I had the surgery done quite quickly after the first initial pre-surgery visit though I was told I will wait 12 weeks. I was a bit nervous to go through that but I am glad I did and that it is over now. I waited a while to have the surgery because my dossier went to an unknown place before reaching its destination.
Then I was waiting in a room when the surgeon came to see me. He asked me if I had only one hand done today. He then went on explaining what will the surgery be. Then he told me that usually people had both of them done at the same time and that if I chose to do both, it will be possible to do so. He left to talk to another surgeon and they both later returned. I was asked if there was a particular reason I had just one done at a time. On what I said that I was given the choice and the way it was explained to me, one at a time seemed to be a better choice but, I was happy to do both if it was not much more trouble. In fact, now it seemed to be a better choice.
So I was brought to a room and saw my surgeons and a few people. I had to lie down flat on a table. That alone created a major problem because I cannot lay flat on my back as I cannot breathe. So I kind of screamed I could not breathe and that I have lung problems. One of the surgeons came to see what was happening. When I told him I had COPD, his face turned blue, which, come to think of it, may just have been the reflection of his outfit and the light. He wanted to give me oxygen and I told him I just needed some pillows and that it will be ok after that. Everyone rushed to fetch some pillows while I was seated on the side of the bed/table.
Then when I was settled down, the surgeons attacked my hands after having put some icy anaesthetic on them. I hate needles, I cannot stand needles; needles are just not my cup of tea. After that, told me what they were doing. I am not sure I wanted to know but in any case, I was in hurry for everything to finish. I felt a bit of pain on my left hand during surgery and when they were sweing me too. It has always been more problematic than the right one. Somehow the left hand took ages to be done, then they attacked my right one and it was quite quick. In between a nurse came to talk with me and my only thought was – music, surgeons that talk about everything but the surgery, most of the time, it sounds like a remake of Grey’s anatomy – and I told her. To what she raised her eyes high in the sky and asked me if I liked being here. I told her that yes so I could be a character and we both burst laughing. I added that I was not sure Grey’s anatomy reflected the true hospital world but that I was a big fan. Nobody took part in our conversation even though the room was full of people.
When all was finished, my shoes were put back on. One of the surgeon told me that I will greatly benefit from this surgery considering the state of things and that doing both at the same time saved a lot of time to remedy my CTS.
I was then, led to the waiting private cubicle again and asked to see Chris to help me to dress as I has become the lobster woman and I could only used what was left of my fingers. Meanwhile I was offered a cup of coffee and some biscuits. Once ready, I was given pain killers and instructions to follow for 2 more weeks.
It has been 2 weeks now. My hands and arms have been giving me some trouble here and then but if I compare that to what was before, it is really better. Obviously my skin does not heal well so I have to deal with the scars and my hands are swollen. I am seeing the surgeon next week. I have no strength at all in my hands but that should come back, eventually with time.
Filed under: One step at a time - 08 !, carpal tunnel
After your two handed carpal tunnel surgery, who took care of you? I was told by several doctors at Duke and a local private hospital here in Durham, NC, that you should have one hand done at a time, unless you have someone who could do everything for you.
I had one hand done November 5th after 13 years of dealing with the pain and was put in a splint/cast for two weeks. I had trouble doing many things with just one hand out of circulation.
Also, during my surgery the doctor used general anesthesia (iv injection) to knock me out.
I was looking on your site to see a followup to your surgery. Do you have your strength back yet? How long before you got that back fully What about the swelling in the hand and wrist from the surgery? How long before it became normal?
Did your doctor prescribe any physical therapy for you?
I’d appreciate any info. I am getting my left hand worked on this Friday, December 19th.
Robert Smith
Durham, NC
I had a local anaesthetic in both hands and I did not feel a thing for about 10 hours. I was given painkillers in the hospital and told to take some when the pain comes.I was also told to keep my hands up to prevent the stiffness and the swelling of the finger. However, I should keep on moving my hands and do small activities.
The family had to help because,it was impossible to do anything and that was the bad part.I could not dress, hold anything and when the pain came, it was tough.
I had a bulky dressing of gauze, wool and crepe bandage and was told to keep it for 5 days. My hands were very swollen and bruised. And it was very painful and I had to take quite a lot of painkillers. After the bandages were removed I put the Mepore dressings on that was given to me at the hospital. I had to keep on these dressings for 5 more days, and not wet my hands. Meaning for 10 days, I had to helped for my basic needs. That was not easy at all and brought some frustration, now and then.
I was also given some excercises to do to prevent stiffness: straightening the fingers completely; making a claw and a fist with the fingers, spreading the fingers as wide as possible, and touching each of my fingertips in turn with the tip of my thumb. I would say that, that was not easy. But with time, my hands got better. I was also in a lot of pain so that did not help.
After all these months, the scars are still tender and I still feel them. But I should add that I do not heal very well so that is part of the problem. I have problems with my right hand as it was very stiff as if the skin had been pulled too much. It is better now, though that right hand is still the one that hurts if I paint for too long or use my pc for too long.
It took a long time to gain back some strength in my hands. In fact when I saw the surgeon 3 weeks later, he gave me his hand to shake and I actually could not give a normal handshake. He told me the strength will come back eventually and that meanwhile, I should take it easy and go on with the excercises. I was also told to put some cream on my scars ans massage them.
I must say that it took me longer to recover than I thought it would. I am painter and I have just started to paint again. But I still have problems with cold hands, or should I say frozen hands. I still cannot lift easily heavy things and I certainly lost some strength in both my hands. However, what I endured before, with the excrutiating pain, was far worse than loosing some strength in my hands, so I have no regret and besides, I had no real choice as things were really bad.
I hope all goes well for your second surgery.
Carolle
You might want to find a surgeon who does endoscopic surgery. I had both hands done and was sent home with band aids on my wrists. The incisions are less than an inch long and I could use my hands that same day. Best of all, there were no incisions in the palms of my hands.