Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

Thank you everyone :)
They gave me splints to wear at night but they are so painful that I can't sleep with them on & if I don't sleep I have seizures so in the end I gave up. Chris your account also gets me so much more hopeful :)

Kylie, my old Dr did some thyroid tests years ago when checking various possible causes for my repeated weight regain, all was healthy then, but I shall talk to my current Dr about the possible link & see if she thinks I should get the tests done again. Thank you :)

Kylie

Thank you so much for your thoughts and info it has been very much appreciated. I wear splints at night when I sleep and no longer need to wear them when driving or when at work. i am really keen to explore all options for treatment as having more surgery is not high on my list of priorities. I had a flare up when I was pregnant 13 years ago but it settled when I lost all the pregnancy weight. I am now almost at what I weighed before it flared up this time and whilst I still have constant pins and needles I no longer need to take pain meds to deal with it or get a good nights sleep. So I have my fingers crossed that more weight loss will only continue to improve it

WSU

Well, I have to say that my CTS surgery worked like magic - and it was so much easier to heal than I expected, too. No more pain, no numbness when I wake, no loss of use or fine motor skills.
I did have a complication that the doc hadn't seen before, which was fluid and blisters in my hand - but I also had the same thing after my shoulder op, so it seems to be related to my wearing a sling rather than anything else - seems like I have to move my arm and hand more while it's in the sling.
Good luck!

One of the first things a good doctor would do if symptoms of carpal tunnel are present is order a thyroid function test because the symtoms can be caused by fluid retention and weight gain. So yes it can be related. I have treated people with Carpal tunnel both without surgery and after surgery. Have seen good and bad results. Some get excellent relief with wearing splints during sleep cos the splint holds the tunnel in its most open position allowing the nerve to be decompressed. Some need to wear them during any activity that causes the symptoms to be aggravated such as driving. I would explore all non surgical interventions first, a good surgeon would insist on it first anyway I believe.
Pre-weight loss I had symptoms but now its gone. My hands would fall asleep and wake me up with the tingling that was beginning to border on painful.

Hi Cirianz, My physio thought I had carpal tunnel, gave me a splint to wear at night but I was still waking with pins & needles or a totally numb hand.

I feel my problems stem from my neck & back. Since I have been doing the muscle strenghtening exercises for this, my hand seems to be a lot better. Plus I am making a conscious effort to fall asleep with my arms straight, rather than all tucked up next to me & clenched.

So just make absolutely sure you get a correct diagnosis, before contemplating any surgery!

Oh, & my problems have developed since losing weight!

I was told about a year ago that I was going to need carpal tunnel surgery sometime in the next two years (from then) and it has gotten considerably worse since then but I have been putting off going back to the Specialist because I have since heard so many stories of things going wrong, one woman I spoke too lost all feeling and much of the movement in most of her left hand, she canceled the surgery that was supposed to be done later on her right.
I am an artist and I do very fine highly detailed work. Even a small reduction in fine motor control could make it impossible for me to do what I do. At this stage I'm really feeling pretty stuck between a rock & a hard place where the 'cure' could be worse than the 'disease'. Even the thought of not being able to paint again terrifies me. Has anyone else here had any problems with the surgery? Your post Caz made me feel much more hopeful :) Is that the sort of experience most people have & I've just been hearing the horror stories? Anything anyone has to say on the subject would be appreciated.

As for the Sleeve, I'm afraid I hadn't heard before reading this of any link between obesity and CTS but there has not been any improvement in my symptoms since the surgery and subsequent weightloss and, so far at least, my condition has continued to deteriorate. But I am only 20kgs down so far, I must admit it would make life a whole lot easier if it would just get better on it's own as my weight decreases. I like that thought very muchly.

I had carpal tunnel surgery some years ago before I put on weight - so with me it wasn't weight-related. I couldn't sleep before the operation. Even brushing my hair made my whole arm go cold and numb and I woke up every night with weird dreams about people chopping my arm off.

After surgery I woke up with my arm in a sling above my head and it was, wonder of wonders, still warm!!! Amazing and immediate relief.

Hi WSU,

My way of thinking.....I had carpal tunnel both wrists, went through lots of pain etc, etc.
It first started when I was pregnant with madam 23, went away after the pregnancy but returned again before madam 21. The thinking was it was fluid retention and hormones.That time it didn't go away. I wore splints at night as if I didnt the next day I would pay for it with pain and tingling. I had both of mine surgically repaired (decompressed)
I will be interested to see what others say in here.
Linda :)

Carpel tunnel is significantly linked to obesity with a person having 25% more of a chance having it if Obese. It is believed that it happens due to the increased fluids and weight that are placed on the nerve. There are however two schools of thoughts as to whether it will be relieved after significant weight loss. A surgeon will tell you no as they like to cut. A GP will tell you yes.

WSU

CTS is compression of the medial tendon going through the sheath, it really has nothing to do with obesity.
Unfortunately only surgery can help.

I had the CTS op about 6 weeks before the sleeve, and it helped a lot. Sorry, can't tell you without it...

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone has had relief from CTS after weight loss?? I am trying to avoid more surgery and am hoping someone has had some experience with this


WSU