Any carpal tunnel sufferers?

[cadburyegg]

I've had carpal tunnel syndrome since my pregnancies, it got worse with my last one and never left. It used to only bother me at night and then whenever I lay on my front looking at my phone or whatever. It has got worse recently though, and right now I can feel the pins and needles coming on when lying on my back in bed typing this.

I've had some vague success with some of the exercises I've found online, but it concerns me that the symptoms are getting worse after all this time. My dc are 9 and 6 so it's been some time since my last pregnancy. I've never seen the GP but feel like maybe I should, but the treatment options worry me.

Looking for similar experiences / stories of recovery etc.

I have carpal tunnel in my right wrist - same, its from my pregnancies. It flared up really bad about 6 months ago and I went to GP. They prescribed Naproxen which really helped. Now I wear a wrist splint when I need to but it has calmed down a lot overall. Although generally I get pins and needles frequently and dont even register it anymore.
I try to do a lot of wrist exercises too.

hopefully will try to avoid any need for surgery in the future!!!

Try wearing wrist splints at night - good ones are on Amazon. If you can afford it get guided injections into your wrist, they can last about six months. If not, the GP can give you an injection. Then surgery after a few jabs!

I got mine after pregnancy and it never went away. Had the surgery and it never came back.

I've had mine since pregnancy, my youngest is nearly 10. I had a steroid injection which helped but only for a few weeks. I sleep in wrist splints which does help at night.
I was offered a surgery date for my right wrist which is the most painful, unfortunately it clashed with my hysterectomy surgery and had to decline it (bad timing,) so I need to be referred again.
I was prescribed codeine to take but don't take it very often.

I had it post pregnancy. Had surgery. Total cure. No regrets.

I had problems with my wrists about a year after I started using a smartphone. Tightness, strained, tingling, pains when using my phone.

I now use a chromebook (laptop) for all my internet use at home and it has solved all my problems with my wrists. Took a few weeks to heal since I stopped using the phone for everything.

I had carpal tunnel in both hands for several years before I finally went to the GP. He referred me for nerve conduction tests and they recommended surgery which I had a couple of months later on my worst hand which was also my dominant hand. It relieved my carpal tunnel pretty much instantly.

It's currently manageable in my other hand but if it gets worse I won't hesitate to have surgery again. Go and see your GP. I'm so glad I did!

Following… had it in pregnancies 2 and 3 and it’s never completely gone 😔 it’s “manageable” so I have sort of taught myself to never do anything where I might need it to flex, but it would be nice to have full range of motion again! I can’t stand the thought of the injections… And am scared of the surgery too 🤦‍♀️

I got put off the surgery by a physio I was seeing, he kept telling me that it had very low success rates etc.
Eventually I ended up dropping a kettle of hot water on myself because my hand wasn't working properly and got a fairly decent burn.

After that I saw a surgeon whose wife was a physio, he said that it was a surgery he did that she thought was a great idea. I had it done and only after it was done, realised how much pain I had been in all the time and how badly I had been sleeping.
Honestly get referred if you think you need it because getting nerve conduction studies etc take time, and you can defer the surgery if you want to when it comes to it.

Had in pregnancy then flared up when I was about 50. Classic picture no need for nerve conduction studies I was told. Ten minute op under local few weeks off work whilst it settled. Totally gone it’s such a brilliant op. So much better for the NHS than physio, splints, injections then an operation. Money and time saved as well as great symptom relief for me!