I'm weighing up surgery on my thumb joints

Great news!

I’m 73. So you’re just a spring chicken. 😀

Hi caringbah, thanx so much for the good wishes. I really appreciate it and I will update you when I have the surgery. I do think it will be alittle hard to text with my left thumb but I will do my best!!

No rush Diane....when you’re ready. 

All the best. 

Hi Kate, I’m all ears....anything but surgery! Yes, please send me contact details for your doctor. I used to live in Caringbah but am now back in Brisbane however I come down to Sydney about once a fortnight on business. 

What does PRP stand for by the way? 

Cheers 

PRP is plasma replacement therapy. The doctor takes a small amount of blood spins it for 10mins to separate the plasma and then injects the plasma into the thumb joint. This does hurt as the thumb has to be pulled while the needle goes into the joint to dispense the plasma. When I first had it done I had to have three injections two weeks apart. Initially thought it was a waste of time as didn't feel any difference but kept going back for the second and third injection. About 2 weeks after the last injection I had no pain and full movement of my thumbs. I now go back about every 4 to 5 months for a booster which carries me for another 4 to 5 months. I have on the odd occasion left it a bit long for the booster and have had to have another injection about 2 weeks after the first. It does hurt but that pain for roughly 10 to 20 seconds gives me a pain free 5 months then I think it's really worth it. Most sports medicine doctors seem to do it and my doctor here in Sydney is the doctor for the Bulldogs. Many athletes have PRP for torn muscles etc so it's not unusual.  Check and see who the Sports doctor is for the Broncos or the Qld reds. I must admit I am the only patient who has it for my thumbs. The others have it for knees, hips, ankles etc. All I can say is it works for me. Seriously can't understand why more people don't try it. My Dr has rooms once a week in Burrangaroo so that might be helpful.

If you cant work out who he is then I will give you his name. I'm just a bit reluctant to list it here.

Thanks Kate, I’ll PM you. 

Cheers 

Nice to see something that works at least as a bandaid fix.  In all honesty it really is only delaying the inevitable in my opinion as the arthritis is not being repaired but just patched or something similar. The op actually removes the arthritic bone.  I have had both thumbs done with the conventional fix and in my opinion they are damn near perfect. I can pretty well do anything with my hands now as I used to do before the arthritis. The only nuisance was the initial period of rehab, but a small price to pay considering the end result.

If one is happy with this method go for it, me, I preferred a permanent fix.

Just my 2 Bobs worth.

Although having said that Peter, Stem Cell really is the best way to go........  there is plenty of evidence out there, and after my op on my right hand I will definitely go stem cell for my left.  Make sure if you read or watch anything on stem cells it is up to date, because every month/six months/a year it is getting better!!  Good Luck everyone !!

Trouble is Pete, I do recall you saying that in the early stages you were in a lot of pain. The long rehab, even if succesful puts me off. Worse still, what if it’s not successful as many on this forum attest to....misery for the rest of your life? 

Im 73. If I’m lucky I may have 10 good years left. I year recovery for each wrist is 2 years out of the rest of my life. I’m not prepared to risk 20% of the rest of my life for a proceedure that has a risk of leaving me worse than when I started. 

Thats why I’m looking for alternatives...and there are alternatives. 

Yeah I did have some pain for a week or so, but with the rehab exercises, and time it has worked pretty well perfectly.  I think mostly those on here are here because they have had an issue, but what about the thousands that have probably had it and have had no issues.  I must admit I was a bit wary at first, but considering the absolute debilitating hand pain for me at least could not have been any worse than the remote chance of an issue.  In my opinion a gamble very well worth taking.

Peter,  Like you I'm very happy with the surgery results.  Maybe it isn't for everyone but my thumb was fused (following a wrist fracture) so if I wanted full use of my hand, surgery was the only option.  I can again play piano and accordion and do most anything I want. The other hand has similar issues but not yet bad enough to require surgery.  If it comes to that I'll have it surgically repaired rather than give up the activities I enjoy.   I had mine done at age 73 and between casts for the wrist fracture and post surgery, I was one-handed for 5 months, followed by PT.  But I'm thrilled to have use of my hand again, not to mention it was an exercise in patience.<G>

Yes, a person should go with their preferred treatment method.  But the recovery period was definitely worth it for me.  The important thing is to have a HAND SPECIALIST you trust.

Best to all.

Thank you for this info. I have severe osteoarthritis just about everywhere ... Lol hubby and I say I need a total skeleton replacement.

I was set to have foot ankle surgery in Jan (fusion metatarsal ,? Repair of ruptured ligament). But had insurance change 1/1 & had to find all new Drs. Priorities changed as I also needed L hand trapeziectomy anchovy tendon and thumb fusion left hand (done 5/8, still not totally recovered as of today 8/7), left knee I need total knee replacement per my last knee specialist & C and L spine issues had future nerve ablations scheduled. I asked my previous foot knee and hand specialists (the best found in New Mexico) if there were any other options besides Hand thumb surgery and knee surgery ....also something to help my foot ankle .... Like injections (other than steroids) such as hyaluronic acid or those other joint injections). The response from those Drs was injections wouldn't help as everything is bone on bone with no cartilage left. I am a piano player, age 61 playing since age 5 also 32 years as a paralegal so lots of typing ... Then many injuries. I also have severe shellfish allergy so can't take glucosamine as it's derived from shellfish. Also from many years of steroids for chronic bronchitis & pneumonia along with many many steroid injections for arthritis now have total adrenal failure so have to take daily steroids to replace the cortisol my body no longer produces. This complicates things further.

Hopefully our move to Fort Worth Texas will mean there's a higher level of available Drs with a broader spectrum of treatment options and once I get settled I will look into that option of plasma injection.

Thank you for the info. I believe my left thumb fusion and 1st CMC anchovy tendon trapeziectomy procedure was worth it but it can be a long recovery especially if you have to move in the middle of recovery lol.

Just take it one day at a time and do the exercises.

Peter, I love this site and don’t believe people are here because they had an issue.  If the issue is thumb and wrist pain, then I agree.  But if issue is problems/complaints about surgery or treatment, then I don’t agree.  I find this site so helpful and positive.  I find it to inform me of more options and  provide relief that others are experiencing the same ups and possibly downs during decisions and/or recuperation.  I’ve been on a few other message board regarding this medical issue and it was so depressing and nothing but one tragic story after another. So let us all continue sharing our experiences, our research on other choices available, and out encouragement to others.  

Thank you all, I’ve started a list from your ideas to bring to my next doctor visit. 

Hi Karen  - Please look at the videos for stem cell therapy, youwill be much better off, watch the videos, stem cell is available in the US and the reports are amazing!!