I'm new on here

[Margaret-54]

Hello,I'm new on here and was diagnosed with RA about 6 yrs ago but have coped well with it and chose not to take any medication.Recently I've been suffering with carpel tunnel which is causing me some pain.Does anyone know if it will ease or will I eventually have to have an operation X

[Moomin8]

Hi Margaret62 - I had it at the beginning of my diagnosis - it kills! I wear wrist splints, supplied by the hospital on direction from my gp, which give some relief. I also bought some simple sports wrist bands which give me a little protection if I'm a little tentative. Medication helps in the end for me, although my wrists are always sore - best of luck x

[Margaret-54 in reply to Moomin8]

Thnx for yr reply..it defo does kill 😟,some days I can't even move my hand or bend my fingers.i wear wrist supports quite a lot as I'm a carer and have to move people so can get very painful.will see how it goes with some anti inflammatory tablets,hopefully it will ease it X 🙂

[Crusee]

Hi hello and welcome Margaret.

I too have RA amongst other things and I had carpal tunnel syndrome approx 37yrs ago.

I underwent surgery on my left wrist and elbow.Was in plaster for a Week or two and have never had a problem with it since.

Not sure which surgical techniques would be used now but I had a general anaesthetic and was in hospital for 2 days, but I am sure surgery has moved on considerably since then,and is probably done via some sort of keyhole procedure now.

Until my op was done I had a wrist splint to wear in bed at night- not the most comfortable of contraptions but itbdid work in the short term.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Crusee

XX

[Margaret-54 in reply to Crusee]

Thnx for yr reply..I wear wrist supports quite a bit but sometimes they irritate me.have had pain for quite a while now but it seems to be getting worse with numbness,especially in my thumb.hopefully it will ease as I don't like the thought of an operation 😟.apparently they can do it with keyhole surgery these days making it quicker for healing X 🙂

[Crusee]

I couldn't do with the pain or the numbness in my thumb and fingers.

At the time I developed it I had just started my job in a bank and was on the till counting money- long before the days of note weighing machines.

I found it was becoming harder to do my job and more painful and so I Was sent for surgery by my G P.As it turns out it was the best thing that ever happened .I wasn't looking forward to surgery but it was sorted and haven't had a moments trouble since.It was inconvenient with plaster for a week or two but then it was all over.

If recovery time has been speeded up by keyhole surgery then provided there are no additional risks or health concerns for you then it may be worth considering.One less pain/ condition to cope with. RA is quite enough to deal with on its own, and if you can lessen that burden then why not? Of course it's your decision as to what you wish to do.

Hope you can get relief from the pain soon and take care.

Crusee

XX

[nomoreheels]

Hiya & welcome Margaret. It sounds as though you've inflammation going on if it's affecting you median nerve. Maybe a visit to your GP is in order, see if he'll prescribe an NSAID until you see someone, that's if you haven't already of course.

I was diagnosed in 2008 & had symptoms of carpal tunnel in my left arm towards the end of 2012 so was referred to a Neurologist who arranged nerve conduction tests. Both were tested & it also showed some compression in my right though I'd no symptoms, nothing like in my left anyway. The left though was definitely in need of the op so in January 2013 it was done. It was done as a day case under local anaesthetic in theatre & took less than half an hour so just half a day in hospital. Afterwards it was well padded & bandaged up & I'd to keep it in a sling for the first week until it was checked back at hospital. My Practice nurse removed the bandage the following week to check the wound, he took the stitches out & re-bandaged it. I was seen at hospital another week later, all was well so I was discharged. I've had no problems since & fortunately pressure on the right median nerve hasn't become any worse either.

Whilst waiting to have the op I tried wearing the wrist splint but that just compounded the problem, I even tried wearing it just at night but it seemed to keep my hand & wrist in the the most uncomfortable position. I had numbness & pain all the way up to my shoulder & my arm & my fingers were numb, all but my little finger. What did ease it somewhat was dangling my arm down the edge of the chair or at night over the edge of the bed.

The scar is hardly noticeable as it was about a 3cm vertical cut at the end of my lifeline, you've to look really hard to see it.

If you've not seen anyone about it I wouldn't wait too long, particularly if you're not sure of the waiting times for CTR locally because if it's left too long it can become quite painful, limits the use of the affected arm & hand & I found it really disrupted my sleep.

Hope my experience helps.

[Margaret-54 in reply to nomoreheels]

Hi,thnx for yr reply.i laughed when you said you dangled yr arm over the bed etc as that is what I do all the time.i will prob go to see my doc n get it sorted x

[nomoreheels in reply to Margaret-54]

You'll do anything to relieve the searing pain won't you, even if it looks daft! I hope your GP expedites referral quickly, mine became worse very quickly after the nerve conduction test & was quite debilitating by the time I had the op.

[Mandalou]

Hi guys, I haven't got Carpal tunnel but I'm a wrist dangler too😀!!

Your posts made me laugh.

My husband says I look like a Mummy from one of those old films with arms dead straight and outstretched.

I lay in bed on my side with my arms outstretched and hands straight like a blade. Anything to stop the stiffness and pain.

Whatever gets you through.

Good luck with your carpal tunnel Margaret.

A good day to everyone.

Mx

[Hands_1]

Hi Margaret, life stinks when all the pains starts.lol Nice to speak to you mine is Osteo/Fibromyalgia.

[Margaret-54 in reply to Hands_1]

It certainly does lol.had bad wk/end with my right wrist n went to docs today.got a splint to put on for 6 wks to see if that helps,if not she says an injection will prob b next..😱,also taking naproxen.hopefully it will improve.thnx for reply.tc x