Re: on the waiting list

In Reply to: on the waiting list posted by rob on November 22, 2003 at 00:01:03:

: i've been diagnosed with CTS and i'm on the NHS waiting list(up to 18 months) and have had two series of injections from my GP to relieve symptons. I am a builder by trade and a musician by choice. As far as the causes of CTS pounding away at building tasks all day is certainly not helping the condition and the music suffers consequently. I'm interested to hear about recovery times post op,delay between each hand being operated upon and the efficacy of the results of any similar sufferers.

Hi Rob
Not too many UK folks on this board unfortunately but I'm one of the few. I waited about 6 months to see a surgeon then about another 6 months before the first op was done. I think I had the first surgery in the summer break from college & the 2nd in the Xmas break so something like 4-5 months between hands. That was a few years ago though.

At present I've been referred to a surgeon for Cubital Tunnel Syndrome. The wait for initial consultation is around 4 months. I'm told by an Occ Health doc that there's several months wait for emg type testing too but I didn't have any of that b4 my cts surgery.

Truth is Rob, if you go back to building/creating music, your symptoms may well return. Mine have. For me, it's mind over matter. Drawing cartoons/calligraphy is more important so I continue to do it & suffer the consequences. I just refuse to give up what pleases me. My current plan is to sue my employer (dead boring government job) for industrial injury & start up my own business doing creative stuff - mind over matter. We're here for a good time, not for a long time.

Evelyn