| Had Surgery Today |
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11/09/2018 20:30
spanishbuddha  Administrator
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11/09/2018 20:30
spanishbuddha Administrator
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Re: Had Surgery Today
Looks very good, I would think you’re going to be an example of a successful outcome from surgery.
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11/10/2018 15:05
GailSusan 
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11/10/2018 15:05
GailSusan
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Re: Had Surgery Today
spanishbuddha:
Looks very good, I would think you’re going to be an example of a successful outcome from surgery.
I think so much of this depends upon the skill of the hand surgeon. My right hand was operated on 20 years ago and is fully functional with normal extension of all fingers. I did do physical therapy afterwards, but I didn't overdo it as Dupuytren's tends to get aggravated by trauma. The Dupuytren's on my left hand kicked up when I fell on it and broke a finger. It flared up again after the Xiaflex injections. Surgery is trauma as well, but by removing the cords, there is time for healing before it can flare up again, if ever. No sign of Dupuytren's on my right hand 20 years after surgery. I'm hoping for the same with my left hand now.
Edited 11/10/18 17:06
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11/11/2018 06:26
dupynz
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11/11/2018 06:26
dupynz
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Re: Had Surgery Today
GailSusan:
spanishbuddha:
Looks very good, I would think you’re going to be an example of a successful outcome from surgery.
I think so much of this depends upon the skill of the hand surgeon. My right hand was operated on 20 years ago and is fully functional with normal extension of all fingers. I did do physical therapy afterwards, but I didn't overdo it as Dupuytren's tends to get aggravated by trauma. The Dupuytren's on my left hand kicked up when I fell on it and broke a finger. It flared up again after the Xiaflex injections. Surgery is trauma as well, but by removing the cords, there is time for healing before it can flare up again, if ever. No sign of Dupuytren's on my right hand 20 years after surgery. I'm hoping for the same with my left hand now.
GailSusan,
I'm really impressed with how your hand looks, and it's also good to hear your other hand was also successful and is still good after 20 years. Your recent surgery was a little earlier than mine (=31 Oct) but my stitches are coming out tomorrow (12 days post op.) whereas yours were a bit later post op. Hope mine aren't coming out too soon!
The one thing that puzzles me is that you say you can't yet make a fist, but your last photo looks like a good fist to me! How much better could or should it be?
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11/11/2018 14:59
GailSusan
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11/11/2018 14:59
GailSusan
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Re: Had Surgery Today
The tips of the finger should curl in as well. My stitches were removed 17 days after surgery. Most of my stitches were dissolvable. My surgeon only had five stitches in my palm to remove. I suspect that is the case with your situation. The non-dissolvable stitches are kind of like a back up for the areas of the palm that may get more stress. My previous surgeon only used dissolvable stitches. This is only time I took a pain pill. I took it half an hour before having the stitches removed AND I sprayed my hand with a topical anesthetic (Bactine, which has lidocaine in it). There was only one painful stitch removal and it only hurt for a split second, but I'm not the best patient when it comes to pain. I don't understand why my surgeon doesn't have topical, spray on lidocaine in her office, but I came prepared.
I don't know why your surgeon would take the stitches out so soon, but he/she may not do so if the hand isn't healing fast enough. I'm 65 years old. She might have delayed the stitch removal by a week due to my age or due to the extensiveness of the surgery. Did you have two incisions or one? My right hand only hand one incision.
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11/11/2018 22:51
dupynz
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11/11/2018 22:51
dupynz
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Re: Had Surgery Today
Thanks for explaining what a true fist is!
Well, today I went to my GPs practice about the stitches removal (as advised, rather than back to the surgeon yet) and on my GP's advice, some of the stitches were ready to come out and some not till Thursday (it's Monday here in New Zealand). But it is healing very well on the whole. I am 69 by the way, and this is my first Dupuytren's surgery experience. My RH will have to be done some time soon but it is by no means as bad.
I am just waiting to hear back from the hand therapist at the hospital - she was on her lunch break - as to whether there is any point in my going to the appointment I have tomorrow if I still have some stitches in. I'd said to her they would all be out today. I don't really think I have made as much progress as she would have expected, even though I have diligently done the exercises I got given last Wed. when I got the cast off.
This is going to be a long journey! My little finger and my palm are quite tender. I'm told I can drive again, though that might be a little uncomfortable, I imagine!
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11/12/2018 00:54
GailSusan
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11/12/2018 00:54
GailSusan
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Re: Had Surgery Today
I began driving the third day after surgery with the big surgical cast on my hand/arm. It wasn't uncomfortable, just a little awkward as the surgical cast was bulky. My biggest problem was using my computer keyboard as I am on my computer at least 4-5 hours a day for work and not being able to shower for 12 days after surgery.
I think your hand therapist can still make the splint that you wear. She didn't have me do any hand exercises the day my stitches were removed. I was told to wear the splint most of the time, but given that I have to use the computer keyboard throughout the day, I can't wear it until evening and I use it while sleeping. It's comfortable enough that I'm able to sleep.
I'm glad I have had the surgery before (on my right hand) so I knew what to expect. I imagine you must have been much more uncertain about the whole process not having been through it. As you have seen from reading others accounts, surgical results vary greatly depending upon the amount of contracture, the skill of the surgeon, and the physical therapy afterwards. Then there is the issue of whether the Dupuytren's returns after surgery. I sure hope that doesn't happen to either of us.
My little finger is still swollen and hurts if something brushes up against it, but everything seems to be healing okay.
Let me know how it goes tomorrow with your hand therapist and Thursday with your hand surgeon.
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11/12/2018 23:41
dupynz
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11/12/2018 23:41
dupynz
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Re: Had Surgery Today
GailSusan:
I began driving the third day after surgery with the big surgical cast on my hand/arm. It wasn't uncomfortable, just a little awkward as the surgical cast was bulky. My biggest problem was using my computer keyboard as I am on my computer at least 4-5 hours a day for work and not being able to shower for 12 days after surgery.
I think your hand therapist can still make the splint that you wear. She didn't have me do any hand exercises the day my stitches were removed. I was told to wear the splint most of the time, but given that I have to use the computer keyboard throughout the day, I can't wear it until evening and I use it while sleeping. It's comfortable enough that I'm able to sleep.
I'm glad I have had the surgery before (on my right hand) so I knew what to expect. I imagine you must have been much more uncertain about the whole process not having been through it. As you have seen from reading others accounts, surgical results vary greatly depending upon the amount of contracture, the skill of the surgeon, and the physical therapy afterwards. Then there is the issue of whether the Dupuytren's returns after surgery. I sure hope that doesn't happen to either of us.
My little finger is still swollen and hurts if something brushes up against it, but everything seems to be healing okay.
Let me know how it goes tomorrow with your hand therapist and Thursday with your hand surgeon.
Wow - how you drove with a cast on amazes me! I don't think I would have felt safe to do so and I think if I had had an accident my insurance would not have covered me. I am lucky to have been able to use some paid sick leave that I had accumulated and will have had 3 weeks of this when I return to work on Monday! (minus 2 days of annual leave and 1 day public holiday). I work full time, mostly keyboarding, and could actually be back at work really... just enjoying the break! A foretaste of retirement, which I am putting off in order to save more!
My hand therapist who has seen a great many Dupuytrens patients says my hand is healing well, scars look good, and I have been doing well with my exercises. My little finger is 10 degrees better than at my first appointment with her and she thinks in my particular case a splint would actually be counterproductive at the present moment. I have very small hands and fingers. So with a couple of minor additions, I should just continue the good work with my exercises and she'll see me next Wednesday, in 8 days' time. A splint may be necessary a bit later but some swelling and the scars make this not advisable at present. I don't see my surgeon till later this month but I feel I'm in "good hands" with my therapist.
Sorry GailSusan for usurping your thread talking about myself - but your comments have been really helpful!
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11/13/2018 13:11
GailSusan
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11/13/2018 13:11
GailSusan
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Re: Had Surgery Today
Don't worry about talking too much about yourself. It's good for me to compare my recovery to someone else's and helpful for others to read. We all want to know if our healing is normal. Congratulations on the 10 degree improvement! Not to be competitive (LOL), but I had a 15 degree improvement from last Thursday when the stitches were removed to yesterday (from 35 degrees to 20 degrees). I didn't get my splint until the stitches were removed either. My hand therapist added a series of 6 exercises to be done 5-6 times a day and massaging my hand with lotion while holding my hand upright in order to move the fluids out of my palm and finger. There is very little tingling in my little finger. It's starting to feel normal. The incisions are closed now and looking better. My hand therapist said I was healing well. Palm and little finger is still tender with slight inflammation, but not bad. I'm wearing the splint except for keyboard work. I drive with the splint. I'm feeling very positive about the results of my surgery so far. I'm glad you are getting good news as well.
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11/13/2018 20:52
dupynz
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11/13/2018 20:52
dupynz
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Re: Had Surgery Today
GailSusan:
Don't worry about talking too much about yourself. It's good for me to compare my recovery to someone else's and helpful for others to read. We all want to know if our healing is normal. Congratulations on the 10 degree improvement! Not to be competitive (LOL), but I had a 15 degree improvement from last Thursday when the stitches were removed to yesterday (from 35 degrees to 20 degrees). I didn't get my splint until the stitches were removed either. My hand therapist added a series of 6 exercises to be done 5-6 times a day and massaging my hand with lotion while holding my hand upright in order to move the fluids out of my palm and finger. There is very little tingling in my little finger. It's starting to feel normal. The incisions are closed now and looking better. My hand therapist said I was healing well. Palm and little finger is still tender with slight inflammation, but not bad. I'm wearing the splint except for keyboard work. I drive with the splint. I'm feeling very positive about the results of my surgery so far. I'm glad you are getting good news as well.
I've been very encouraged by your whole story and the great photos of your hand, so thanks a lot! Congratulations on the 15 degree improvement I'm 2 weeks post op. today. I actually feel lucky that my little finger is as good as it is, considering it was right down in my palm before the op. and I do have a tiny bit of arthritis in my left hand and broke the knuckles in that hand in a bike accident as a teenager. So, the therapist says I might never make a proper fist because even my good fingers won't quite do it. I am starting to lose the numbness in my little finger, but of course there is a fair degree of tenderness in it and in my palm where they cut out an area of nodules and seem to have sewn the skin flap back over the top. (I didn't ask a lot of questions when I saw the surgeon after the op. - I was feeling too nauseated to think straight and not sure I remember half of what she told me!!). She decided not to do a skin graft, so I hope that was the right decision.
When did you stop wearing tape over your incisions? The therapist taped up mine again after a close inspection, and they are not quite closed yet. I'm wearing a tubular bandage for a bit of extra protection and comfort but of course it leaves my fingers free. In the shower I still wear a lightweight vinyl glove over my left hand (the gloves that food handlers use), with the opening taped round and round my wrist with parcel tape to keep the water out. Even having this much freedom with my dominant LH in the shower is great! I had 3 showers wearing the cast and that was a nightmare, with 2 bread bags and the parcel tape business keeping the cast dry. It worked but it was very awkward, as I do so little with my right hand in normal life.
Edited 11/13/18 22:56
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