Re: Re: hand surgery/joint replacement

[Guest guest]

Gwen:

I'd be interested in hearing about your foot surgery. I'm having severe problems with my ankle joint, or something near it. Can you tell me what they did? what they replaced? and what about it didn't work out as well for you as your hand surgery?

Thanks,

gloria

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I've had two hip replacement surgeries, and I'm scheduled for a shoulder

replacement in November. I know these aren't the joints you're asking

about, but if you have any questions I'd be happy to share my experiences.

Jenni

[Guest guest]

I don't mind your asking questions at all, and I'm happy to help. I mean,

what are these groups for?

>>> Thank you Gwen! How long did you have the replacements before

> they started to drift again?

With the right hand, maybe a year or two. Had the right hand done in 95,

the left in 96.

Yes, there is some drift again but it is STILL so much better than it was.

It was not only unsightly but difficult to use-- type, play piano, whatever.

Absolutely it increased mobility... Although there is scar tissue, and I

can't snap my fingers. (could before). But still on the whole the hands

are far more functional.

It didn't really take a long time to recover. With the left hand, I did a

summer language program in Wisconsin (flew from Pittsburgh) that was maybe

only three weeks or so after surgery, just continued with hand therapy

there.

Yes there is a healing process. It's only in the movies where a person has

surgery and they unwrap the bandages and hey-presto they're all perfect!

it's swollen at first and it hurts and you have to be diligent about the

physical therapy.

I guess it all depends how bad the hands are. In my case my surgeon

initially thought only one joing might need replacing, because my fingers

are so naturally thin he mistook how bad the damage was (I knew better,

because I had once played violin). In the end all the mcp joings except for

the thumbs were replaced on both hands. I may have had a slightly better

result on the left hand because:

1) it was not so badly deformed

2) they also tightened a ligament/cleaned up a trigger finger

Now, I had a rather traumatic experience with foot surgery. But I'm pretty

pleased with the hands!

Gwen

[Guest guest]

Sounds like he has severe ulnar drift. The surgery will definitely help. I

certainly can open both hands all the way (the right hand more of a strain

to open it enough for say palm reading, but it was IMPOSSIBLE before)

Don't do both at once

Sounds like a good rec to me!

> From: " " <wmshelton1@...>

> Reply-Rheumatoid Arthritis

> Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 00:01:09 -0000

> Rheumatoid Arthritis

> Subject: Re: hand surgery/joint replacement

>

>

>> If you are anywhere close to Connecticut, I would recommend a hand

> specialist

>> named Kurt who performed surgery on my hands at Hartford

> Hospital back

>> in the early 80's. Don

>

> Thanks Don, but we live in Texas. Did having the surgery help you?

> Would you do it again? The hand specialist that my husband saw

> recommended doing one hand and then the other later. RA has done

> great damage to his hands and he has the curved hands with the

> enlarged knuckles and with one that will not open all the way. We

> just wanted to check in with other people that have gone thru this to

> see if they felt that it benefitted them and to hear of any concerns

> or problems that they have or are facing. Thank you!!!

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I had bad subluxation on my left foot, hammertoes and a bunion and a lot of pain. They fused the toes— I didn’t know they would do that— and corrected the bunion. I had sixteen pins in my foot and 30 stitches but they called it same day surgery and sent me home. When the meds wore off I woke up screaming and had to be taken to ER. Morphine didn’t work. Nothing worked but demerol. Again, they sent me home.

The foot came out well and I have less pain (though my big toe curves UP which seems odd) but having the smaller toes fused sometimes makes it hard to get in and out of shoes (if they curl going in, say to a boot, I can only uncurl them with my hands... So basically can’t uncurl them...)

It was just a huge ordeal. Compared to the hand surgeries, it was really traumatic.

From: gloriarex@...

Reply-Rheumatoid Arthritis

Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2004 22:24:54 EDT

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Re: Re: hand surgery/joint replacement

Gwen:

I'd be interested in hearing about your foot surgery. I'm having severe problems with my ankle joint, or something near it. Can you tell me what they did? what they replaced? and what about it didn't work out as well for you as your hand surgery?

Thanks,

gloria