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08-03-03, 04:42 AM
For the past several years, I have been experiencing extreme hand numbness when asleep, so much that the pain would wake me up and I couldn't get back to sleep. I was averaging only 4 hours sleep a night. My hands would also go numb while riding, when I was in the drops.
The docs tested me, and said I had mild carpal tunnel syndrome. If my case was mild, I sure would hate to experience severe. The cartilege (sp?) surrounding the wrist was putting pressure on the nerve going into my hand.
After putting it off for more than a year, I finally had an operation on my right wrist. I previously tried cortizone shots in each wrist, and they did the job for about 3 months before the numbness came back. I went to the Hand Clinic in Lexington, KY. The doc who operated on me had previously attached successfully a severed hand, so I figured he could do a good job on me. He did. I got instant total relief in my right hand, and in six weeks, I plan to go back and have the left done. The operation (cutting the cartilege), took only a half hour, and I went back home in two hours (you have to have someone drive you). The first night, I experienced some pain, but a pain pill took care of it. The next day after the operation, I had no pain at all. I will have a splint on my wrist for two weeks, at which time they will take out the stitches. I can still use my fingers, and have noticed no change in the strength of my grip.
The operation costs $2,000 for each hand, but my insurer (Blue Cross) picked up everything but the $50 deductible. My doc said no cycling for two weeks, but I have been sneaking a one hour ride every second day. I have aero bars, and I just keep the bum hand in the aero position and my left hand in the drops so I can brake. I ride conservatively -- I can't afford to fall.
I always considered cutting a last resort, but I feel I made a good decision going ahead with this procedure.
The docs tested me, and said I had mild carpal tunnel syndrome. If my case was mild, I sure would hate to experience severe. The cartilege (sp?) surrounding the wrist was putting pressure on the nerve going into my hand.
After putting it off for more than a year, I finally had an operation on my right wrist. I previously tried cortizone shots in each wrist, and they did the job for about 3 months before the numbness came back. I went to the Hand Clinic in Lexington, KY. The doc who operated on me had previously attached successfully a severed hand, so I figured he could do a good job on me. He did. I got instant total relief in my right hand, and in six weeks, I plan to go back and have the left done. The operation (cutting the cartilege), took only a half hour, and I went back home in two hours (you have to have someone drive you). The first night, I experienced some pain, but a pain pill took care of it. The next day after the operation, I had no pain at all. I will have a splint on my wrist for two weeks, at which time they will take out the stitches. I can still use my fingers, and have noticed no change in the strength of my grip.
The operation costs $2,000 for each hand, but my insurer (Blue Cross) picked up everything but the $50 deductible. My doc said no cycling for two weeks, but I have been sneaking a one hour ride every second day. I have aero bars, and I just keep the bum hand in the aero position and my left hand in the drops so I can brake. I ride conservatively -- I can't afford to fall.
I always considered cutting a last resort, but I feel I made a good decision going ahead with this procedure.