Going to Orthopedic DR..... - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Message Board

Evileyes820 · 05-09-2004, 09:02 PM

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

Evileyes820 · 05-11-2004, 06:51 AM

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.

lidia09 · 05-11-2004, 03:51 PM

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

Evileyes820 · 05-13-2004, 06:56 AM

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

lidia09 · 05-13-2004, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evileyes820

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