questions for lidia jamjar

[trisha rose]

hi i noticed you like me are from the uk. for about the last year i have been having swelling and pain in my wrist hand and up my arm. been to the doctor first he said it was tendens [sorry about the spelling] sent me for phyiso- didn`t help. then sent me to see a hand doctor which by the way took 3months for an appointment! he said he would send me for a nerve test i have been waiting for that appointment for nearly two months mean time i feel ten times worse. i was just woundering how long you had to wait for appointments.

[lidia09]

Hi Trisha
I'm Scottish too & had my surgery in Edinburgh about 1995/96. The first GP I saw gave me bendrofluazide tablets which I think are normally prescribed for high blood pressure & excess fluid retention. I took them for about 3 days then nearly fell off a ladder with dizziness as my blood pressure was in my boots! i went back & saw another doctor who did a bit of phoning around to see who had the shortest waiting list (including the Borders General). She wrote a referral letter to the PMR in Edinburgh (now shut down sadly) & I think it was around 6 months before I saw the consultant (orthopaedic surgeon). I didn't have any electrical tests, just classic symptoms so there was no doubt really. After seeing the consultant I think it was about another 6 months before I got the surgery.

I'd say don't hesitate to phone the hospital & ask when the test will be. I've had the experience of a doctor forgetting to tell a surgeon I needed urgent surgery for possible malignancy also a hospital sending a letter to an address I lived at about 30 years ago! Don't trust them - just phone up & ask when you'll be seen. I also think it depends on where in the country you are as to how good the care is. My boss is an Aberdonian & says he gets much better medical attention in Edinburgh.
Awra best hen & let me ken how ye get oan!
Lidia
p.s bet you're about the only one who would understand my name lol

[trisha rose]

Hi Lidia glad you got back to me:] Do you live in Edinburgh? I am in Midlothian. I had a appointment at St Johns hospital in April with Dr Hooper. He only seen me for about 5 mins and said that the lump on my wrist was a Ganglion. It was only when i told him that i had very little use in my other hand due to a childhood illness that he saiod he would send me for a nerve test just to make sure. ihe said i would get a appointment from the Western im still waiting:rolleyes i read that ganglions were not painful so i am sure thats not what i have. i have been doing a lot of thinking [ hard work for me]:dizzy and i think i have bumped my elbow and thats what has started off my problems. my hand gets very sore eary hours in the mornings and lasts for about three hours until the ibuprofen starts to work. did /do you take pain killers? have the op you had made any difference?
i also get pain up my arm.
cheerio the noo
trisha

[lidia09]

Hi Trisha
I had a on my face when I read where you live because I live in Bonnyrigg http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/bang.gif I don't know too much about ganglions so did a bit of research & found that they can indeed be painful. Where exactly is yours? I know that if a ganglion grows on the palm side of the wrist (and in other places) it can cause pressure on a nerve therefore you'd experience symptoms of pain, tingling & numbness. If you've injured your elbow there could be a problem with the ulnar nerve. Have you done a search on Cubital Tunnel Syndrome? The median nerve is the one affected by carpal tunnel syndrome. This nerve serves the thumb, index, middle & part of the ring finger. The ulnar nerve serves part of the ring finger & the pinky. If you have tingling, pain or numbness in the fingers, you'll know which nerve is affected.

Strangely enough I've never taken pain killers for my hands. I've had plenty of tingling & some shooting pains up my wrist but have never found I really had a lot of actual pain, even before surgery. I'd say the surgery was reasonably successful in that I can carry on a 'normal' life. I'll admit to not looking after my hands by overdoing stuff like gardening, computer use & crafts but I put up with the consequences rather than giving up what I love doing. I wear a 'cock-up' splint at night which rests my dominant hand & keeps it straight. I also have a bit of muscle wasting in my thumb which I'm exercising when I remember & wearing a great wee thumb splint for hitting the space bar (splints came from local health centre physio.) I take vitamin b6 daily too which is something supposedly lacking in cts sufferers.

Did you know that in bygone days they used to hit ganglions with a bible or mallet to get rid of them? Fortunately it was discovered that 50% grew back after this 'treatment' & the practice died out.

I hope you find out the cause of your problem soon & get it treated quickly. Keep posting to let us all know how you are.

Lidia

[trisha rose]

hi lidia I thought i was seeing things when i read your post because i was brought up in BONNYRIGG http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/bang.gif[hope my smilies are working didn`t in my last post]
i live in penicuik now. its a wee small world eh!!!
My hand and arm have been really bad today the reason is welllllllllllllll i did a silly thing i went ten pin bowling last night. it was some thing i enjoyed before i took this pain. i went with the womens group i belong to. i was terrible could only handle the balls with two hands [ that sounds bad LOL ] and they kept going in the gutter!!!
never mind i won the boobby prize for being last [a chocolate orange] http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/dance.gif
anyway nice to chat wi someone from ma ald hame toon
keep me up to date wi how you are
trisha