carpel tunnel syndrome / pain relief??

nusrat

Hello, my first time on this.

I have RA, I'm on methotrexate injections, not working yet.

Receently dr said I have CTS in my left hand fingers. The pain is intermittent but excruiciating. I have tests in one month.

But dr didnt even look at my foot and I have the same problem in my feet.

What can I take to reduce the pain, all the websites just say wear a splint, does that really work.

Nice to meet everyone, can feel rather isolated with this disease, particularly being a single parent I guess.

skezier

Hi,

I can't really help you except to say talk to your gp or consultant about some pain relief. I just wanted to say welcome to the site, your not isolated any more there are all these people here and they are a nice lot. I am sure someone will be along with some better answers soon. Take care, Cris

woodbon

Hello, Nice to meet you! I have carpel tunnel symptoms m although my arthritis is oa. My GP sent me to the rheummy when my hands got painful and he ordered the nerve impulse test ( sorry can't remember the proper name). Anyway it was quick painless and gave the result as posative for cts. I was given corisone injections in both wrists, and this worked for about 4 weeks, then the syptoms returned. So I was referred to Plastic Surgery's hand surgeons clinic and he decided to operate.


I had the left hand done 3 weeks ago, and it is doing well. I just spent an afternoon at the hospital, mostly waiting, and they gave me local anaethetic in my hand and did the very minor op. After, about half an hour I went back to the day ward and had tea and biscuits before home.

Pain relief for the moment is an individual thing, I talked to my GP and she gave me medication. If you already take paracetamol, that should help a littele. The hand splints I have came from the hospital and they do work but they make me itch! :x

I think you need to talk to your medics but in my experience the surgery was the only meaningful pain relief. It was quick and easy, their was some pain for a while after surgery, but nothing much.

I'd recommend this procedure if its offered. But we are all different!

Love Sue

mrsdalloway

ooh Sue I think you are brave there is no way I could have had that done and still be awake! I still can't look after all these years when they take blood. Although anaesthetic wouldn't be a problem as I think I would pass out when they started the surgery anyway!

woodbon

mrsdalloway wrote:

ooh Sue I think you are brave there is no way I could have had that done and still be awake! I still can't look after all these years when they take blood. Although anaesthetic wouldn't be a problem as I think I would pass out when they started the surgery anyway!

You can have sedation if you feel you need it, but it means a few hours more in hospital. The only pain was the injectons with the local anasthetic. You can't see any thing. I'd honestly rather have that than some of the dental treatment I've had done! But I'm not brave :!: and you don't know when its started! Hope I haven't put anyone off, I ment to encourage people :!: :shock: Love Sue

suncatcher

Hi welcome to the site you wont feel isolated again now you have found this site as you will find people who are going through what you are i have ra but not carpol tunnel tho i have to wear splints when on computor as we are very prone to getting this. IM sure someone on here will be able to give you some advice. JOANNE

joyful164

Hi Sue, everyone. Back from my long weekend away.
I just about managed with my cts and the splint. Had to take it off sometimes, because my hand and wrist kept swelling up so much and in fact, it looks a mess. My fingers are so sore and tingley and numb at the same time. Wearing the splint does take that feeling off a bit when yu first put it on. Tried TENs machine. helped a bit.

I need action from my consultant and can't bear the thought of waiting for the tests, then a date for the op. embarrassing when your OH has to cut your food up. Also, added problem of tennis elbow in right elbow. soooooo painful Makes washing and drying my hair painful and difficult

Where we were staying, the bath was a jakuzzi. wonderful. got to have one now. very relaxing and did my back, every ache & twinge wonders. pity we can't have one on the nhs.
hope you are still on the mend sue typing with 1 hand hope it makes sense.

joyful

nusrat

thanks for the kind words and warm welcome

nusrat

thanks for taking the time to offer a detailed response. Did the surgery leave any marks?

nusrat

thanks for the kind words and warm welcome, I wish the doc would have warned me about being suceptible to CTS. I have splints, feel rather self concious wearing them, but I put them on again this weekend as pain was too too much

woodbon

nusrat wrote:

thanks for taking the time to offer a detailed response. Did the surgery leave any marks?

Well I'm only 4 weeks since the op. mine was open release, which leaves a bigger scar, but thats only one and a half inches! It takes time but the surgeon said it will fade in time. Its on the inside of my had, at the bottom of my wrist and follows a natural crease in my hand! No worries I think. Love Suexxx

joyful164

I don't care about any scar, I just want something to be done for mine. As I said before I wore my splint whenever I could whilst I was away and I did feel self conscious about it. Everyone was trying to give me advice on 'what I should be doing'. Then, when I took it off, there were more comments.
Wish people would mind their own business. The only person who I spoke to and who gave me sound advice was an old friend of mine. She works in the path lab and she had had both wrists done. About 6 months ago was the last op and there are no scars to be see on her hands. She paid to have her ops done privately.
My next appointment with Rheumy is 10th September. He asked me to keep him posted about the extent of my pain after having the injections 3 weeks ago, but still, he hasn't come back to me.

It makes the waiting even worse, because I don't want to go through all this pain until 10th September to then have to wait another month or two for the elctro test. I'm so fed up about it.

joyful

woodbon

Have they offered you any steriod injections? I had both wrists done twice, each time it lasted about 4 to6 weeks and slowly came back but by that time I had the first op. Hope to have the second one done fairly soon. I see the plastic surgeon at the end of July, to check the first op over before deciding if I want the second (I do, as its getting more painful as time goes by.

At our local hospital, once all the tests were done it was only a matter of a fewweeks wait.

Hope yours gets sorted soon.
Love Sue

joyful164

woodbon wrote:

Have they offered you any steriod injections? I had both wrists done twice, each time it lasted about 4 to6 weeks and slowly came back but by that time I had the first op. Hope to have the second one done fairly soon. I see the plastic surgeon at the end of July, to check the first op over before deciding if I want the second (I do, as its getting more painful as time goes by.

At our local hospital, once all the tests were done it was only a matter of a fewweeks wait.

Hope yours gets sorted soon.
Love Sue

Yes had injection 3 weeks ago, one in the left wrist,the other in my right elbow and third one in my hip. None of them lasted more than week.

joyful

nusrat

I understand and I feelfor you

nusrat

I'm not sure what I am doing wrong however each time I try to reply to individual messages - my replies doesn't appear with the individual comments but rather at the top of all of them!

So I apologise to all as I have tried to write a reply to each and everyone of you kind people who have taken the time to share your experiences, thoughts and time with me!

woodbon

joyful164 wrote:

woodbon wrote:

Have they offered you any steriod injections? I had both wrists done twice, each time it lasted about 4 to6 weeks and slowly came back but by that time I had the first op. Hope to have the second one done fairly soon. I see the plastic surgeon at the end of July, to check the first op over before deciding if I want the second (I do, as its getting more painful as time goes by.

At our local hospital, once all the tests were done it was only a matter of a fewweeks wait.

Hope yours gets sorted soon.
Love Sue

Yes had injection 3 weeks ago, one in the left wrist,the other in my right elbow and third one in my hip. None of them lasted more than week.

joyful

Hi, thats more or less how what happened to me, hopfully they will refer you for surgery, I had to go to plastics as thats our hand clinic!

lindalegs

Hi Nusrat

Just seen your post and wanted to welcome you to the forum and you too Lynne.

Have you a favourite analgesic? Mine's paracetamol and always works best when it's taken regularly for such pain as you're experiencing with your CTS. I take 2 tabs every six hours so I can have it during th night and then I know I won't exceed the stated dose. Have you tried something like that to see if it works?

Luv Legs

craftyuk

My husband suffers problems with Carpel Tunnel after breaking both wrists. It is not bad enough for surgery. He swears by 30mg of Vitamin B6 every day which takes about 2 weeks to get into the system. One of his friends tried it and it worked for her too. Might be worth a try if it doesn't interfere with you other medications.

crafty

woodbon

Hi, its about a month since my first op and thats going fine. Still sore and a bit bruised feeling, but nothing like the pain. Sue

joyful164

Hi Nusrat

First of all, I should have said welcome. Thanks for your feedback on CTS. I suppose I just have to be patient.

Re your not getting your replies attached to the right message.
You are not on your own. I think I have made loads of mistakes. I think I send the wrong reply to the wrong person and on the wrong subject, I think.

Anyway, we shall see what the next stage will be with our problem. Luckily today, I haven't been too bad. Painful to type and do lots of things but at least the rest of me is behaving itself. The odd click, crunch maybe, stiff leg perhaps but no searing pain at the mo. Shhhhhhh.. Don't temp providence.

Goodluck

joyful

joyful164

nusrat wrote:

Hello, my first time on this.

I have RA, I'm on methotrexate injections, not working yet.

Receently dr said I have CTS in my left hand fingers. The pain is intermittent but excruiciating. I have tests in one month.

But dr didnt even look at my foot and I have the same problem in my feet.

What can I take to reduce the pain, all the websites just say wear a splint, does that really work.

Nice to meet everyone, can feel rather isolated with this disease, particularly being a single parent I guess.

Hi nusrat

Hope you are ok and coping alright. How is your CTS. I must say, mine is bad,but that is my own fault.

Spent sat making 90 favors for my son's wedding. Now my fingers and hand and wrist up to the elbow is all tingling. My tennis elbow is also bad.

Are you finding your fingers are bending inwards. I wonder how long one has to go before they operate? They haven't even given me a test date yet!. Now I know why you have to wear the splint.
going to say goodnight hurts too much to type.

joyful