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STOP!,Read before having carpal tunnel surgery

Posted , 5 users are following.

kathleen99563
kathleen99563

GET YOUR THYROID CHECKED!!! I suffered from Carpal Tunnel for 2 years.Debilitating to say the least. I was scheduled to have surgery Dec 2016. Just before surgery I was diagnosed at age 49 with LOW THYROID. Since being on medication Levothyroxine my carpal tunnel is basically GONE! I really only have issues at night but nothing like before. PLEASE PLEASE get your thyroid hormone levels checked before having surgery. Carpal Tunnel IS the last symptom listed under a Low Thyroid diagnosis!!!

1 like, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • jeremydpbland
    jeremydpbland kathleen99563

    Posted

    Could I ask did you have any other symptoms of an underactive thyroid such as cold intolerance, weight gain, thickening of the skin, hair loss etc? I have wondered for years whether it is actually worth the expense of carrying out thyroid function blood tests in every patient who turns up with carpal tunnel syndrome. Clearly if there are other symptoms to suggest the possibility then it is worth doing but in people with NO symptoms of thyroid disease it is less obvious whether screening for thyroid function is cost effective. The association of thyroid underactivity with CTS is well known of course and many patients do end up having the blood test done in general practice but I would still like to know how many previously unsuspected cases it reveals. Dr J Bland
    • peter71953
      peter71953 jeremydpbland

      Posted

      I have had problems with Cts since 2013 then it was graded 1.last week I was tested again and was now graded 4 and was given a steriod injection which seems to have worked so far.no numbing of fingers or pain.my point is I have been diagnosed recently with a small goitre on my thyroid but not treatment recommended.I had a goitre previously removed in 1980 but no other symtoms have ever been found after several blood tests.and no medication prescribed.I wait to see how long my currant treatment lasts.
  • michelle06878
    michelle06878 kathleen99563

    Posted

    I had carpal tunnel symptoms before being diagnosed with thyroid problems. I have the autoimmune diseases, hashimotos. I know it's a funny name. But having thyroid, diabetes, autoimmune problems makes carpal tunnel worse. I had a pretty jerk General practitioner, that did nothing for my carpal tunnel. Every time I had a visit, I told him about my arms. The waking up at night etc. he only sent me for a CT scan the revealed arthritis in my neck. So I just did what I could, wrist braces at night, stretching my hand, squeezing balls. Everything I could figure out a doctor would have you do.

    2 years later, on Tuesday actually, I find out my nerves are absolutely jacked up. With quite a bit of damage to my muscle. My surgery for my right hand is tomorrow.

    This was after I went to an emergency room after two weeks of excruciating pain. Then was sent to spine doctors and kind of put through the ringer. Sorry for going on and on.

    I don't have any experience of the after affects of surgery yet. Or a positive outcome, if it's possible for that to happen. But if a doctor recommends it, I would say do it. That's just based on my experience of the pain it can cause from going untreated.

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