My wrist has started hurting again, the side of my arm where the arthroscopy stuff was put in is still numb and feels funny. Glad I'm at the consultant in 3 weeks.
Hi booboo,
Thanks for the update. Sorry to hear you are still having problems. How is your range of motion? Can you pronate and suppinate well yet... I can't. I can get about 2/3 the way there both palm up and palm down.
I'm still having some issues as well. I'm wondering it they shouldn't have done some arthroscopic looking around in my TFCC area. I have the same pain there that I had before surgery. I was hoping that the inflammation there would be down and it would be feeling better by now.
My ortho released me 6 weeks after my cast came off. I've been filing insurance appeals trying to get more PT. I just got my last denial saying that because my pain wasn't improving that PT wasn't medically necessary. Go figure.
When I get a bit more money saved up, I need to get a 3rd opinion from another hand specialist. I still believe there is some sort of TFCC tear, even if it doesn't show on the MRI. This all started while I was bowling about a year and a half ago. I throw a 14lb. ball with a hook and I think did something on a release.
Oh no hope you get it sorted. I can move my wrist about all different ways. Just glad I'm seeing my consultant in a few weeks but he proberly won't do anything.
Hi Mountain Reader, I've been for my other follow up appointment and cos yesterday and today I've been in real bad pain and my arms swollen my consultant has said about takin the plate out. So I've signed the consent form to have it done in a month or so's time.
Hi, I have a LONG history with a right wrist injury (I’m right handed).
Random hit in water polo in 2002 started it I think, then I just ignored the pain and pushed it to its limit. Then in 2004 I finally went to the doctor, was given a removable cast and told to suck it up.
In 2008 I finally had arthroscopy – not much damage was found in there. Recovery was easy and everything seemed fine – until I started actually using my wrist again and then things got way worse.
At this point I couldn’t pick up a milk jug or turn a door handle.
In 2010 I had an ulnar osteotomy. Surgery went according to plan. Recovery was really hard. Lot of physical therapy. But in about 6 months I was better than ever.
Only problem is that I HATE the feeling of the plate. I can feel the screws pulling on the bone whenever I do something like swim or canoe or pick up a kid. So in 2011 I had a surgery to remove the plate. This did not go well. The bone re-broke during surgery, my hardware stayed in, and I gained a screw. So frustrating. Felt like such a set back. No physical therapy but still a lot of pain and a lot of waiting. I wore a bone machine (I don’t know the technical name) to stimulate bone growth for 10 hours a day for 6 months. Ew. Yuck. Annoying.
So now we are in 2012 and my bone is healed and I am trying to figure out what to do next. The plate still bothers me. I still can’t do all the activities that I would like. However, my wrist doesn’t hurt for the first time in YEARS. The doctor says that he will try to take it out again, but the bone will probably have to be broken as the screws are really set in there and one of them is stripped. He would replace the plate with a thicker plate and I would get out the thicker plate 1 year after the first surgery.
So I’m faced with the decision of staying where I am- fairly pain free unless I do something fun – at least until I have heavy babies and then I guess I’ll be in pain. Or do I have 2 surgeries that eat up the next 2 years of my life?
Hi ya. This will be the first time that Ive had the metal taken out. So hopefully everything will be ok. Sorry you've had so much hassle with your wrist and your arm. Keep us updated with your progress. X
Hi Mountain Reader, I've been for my other follow up appointment and cos yesterday and today I've been in real bad pain and my arms swollen my consultant has said about takin the plate out. So I've signed the consent form to have it done in a month or so's time.
Booboo,
I'm so sorry to hear about this. I've read that it is usually OK to remove a plate after around the 6 month mark. I'll pray that everything goes well for you and you heal like you should. Did your doctor say why he thought your arm was so swollen for sure? Is he giving you nay advise on how to cope in the meantime?
I need to get another ortho opinion, but I'm so far behind on my medical bills that I haven't wanted to accumulate more so I haven't made an appointment yet. I just kind of stalled mid way through the healing of my wrist pain.
Got my pre op assessment next Monday so shud hopefully get the op date that day too. I hope I do cos the metal stuff is makin my arm hurt and I'm fed up with it now.
I have read tho that the bone can break when the plate and screws come out so hope that don't happen or I'll be back at the start again.
I'm glad you are getting some help. I've read about the possibility of the bone breaking too. It sounds like there is a pretty low percentage of that happening. I'll pray that that is the case for you.
I go in on the 12th to a new orthopedic doctor. I'd hoped to get more of my medical bills paid off first, but I decided I couldn't wait. I had someone demonstrating a "new" sport to me. It's called Pickleball (you can look it up). Wierd name... It involves hitting a wiffle ball with a wooden paddle a bit bigger than a ping pong paddle. I experimented, wearing a splint, and it really hurt to hit the ball. If I can't swing to hit a small light plastic ball with holes in it, that is bad. I've grown so used to the pain trying to lift and grasp things that it took trying something different to spur me to seek out that 3rd opinion. I'm trying a different approach this time and hoping 3rd time is a charm in getting my answer.
How was your pre-op? Do you have your op date yet? Keep me posted. I'm keeping positive thoughts for you.
I went to a new surgeon for a consult today. Since my last one said there was nothing more he could do for me, I was pretty discouraged. They just did the ulnar shortening hoping to heal my ulnar side pain and I still have the same pain as pre-surgery. The doctor today gave me hope. At first I was a bit concerned because when he did his initial assessing he wasn't getting to the right spots. He then asked me to show him where my pain is and after that he hit the sweet spots for my pain. He did some more thorough checking and then had a nice discussion with me. There are 3 things he said appear to be of possible concern that are all seperate from the ulnar impaction from before. 1. I have a UT split tear. That doesn't show on an MRI. It can be fixed arthroscopically. 2. the head of my ulnar bone is a bit too pointy and may need to be rounded down a bit. 3. I have another ulnar side problem all together. He thinks I didn't realize the pain if it because of my ulnar fovea/TFCC area pain. Evidently the bones on the pinky side between the bottom of my finger and wrist are extremely lax and unstable. I may need to have the ligaments tightened. He would do that and put in a pins until it stabalizes when the pins would be removed. Anyway, for now, he gave me 2 cortizone shots and put me back into a brace for 2 weeks. If the shots help, he may give more shots to see if we can get the inflammation down. If not, I can choose arthroscopic surgery where he will take a look at all three things and look at my TFCC area closer as well. A lot to take in, but at least there is hope for finding a solution to my pain.
Hi ya my pre op went well, don't know op date yet but will only be in for the day.
The nurse said that wen I've gone back round to the ward once I've had something to eat and drink, walked about without feeling dizzy and been to the loo I can go home.
Just a waiting game for the date now I think I'll get a letter either next week or week after.
The nurse did say that my arm will be really weak for a months so have to be very careful.
It's fab to here that youve finally found a decent consultant, I hope he can sort you pain out.
For me after surgery, my biggest issue post surgery is extreme nausea. I had surgery on my stomach a couple years ago and it keeps me from vomiting. They load me with anti-nausea meds and I still sit there wretching. I would love to be able to just get up and start moving around to be released pretty quickly after surgery.
I hope all goes well for you. I'll be sending you positive thoughts.
As of yet I've got no idea what it'll be cast, dressing or splint.
I can remember have a nerve block before I went under, when I came round I had a headache and kept shaking but it all died down when the anesthetic wore off.
I noticed you posted on the TMJ board. I missed your original posting. Please make sure they know you are having jaw problems so they are more careful if they intubate you. My TMJ specialist said a surgery I had a few years ago may have actually triggered my tmjd problems.
Hi ya i rang my hospital today and they said the 5th dec but got to ring again tomoro just to make sure. But I've also been getting wrist pain so been wearin my arm sling that I was given after my first op.
It sounds like we will be going through recovery pretty close together again.
I've been having discomfort where the ulnar osteotomy was done lately. My new surgeon gave me a couple cortizone shots and put me back into a splint a couple weeks ago. For some reason, the positioning the splint puts my hand and wrist in seems to put my ulnar bone in a position that really bothers it.
Keep me posted if you hear anything new. Next time, I'll start a new thread called Ulnar Shortening II since we have almost reached 100 on this one.
He thinks I didn't realize the pain if it because of my ulnar fovea/TFCC area pain. Evidently the bones on the pinky side between the bottom of my finger and wrist are extremely lax and unstable. I may need to have the ligaments tightened. He would do that and put in a pins until it stabalizes when the pins would be removed. Anyway, for now, he gave me 2 cortizone shots and put me back into a brace for 2 weeks. If the shots help, he may give more shots to see if we can get the inflammation down. If not, I can choose arthroscopic surgery where he will take a look at all three things and look at my TFCC area closer as well. A lot to take in, but at least there is hope for finding a solution to my pain.
