Carpal Tunnel Surgery Advice, Please

DH has been diagnosed with carpal tunnel in both arms/hands, and is waiting for workman's comp to give the ok for surgery. (hurry up & wait, basically) He's in a huge amount of pain, and is still expected to put in his 50 hours a week at work. He started taking something for the nerve pain just a few days ago (can't remember the name, naturally) but no dr. has given him anything for the pain itself (and he's seen a neurologist, an orthopedic surgeon, and a gp in the last month) When he saw his oncologist last Friday, he was concerned that the amount of pain he's experiencing is affecting his leukemia. That dr. said he would prescribe a pain killer after the nerve meds have had a chance to kick in. DH also sees a chiropractor, who is the one that sent him to the neurologist. None of these drs have offered to write a letter saying he shouldn't be working.
DH is at the point that he's thinking of having surgery on both hands at the same time. He's worried sick about how his absence is going to affect his store (he's manager of our local Aldi); when he's missed a couple of days in the last few weeks the store literally goes to pot. (his assistant should be ashamed of himself) He's also worried about how the carpel tunnel may be affecting his leukemia. And, of course, he's in a lot of pain.

So, to get to the point, has anyone had surgery on both hands at the same time? If so, was it really difficult to get thru the few weeks afterwards? I'd really appreciate advice from anyone who's had the surgery---whether one or both hands.

Unless he has someone to take care of his every need like eating and personal doings, DON'T get both hands done at the same time. You CANNOT use your hand AT ALL for at least 3 weeks. I had my left hand done and anytime I tried even the simplest task with it, it sent a shooting pain up through my lower arm. And I'm left-handed...

I had one hand done and never went back for the second one.

Different doctors do it differently. But I had my hand bandaged up to the elbow in such a way that it I couldn't pick up or hold anything. The bandages had to be kept dry so I had to bag it to shower then use one hand. I couldn't drive until the bandage was removed ten days after surgery.

I had other issues but it was not easy. Unless absolutely necessary I don't know how anyone could manage doing both hands.

On an up note I didn't have problems with pain after surgery. The worst part of surgery was taking the stitches out. And I only missed three weeks of work.

I had both my hands done one month apart from eachother. I was back to work after 7 with each surgery. However, there are two ways the surger is done, there is the "open" surgery, which I had, where they actually cut you open, expose the tendon, and snip it, this is, according to my surgen, most effective, but has a much longer recovery peroid. The second option is orthoscopic, which is very effecitve, and has a much shorter recovery peroid. I was in a TREMENDOUSE ammount of pain, but I'm glad I waited between surgeries, even though everything at work went to pot.

I hope DH feels better soon!

Thanks for the input. I don't think DH should have them both done at once, either. He's just so worried about the store falling to pieces in his absence. His co-workers hate to see him go on a week's vacation, I have no idea how they'll handle a couple of months.
I think he's going to ask his chiropractor to write a letter tomorrow to at least get his hours shortened until he can have the surgery. He missed work yesterday, and no one would come in to pick up the slack. He feels so guilty, as if he's not pulling his weight. But he's in so much pain, I don't know how he's managing to do anything, let alone stock a semi of groceries.
I'll let him know what you've all said; thanks again for sharing.

I've not had it done, but know people who have. Most of them have had the surgery done to one hand and then, after that one healed, went right ahead and had the other hand done.

I'd be afraid to have both hands done at one time.

Sending you lots of and your DH lots of for a successful surgery.

Thanks again, everyone, for the advice and the good wishes. It's really, really hard to see DH in such pain. He's a bull of a man---6'3" tall and 275 pounds---and I've never seen him like this. The pain is in his eyes, you know? He just looks so beat, and it's all a waiting game for now. I want to cry every time I look at him.

Originally Posted by libby74

So, to get to the point, has anyone had surgery on both hands at the same time? If so, was it really difficult to get thru the few weeks afterwards? I'd really appreciate advice from anyone who's had the surgery---whether one or both hands.

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I've had 4 surgeries, 2 on each hand, so far

Here is a link to some pics: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v1...tinaM/surgery/ ( the first 5 are of the CT surgery, the rest are from my more recent surgeries which are quite different ) this gives you an idea of one form of the surgery, the bandaging afterwards for me (differs between surgery method and surgeon) and the scaring.

*** make sure he finds out which surgery they are going to do so you can prep accordingly ***

My CTR were done back in ummm 2006 I think. I had them done one in early March and one at the end of April. I was off work for 12wks per hand when I went back on modified duties. I had worked a physically intensive job. Had I been in a job not as physical, I could have gone back after 4wks recovery.

The results were instant for me. As soon as they did the release, 90% of my pain issues had resolved, with the remaining resolving over the next year. It can take upwards of a year or more for nerve damage to repair itself.

My hand was bandaged to wrist, and immediately after surgery I was instructed to wiggle my fingertips, and that was it. So I listened to my surgeon and did that on my first hand. On the second hand, I was already in active physio and listened to my physiotherapist who said not only to move my fingers, but to also very gently move my wrist back and forth. I healed a LOT faster with the second hand because of not immobilizing my wrist. I didn't move it much, maybe 0.5cm either way, but it made one heck of a difference in the healing.

I would say it was about 10 days before I could do a minor amount of light tasks with the 'surgeried' hand.

The key point in recovery time is to keep your hand moving, but NOT overdo it.

You can't even see the scar itself, it's about an inch long, embedded in the palm of my hand along one of my natural lines.

The only thing I wish I had been told prior to the CTR surgeries is this: it is possible for CT to come back It doesn't always happen, but there are a small % of ppl that have it return due to scar tissue build up.

Would knowing that have changed my mind, nope. I'd gotten 2 good years out of the surgery, with only mild symptoms back in my left and none to date in my right.





Having more problems with my hands, and having times where I cannot use both on a normal day (not carpal tunnel related) I would definitely say not to have both done at the same time. Its very hard to do even the simplest tasks without using your hands, and you would need someone to be with you to help with the basics: hygeine, bathroom duties, etc. There are days where I am unable to leave the house because of inability to use either hand for showering, etc. I've had to buy certain things to help me along: example being in the shower, because there's days I have no grip strength, I cannot lift a shampoo bottle, so I have had to buy a dispenser that goes on the shower wall, I can fill it with 3 different things (shampoo, conditioner and body wash) and use a closed fist or my elbow to press a dispensing button. ***this was a lifesaver after any of my surgeries since you can't get that hand wet, its of no use in the shower, so I could use my thumb to press the button, and have the shampoo drop into my palm without needing the second hand****


I hope this helps in some way, and if you have any more questions feel free to PM if you want

Good luck to your husband.
( on a side note, my DH had CT as well, fortunately his resolved with 6mos use of splinting at bedtime....lucky bum he is )

Originally Posted by libby74

Thanks again, everyone, for the advice and the good wishes. It's really, really hard to see DH in such pain. He's a bull of a man---6'3" tall and 275 pounds---and I've never seen him like this. The pain is in his eyes, you know? He just looks so beat, and it's all a waiting game for now. I want to cry every time I look at him.

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My hubby feels the same towards me.

Its hard feeling so helpless, but all you really can do is be there, but not too much if that makes sense.

For me, I'm very independent....stubbornly so. My DH tries to do so much for me because he can see I'm hurting BUT in doing so, it makes me feel worthless. We've had to work at finding a balance of him, and my family being able to help without it making me feel useless, worthless, unable to tend to my family.

I imagine it could be the same with your husband, the emotional stuffs. that he can get the surgery soon, and I'm thankful he has your support too.

Thank you so much, Chris; I do think I'm trying to compensate for DH not being able to do much, to the point that he tells me, "I'm not helpless." I just want to spare him some of the pain he's going thru.
I think he'll be off work longer than any one expects, for some reason. He has diabetes and heals very slowly when he has any sort of cut or abrasion. I fully expect him to develop an infection in at least one hand.

For me, I'm very independent....stubbornly so. My DH tries to do so much for me because he can see I'm hurting BUT in doing so, it makes me feel worthless. We've had to work at finding a balance of him, and my family being able to help without it making me feel useless, worthless, unable to tend to my family.

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I understand that, too. When my back acts up, I feel as if I'm letting everyone down and I just feel useless. When it's not acting up, I do things I know I shouldn't because I hate asking someone else to do them for me. And that leads to more back problems. It's a viscouse cycle.

On a great note, DH's supervisor called him this morning and told him to get everything set in motion for the surgery! I've called the surgeon's office to let them know; am waiting for a call back to set up the EKG that's required before surgery.