LRTI surgery recovery sharing

Thanks - checked email but still no pics. Not sure where they went. LOL

I REALLY appreciate you sharing your journey with me. I too am hoping to return to work fairly quickly. I didn't know the other fingers would get swollen - egads - I just thought it would be the thumb.

BTW - you are doing a great job with the pecking on the computer!



Just sent pics again.
Don't know what I am doing wrong. Maybe send me an email and I'll reply back with the pics.
[email protected]

Wonderful! Glad you are doing well enough to go back to work so fast!

I had thumb arthroplasty with LRTI 4 days ago (6/13) on my left, dominant hand. I had it done with straight up nerve block (stayed wide awake) placed just above my collarbone, and it worked marvelously well, but started wearing off after about 6-1/2 hrs and was completely worn off within the next hour (what a bummer, considering I'd heard of folks being numb for 18-20 hrs). I only needed the Vicodin for about 24 hrs afterward and switched to ibuprofen, and since yesterday haven't even really needed that. The first night I was quite sore but not so much I couldn't sleep through it. I kept ice on my hand/wrist the first three days after the numbness wore off. I currently have little to no pain though my hand is still swollen which I expect to subside over the next couple of days. I was driving again the next day after surgery. I've actually been keeping my four free fingers busy and even done some lifting (I was given no directive otherwise). I have a temporary cast/splint that will be removed at two weeks post-op and replaced with a fiberglass cast for another 3 weeks, followed by up to 6 weeks of physical therapy. I was really concerned about post-op pain but my surgeon assured me it wouldn't be as bad as I imagined and he was right. He regularly does about 5 LRTI's a day and he's fantastic. I'm only 45 and on the young end of the spectrum for being affected the extent I have been by basal joint arthritis.

**PRO-TIP** - take your first dose of percocet/vicodin as soon as you get home right after having a bite to eat. DO NOT wait until the numbness from the nerve block wears off to take it. Set the alarm on your smartphone every 4 hrs through the next morning at least to take your meds. The next day you can play it by ear.

Post Edited (mlgsings) : 6/17/2017 8:17:48 PM (GMT-6)

Thanks for the updates everyone. I was originally set to have my right (dominant) done next month, with my left to follow in December. However, due to a recent insurance change at my work, I am postponing to January and then June of next year. I am also on the young side (49). I got this from my mother who started symptoms in her mid 60s. I, sadly, started in my mid 30s. Working an administrative job, my hands are my paycheck, and I've put this off as long as I can. I hope I'm one of those folks that recovers quickly and experiences little pain, but everyone is so different.

Keep those updates coming and thank you for sharing!

I am new to the forum and am looking at October of 2017 to have the dominant (right) hand done, as it is slowly getting worse (doc says it is at 8/10 right now, and getting worse). Like my doc said: it won't get any better and at 61, it won't get any easier. My left side isn't bad at all really, but I can feel it beginning to follow the same pattern as the right. May as well get it over with. After reading through the forum, it looks as if it will be tolerable, but certainly not something I am looking forward to. I will tune in occasionally and update as I go through the process....thanks for all who have contributed thus far. I feel a bit relieved after reading the results.

Hi. I am new to this forum. I am 53 and in relatively good health and was recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my right thumb (dominant hand). For 6 months or more, I have been experiencing a lot of pain and discomfort from the base of my thumb down across the underside of my wrist. Sometimes it would also itch or burn. The condition became progressively worse and I made an appointment a month ago with my ortho dr. My initial guess was that I had a simple case of carpal tunnel. To my surprise, he told me I had arthritis. He prescribed a topical antibiotic and brace. He said to try this treatment for a month. If I still had pain, he would recommend a cortisone injection. The last option would be the LRTI procedure that all of you have been discussing. I've been seeing this dr for many years, having had two arthroscopic knee procedures (one for posterior/anterior meniscus tears and the other for arthritis that mimicked symptoms of a meniscus tear), as well as a dislocated kneecap, and hip bursitis and posterior tibial tendinitis dysfunction (PTTD) in which he referred me to a specialist who ended up doing the surgery. Obviously, I have been blessed with joint issues! For the most part, I trust this dr., although he can be quick to offer the injection as his first go-to. I've had my share of these shots over the years and they don't typically help me very much. So far, I have not seen any relief from the topical or brace (granted, it's difficult to wear too much outside of at night). I'm giving myself another week to see if I have any improvement. If not, I guess I will get the injection and hope for the best.

Sorry for the long health history! My question is: have any of you gone through this course of treatment prior to deciding on the surgery? If you had the injection, how much, if any, relief did it provide you? If I were to have the surgery, I'm fortunate to have family help me. My job allows me to work remotely most of the time, but it also requires me to be able to type and use a mouse.

Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences. I'm a big planner and like to read these types of postings before embarking on the surgical route. It was a lifesaver when I had my PTTD surgery and was in a walking boot for 3 months and couldn't drive or use stairs!

Lori1217

Welcome!

I will be 50 in January and am opting for surgery on my right (dominant) hand in January and then my left in either April. May or June. Whenever my right hand tells me it's okay.

I've been to an orthopedic hand surgeon and a rheumatoid arthritis doctor, both diagnosed me with advance OA in both hands. My right has lost most, if not all, cartilage. My left, since my right is now less useful, is losing more each day. Its a no win situation.

I started with cortisone shots in 2015. They lasted 18 months. I went back in May of this year for another round, as the pain was at an all time high. Sadly, no effect.

I have also tried topicals - Voltaren and Pennsaid. They both worked but only for a few days, then nothing.

I was taking Celebrex 200mg once a day for the past 1.5 years. Once the second series of shots failed in May, I stopped taking it to see if it was even helping. It has made no difference so there's no point in taking it anymore.

After trying all I can, surgery is the path I must go down. I am an Executive Assistant for multiple owners of a company. My hands are my livelihood. I need to continue to work, so I really have no choice. Unless, of course, I just want to be miserable and in constant pain.

I've heard from many that say they wish they'd done this years ago. I can only hope I will join their ranks!

Good luck!

I did also have several rounds of steroid injections over the course of several years. At first they worked very well. After a while, I found they did very little, if any good. Then I just stopped and endured the pain for as long as I could for about a year until I opted for surgery on my right hand.

I am at about 4 weeks out, now, and in a removable splint, only taken off to shower, to massage the scar, and to do the prescribed range of motion exercises on my wrist, tip of thumb, and to make a fist. I never move that thumb joint.

I do have more pain than I'd like to have at this point...although I do recognize that it's improving every day. Little by little I'm able to do more and more. What I'm experiencing seems to be more "surface" nerve-type pain associated with the scar and the splint touching my arm and the area around the thumb and incision. I'm feeling REALLY impatient with this whole no right hand thing! I think PT will start in 2 weeks when I have my next follow-up.

My year long plan was to do this hand in June...then the non-dominant hand in November or December.

Now I am wondering if I want to go through this all again. I know it will be better with it not being my dominant hand. I guess time will tell after the healing is mostly done.

I really have done well with previous surgeries. I'm just anxious to get back to "normal" again.

I had LCMC today. First, the RN started an IV when needle not in vein. Anesthesiologist had to start over. That hurt the most! My doctor ordered a nerve block. Although skeptical because the research I've seen from real patients said that this was an issue, I did one anyway. Doctor said it would hurt too bad when I woke up.

Two things, had 4 shots/yr for about 6 years and my doctor said that his mom was having this surgery after 4 shots! Second, he took care of me for 9 months last year when I broke my kneecap and I am good so he is trusted.

I was asleep before given the nerve block so didn't feel it in my shoulder. I was also going to have a cortizone injection in the right thumb. Picked non-dominant hand for surgery first since both hands the same. If this works, I will do the other or just continue injections.

Told block will last 24 hours so there is no pain and arm in sling because right now it just dangles and doctor does not want it to swing and hit something. I have no control right now. I have been told to "stay ahead of the pain" so I will start my meds in the AM. It has been 15 hours and feel fine. I am icing the right hand with the injection.

Day 1 - No pain/soft, thick bandage (below elbow, all of thumb, wrist and thumb splint/fingers are totally free/arm in sling until pain block has totally worn off.

Day 2: I took pain meds every 4-6 hours. The hand with the injection still hurts more than the one with the surgery. The strangest thing was my uncontrolled swinging arm if I took it out of the sling. The nerve block pretty much had worn off this morning but the pain meds helped. My pain was much like my thumbs were before the surgery. I did try to do things with one hand but I didn't drive, though I think I might have been able to manage it. Right now, I am pretty much painless and am trying to move fingers and end of thumb. Hopefully. it will remain this way.

Yesterday was Day 10. I got stitches out and a splint was replaced with a cast. Not having as much padding, it is achy. The other thumb that got another injection is better but I can tell it is working less and less.

The incision is really ugly but the surgeon says it will go away. The new cast gives my fingers a little more freedom. Keep up with pain meds. This new pain is worse. You still cannot get your hand wet for another 4 weeks. I cannot get nails done for 2 weeks. I cannot exercise for 4 weeks because no sweating! It's 90 degrees so that isn't going to happen.

The doctor already selected a specific OT that I am supposed to see the same day I get my cast off in 4 weeks. He wants therapy to start right away and to wiggle fingers and end of thumb. Also, if the casts gets loose from atrophy, go get a new one right away.

Getting dressed, showers, putting on my seat belt, and turning corners while driving continue to be difficult.

I have had 2 casts in 1 week. Other than it rubbing my thumb raw, it hurts less than the one with the shot. Stitches out day 10 (last Monday). Hard cast off on August 16 (4 weeks total). OT same day cast will be removed. OT should be about 2-3 months. Will keep postings updated. My OT is specialized in this type of recovery.