Kunena Site Syndication http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/ Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:13:21 -0400 Kunena 1.5.5 http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/components/com_kunena/template/default_ex/images/english/emoticons/rss.gif http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/ Kunena Site Syndication http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/Symptoms/3836-failed-subcutanious-anterior-transposition-surgery.html#3840 Hey CSP, Was your transposition surgery just a month ago, or did the pain in your little finger start then? I am the most impatient person in the world, but after hearing my doc's mantra "You have to be patient, remember this is a 6-12 month process" for the past 18 months, I've finally learned to give it some time. At the same time, listen to your "gut". You know your body better than anyone else. Thoughts for dealing with your doc: 1. Write down questions you have and take the list with you to your appointment. If you aren't fully understanding the answers you're getting let the doc know. You don't have to be overly aggressive, just be pleasantly firm until you get an answer you can understand. 2. When you're ready to leave, ask him how you should contact him if you have further questions. My hand surgeon likes to communicate with a quick e-mail, my neurologist with a phone call to his office. Hope everything works out. Best of luck to you. Chris Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:55:38 -0400 http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/Diagnosis/3801-negative-EMG.html#3839 Hey all, I actually did have surgery x 2 (left) with negative EMG/NCV. My doc waited for about 6 months while we tried conservative measures before he did decompression. My EMG/NCV prior to sub-muscular transposition was also negative but I had fairly significant clawing at that point. He made me consult with neurology first but did the surgery after my neuro clearance. When I started to claw on my right side, we skipped the EMG/NCV. Now I'm 5 months out from that one and clawing has just about resolved. My doc did reiterate time and time again that prognosis following surgery with negative EMG/NCV was very uncertain and I could actually get worse after the surgery. I had to make the gamble, because there were some aspects of my job I couldn't do with the numbness I was experiencing. I was very slow to recover following all my surgeries and especially after my first, I questioned whether I should have done it. Now of course I'm glad I did. Chris Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:23:42 -0400 http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/Surgery/3825-How-to-function-post-op.html#3838 Hey Mojo, You asked how long for the splint. Each doc is different, but I was only in for 8 days for both decompression and submuscular transposition. I too am a mom. Four kids from 8-16. The hardest thing for me post-op was letting the kids help and being able to handle the laundry folded by my 8 year old or the dishes being done by my 11 year old. They sure didn't do it the way I do, but they gave it their best:) Just some additional ideas for post-op survival... 1. Do a quick run through and check that your toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc) have fliptop caps. That makes it way easier to navigate one-handed. 2. Tub-bathing is out for me so for showering I used Glad Clingwrap and I wrapped my arm up before showering. It takes a little practice but then I was able to shower and wash my own hair. 3. As for hairstyling, I have wild, wavy hair that doesn't like to be tamed. I struggled with blowing and straightening when I had my first two surgeries, but by the time the third came around, I gave up...a little mousse and scrunching, airdry and done. I also tossed a headband in to change up the look once in a while. 3. Over the head sports bras work well. 4. Before my surgeries, I cooked up a storm and froze meals so all I had to do was defrost and pop them in the oven. My kids helped with getting hot food out of the oven. I cooked and froze pasta then defrosted and added to jar sauce. 5. I was also a fan of pull-on pants. I bought a couple pairs of mens cotton pj pants and big t-shirts and was good for around the house. For going out, wind pants or yoga pants and the same big t's. You'll be amazed at how quickly you adapt to being one-handed. Good luck and let us know what your NCV says. Chris Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:59:11 -0400 http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/Symptoms/3823-Bicep-pain-related-to-Ulnar-nerve-entrapment.html#3837 Hey PostalGirl! The Radial Nerve, eh? Hmmm. The pain placement sounds basically like mine. When doc does the MRI, I'll make sure he goes up there with it. My run of NSAID's was with Motrin 800's... I was taking 8 to get me through my route... they didn't stop the pain, but they would stop the burning lightning bolts caused by the inflamed nerves. I go do my deposition for the company insurance lawyers in the am on the 15th, then I have a new round of nerve testing that same afternoon, MRI in October I think. Thanks for sharing about your bicep! Keenan Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:07:37 -0400 http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/Symptoms/3835-any-advice-would-be-very-helpful.-thanks.html#3835 I had decompression surgery in December 2009 , in April 2010 I felt that familiar pain in my elbow and thought OH NO. The thing is ,now my elbow doesnt really have pain but any time I use my arm to type( like now:) ) or when I use it at work.(I use my arms for alot of pulling and lifting ,I am a rubber mill operator)I have a dead or numb feeling that goes from my elbow to my ring /pinky fingers and starts working its way up to the shoulder. I had this pain before my last surgery,but I also had the bad elbow pain the whole time too. I was wondering if anyone here has had elbow pain that stopped ,but the tingling,numb dead achy feeling persist? Any comments would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Sonia Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:22:04 -0400 http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/General/3776-New-and-scared/Page-2.html#3834 Kristin I'm 11 months post op, and despite the fact that I've had a few complications with recovery and still can't pick up my beloved guitar and fret a chord (sob, sob), I'm not quitting yet. From my own experience, the time to worry is when the pain tails off. In my case the nerve became compressed to 2/10ths of it normal diameter, leading to what is now apparently permanent nerve damage, as too many axons were destroyed or crushed. I experienced occasionally pins and needles, then numbness. This in turn became pain that lasted no more than 4 weeks or so before turning out like a light. That's when the atrophy and clawing kicked in. Keep a note of changes in sensation, feeling and pain, where they are, how intense they are, and how long they last. You'd be surprised what you can forget. Share it with your doc. Quality of life is important believe me...badger your doctor it is bad and don't leave it until it's too late, believe me. I hope it all works out for you, and you find some relief, treatment or recovery. Sat, 04 Sep 2010 18:12:16 -0400 http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/Surgery/3812-Pain-during-recovery-advice.html#3833 Be cautious about any pain that is very sharp on the back of your hand, especially when it sits below the index and middle finger. Can you bend your hand back upwards from the wrist OK, or lift you thumb from a table with your hand still flat on the table? If you have trouble with all of these, request test on your radial nerve, which innervates these muscles. Unlike the uilnar nerve, the radial nerve in the hand mainly supplies function, and there is a common site for radial nerve palsy or radial tunnel at the back of the elbow/seat of the triceps, where the radial nerve spirals around the arm. Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:56:02 -0400 http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/Diagnosis/2922-Don-t-hesitate/Page-3.html#3832 OK, so infection totally cleared? Apparently not Now need to have the bursa totally removed, as they believe the infection remains dormant in the elbow. Surgery scheduled for 2 weeks time. Surgeon does not want to do this arthoscopically, as she wants want a good look around apparently. A bursa is something that naturally regenerates... miraculous. Had my appointment at national nerve centre; they are not prepared to resection the nerve as it will be of little gain apparently. So now 11 months post-op its wait and see time. Sensation is back after the infection to a degree, but abduction and adduction are not. Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:50:06 -0400 http://www.cubital-tunnel.com/cms/Surgery/3798-2nd-Opinion.html#3830 You didn't indicate whether you'd exhausted some of the more conservative treatments, like splinting and injections (the latter which I don't reccomend much). But I will say if there is more than moderate compression (which your's looks like based on the NCS/EMG), your 2nd opinion visit could be more direted at surgical OPTIONS (subq, subm, intram), and IMPORTANT, have a conversation about post-surgical rehab. Unfortunately, the longer you wait, the more likely, based on studies and personal experience, the longer the recovery and perhaps less of a chance of "full" recovery. I had a simple release in both arms, and then, because of practically no relief, I was put the more agreessive track -- release revisions and submuscular transposition in both arms. It's been a slow go, but finally, with revision surgery, therapy and time, I've had some one-sided pain free minutes in one arm nearly two years into this. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:38:04 -0400