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3 weeks post op, what should I be experiencing?

Posted , 5 users are following.

kasey04292
kasey04292

I am 3 weeks post op (November 20, 2015) on my dominant right hand, I was given 0 instructions on what to do with my hand after surgery except to wiggle my fingers, so that's what I did, and did it with ease. I've had 0 pain too, I stopped taking pain meds 1 day after surgery and just took ibuprofen as needed. I got my stitches taken out this past Friday (December 10, 2015) and the surgeon asked me to make a fist, at first I told him I couldn't do it but then I did it, it was painful but not awful, he then had me touch my thumb to pinky which was painful too, since then I've been trying to make a gift and I can only make a small one (to my small knuckles), is this normal after 3 weeks? I feel like I should be making a full gift by now. I don't want to push my hands too hard and cause now damage than needed, also, had anyone has constant thumb twitching or hand twitching? I do and have never had it until after surgery. Just want to know if that should be expected. Thanks! 😊

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • jeremydpbland
    jeremydpbland kasey04292

    Posted

    Some stiffness seems to be not exactly 'normal' but quite common, especially so in diabetics and people who also have trigger digits which often occur along with CTS and in some cases seem to be exacerbated by the surgery perhaps. Hard to know what to make of the twitching thumb - can you video it? Dr J Bland
    • kasey04292
      kasey04292 jeremydpbland

      Posted

      You couldn't see it in a video, it's at the base if my thumb and wrist, like I said, never had this before the surgery.
    • kasey04292
      kasey04292 jeremydpbland

      Posted

      Yeah. Feels like my bone is twitching, every once in a while it'll be a visible twitch or it will twitch so hard that it jerks my hand. Soreness in my thumb too, only relief I'm getting is bending my thumb to stop it.
    • jeremydpbland
      jeremydpbland kasey04292

      Posted

      I guess it might be to do with the mechanical changes in the wrist secondary to cutting the ligament. The tendons will now be working in a rather different way. It's pretty hard to figure that out without seeing it so if it persists you might have to see your GP or surgeon. JB
  • Ram2645
    Ram2645 kasey04292

    Posted

    Hi Kasey!  When I had my op I learned about some exercises to do in a Facebook support group called I Survived Carpal Tunnel Surgery.  They are called Six Pack Exercises.  They were very helpful to me in the initial period following surgery to keep everything from stiffening up. This group also has a video showing proper technique for massaging once the the incision is well healed.  Good luck !  Hope your recovery goes well. smile
  • jania
    jania kasey04292

    Posted

    Hi Kasey, I had  Carpal Tunnel surgery November 10 2015. So at this time I am 5 & 1/2 weeks post op. directions from my Dr./Surgeon from day 1 were to do hand exercises & wiggle my fingers . I attached a copy of the exercises given to me. I hope they turned out ok & that you can see them. First day was tough to do this because my hand & fingers were numb. I am still doing these exercises and have added in touching my thumb to each finger repeating several times. 2nd direction was to ice 30 min. on 1 hour off while awake no icing while sleeping. That was a little bit hard since the pain pills kept putting me to sleep so my husband would come in to the bedroom & put the ice on even if I was asleep. Then take it off in 30 minutes. NO heat of any kind ( oh dear there goes doing the dishes! Lol !)  I'm still icing now 2 times a day for 30 minutes I am now having heat on them when I do dishes showering or washing my hands. I was told to lift nothing more than 3-5 lbs & no gripping hard anything. When I got the stitches out I was told any activity was fine as long as I tolerated it well but still no gripping anything tight yet. Let's just say I'm not lifting 100 lbs yet. I think about 10 has been my limit. My hand is still sore but much better & I am able to do new things everyday. the incision sight is still sore and the dr had me rubbing cocoa butter over it ( only if its healed up. Don't do that if it is still an open wound) it felt rather good & I was lightly massaging my whole hand with the cocoa butter & my hand started hurting really bad so I stopped doing that & it's ok again. Just do the exercises ,ice,& watch what you lift as you heal. We will get through this & everything will be wonderful when we are all healed. Even though I'm sore it's nothing compared to how much I was hurting before. I went to the ER one day cause I thought I was having a heart attack. The carpal tunnel was hurting clear up my arms & I would wake up at night in severe pain. So I'm saying it was well worth it. Having the left one done Dec. 29th. Good luck dear. Oh & stiffness is normal per my Dr. It's healing so it's normal. 

     

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