Carpal/ulnar tunnel release surgery?

[gaymer77]

Tomorrow I go in to have ulnar tunnel release surgery which I'm ok with since I have it in both elbows (and carpal tunnel in both wrists but those are so minor the doctor isn't even concerned about at this moment). He's told me what to expect and how I could even have had both elbows done at the same time if I wanted to as I'd have full range of motion after surgery with no cast but wouldn't be able to lift more than 15lbs for a couple weeks while it healed & adjusted.

I'm curious if anyone else here has had carpal tunnel release surgery or ulnar tunnel release surgery? I know they're both pretty common for people who use computers on a regular basis and since we're all gamers I'm going to assume the percentage of people who's had it on these forums are higher than the general public's rate.

And no, I'm not asking for medical advice before that gets brought up by anyone including mods. I'm simply asking what your experiences have been when you had it if you've had it.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

I had ulnar nerve surgery in one elbow. Now it was like 10 years ago so I am sure things have changed as the procedure has gotten better with technology and technique of course, but it wasn't terrible.

-I did have to keep my arm in a splint that I could take off to shower and so forth. It just kept the elbow at the right angle. I think it was for 2 weeks. That maybe something they don't do anymore.

-As for pain and all that I remember once the big meds stopped from the actual surgery I had decent pain for like a day but honestly you are just going to be sacked out for most of that but when you wake up to use the restroom or something it will remind you of what you went though. The next few days might be uncomfortable. I think I took some pain medication for like 24 - 48 hours before I really didn't need it anymore. I am sure mileage varies here though.

-When it came to getting back to full strength. Well, for me to get back to like what I felt was 100% was about 2 months. Maybe 3. But after the first week or two your normal everyday things like drinking a glass of water, reaching for the remote, or making a sandwich will hardly be noticeable. But for that first week or two, yeah, those types of things might ping you. At least they did for me. Not always but it will sometimes. I don't think I messed with lifting like grocery bags or anything like that for about a month. Then from that point its just getting your strength back and that happens quick once things are in full motion.

[bladeXcrasher]

Had both done in both arms a few years ago. Did one side in November and then other side right before Christmas to take advantage of deductible. I was in a soft cast for 2 weeks the first time. Cast was from triceps down to my palm since I got the carpal tunnel done at the same time. As mentioned before, elbow at 90 degrees. Wasn't really painful, but I was popping Tylenol 3 so who knows. Got a terrible rash over that two weeks so second time the doctor only kept me in the soft cast 1 week.

Second surgery was on a raid day and I raided that night, so not terrible surgerys to deal with in tandem. I'm surprised they are doing bilateral and you have no cast at all. The wrist is just a small slit on wrist and another in the palm. The ulnar is about a 1"(2.54cm) incision in the valley on the inside of the elbow. Obviously both of mine were laproscopic surgeries.