Had Ulnar Transposition Surgery and Carpal Tunnel Surgery 14 days ago on my right arm/hand. Been trying to get information on typical recovery period for these procedures but can't find anything on folks who have had both at the same time. I work full time on a computer, typical day is 10 hours of almost non-stop typing. I'm doing quite well (by MY standards) but feel like I'm delaying a return to work longer than I should - mainly worried about driving (45 mile commute). Can anybody share their experience with similar procedures? I'm back up to about 70wpm on my typing but still have limited hand and arm strength. Hopeful that I'm not babying the surgery sites too much, but it still hurts when I do too much. Ace bandages were removed on 8/13 and still have steri-strips across both sites. Love to hear anyone else's experiences !

davis94 wrote:
Had Ulnar Transposition Surgery and Carpal Tunnel Surgery 14 days ago on my right arm/hand. Been trying to get information on typical recovery period for these procedures but can't find anything on folks who have had both at the same time. I work full time on a computer, typical day is 10 hours of almost non-stop typing. I'm doing quite well (by MY standards) but feel like I'm delaying a return to work longer than I should - mainly worried about driving (45 mile commute). Can anybody share their experience with similar procedures? I'm back up to about 70wpm on my typing but still have limited hand and arm strength. Hopeful that I'm not babying the surgery sites too much, but it still hurts when I do too much. Ace bandages were removed on 8/13 and still have steri-strips across both sites. Love to hear anyone else's experiences !

I only had the transposition but driving was my most uncomfortable and scary activity. My surgery was on the left side, and that's usually my steering side (habit from driving stick for a few decades.) Although I first drove a couple of weeks after surgery, I avoided it as much as I could. I got more comfortable after a couple or three months. I've heard others say they just got in the car and went without problems. My problem was compounded by atrophy of the hand and weakness before the surgery.

Five months later I did have surgery on wrist and palm (not carpal tunnel) and that one was a breeze with everything.

Typing was encouraged by my doctor so even though the splint was uncomfortable, I didn't miss but a couple of days work.

Good Luck!

Thank you for the insight.

My husband is going to take me out tomorrow night so I can give it a try before my official commute next week. With luck, I'll be safely behind the wheel and back to a more normal lifestyle by Monday.

Typing has really been easy, which is a very good thing since that's all I do every day!

Thank you again for the speedy reply.

Hey Davis,

I didn't have both surgeries, but I did have submuscular transposition on both arms. As crazy as it seems, I had to drive the day after my left arm surgery because my son had complications following his appendectomy and I had to take him emergently to the surgeon's office (about 40 miles round trip). I probably wouldn't have driven for awhile if it hadn't been necessary. I returned to work about 6 days following my right transposition. I do breathing tests at a hospital and much of my day is spent on a keyboard. While I was still in my splint, I typed one handed and used the mouse with my left hand. Now 4.5 months out from that surgery, I am still mainly 4-finger typing with my right hand, but my little finger is finally starting to respond and do what I want it to so I am confident that in another couple months I will have full function back in that finger.

Good Luck with your "driving lessons".

Chris

Hi. I appreciate your question...I had CuTS (transposition) and CTS on 8/13. Full hand to near armpit bandage - could barely stand it with the itching! Was told to keep it pretty stable, elevated and in sling for the full 10 days. could not get wet, etc. I too have been looking for info for typical recovery, and have found the gamut of experiences!

First follow-up on 8/23 when bandage was removed I could barely navigate my arm to get the total 20 stitches out; very stiff from non-use. They put the steri strips on. when they fall off, i'm to start using cocoa butter cream or vit E on scars.

Numbness in fingers is pretty much gone, which is great, but...
Was told that i could now bend and move, but can still not use it for 3 weeks, lest i risk scar build up! I guess by the time I got the bandages off, I thought I'd be able to move it more and without pain. I'm having difficulty making a fist and still have pain near both surgery areas when i bend and move. He said not to be afraid to move it and make fist. I'm to do 2xdaily warm soapy water soaks and squeeze sponge - this to get it loosened up. Today was second day doing this, but it is still painful.

I was rather disappointed that I couldn't try to use it minimally now. I'm retired (since January) when all this really flared up, so driving and getting to work is not the problem. I'm an avid quilter and do a lot of handwork, which i miss right now, so doing a lot of reading and watching TV. I had also started playing a lot of computer games and internet searching and educational classes on web...hence the flare-up.

I'm sure I'm just being impatient, but it feels like i'll never get strength back. Next follow-up 9/13. My left hand/arm is revolting for having to "do it all"...

Take care...if you find any other info on recovery, i would appreciate the resource.
Thanks, Karen

Karen:

Your first 10 days sound very much like mine, but your next several are very different. I had internal stitches on the arm but doctor took hand stitches out in my post-op visit. OUCH!

I was told not to soak the arm for the first 48 hours and to start vitamin E rubs on my hand as soon as steri-strips fell off. The pain was much worse than I'd expected and the steri-strips only seemed to make it worse on the elbow. They told me to use both arm and hand as much as possible immediately after first bandages came off and released me to return to work with no restrictions the next week (20 days post-op).

I've stopped the vitamin E because it burns when I rub it on and the skin on my arm has started peeling really bad. Wondering if I had a reaction to the E.

I've been back at work for a full week and still have a lot of pain at night. Manage to use the computer fairly well most days but can't stand it more than 7-8 hours. Also been okay driving but have a lot of swelling at night and have needed 1/2 of a vicodin a couple of nights because of the pain. I've gotten quite a bit of strength back in the hand but I'm using a squeeze ball several times a day to exercise it.

My fingers are still numb but the neck pain I had all the time has subsided a lot. The whole procedure has been much worse than I'd imagined and not sure I would do it again if given a choice. It's still early though, so I'm going to hope for the best. I don't have another doctor visit until November - I guess they figure I'm cured.

All the best! I'd love to hear how the next phase of your recovery goes ~ I hope it's better than mine has been.

Davis