Carpel tunel..I have decided on whether to have injections or surgery.

[pinkblossom]

Recently I asked my fellow fibromites whether to have surgery on on my hands for carpel tunel or go for the steroid injections,after taking note of your comments i went to see my Dr and said that I thought the injections were only prolonging the inevitable so I'm having the surgery,my Dr was is in agreement with me and he has got in touch with the hospital and i am waiting for the appointment to get the ball rolling so to speak,I hope I don't have to wait to long,I just want to get it over and done with!

I would be interested to hear how others are getting on after their surgery?

The results of my sleep apnea came back,i have seen the consultant and everything is fine,I wore a monitor on my chest and tubes up my nose when I slept at home,apparently I only stopped breathing a couple times which is quite common with a lot of people whether they have fibro or not,I'm glad its ok and I don't need to sleep with some contraption over my nose when ever I go to bed!

Soft hugs to you all

PB..xxx

[mannie]

Hi Pinkblossom, your post caught my eye as I have an appointment next month at my local hospital to see if I have carpel tunnel and I'm feeling quite anxious about it all. Please let me know how things go with you. Take care xxx

[pinkblossom in reply to mannie]

Hi mannie

Trust me your appointment will be fine in that nothing awful happens,they just put a few electrodes attached to each finger and a small current runs through which makes your fingers jerk,the nurse doing it kept sayin sorry if it hurts but I doesn't really hurt its just weird seeing your fingers moving on their own,they also measure between each finger and various parts on your lower arm,probably took about 15 mins to do,so please don't be anxious about it,its quite interesting how they do it really.

The results only took a few weeks to come through,today i have had a letter to ring the hospital to arrange an appointment,I have rang and apparently before I get to see the surgeon I have to have hand X-rays first,she told me there is a very long waiting list and I may have to wait up to 10 weeks for an appointment and that's before I even get to see the surgeon!

So please don't worry.

PB..xxx

[fairycazzie]

Hi pinkblossom

well sounds like a wise decision since you have taken note of all comments posted and this as you say having injections like anything only takes the edge but is not a cure, so fingers crossed for you and hope it all goes well and keep us up dated too how it goes, as i remember telling you my uncle had it done in both one at at a time as otherwise he would not get far with himeself lol .

i was told back in 2005 i had it in my left but i had just had open surgery with hernia (which i recovered well i might add) but because i had that and other surgeries i needed a rest from them so left it and as to this day is a possibility of consequences now as my Dr or should i say 'nurse practitioner' said if i did not have it sorted it would spread so after more ops i wander its possible a trigger that has sent everything cuckoo lol

i have not been told it has spread however and that it is carpel tunnel alately only that i have cervical spinal cord compression which affects both sides although its only as it shows meant to be on right side although my left being the worst, they said because i moved around alot in MRI its not complete reading so who knows what the reality of my problems are these days,, so i am so interested to see how it goes for you when you do get your surgery.

i am due a visit back to Dr as its been rough alately past few weeks and have to keep laying down to take body weight from my neck and body and arms.

so deep and intense the feeling is.

glad your sleep apnea was ok too ! thats a relief for you. so your not a walking zombie then ? is that right lol ohh am a little dizzy that way.

i would not sure i like this on me lol as i would be worried about other noises and things that go bump in the night if you get me pheoowrr bit uneasy. although sounds proper intriguing .

i not really having a sleep problem at minute i go through phases either no sleep or too much sleep.

found last meds 10pm and i have a glass of wine about 8pm ish and possibly 2 if can manage and that helps me personally i might become too used to it and end up worse off but am not complaining as i know my liver is clean as a whistle as had it checked when had issues with operation in 2010. it worries me more with the amount of medication i consume rather than the alcholol intake thats least of my worries.

ohhh be thinking of you !!!! (((hugs)) xxxxxxxxcaroline

[tulips123]

Had surgery in December on my right hand, which I have to say so far seems to have really helped. Wrist is still unreliable, but I have arthritis so I'm really not sure which symptoms go with which condition! I'm very squeamish, and I'm not sure if I can go through it again for my left hand, due to see consultant again 1st May.

I'm permanently attached to nasal specs for oxygen. I have a concentrator machine in my lounge and a long lead follows me round the bungalow. 5 year old grandson informs me that hide & seek is no fun with me! Unless I'm trying to do something and the lead gets in the way, I dont even notice it anymore, and it does not interfere with sleep.

I hope everything goes well. xx

[mel-maelo]

Oh PB that's great news, I hope you continue to report good news to us all here

Mel

xxx

[NuttyNanna]

I had carpal release op last year and they asked me if I wanted local or general anaesthetic. I chose local so I could go home the same day. To be honest I was terrified because the thought of the op and maybe the injections not working...well I was in a state. I was so lucky the op went like a dream and I didn't have any pain at all .I would advise the op over anything else...a year on...no further bother. The only thing is I have had to change my walking stick to a flat headed one which prevents the pressure making carpal return. Good luck with any decision xxx

[Artmix]

Marriane gave the diagnosis a good description. I have had both my hands done. One two months after the other. the surgery was done under local anaesthetic and I was talked to all the time by the nurse. I could have watched if I had wanted but chose not to. It took half hour for the anaesthetic and 10-15 mins for the surgery. The line of the cut follows your lines on your hand and the stitches come out after 10 days. It was a little sore but not painful. The worst one is when you have your dominant hand done as you don't realise how much you use it for.Mine was done three years ago and is not a problem. The scars are still visible but fading. I have had no trouble with either hand since. Do not Be afraid.

XX

[pinkblossom]

THANK YOU all so much for your replies,its been lovely to hear from you all and letting me know your exsperience's,normally I would send you each replies of thanks but I'm feeling pretty exhausted at the moment and my head feels like its ready to exsplode!

Overall it sounds like your exsperiences have been good and the outcome a success,I'm pleased for you all,I can't wait to get some relief from this pain,hopefully I won't drop so much,its so annoying.

Soft gentle hugs to you all.

And thanks again.

Pinkblossom..xx

[mistymeana]

Hi pinkblossom. Not had the surgery myself but my dad did and found it completely resolved all the carpal tunnel problems pretty much straight away. Hope you have equally successful results x

[fibro]

im so pleased your sleep apnoea test was fine. im so relieved for you as I have it severely and wouldnt wish a CPAP machine on my worst enemy..not that i have got one lol i have got used to it but hate it. i know its for life and its made me feel worthless. on top of all the other pain, this is doing me in.

but back to carpal tunnel.. i am 22 days post op on my right hand. my nerve conductivity study said i had severe carpal tunnel.. hey i don't do things by half, looks like its severe or not at all! lol

after reading various websites i thought i would notice a difference immediately…. like it said! but sadly not, my fingers feel much the same and have spoken to others who know people who have had it done and it had taken 6 months to get the feeling back. but if it isn't too severe then its possible you will get the feeling back immediately.

The op was fine. i didnt have it done in hospital but at a small minor surgery unit within a doctors surgery. (Not my surgery) the prepping took longer than the op. There was pain and there still is and i have less strength in my wrist. However each day i have noticed a difference. I will remain hopeful that the feeling will come back.

After the op which was over and being stitched up before i knew it was fne, they bound up my hand like a boxing glove and told me to keep it in a sling for 72 hours. after that time i was allowed to take off all the dressing apart from the one over the wound. they gave me a spare in case i got it wet but was told not to get the stitches wet.

Stiches were removed after 12 days and was a relief to have a shower and wash my own hair. my OH had to help me more than normal.

Whilst the stitches were in i had bought myself one of those things you put over plaster casts so that you can have a shower but i couldn't move my hand enough to wash my own hair.

Also not a nice subject, depending on which hand it is you will have difficulty for a good week wiping yourself after going to the loo… brushing your hair, well thats not a problem if you can use the other hand, even lifting off lids. if its your dominant hand you will need help. I am only gradually being able to do things myself again. its ok if you dont have fibro too, but fibro and an added op doesnt mix well, you end up with so much less strength than an abled bodied person…

I hope i havent put you off… i didnt mean to. the op is fine and the days soon past, but its better to have real honest info before hand. a lady in the waiting room told me about going to the loo… its something no one else mentioned beforehand, apart from dont get the dressing wet and keep the hand in the sling for 72 hours.

I wish you luck and sending hugs from my hand to yours. It is known to be very successful but so are the injections, it just depends on how bad a problem it is to you. I had gone past injection time. I take so many pain meds i didnt know what was wrong before the feeling went! Even the surgeon who did it said to me it wont be waking you up in pain at night any more…. I wondered what he was talking about, I think that was the stage that I had masked out. As I also use a CPAP machine at night if I wake Im on so many tablets to block out everything as i cant bear the machine, I'm oblivious to much else.

I hope you dont have to wait too long, keep us updated on how you go. I managed to use an ipad the same day using the speech button to email my friends lol but was very slow lol

sending good luck and hugs (((hugs))) xxxx

[pinkblossom in reply to fibro]

Hi fibro

Umm ye think you may have put me off..only joking..lol

Thanks for taking the time to go into great detail,I really appreciate the time it would have taken you to write it.

It wasn't until you mentioned the hair washing that I went into panic....then I thought well my hair dressers is just down the road and she could do it if I haven't got any help.as for going to the loo I'm right handed and they would do my left hand first which would be ok,it's just tucking the clothes In might be a problem,but then getting washed and dresses is going to be a challenge.

I think what worries me most is not being able to drive,and being housebound and bored,I'm on a diet at the moment with weight watchers and I can see me putting the weight back on if I start eating through boredom,

I'm sorry to hear you have to use the CPAP,it must be awful,i really didn't want to go down that road so I was please the results were ok.

I'm surprised at how many people have had/got carpel tunel,I do just want to get it over and done with but when I made the appointment she said it could take up to 10 weeks until I get to see the surgeon.

Iv tried the speech thing on my ipad but I don't think it likes my voice as it keeps writing things I'm not even saying!...lol

I wish you a speedy recovery,im sending you healing thoughts and a nice soft hug (((((hugs))))

Pinkblossom..xx

[fibro in reply to pinkblossom]

ooohhh I didn't meant to put you off. I think the no driving is just whilst you have stitches in your hand, but once you have movement back apart from some pain ( and we are more used to pain than most) you should be able to drive I would have thought. maybe even with the stitches, you will just have to do a trial run. but you will need someone to take you home after its done. you won't be allowed to drive that day.

i haven't driven for over a year so I haven't tried. they didn't actually say when I could and I didn't ask sorry...you just won't be able to at least whilst the hand is in a sling..... but saying all that if yours is being done at hospital it's possible they might do it by keyhole surgery and you many not have to have a sling, nor much stitching. I only had 4 stitches. I did get movement back fairly quickly and was even better once the stitches came out. they just don't want you getting your stitches wet. each doctor may do things slightly different but don't be put off at all. I don't think my left is bad enough to have it even looked at yet so I am leaving that one for now.

glad it's not your dominant hand done first. but as far as dressing is concerned I did stay in pjs for a few days, but to be honest all you need is something easy to put on, something lose may be? you'll be surprised how you will adapt and it's not for very long.

some people have said to me they had hardly any pain at all, so it may be due to the Fibro that we end up being in extra pain but I did notice an improvement each day.

you could get yourself some books or magazines, or catch up on some YouTube videos or something similar. you will at least be able to use one hand to use thePC?

after I had the nerve conductivity study arranged via the GP, when the results came back I was sent the forms to book the op. I too had a long waiting list time, but I never had to go and see the surgeon first before the op, just before they gowned me up (over my own clothes) he spoke to me to explain what he was going to do. it may be worth you checking if that's the procedure where you live.

I guess it depends on where live and how your health authority work, but as the test results said severe carpal tunnel I guess there was no other diagnosis any surgeon/consultant could give. I was more than happy with the way I was treated and the nurses were so lovely. I'm a coward and anything like like I need a hand to hold, they were happy to oblige lol and never thought anything of it.

I have to accept for me it could be a while before I see an improvement in my fingers but for now all I am concerned about it how weak my wrist is. It was never that strong but is worse at the moment, but it's improving all the time. Pain wise, that is also improving all the time. I just have to remember not to type too much at a time. I have been good and typed this over a period of time.

I hoe they don't keep you waiting too long. although it didn't happen I was asked f I wanted toe on their cancellation list in case I could get there at short notice if someone canceled last minute.

wish you lots a luck and keep us posted on how things are going afterwards.

it is strange that so many of us have CTS.

because we have come across so many non Fibro sufferers too, my OH reckons it's not so much the Fibro causing it, as it's a very common complaint, but because of pain we have, we may tend to use out wrists and hands more awkwardly causing the repetitive strain injury.

sending hugs back ad hoping yours is sorted very soon xxx ((( hugs ))) oops I ave typed so much again, sorry, but I have e

[fibro in reply to fibro]

kept popping back to the post xxx