Ever since my first child was born, my wrists have been in pain. When my daughter was just three months old, I was diagnosed with de Quervain’s disease, a kind of tendinitis that can be severely aggravated by motherhood. With this, my third pregnancy, the pain has become unbearable, and I’ve just been told that my only option of finding relief is surgery during pregnancy.
Apparently, the wrist actions required for breast-feeding and carrying an infant can be incompatible with a woman’s wrist structure (which seems antievolution), causing tendons in the wrist to swell and become painful to use. Pregnancy can also aggravate tendinitis, and many women experience their first symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome while pregnant.
When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t even want to take the anti-inflammatory drugs my doctor prescribed, because I was breast-feeding.
I wore hand splints and did special hand exercises and yoga in order to heal the tendon, but nothing worked. Even when my daughter began to wean herself, the problem only got worse. I could barely grasp a diaper, let alone fasten one to my child.
I finally found relief with corticosteroid injections. Within two days of my first shots, my wrists felt as though I’d never had any pain at all.
Thereafter, when the de Quervain’s would flare up, I’d report to the orthopedic surgeon for another set of shots. He would freeze the skin over my aching tendons, then inject the corticosteriod, almost painlessly “solving” the problem for another six months or so.
But this latest swelling of my wrist tendons has been 10 times more painful than any before. In tears, I went to the emergency room on Sunday morning, where the radiologist draped my pregnant belly with two lead aprons and X-rayed the offending appendages; then a nurse affixed a plaster cast to my most painful wrist.
Once my orthopedic surgeon studied those X-rays, he told me that the only solution to my advanced condition is surgery. He then replaced the cast with a fiberglass splint on each hand.
Next page: Should I do it?
Comments (6)
I am so sorry to hear that, Erica. I totally understand. I have been suffer wrist pain too after Daniel was born, but not as bad as yours. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. Good luck. Sara
Based on what you’ve stated, I would have the surgery regardless of which anesthesia is used. With all the DON’T DO THIS, DON’T EAT THIS (or else!) for things that pose a relatively minimal risk, I think if there was a significant risk with the general anesthesia, you would be advised to suffer and wait until post-birth.
Whoa. This means no more Guitar Hero World Tour for me until at least, uh, May.
Im in the same boat I just found out that Im 4wks pregnant and I have surgery scheduled for the 16th of this month I have had an Ulnar nerve problem for over two years this will be my second surgery and Im scared to do it I dont want to lose the baby but need to have the surgery so good luck
i had this surgery and my wrist is cured. do it and feel better soon!
i had to have very invasive liver surgery during my 14th week of pregnancy. it was absolutely terrifying but without it there was chance that neither the baby nor i would make it. fortunately my surgeon is married to an ob/gyn so they made sure they were on the same page regarding the procedure and drugs the whole time. my husband, a doctor, also did extensive research about the possible effects of the anesthesia on the baby and found very little evidence that any harm would be done, especially if the procedure was done during the 2nd trimester. the baby and i are on the mend and there seems to be zero negative effects from the surgery.
i say do it, but be your own advocate and make sure you know exactly what drugs you are being given. as someone else said, there are so many do’s and don’ts of pregnancy that EVERYTHING seems to carry some sort of risk. have the surgery. i’m sure your baby will be totally safe and you will be a new woman after it all!