Anyone had hand surgery

Arthritis, which left me with two titanium knees, has invaded my hands. Recently my left hand decided to grow an angry bone spur right at the base of my thumb. The doc has been giving me cortisone shots every 6 months, but that only works for awhile. She now suggests a procedure to install an Arthrex tightrope thumb gadget.

Anyone had this done, or hand surgery in general?

[wdfifteen]

I’m scheduled for something similar in January. They remove a bone and replace its function with a ligament. My hand hurt like hell until I started using it a lot, now it has calmed down some, though Playing guitar sets it off for days.

[sc_rufctr]

I haven't had hand surgery but from the people I know who have... It's painful.

Good luck with the procedure.

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I’m scheduled for something similar in January. They remove a bone and replace its function with a ligament. My hand hurt like hell until I started using it a lot, now it has calmed down some, though Playing guitar sets it off for days.

Playing guitar is what got mine riled up again. May have to wait a bit to get the band back together.

There is a good reason hands are popular torture locations. All those nerves and bones packed into a small space.

[KFC911]

Paging Dr Noah....I believe he'll be along in a few hours...

Good luck!

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by madcorgi

Playing guitar is what got mine riled up again. May have to wait a bit to get the band back together.

.

Cover Johhny Cash tunes....

Wasn't his picker a two-string career player...

[Bugsinrugs]

I have arthritis in both thumbs and right hand middle and fore finger. The fingers are bending at the last knuckle. My hands are beaten up from years of physical labor. I did get hand surgery once for a four inch splinter into my palm. It entered between my thumb and forefinger. Had a kick back on my table saw.

[fastfredracing]

Boxers fracture. I have a metal plate . It only hurt the day of the injury, and the day of the surgery . I cannot play guitar very ;well anymore, and cannot grip a hammer like I used to

[OldSpool87]

Keep in mind full recovery is likely much longer than quoted by doctor. I had a tendon reattached in my elbow last year. Two month recovery was what I was told. Full range of motion came back in 3 months and full strength in 7-8 months. No residual pain/stiffness took a year. I had a great doctor but their idea of recovery and mine were different. Good luck with it and hope you get back to old self ASAP.

[flatbutt]

My sitrep isn't really relevant save for the competency of the surgeon but my right hand had to be put back together after a crash. The nerve damage I had coupled with some kind of cock up left me with a claw, IOW I can't extend digits 3 and 4 and the pinky is permanently curled up.

[vash]

my coworker is consulting a doc and got the same thing (advice).

i had nothing to offer him either, cept best of luck!! i wish the best for you too!!

(i would install one of those TOTO butt-washing Japanese toilets right now, btw)

[wdfifteen]

At about the 5 minute mark this guy gets around to describing the procedure my doc recommended for me.

[dad911]

Wow, I cringe when I think about what you guys are going through. Not much to add, other than I had a poorly done carpal procedure, needs to be redone correctly, and I wish I vetted the doc better.

Oh, and the bright idea of trimming my finger nail with a table saw last year. Fortunately that doc was top notch.

[Zeke]

I'm due. Duprey's contracture.

[john70t]

Look into acupuncture, massage, glucosamine/condroitin, magnesium, hydration.
They won't fix the missing cartilage but they will help restore circulation and proper movement.
Problem will continue to compound otherwise.

[fastfredracing]

I will add, that my surgeon insisted that I get the surgery or my finger would be crooked, and never function properly . They re broke it to do the surgery , I was already healing, and using it when they talked me into this .
Had the surgery, and my finger is crooked, and still does not work properly . In hindsight, I would have just let it heal up and kept on truckin'

[Tobra]

That tightrope system is pretty slick. I have seen the button the suture goes through sink in to the bone. Go into it with reasonable expectations. Bear in mind it is not a joint replacement like the knees, it is a joint stabilization, so the arthritic joint remains

[Jeff Higgins]

My deepest sympathies. I've had surgeries on both hands, two on one and one on the other. All as the result of the motorcycle wreck my wife and I suffered six years ago. I now have rheumatoid arthritis developing in both hands. Currently treating with medication, so we will see how that goes.

The first medication I was prescribed, methotrexate, is actually a chemo therapy drug, but administered in much smaller doses. This stuff is best avoided - at all costs. My doctor indicated "some people might feel some mild side affects"... Bowl sheet - the mood altering properties of this drug left me in a damn near suicidal state of depression, as it does with virtually everyone to whom it is prescribed. Apparently, however, it's a "gate" through which some insurance companies demand we pass, showing an intolerance to it, before more effective (and far more expensive) medication without that nasty side affect will be approved.

I know that has nothing to do with surgery, but I thought I would offer it up as a cautionary tale, in case treating some of your arthritis might involve medication. Have a very frank discussion with any doctor who wants to put you on this stuff. Everyone I have spoken with about the side affects had the same experience, from merely "very bad" to "damn near suicidal".

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

My deepest sympathies. I've had surgeries on both hands, two on one and one on the other. All as the result of the motorcycle wreck my wife and I suffered six years ago. I now have rheumatoid arthritis developing in both hands. Currently treating with medication, so we will see how that goes.

The first medication I was prescribed, methotrexate, is actually a chemo therapy drug, but administered in much smaller doses. This stuff is best avoided - at all costs. My doctor indicated "some people might feel some mild side affects"... Bowl sheet - the mood altering properties of this drug left me in a damn near suicidal state of depression, as it does with virtually everyone to whom it is prescribed. Apparently, however, it's a "gate" through which some insurance companies demand we pass, showing an intolerance to it, before more effective (and far more expensive) medication without that nasty side affect will be approved.

I know that has nothing to do with surgery, but I thought I would offer it up as a cautionary tale, in case treating some of your arthritis might involve medication. Have a very frank discussion with any doctor who wants to put you on this stuff. Everyone I have spoken with about the side affects had the same experience, from merely "very bad" to "damn near suicidal".

I've never tried that stuff because of all the bad side effects, and don't plan to. I currently treat it with CBD, which works better than narcotics, tylenol, or ibuprofen (the last of which I also take). I'm hoping the government gets its puritanical head out of its ass so that proper research and dosing can be figured out for what is obviously a highly effective drug.

When I had knee replacement, the insurance companies insisted I first go through all kinds of black magic, like Sinvisc injections, which involved inserting a long needle under my knee cap to inject stuff derived from a rooster comb. It was a pleasant as it sounds. Went through a year of that foolishness before new research showed it didn't work. Also had a couple of meniscus surgeries that didn't work either. The insurance companies make you go through all this medieval crap trying to save a dime before they agree ty what is obviously needed. My dislike for insurance companies runs deep.

My welding class starts July 1 and runs for 10 weeks, so I'll probably wait til after that for the tightrope.

I knew that with as many craftsmen and such that there would be lots of expertise here. Much appreciated, everyone.

[Jeff Higgins]

You will have a ball with welding. It's even more fun if you're good at it. I picked up a little Miller 110 MIG unit about fifteen years ago. I mainly use it for ruining perfectly good sheet metal on old 911's... Actually, I've managed to get fairly proficient with it. The class will put you miles ahead, and the best part (for now), is that it doesn't require a lot of dexterity or hand strength.