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Carpal tunnel surgery

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Flower

Flower

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Have any of you had carpal tunnel release surgery done on both hands at the same time? If so, how long was it before you could manage to do things reasonably well without pain?

I've needed carpal tunnel surgery for 3 years now but due to having both legs in casts long term and using crutches I've put it off. Today I was told it needed doing soon to avoid any further loss of feeling in my hands and damage to my thumbs. The surgeon said I could have both hands done at the same time or individually. I'm worried if I have both hands done together that I'll be unable to operate my insulin pump or put my contact lens in 😱

He said it should be done before the operations to try and save my leg- the first operation for my leg is in about 12 weeks. I'm a bit thrown by this as I wasn't expecting to be told it needed doing now.

Any advice on how long it took you to recover after having surgery on one or both hands would be really helpful, thanks.
 
Hi Flower it's fifteen years since I had my carpal tunnels done so my recollection is a bit hazy. I remember not being able to use each hand for a fortnight and my arm was in a sling. I had mine done separately, a month apart.
 
Thanks Amanda 🙂 I don't think I can cope if I have both hands done together as it will just be too difficult with both out of action, even for a relatively short time. I'll opt to have them done separately.
 
I definitely would not recommend having both done at the same time. Having had both of mine done Left and then right when I am right handed and was surprised how different it was as it is so automatic to do things with your stronger hand. My left hand I found very easy to cope with. I found this last time that I could do most things within 7 days - with a sore spot on just one part of the scar which I seemed to catch whatever I did!! At 4 week follow up absolutely normal. Found using one of those soft stress balls was very handy for exercising the fingers - I kept one in my pocket and then you just can't help using it.
 
Thanks pippaandben 🙂

I've decided to have my right hand done first as this is the most painful and my thumb is permanently fuzzy. I hadn't thought about a stress ball to encourage my fingers to get working after the operation, I will invest in one 🙂
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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