Waiting for wrist replacement

[virginied]

That's it. After 6 months of wearing wrist splint at all time, I saw hand surgeon who said he has rarely seen such a bad wrist. Had x ray and ultrasound and need wrist replacement or fusion and tendons repair.

Now I have to choose between replacement and fusion but might choose replacement although there are lots of cons.

- have to replace it after 10 to 15 years

- can't carry more than 4.5 kg with replaced wrist

- more complications than fusion

If you had it done please could you let me know how it went? ( time off work, time with plaster, pain or not, results,..)

I am really worried about it as I don't like blood,cuts,stitches...

Also as I am self employed I will be 2 or 3 months not working and not earning a penny.

Thanks

[sylvi]

I don't work due to my health,but i had a knee replacement which took me three months to get back to work. I had a phased return to work. xxxx

[virginied in reply to sylvi]

Hi sylvi

Thanks for your reply. Are you self employed as well? Hope your knee replacement was a success.

[sylvi in reply to virginied]

No i wasn't self employed at the time i worked for someone else. I don't work at all now due to my health. The knee was done wrong,put a straight joint in a bent leg so had to have it re-done and that was successful.xxxxx

[Keana]

I had a wrist replacement about 30 years ago and it is still fine, only a minor recent problem. It does take a few weeks of totally non use, but the difference was incredible, before we had no door handles but afterwards, with my splints I was able to carry a car battery. Don' think about employers, your health and well being is important and will be with you for the rest of your life.

[kydc]

Hi, I had a Darrachs procedure on my left hand as well as carpel tunnel in 2007 and it took 8 weeks to get back to work but the wrist replacement on my right in 2009 I went back to work in 6 weeks. I have say this was hard though and took a while to get back to 'normal'. You will need physio for a few weeks/months after and it will still take several months for it to be at its best as it were. For me a wrist replacement is a no brainer as I wanted to keep/improve as much range of movement as possible particularly being right handed. I hardly ever have to wear a splint anymore!

[Bigstevie67 in reply to kydc]

Can you flex and rotate wrist like it had never been done before? Thinking about this procedure as my part fusion has caused me more pain than before i had the op

Reply

[priss58]

Hi. I had a wrist fusion and an ulnar head joint replacement nearly 4 years ago now. I was offered a total wrist replacement but like you had those doubts. I'm not much of a risk taker haha! I think it was the idea I might have to have it done again after ten years. And well, I didn't really trust the consultant. But that's another story. Anyway, apart from twisting and bending issues, I can carry heavy stuff and so on better than before. Was off work six weeks. I think if I needed to have my other wrist done, I would opt for a replacement now. Good luck!

[virginied]

Hello,

No you can't flex, bend ...only your fingers can move. It is like a continuation of you forearm until your fingers. It makes it a bit difficult to write as you have no wrist movement.

The op did work for me but if I bang or hit my hand it will hurt a lot and I have to treat it like a damaged hand still

V