hands cramped up bigtime..It has eased in the last
2 months..but i am still not right at all!!! I wear a splint
most of the day!
If i dont wear it to bed..I wake up numb and hurting still!!
Well enough about
me!!LOL ..Have a great holiday weekend!!!

i work in a dry cleaners and probably shuld be off for a few weeks yet but I HAVE to go back because I need the money. I am going to be doing alot of things left handed if I can. I have been off of work for 2 weeks now and getting my stitches out tomorrow. Im glad you worked things out with your hubby. I was saying I wished this all would of happened to me when I was with him so I wouldnt have to worry so much about getting back to work and screwing up my surgery. But things didnt work out that way and I have to deal with this the best I can. I havent washed dishes at all, thank goodness for kids! Though I do have to yell at them to do the dishes but they do eventually get done. I cant wait til the stitches come out so I dont have to wrap hand in a bag anymore. What a pain! LOL
Well, hope you had a good holiday weekend.

Diane

Hi Diane
Im sorry it took soo long to reply...So by now your stitches should be out..right?? I hope everything is going well for you!!! I will be having surgery in 2 weeks..I went to the doc yesterday..He will do cpt surgery and surg on my handand on my elbow for nerve damage!! I am a nervous wreck about having both done at the same time..However at least i wont have to have one then go back for another!!!
This will be surgery #7 for me...On various parts of my body{mainly my tummy}. Since i will lose use of my hand for a while ..I guess the anxiety is worse!!!
My marriage isnt any where near how it should be..so in a sense i am doing what you thought about!!! I lost my job 2 months ago because of this injury..I have no umemployment or anything coming in!!! I am stuck for now..Since i am not working hubby has complete "control " over everything!!!!
I totally commend you on getting out and doing what you have to do for you and yours..How many kids do you have by the way???My kids were a big help to me when i had a cast on a few weeks back!!! It seems the more i would try to do o n my own ..the more they would letme..LOL
I have to allow everyone to do things for me once i have this suregery though..i want it to heal properly so i can get back to having a life!!!!
I am usually on the go all the time..cleaning something piddling in the yard..Working..I cant wait to get back to my other life..LOL
Hope you had a great holiday weekend as well..

So sorry it took me so long to write back to you but my darn computer broke down and it took a couple weeks to get it going again.
My stitches are out and its all healed. I have my final dr's appt. today. WOOHOO!! Its been feeling great but the last couple of days its been kinda hurting me. I'm thinking maybe I'm doing too much too soon. But I will tell the dr. and see what he says about it.
Sorry to hear that your marriage isnt doing too good but at least you are getting this all done before anything happens. Been pretty rough on me with being off of work for 2 weeks without pay. But I'm getting back on my feet and I keep getting up every day and going to work and doing the things I need to be doing to survive. I have 2 daughters ages 18 & 15 and they were great with helping me except for doing the dishes. I really had to get on their case about washing them. LOL Well, let me know how things go for you.

Diane

Just a wee bit of advice, or whatever you want to call it. After my CT surgery and the huge bandage and stitches were removed, the Orthopod suggested that I massage the area with Vitamin E. It would sometimes start to sting or feel tight, and I'd make a hole in a Vit E capsule and massage it. The palm part around it felt kind of hard, if I remember right, and massaging it felt wonderful. I did it as often as I had discomfort. It healed up beautifully, and I've had no more trouble with it. You can buy Vit E oil in a bottle now, I think. Just for your info. Good Luck Maggie

The Dr. told me to rub cocoa butter on the scar because I have quite a bit of scar tissue. But I have not yet gone out to buy any so dont know if it works or not. Its been about 7 weeks and I still have some swealing, the dr. said sometimes it takes months for it to go down. Anyway, thanks for the info but right now I am not having any discomfort. Its getting better everyday.