How’d you cope going from two hands to one (Dupuytren’s contracture surgery)

I’ve put this surgery off for a while, it’s now due.

Consultants said no driving for 6 weeks, no bike riding for 12 weeks.

How will I cope with only one hand?
How will I chop an onion?

Any insights???

mandolin….. No, not the guitar type one 🙂

Funnily though i do at times get a one-handed woman on Insta popping up and chopping veg etc.

That’s an eye openner!

I am waiting to get an initial consultation but  I never imagined that degree of one handedness.

Presumably the op is on your dominant hand?

I don’t know how you will manage but good luck.

Don’t worry. You’ll quickly adapt and it’s only for a short time.

Depending which hand it is you may find your daily ablutions can be a bit awkward and wiping can be tricky.

My right (dominant) arm was useless for about 6 months after my shoulder was rebuilt due to the operation and some nerve damage. It can be very, very frustrating but you have to accept that it is what it is. Don’t struggle and risk hurting yourself. If you need help ask for it.

As for onion chopping: no idea, sorry. 🙂

I’ll let you know. I am having my right hand done a week on Friday. I’m right handed.  Its going to cramp my style that’s for sure.  What I’m most gutted about is that after a long lay off, I’ve got back into the gym over the last 6 months and made good progress.  Still, it’s not far off stopping me me cycling, motorcycling etc so I’m very glad to be getting it sorted.

I’m not looking forward to this. Both siblings have it, I have early signs of it.

My brother is much more advanced and just been told they need to look at surgery at some point. He is an architect and rider, both of which need his dominant hand to work well.

Yea it’s my dominant hand, I might also have to move house during that period too and I live alone.

Buy some bags of frozen chopped onions. Or chop now and freeze.

Ask for an appointment with the department’s OT (Occupational therapist). They will have some tips and ideas for bits of equipment that may help… like a chopping board with edges or spikes so you can use it with one hand. Lots of people living life with only one hand!

And put off the moving. You want to recover from this as well as possible. Hands are REALLY complex.

All the best with it.

Can you use the hand at all after the surgery or is it totally immobile? I had my right hand in plaster for six weeks due to a broken thumb, from the tips of my fingers and thumb to halfway up my forearm. You get used to it, basically, and adapt pretty quickly.

I had an industrial accident and nearly lost my right thumb in a circular saw several years ago. I am right handed. Tbh, it was a struggle. I have no great tips or insights. You just cope and adapt because you have to. Hope it goes well.

The news is, you can even ride your bike one handed.  I did this for several months, because of a shoulder operation.  Just a light touch on the bars with my left hand occasionally.  Not ideal, but at least it gets you out.

@IHN – I’m just out of a cast for a broken thumb.  5 weeks, plus no off road until at least December.  My cast was only to my knuckles on my fingers.  But couldn’t touch first finger to thumb which effectively makes the hand useless.

It’s pretty glum. My left hand was amazingly imprecise for most tasks. And it’s surprising how many tasks require both hands to be fairly dextrous – using a knife for example – unless you can hold the  vegetable very steady with the other hand you still can’t cut it.  I’m sure there are adaptations, and I was getting better by the end.

Relax into it and it goes pretty quickly. I caught up on some TV I’d been meaning to watch for ages (9 hours of Get Back), spent an hour a day on the Wattbike, read a bit. Took things a bit more slowly – walked around my local area (rather than riding).  Sat in the park and read. A bit different.

Blimey, my mum has that contracture thing, started in her 80s. I didn’t realise it affected us younguns (ahem)! Paranoid now

Mine started in my late 30s and has taken a long time to progress. I can still do most things and I am 70.

My mum had it, from her mid 70s, just lived with it. I have tell tale signs on the palm of my right hand, below ring finger, I’m (very) early 60s.
Hope the op goes well op, if it gives you back a good functional hand, the few weeks inconvenience will be soon forgotten!

I am really surprised by this 6 week ban for driving – what is reason for that, painkillers or cast?

Tried some manual therapy for my affected hand – had bit of a slip at swimming pool on vacation and smacked my my hand fairly hard. The bent finger was forced straight and beyond and it has been worse than before even if most of the swelling has gone away.

I’ve struggled for a short while, due to breaking my collar bone, though I was able to cheat, as my right hand worked but was initally immobilized. Having a very understanding partner helped me, though I’m still using my left arm almost as my domiant arm now (shoulder looks to be frozen), if anything too much, as I need to use the damaged side more.. Ablutions were a struggle to start with but managable after a while, electric toothbrush was a godsend, silicon scourer meant I could wash my working hand, while the scourer was held loosely by the other one. Lots of veg comes pre-chopped, though I wouldn’t buy this at any other time, or a food processor can chop stuff up easily.

Oh and my car battery died from non use, maybe disconnect it, or run the car regualrly to keep the battery topped up.

..trying to think of anything else..

Probably the minor inconvenience of not being able to control the vehicle safely with one hand. Though somehow the muppets with phones glued to their hand manage it.

Post op pain relief is paracetamol only, so it won’t be analgesia affecting driving.

To those whose parents have it, it is genetic, so if you find yourself with curly fingers, that’ll be it.

Consultants advice is that I MUST put the finger through full range of movement regularly from day one post surgery, it will be painful, but must be done as everything in the hand has tightened over years and needs stretching back to normal.

Due to a rugby injury I’ve pretty much lost the use of my left arm. It works, I’m holding my phone in my left hand as I type this, but that’s about as useful as it gets.

TBH you learn to adapt very quickly. Getting dressed was probably the most difficult thing for me, for a couple of years my arm wouldn’t move, so I really was one handed. Riding off road is troublesome, 45 mins max on fairly gentle terrain. Changing tyres is a no no. I know other people with limited mobility can do it….but not me!

My mate had the same op last year and I don’t recall him being off the bike very long to be honest. One of those times when a turbo is useful.

Did he have that fitted at the same time?

Hi

I’ll be amazed if it takes  6 weeks.

I had the surgery a few years ago on my right hand pinky, and was working again that afternoon. Couple of weeks of not gripping tightly, but was generally fine with normal day to day stuff within a day or so.

Course, that’s a pinky, rather than a finger used more often (but then one of the interesting snippets I’ve discovered with all this is that something like 33% of your grip strength is in your little finger.). Depends of course on what exactly you’re having done. And whether your car is automatic.

Post operative – surely they should be providing a splint?

I was one armed for a month or so when I did my left shoulder in, fortunately not my dominant arm/hand.

Only things I remember being annoying were the inability to put my socks on easily and not being able to have a bath as I couldn’t lift myself out.

Lack of driving wasn’t a huge issue as I WFH and my wife drives, chopping stuff was okay as I have sharp knives.

Obviously missed riding a bike but did a lot of walking instead, which was kinda okay. Certainly better than staying indoors.

most important question is the hand you wipe you harris with?

that will be the biggest challenge

I use a Thai inspired shower hose, no wiping here!

Bloody immigrants vikings neanderthals.

I have the nodules under my left ring finger but so far no contracture.

I posted something on FB about my imminent Dupytren’s surgery and the PITA of losing the use of a hand for a few weeks. I got a deserved shit-ton of abuse from a couple of veteran mates. One of whom is missing his right hand and one who is a triple amputee.  Perspective restored, bloke back in his box and scoffing MTFU tablets!

You’ll be OK OP, good luck with the surgery when it comes around.  If I remember or if you remind me, I’ll check back in on here after my Op (8th November) with any onion chopping/general coping experiences.

Lots of veg, including sliced onions, can be found in the frozen isle packs these days.

I lost use of my dominant hand for a few months after my Xmas ’13 RTA, fortunately my better half helped me when I wasn’t staying at Salisbury’s Odstock Rd rehab unit Mon-Fri. My left hand quickly learned to do a lot of things it wouldn’t normally do.

I’m going to have surgery for mine at some point, I’ll be buying some pogies this winter as I can no longer get a thick pair of gloves on in under 20 mins.

hope it all goes well for you.

I worked with a guy who had no use of his left arm- it was impressive seeing him tie a shoelace one handed, but he’d had years of practice.

Yea it’s my dominant hand, …… I live alone

Why is no-one else pointing out the most obvious issue?

I’m on the waiting list for my Dupytren’s surgery…

It’s for my left hand pinky finger, although the right hand has started now as well.  Has anyone considered not going ahead with the surgery and just living with a bent finger?  Mine actually doesn’t affect me too much, beyond difficulty getting gloves on, so I’m not sure of the benefits of having the surgery and being out of action for several weeks (potentially stopping me from doing things I really enjoy – skiing, sailing, cycling etc).  Also, I’m told that the Dupytren’s contracture will almost certainly return at some point anyway…

I’m not sure of the benefits of having the surgery and being out of action for several weeks (potentially stopping me from doing things I really enjoy – skiing, sailing, cycling etc).

That’s far better than the contracture stopping me doing those things permanently, which mine definitely will if I leave it much longer.  It’s already stopping me doing a lot of stuff I enjoy and it’s only going to get worse.  Perhaps yours isn’t that bad? In which case that’s a valid question for you. In my case though, rather than not having the surgery, I have considered (seriously) elective amputation of my little finger as another option. Hopefully the surgery will work.  I know the contracture can come back, but the op can be repeated.  In my Dad’s case he got a good 15-17 years post op before it needed doing again.  I’ll take that.

I’ve had this surgery three times and I’m awaiting the fourth.  No driving is a pain.  I replaced it with taking the dog for very long walks. This helped to get me out and keep me sane.  I found that I could do most things with one hand, however tying shoe laces and buttering toast defeated me.

I’ve had this surgery three times and I’m awaiting the fourth.

Interesting.  Same hand?  NHS or private? What was the interval between surgeries and the contracture returning?  How long after surgery before were you able to use your hand again normally?  Was there any loss of function after surgery – movement, grip strength etc?

Sorry to bombard you with questions! I’m just curious about the possible outcomes from my own imminent surgery.

My niece has no fingers on her left hand and a thumb with only 1 joint.

She can thread a Swifty bracelet and tie it off. You’ll adapt, it’ll take a little while.

You could always get a special knife hand attachment, you’ll be fine as long as you don’t come up against Bruce Lee. Thankfully he’s now up in the big dojo in the sky. 

Do you have a local bowling alley you dont need to drive to?