Anytime a doctor mentions scar tissue and nerve in the same sentence, that’s gotta suck. Hope your recovery goes as well as it can.
Hope you get the pain control sorted out quickly.
Yes, I’ve unfortunately had a lot of medical maladies, mishaps, and misadventures in the last few years but this one kind of concerned me for the exact reasons you’re mentioning. Plus, I know a little too much about medical things and I’m very capable of researching online. Note to self: Don’t watch YouTube videos of a surgery you are going to have where the doctor is digging out the ulnar nerve and seemingly yanking on it unnecessarily to show off to the camera. I kept thinking to myself “that’s some poor guy’s nerve, you shouldn’t be yanking on it unnecessarily just to show the camera.” In my case, the nerve was indeed encased with scar tissue from a prior surgery so it had to be done. I’m glad that it found a new home on the other side of the bone under the muscles. I want the poor guy to have a fighting chance especially because this is my dominant hand so I am icing and elevating and doing everything I need to do this time. I have had a ton of surgeries in every single time I do too much too soon. Every single time. I think I have that prior endurance athlete brain disorder thing going on.
I am planning two more weeks off of work but yesterday I mentioned to my wife I might want to go in a week early. That may be crazy because using my hand and arm too early would be the exact thing I said I wouldn’t do. It is still terrible as far as I can tell but probably par of the course for what I had done. If I get to the point of attempting an ill advised early return to work maybe I’ll come back on here for an appropriate beatdown by Dr Tiger Chick and GFD.
Speaking of the last two posters, I would be interested in an update when you feel it’s appropriate.
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Yeah, I’ve never watched a knee replacement surgery. I know they use little Black & Decker tools and lots of hammering and sawing and lots of blood.
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Surgeries are brutal sometimes. I seem to be doing a lot better on the pain front. I have a shit ton of pain meds available, but that that fact alone obviously doesn’t mean I should take them. I always have them available due to chronic neck pain and I didn’t take into account my high tolerance that I am not proud of. So, I’m on a more appropriate dose now but with a taper schedule planned by yours truly timer but that I will appropriately revise as needed. I just have to be very careful because this nerve thing is unlike my other 14 surgeries. I am literally tying it down to my side when I’m up but otherwise I have it up on two pillows with an ice bag. I need to just make the decision ahead of time if the tablet drops from the table let it go. Because homeboy’s nerve/arm does not like knee jerk sudden reaching maneuvers.
Speaking of your knee replacement, it’s amazing what they can do with surgery nowadays. I’ve been kind of thinking that my nerve does not belong in its new place and the body did not mean for it to go there, but apparently doctors have that figured out. From the sounds of things with your other posts you’ve been quite active post replacement surgery. Most people who I know who have joint replacement are quite happy with it. My tall, skinny, recently turned 39-year-old son had a hip replacement at age 38. He and his doctors put it off as long as they could. You just never know with genetics.
I recently tore atendon in my non-dominant hand. Nothing to the level of what you’re dealing with, but I will say, I highly endorse not effing around with injuries to hands and forearms. My injury healed about as well as anyone could hope, but it’s definitely not the same as it was pre-injury, and any disruption, aching, pain, or decrease in function is a constant issue because we use our hands so much for so many things.
My totally unqualified opinion is to rest and rehab as much or more than required by the doctors, and don’t push it too fast. Whichever choice you make will definitely be felt later down the road, and you don’t want to trade short term gratification for long term issues.
Good luck.
I still have an area on my upper shin where I can’t feel anything, so shaving that part of my leg is always an adventure. It’s been right at 10 years (in August), so I’m guessing the feeling there isn’t coming back.
how r u today?
Matthew, I am glad you are back and giving us updates. You have been through a lot and certainly are due for a break.
My condition has stayed about the same. The daily headaches are mostly stable and just dull unless I have to multi task or the pressure drops. My neck bothers me when I exercise and when I walk for over 30 minutes. It is very hard to look around when I walk without getting dizzy. I have made some sleep improvements in the last month. The Purple mattress has done wonders. My right elbow continues to throb with pain at various times during the day. Both my arms go numb when I drive and when I ride the stationary bike. I just sold my road bike and my tri bike and that felt like a kick in the groin. At least they went to good homes.
On Wednesday I will have surgery to replace the tree stape bones in my right ear. Two weeks after that I will have my first epidural into my C6-C7. After that I will meet again with my surgeon to see if another surgery to free up the nerves is the plan of action.
Every day I remain thankful that I was not hurt worse and that my wife and kids were not with me. I can handle this and I will get a lot better in the next year.
I had my left hip replaced 8 years ago. I still have no feeling at the top layer on my left thigh. It is weird but I got used to it.
First, I agree with the advice that I need to sit back, relax as much as possible, and let the nerve settle into its new home. That is great advice, something that I know, but something that I need to hear. I absolutely do not want to F this up.
My first four nights I almost got no sleep and when I did fall asleep I woke up with knife-like pain in my shoulder and arm. My last two nights have been better. When I woke up last night it was okay enough not to have to take any pain meds so that’s great.
I’m lucky enough to live on a lake and my plan for this week is to settle in with everything I need at the dock and spent about 6 hours down here each day.
I enjoy hearing the updates of from others, even if they’re full of ups and downs. GFD - You’ve got a lot going on. Good luck with all of that. I will be reading your updates.
Dr Tigerchick - I don’t know the extent of what you’ve got going on because I checked out for a while. But it sounds beyond tough both medically and with your claims process.
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My orthopedic surgeon friend said his work is not that different from carpentry, shop, and other trades.
To folks in this thread going through procedures and/or recovering from them, wishing you the best recovery. I had a couple of years of downtime and 3 knee procedures back in the day. I’m grateful to be able to ride and run with no issues, knock on wood (or more accurately, no knock on bone).
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Yeah, I had described to me what tools and procedures were in play with an orthopedic surgery I had, and it sounded a lot more like carpentry than medicine. Still gives me the shivers.
When I was an athletic trainer, I was able to observe a shoulder surgery. Super interesting.
DO NOT GOT BACK TO WORK EARLY
TAKE THE TIME
you don’t want to cause damage and regret it
re: my case - I’ll try to summarize for you at some point
long story short is “routine” surgeries to fix work-caused injuries (bilateral carpal and cubital tunnel) didn’t solve excruciating pain that has left me unable to work
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@GFD I think u have surgery tomorrow - good luck - let us know how it goes
Thanks Allison. Unfortunately I screwed up my pre operation instructions and have to postpone until August 13. I really need to write down everything because my memory is still very poor.
Hugs. Huuuuuuge hugs!
How are you today?
Everything caught up with me yesterday. I couldn’t understand why I felt worse the last couple of days but then read that week two and even three can be worse because of what’s happening in there. I am going to take your advice. This nerve stuff is no joke. I have had a lot of surgeries and this one it’s just way different.
I’m really sorry about your situation. I still have cubital tunnel in my left out though even though it was released in 2023. Also, they found new guyon’s compression in my left wrist which is bothering me but it’s not disabling.
There are a lot of things that need to be done around the house because we live on the lake and people come over and stuff. But I can barely walk from one place to another without aggravating in my arm. I have been in a sling twice before and both times I could use that hand a lot but if I do anything at all with my right hand it goes right up the muscles and into the nerve.
I am going to start out with a new mindset today. It is not like me to sit idle. But I know I have to do it. Thank you.
By the way, I know what you are going through with your injuries and your workers’ compensation case. You wonder if people think you’re faking it. You wonder if people think you’re milking the system. Meanwhile, you’re in pain and you just want to get better and back to work.
What’s really sad is a lot of people out there do think people like you are milking it. They think everyone else is milking it until it happens to them. Yes, some people with claims milk in a bit. There is no way to know how many people do that. But I guarantee that more people get accused of it than are actually doing it.