Anyone had hand surgery?

My little finger sticks upwards at the last joint, and I can’t bend that bit down. I did break my wrist about two years ago and it healed stiff (still a bit painful). It’s probably connected isn’t it? Do you think it’s worth a doctor looking at it - seems a bit trivial to bother them with and anyway it’s a trial trying to get an appointment!

I'd had months of severe pain in my right thumb joint, I woke up every night in severe pain and eventually surgery was the only option.
My surgeon told me that he had devised a new operation which involved removing the trapezium, cleaning it up and putting it back. There were two long pins keeping it all together and the hand was wrapped up in a mass of crepe bandage for six weeks. When the bandage came off, I was astonished at the size of the pins, but also at the delicacy of the scar, which even then was almost imperceptible. I have not had a minute's pain in that joint for 14 years. Unfortunately the surgeon retired soon after my surgery, so it's just as well that I haven't needed his treatment in my left hand.

That’s the operation I’ve just had anno, and I had my left hand done six years ago. I haven’t got any pins in though, nor did I have pins in the left hand. My left hand surgery went so well, not much after pain, but this hand is a different story.

Bad luck, maddy. I hope things will get better. The said pins were removed with the bandages which is how I came to know how long they were! I had a month of intensive physio before I was allowed to drive.

Yes, I had physio for three months after the first op, but it wasn’t intensive, it was every couple of weeks and I had to do the exercises in between appointments. I went back to normal activities more or less straight away, but it was my left hand and my non dominant hand. This time it’s my dominant hand and I’m having more post op pain, but I will have physio again, so we’ll see how it goes. Anyway, looking on the bright side, I haven’t got any more hands to do

One more week to go ladies, and then the cast comes off, can’t wait. I’ve bought a splint thing to support the hand some of the time when the cast comes off as I’m still having quite a lot of pain. Thanks for all your responses.

A tip,*maddy*, that my physios didn't know about, is to acquire a squashy foam tennis ball and practise gently squeezing it. I got mine in JL, but 'you know who' has them on line. The OTs at my hospital gave me a stretchy glove to wear. The nicest thing about the physio (or the only nice thing) was to dip my hand into a container of hot (but not too hot) melted wax. Not sure what good it did but it felt comforting.

Thanks for those tips anno. My physio got me to buy some squashy stuff to squeeze to strengthen my hand when I had my first hand done, and I’ve still got that. I’m a bit worried about the cast coming off because I still get such a lot of pain, but at least it’s the beginning of the end of this saga. Hopefully I’ll be back to normal in a few months.

Annodomino, the hot wax treatment is so comforting isn’t it? You can buy the wax on line (paraffin wax) and warm it gently in the microwave. Great for arthritis and rheumatism.
Dupuytrens contracture used to be called Coachman’s finger.

maddyone I am so sorry it is not what you expected but I agree, once the new cast settles hopefully the pain will be less.

Anybody seeking hand surgery- please look for a hand surgeon not a jack of all trades.

Maybe I could melt down a couple of unpleasantly scented candles, midgey! I remember getting some squashy stuff from the physios but preferred the resilient squashy balls.

Ooh yuck annodomino, the stench...oops ...perfume might make you pass out!

I used a wax hand bath following a dog walking injury. If nothing else it was very soothing and lessened the pain. I put ibugel on before immersing my hand.

OH in his newly acquired retirement zeal put it up on top of a kitchen cupboard to tidy up. Grrr!