I'm weighing up surgery on my thumb joints

Hi well post op and 8 weeks later thumb pain has gone however I've now got Athritis in my wrist I think due to me having thumb in cast and casing for 6 weeks. Which is almost as bad as my thumb pain , I know I've Athritis all over and this new Athritis might have come on anyway

Sorry to hear that Woody. Thanks for the update. 

Its stories like yours that are keeping me from surgery...ill stay on the painkillers until they can't handle the pain anymore. 

Its the long recovery time and unintended consequences that i'm afraid of. 

I find surgeons can be very cavalier about the post operative period. 

My sister is s nurse who works for an orthopedic surgeon. 

She has bad arthritis in her hands but is afraid of surgery like i am. 

Best wishes 

So you say it's the hardest operation you've been through huh? Seems to me they would put you to sleep before all those injections or am I not understanding you. I'm getting ready to have this done in about 5 days, so all you can tell me I would appreciate. I watched the procedure on You Tube, and kinda wished I hadn't honestly. It is way more invasive than I had thought it would be. I'm not going to back out because I wasn't this constant pain to be gone. I will sacrifice being uncomfortable got a while as long as the final results produce what the doctor says! I just want to be able to be normal again and live doing things I'm used to doing. I too will update on my outcome if everyone wants!

Not put to sleep for thumb surgery, they numbed my arm so was awake, and never been put to sleep for any injections I've had. My experience is exactly as I posted I've had both knees , shoulders and left big toe replacements, the thumb surgery was ok and the actual thumb pain has gone however since I was I not a cast for 6 weeks I've now Athritis in my wrist, recovery time was a lot longer than my other ops and more painful

I have that to just keep working your Wriston that'll go away eventually. Totally normal. My wrist hurts so bad and I thought I would never be able to use it again and now I can use it just fine with no pain

Hi Woody

I thought I had replied to this earlier but I don't see it here. My personal experience is my wrist hurt a lot after the surgery. I thought the same thing you did that I was getting arthritis in my wrist. I'm happy to report now that I am 18 weeks out of surgery that my wrist is back to normal. 

No with me Michael, wrist is getting worse, 1stand 2nd fingers have now more arthritis than before op, but saying that I've got arthritis just about everywhere, it moves about diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis some years ago 6 joints replaced and there wanting to do one of my hips I'm struggling with.

Great to hear your doing well though Michael.

Good Luck mate

Hi michelle,

I had thumb arthroplasty 9 weeks ago. My wrist was my problem after 6 weeks of splint. I'm OK until I do strength exercises. Yes wrist is getting better but there's a spot where your thumb joins wrist that really hurts when I do them. It feels like a hard stitch poking into muscle. Is this just part of the healing process???

I'm having my dominent hand done in 2 weeks and than the real fun will begin. I live alone so I just want someone else's experience that I'm on the right track for healing. I don't really use my surgery hand yet for much of anything (washing hair and towel dry ) but I am great about doing all exercises daily.

I can't complain, I have had very little pain with surgery, a lot of cold and some numbness but that is getting better. It's just that one spot that hurts, very sore when I massage it.

Just checking because I so want to get the other one done but hoping this little issue resolves so I can use this hand to walk dogs, etc. I cook a month worth of meals ahead of time, use paper plates..etc. can't think of a problem as far as self care accept it might not be doable to cut duct tape off my surgery arm when I tape bag on for shower. That and I know I won't be able to drive as soon this time with not having one strong hand yet.

thanks, Dawn

You should be working with a physio who will give you all the exercises and monitor your progress. I just had surgery on my finger and I have goals to achieve with movement .

you will get pain with the movement but that's how you get it moving again . Talk to your physio 

 I don’t suggest continuing on painkillers because you’ll have other problems down the road. I only took two days of painkillers after surgery then I switch to ibuprofen. have not had any problems since.  I was at stage 4. they said it was the worst case of basil thumb osteoarthritis that they have ever seen. The painkillers made me feel worse than without the pain medication. And now being the states are more strict on painkillers, you have to be careful because they will not refill them. I would have the surgery again in a heartbeat. my right thumb is acting up and I probably will have to have that surgery next year. It doesn’t bother me. I am semi retired. I had to take three months off of work for this surgery.

My apology for the wrong name, my tablet sometimes has a mind if it's own and as you can see the wrong name is typed! Ugh!

It seems like if you posted this several months ago you're probably ahead of me on recovery. Michelle Shelton Realty one