wrist fusion surgery????......really bummed

[jeremy714]

two years ago i hurt my wrist snowboarding......i didnt see a doctor until a couple months had gone by........a few doctors, mri's xrays and arthrograms later i found the wrist doctor for the lakers. he came to the conclusion that i tore a small ligament in my wrist causing the instability and pain at the base of my thumb and wrist.  my grip isnt too bad but it hurts to do anything, especially exerting pressure with my hand.  the doctor said the only realistic option would be to fuse the wrist, however he thinks id be better off living with the pain. id like to do that but its getting worse. seems the fusion is inevitable.
im an active 32 year old who lives to surf and snowboard. will i be able to do these things anymore let alone work?...................super worried and depressed.............

[Biker84]

Hello everyone.  Just looking for some advice.  I had a downhill bike accident last year which shattered my non-dominant right wrist in ten pieces through the joint. They plated and 8 screws the distal radius fracture then I flew home a week later.  2months later, pain++ and decreased ROM. Second surgery to cut off bone fragments which had attached to carpals and "clean out".  Now I have full supine range but only 40% extension/flexion. Pain ++ over scapoid/lunate/RADIUS.  Doc suggesting partial fusion, but never even mentioned PRC or 4-corner fusion w/ scaphoid removal.  Any suggestions?? I've spend hours reading all your wonderful posts and just wish I knew the right decision to make!

[merajo]

hi, i read your post, i totally understand, i went through all of that and finally had a dr beleive me, he did surgery on the elbow, twice, 3 shoulder surgerys, 3 wrist surgerys, as of right now, they said everything is fine, but however, my elbow, shoulder and wrist still swell, , numb, but i did some checking online and found out , some things and decided to try it, (casting  my arm, wrist, and half way up towards the shoulder, and you know what, i feel 100 percent better, i sleep now, and read this will mob your arm, and it does work.

[Ekailee]

I am not quite 40 years old, mother of two and have no choice but work.  I had my first hand surgery in 2007 and had to have another in 7/2010.  They figured out that I am missing significant cartalidge on the first two carpal bones.  So... 1/2011 they did a PRC (Proximal Row Carpectomy). Thought that would work.  Pain level dropped since they removed the bones with osteoarthritis. Still have pain all the time.  Now after seeing another surgeon (My first one) I am now finding out that I should never had the PRC and should have gone with a 4 corner fustion. Now I am looking at a full fustion (no range of motion) with another surgery a year after to remove the plate.  UGH. I am so sorry to all of those that have the daily pain!!!  All I can say is do the reasearch before and not after. Wish I would have.

[neece007]

I've had Rheumatoid Arthritis since I was 24.  I'm now 43 and still have never had a day off from pain or any type of remission.  I have just had to swim instead of sink and do all I can to live as normal a life as possible.  I think everyone's situation is different and it's always important to get as many doctor's opinions as you can afford or insurance will allow.  I had my left wrist fused 5 years ago and for me it was the best thing I ever did to help pain in at least one part of my body.  The reason I'm writing is to ask anyone out there if they have had problems with their fusion later down the road?  Right now the pain is soooooo bad in my wrist and obviously it's not the arthritis because I don't have a joint anymore but it feels like either the plate has shifted or something may be infected to be causing the pain.  I'm going to reach my doctor on tues. (because of New Year) but I thought I'd get this out there to see if anyone else has had anything similar to this happen to them.  Just hoping I don't have to have surgery to redo the first one.  Thanks for any help!!!

[raulna]

Hi,  I can imagine how you all feel.  The same surgeon that alighned my wrist using local anaesthetic , de-align it the moment she lost patience with me, who insists on having a fastner to held the crepe bandage's loose end over a backslap she put on the wrist.  I used strenthening exercises and a deep tissue massager to get partial use of the wrist back.  Pain is no longer an issue, and I'm fairly happy.  I believe a wrist fuse itself with time if things aren't normal,  but then I'dn't been operated on.  Hope things will go well for you

[RB19]

19 is so young, that is a good thing he will adjust. A second opinion can't hurt if it can be done fast. Most likely it will calm your nerves and let you know this is the right way to proceed.
I was 22 when I injuries my wrist, a nurse and avid cyclist. The fusion has only bettered my life.
Best of luck!