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Had Surgery Today
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10/23/2018 02:40
GailSusan 
10/23/2018 02:40
GailSusan 
Had Surgery Today

I'm typing this with my right hand as it was my left hand that was operated on. 20 years ago the right hand was operated on by a different surgeon and is fully functional. I had tried Xiaflex for my left hand but it did nothing even with two injections. 4 months of physical therapy, and splinting, so the doctor and I decided on surgery.

The operation itself was successful with 0% angle on my pinkie and 10% on my 4th finger (arthritis prevented 0%).

The surgery itself was not a bad experience. They gave me an injection in my right arm for a sedative, then a nerve block in my left arm. Neither injection hurt. It is a little weird to have your arm go completely numb. After half an hour or so I was wheeled into the operating room. They gave me Versid and a twilight anesthetic, Propofol. I was completely out for the two hours of surgery, but came to right away in the operating room afterwards. I was completely alert and bored in the recovery area. Apparently. I recover a lot faster than others and I also remember every detail of the conversations in the operating room before I went out. The medication is supposed to make you forget, but I've always been like that with operations.

My arm was in a sling because it was dead weight. It can take up to 30 hours for the nerve block to wear off. It is about 11 hours after the operation and I've just removed the sling. I don't usually take pain pills but they gave me some, which I will take if I really need them.

In a week I'll see the surgeon and then hopefully start physical therapy. Based on this experience I wouldn't hesitate to have surgery again if I need it. but I hope this lasts.

I've posted a BEFORE photo from June 14th, right after Xiaflex injection. It got a little worse by October 22nd when I had the operation. 45 degree angle on pinky, but I forgot to take photos. Ignore the black skin after Xiaflex injection, that went away. After PT I'll post an AFTER photo.

BEFORE:



Edited 11/04/18 02:02

10/23/2018 06:32
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

10/23/2018 06:32
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

Re: Had Surgery Today

Thanks for sharing your experience so far. Best wishes with the recovery. Please pop back occasionally and let us know your journey to hopefully full recovery the hand. Do you have before photo?

10/23/2018 16:28
GailSusan 
10/23/2018 16:28
GailSusan 
Re: Had Surgery Today

spanishbuddha:
Thanks for sharing your experience so far. Best wishes with the recovery. Please pop back occasionally and let us know your journey to hopefully full recovery the hand. Do you have before photo?

I went back and posted a BEFORE photo on my post. After physical therapy I'll post an AFTER photo.

11/01/2018 01:26
Cherrise 
11/01/2018 01:26
Cherrise 
Re: Had Surgery Today

How are you doing since surgery? Sending healing blessings your way and much success with surgery! After surgery it’s strange how fast the hand and fingers become a little weak and I found a few helpful things on amazon to help build up wrist and grip strength, if interested be happy to pm you .

I did check out your xiaflex pic and my hand looked just like yours I posted it on this forum ...I was prescribed pain meds at the time...also as well as the other swelling/issues you described, and it did work for me. But I’m not sure if I would do it again. That was 7 years ago and still doin good. I wear a fixxglove nightly. Now 79 yrs. old arthritis is a issue with bone spurs on fingers.

Lots of good healing wishes and the best of luck for a positive outcome.

11/03/2018 23:58
GailSusan 
11/03/2018 23:58
GailSusan 
Re: Had Surgery Today

It's been almost two weeks since I had surgery. It was so much easier than the Xiaflex injections. Less painful and I have had use of my left hand, even though it was in a big surgical cast until last Thursday. In fact, my electric fireplace arrived on Wednesday, and despite having surgery on Monday, I was able to bring the carton into my house, open it, and assemble it as well as flip it over and begin using it. By Thursday I was driving my car.

I still have not taken any pain meds. I haven't been in any pain at all. Now I just have a bandage on my hand and pinkie, which I have to change every day, but I'm fully functional. I was back at work four days after surgery.

I get my stitches out this coming Thursday, November 8th. I have feeling in my hand and fingers. I can move them and am typing right now with both hands. I don't want to do anything too vigorous until the stitches are out, such as raking the leaves.

I'm very pleased with the surgery. It took much less out of me than the Xiaflex injections - no pain, back to work more quickly. Most importantly, my surgeon was able to straighten my pinkie for full extension and my other finger to almost full extension, arthritis is limiting that one. I'll begin physical therapy on Thursday right after the stitches are removed.



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11/04/2018 06:25
Cherrise 
11/04/2018 06:25
Cherrise 
Re: Had Surgery Today

Great pics of your hand & looks great. So glad to see your doing so well and experiencing great recovery! It's such a relief to finally have the surgery behind you and move on with life and have a useful hand again. I'll never take the ability to use my fingers for granted. Mine were curled in a fist, three fingers & darn inconvenient.

I used a spring grip at home once Physio therapy was completed. The therapist recommended using a home hand held ultra sound either with magnesium oil if swelling, if no swelling coconut oil is helpful for to keep palms soft and pliable once incision healed.This helps avoid scar tissue build up. Scar tissue is collagen build up & my hands like to make lots of collagen so much my fingers curled up. Your hand looks very nice. The zig zags will disappear soon. You have very Pretty fingers with no evidence of DC at all.

It's winter and my hands get so dry. I use a hand spa with warm lavender oil wax helps keep the hands in better shape as exercises helped develop and maintain grip. All are available on Amazon. Hot wax is so soothing!

Happy healing!

Edited 11/04/18 08:37

11/04/2018 07:50
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

11/04/2018 07:50
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

Re: Had Surgery Today

Looks good. Do the exercises. Thanks for sharing.

11/04/2018 13:43
GailSusan 
11/04/2018 13:43
GailSusan 
Re: Had Surgery Today

Cherrise:
Great pics of your hand & looks great. So glad to see your doing so well and experiencing great recovery! It's such a relief to finally have the surgery behind you and move on with life and have a useful hand again. I'll never take the ability to use my fingers for granted. Mine were curled in a fist, three fingers & darn inconvenient.

I used a spring grip at home once Physio therapy was completed. The therapist recommended using a home hand held ultra sound either with magnesium oil if swelling, if no swelling coconut oil is helpful for to keep palms soft and pliable once incision healed.This helps avoid scar tissue build up. Scar tissue is collagen build up & my hands like to make lots of collagen so much my fingers curled up. Your hand looks very nice. The zig zags will disappear soon. You have very Pretty fingers with no evidence of DC at all.

It's winter and my hands get so dry. I use a hand spa with warm lavender oil wax helps keep the hands in better shape as exercises helped develop and maintain grip. All are available on Amazon. Hot wax is so soothing!

Happy healing!

Cherrise, How are your hands today. Did you have surgery? Thank you for the advice. I'll buy the hand held ultrasound. I don't have any swelling now, but who knows once I begin physical therapy? The hand spa with lavender oil wax sounds great! I do most of my shopping on Amazon. Thank you again.

11/04/2018 13:44
GailSusan 
11/04/2018 13:44
GailSusan 
Re: Had Surgery Today

spanishbuddha:
Looks good. Do the exercises. Thanks for sharing.

SpanishBuddha, What did you decide to do with your hand?

11/04/2018 18:37
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

11/04/2018 18:37
spanishbuddha 

Administrator

Re: Had Surgery Today

GailSusan:
spanishbuddha:
Looks good. Do the exercises. Thanks for sharing.

SpanishBuddha, What did you decide to do with your hand?
I have had RT both hands, different times. One hand is stable, has old cords but seems completely dormant and no contracture. The other right hand, and I’m right handed so it gets lots of use, including tennis, is slowly developing a thick cord; but still no contracture and I’ve not noticed any difficulty at the piano either yet. Thanks for asking.

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physical   Surgery   improvement   Thursday   Dupuytren   swelling   healing   surgical   counterproductive   good-healing-genes   wearing   surgeon   fingers   stitches   exercises   non-dissolvable   spanishbuddha   therapy   therapist   Congratulations