Forced layoff from pool due to double carpal tunnel release surgery

C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I had both hands operated on yesterday. Although most of the research I did on carpal tunnel surgeries recommended against getting them both done at once, my surgeon who I have complete confidence in strongly suggested it wasn’t that bad, and to go ahead and get them both done at once.

So far so good, only had minor pain in my hands the first 24 hours, and needing nothing stronger than Tylenol. The carpal tunnel pain symptoms I’ve had at nights was completely gone last night resulting in the best night of sleep I’ve had in a long time.

I was pleasantly surprised waking up in the recovery room that although my hands / wrists are bandaged up, I still have use of my thumb and fingers, but just need to be careful not to do too much, get rest, elevate my hands and apply ice packs to the incision areas when I can.

I think I will know when the time is appropriate for me to start practicing on a pool table again, taking it very slowly, likely working on an open bridge and a very light grip, and soft pace shots / strokes. It may be as little as a couple weeks, or possibly considerably longer. I’ll just take it day by day. My biggest concern is to make sure I don’t take a fall while on my trail walks with my dogs, which I plan to resume as soon as I can.

Any advice I can get from any of you on here that have been through this would be greatly appreciated. I’ll continue to update my progress, for the benefit of those that might be considering getting this surgery and how long it will result in laying off from playing the game we love.
 
ChrisinNC said:
I had both hands operated on yesterday. Although most of the research I did on carpal tunnel surgeries recommended against getting them both done at once, my surgeon who I have complete confidence in strongly suggested it wasn’t that bad, and to go ahead and get them both done at once.

So far so good, only had minor pain in my hands the first 24 hours, and needing nothing stronger than Tylenol. The carpal tunnel pain symptoms I’ve had at nights was completely gone last night resulting in the best night of sleep I’ve had in a long time.

I was pleasantly surprised waking up in the recovery room that although my hands / wrists are bandaged up, I still have use of my thumb and fingers, but just need to be careful not to do too much, get rest, elevate my hands and apply ice packs to the incision areas when I can.

I think I will know when the time is appropriate for me to start practicing on a pool table again, taking it very slowly, likely working on an open bridge and a very light grip, and soft pace shots / strokes. It may be as little as a couple weeks, or possibly considerably longer. I’ll just take it day by day. My biggest concern is to make sure I don’t take a fall while on my trail walks with my dogs, which I plan to resume as soon as I can.

Any advice I can get from any of you on here that have been through this would be greatly appreciated. I’ll continue to update my progress, for the benefit of those that might be considering getting this surgery and how long it will result in laying off from playing the game we love.
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I have dozens of coworkers that have had surgery. Only one has been 100% with no residual effects for 15+yrs. He’s the only one that followed protocol to a T. You need close to three months of virtually no hand work. I’ve had it for over 20yrs and I just live with it. I’ve found ways limit symptoms. I also need rotator and ac joint work. Not happening. Good luck and follow Dr advice
 
ChrisinNC said:
I had both hands operated on yesterday. Although most of the research I did on carpal tunnel surgeries recommended against getting them both done at once, my surgeon who I have complete confidence in strongly suggested it wasn’t that bad, and to go ahead and get them both done at once.

So far so good, only had minor pain in my hands the first 24 hours, and needing nothing stronger than Tylenol. The carpal tunnel pain symptoms I’ve had at nights was completely gone last night resulting in the best night of sleep I’ve had in a long time.

I was pleasantly surprised waking up in the recovery room that although my hands / wrists are bandaged up, I still have use of my thumb and fingers, but just need to be careful not to do too much, get rest, elevate my hands and apply ice packs to the incision areas when I can.

I think I will know when the time is appropriate for me to start practicing on a pool table again, taking it very slowly, likely working on an open bridge and a very light grip, and soft pace shots / strokes. It may be as little as a couple weeks, or possibly considerably longer. I’ll just take it day by day. My biggest concern is to make sure I don’t take a fall while on my trail walks with my dogs, which I plan to resume as soon as I can.

Any advice I can get from any of you on here that have been through this would be greatly appreciated. I’ll continue to update my progress, for the benefit of those that might be considering getting this surgery and how long it will result in laying off from playing the game we love.
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I had it. Rehab and drink plenty of water. You should be better than new.

Good luck
 
I wish you all the best in your recovery. But, as someone else said...I know at least 25 people who have had this surgery, and not a one of them says it helped them any.
 
DynoDan said:
Would you mind describing those symptoms in detail?
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For myself, it was an ailment that started bothering me in the middle of the night, starting about 18+ months ago. It would wake me up with severe pain/numbness in the hands, extending down my forearms to my elbows, Sometimes in both hands at the same time but usually one or the other. If I got up and walked around, it would go away after a few minutes but returned shortly after I laid back down again. It was virtually impossible to get back to sleep when experiencing these pain symptoms. It didn’t happen every night, and I might go a week or more without it bothering me, but it always returned.

My longtime orthopedic surgeon, hand specialist diagnosed it the first time I saw him about a year ago. At that time he was highly positive it was carpal tunnel, since the pain/numbness would was limited mainly to my thumb, index, and middle fingers.

He suggested Cortizone shots in my hands and said that if the Cortizone shots worked, that was further proof that it was carpal tunnel syndrome. The Cortizone shots, every 3 to 4 months was like a miracle cure for me over the past year, but it is strongly recommended against having more than two or three of them in the same joint. And yes, the symptoms would always return 3–4 months after the Cortizone shots.

I knew it was only going to get worse, the Cortizone shots were not a long-term solution, and the confidence I have in my surgeon and the assuredness he expressed to me that this would solve all my issues, made the decision for the surgery very easy for me. He expressed no reason not to do both at the same time, even though I shared my concerns about that in all the literature I’ve read about discouraging having them both done at the same time.
 
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Grimper said:
I wish you all the best in your recovery. But, as someone else said...I know at least 25 people who have had this surgery, and not a one of them says it helped them any.
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I appreciate your honesty but for myself, I knew it was time and I knew I had to get something done. I could not go on living with the nighttime pain I was experiencing.

Only time will tell, but personally I’ve talked with many people I know who’ve had it done and most of them only wish they had gotten it done sooner.
 
I've had both hands done ..20 years apart nothing to it .Short healing time and relief is nice no more numbness.
 
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