I'm weighing up surgery on my thumb joints

Hi Carolyn, 

I had the cortisone shots in both thumbs and it worked great .....I got three months relief. 

Second round of shots 6 months later....nothing. 

Hi Carolyn, 

The injection hurt like the devil going in and didn't help me at all, but I know others (including my hand surgeon's frail mother) who get very good relief for several months. The thing is that it mightl buy some time, but for those of us who use our hands hard, it won't fix the problem. I've ridden my road bike almost 100 miles over the last week and the left hand, which I haven't yet done, hurts a lot from shifting (front gear ring is with the thumb) and leaning on it. My right hand, which I had done in 2014, is holding up well. It gets a little sore with hilly rides where I'm shifting a whole lot, but it's good otherwise -- and I'd be completely unable to ride if I hadn't had it done...  

Ginger 

Thank you for the reply. I am going to get a cortisone shot. I hope it will give me some reprieve

for a few months.

I hope so too!  

Hi, I had cortisone in both thumbs on the same day. It gave me a bit of relief but not for long and sadly I get cortisone flare up, so I got worse before getting better. 

It's worth trying as it is very succesful for some people. 

Hi Carolyn, as Devonia and Ginger, also had cortisone in R thumb. Although excruciating, it worked well. Dr. for about 3mo. Had a second shot 7 mos. ago whileI under having carpal surgery on left (felt that one too😬 and, unfortunately, the 2nd did not work it have heard of others that get a lot mor mileage with the cortizone.having the LRTI on R 9/25. Sounds like your doing well Devonia. You may think it's a slow road but I bet your surgeon thinks you're right on schedule! Keep going, persistence!

Kathy

I'm 4 & a half weeks post surgery, still in my cast & will be pleased to get to the next stage! 

Due to the angle the hand is set at it's uncomfortable trying to get that arm in certain positions. I've tried using my pc keyboard & using a couple of fingers on that hand, as well as non operated one, but it does cause my wrist to ache & back of hand. 

Still getting the prickly feeling around palm & thumb in the evening, more so if I've been doing stuff. I'm keeping my fingers moving but find in the morning they've curled up & are quite stiff,  especially the index finger. Maybe they are getting a work out as I'm holding things in between the fingers! 

Right hand is coping ok ( non operated hand) even though I also have the problem in that thumb joint. 

Missing putting on handcream & rubbing in body lotion  onto R arm with fingers of operated hand is quite hard. 

Looking forward to when the cast comes off & I can put my hand in some warm water. :-) Simple pleasures! 

So, yesterday afternoon I finally had the cast removed!! After 6 weeks in it I've a few issues caused by the cast, stiff wrist with  poor movement in some directions & swollen fingers. However, I think with exercises these should improve. I had been using my fingers whilst in cast but it was causing pressure on the knuckles plus hand was set st an angle, resulting in the wrist stiffness.  

The scar is very neat but still have some bruising on the arm.

 I saw the specialist & physiotherapist yesterday after the cast was removed, but obviously hand was still quite sore. I have a light splint to wear & gradually will spend less time in this. 

My skin is like a crocodile & it was good to soak my hand & rub some of the dead skin away when I got home. It will take a little while for it all to go. The physiotherapist also suggested I could do my hand exercises in water. I only have a few simple things to do at the moment to try & free up the stiffness, must admit it's very sore.  Told me to take pain meds. 

I go back middle of next week, when hopefully hand/wrist is a little freer so we can do more! 

Yea for no cast! 

After 6 weeks of immobility, it’s no surprise that you’ve got the issues you mentioned. You’ll work through them in therapy and will be back to better than pre-op before you know it.  I wasn’t ever in a cast (just a removable splint) and started PT after a week, but still had a lot of weakness and stiffness to move through.

A friend gave me a hot paraffin bath (had been used by a therapist who retired) that I used a lot to relieve some of my discomfort.  Making hot wax “gloves” felt wonderful!  I’d dip my hand in about 15 times till it was thickly coated, wrap it in Saran Wrap, cover that in a thick towel, and let the heat work its magic.  

Thanks for letting us know how things are progressing!!!  

 

Maybe time to book in for a paraffin wax manicure when I'm driving again. 

I have these a couple of times during the Winter months anyway :-) 

That sounds perfect!  

Great, cast is gone! It must be a big relief. Reading about your progress and that of the others on this forum is giving me comfort. I read about your progress, your therapies, hints for relieving pain and soreness and I think, "ok, I think I can do this." I'm a little older (75) but active and in good health other than these dang thumbs, but reading your and the other     experiences is helping me immensely, especially the patients who are years past their first surgery. 9/25 and counting!

Ginger, definitely will be looking forward to the wax treatment!

how long before you can drive.  I have little help and am scared I cannot manage all those weeks in splint/cast and get myself to PT or function with daily things.

The specialist says it will most likely be a couple of weeks, but it will be when I'm confident I could do an emergency stop!

My hand is still stiff & a little swollen post cast, so bending wrist is very hard to do. I'm doing my wrist exercises ( in the bath is a good place for that as the water helps) & hoping it will ease. 

My hospital is about an hour away & I can get a lift next week for my physio appointment but the following week my husband is away so won't be able to have one then. I need to be able to drive to get across so hoping I'm ok the week after. 

Massaging in lotion onto hand & scar is also good to do. I have areas that feel as if they are bruised but it's do-able. 

Good luck with your surgery. 

I will need my other hand doing at some point but not rushing into it.