Joint surgery
I was diagnosed with JRA when I was 13, I'm now 35. I'm in remission, but still dealing with pain from the damage. My middle finger knuckle slides off to the side when I close my hand. I was told early on that I'll eventually need surgery, and I think that day is soon. Some days the pain is unbearable. Has anyone had surgery for this?
Hi,
!
I know some of our members have had joint surgery done on their hands and I hope they see your post and comment here.
That said, I wanted to share some pieces from our health leaders about this topic. One of our health leaders shares her tips for managing surgery here (she briefly mentions hand surgeries) -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/navigating-surgeries.
Also, here's a piece from one of our health leaders that is a seasoned surgery survivor, though she discusses the reasons she hasn't had hand surgery in this article -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/hand-care-options. And please note the many member comments following the piece. Also, the author was diagnosed with JRA at age 2.
And, another of our health leaders that was diagnosed with JRA talks a bit about her experience with JRA and surgery here, though she brings up her hand surgery only briefly -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/trap-feeling-like-a-burden. Whether you choose the surgery route or not, please know you have people here who know what its like to be facing options that seem less than ideal. I do hope that if surgery is is your future, it goes well and your recovery is smooth!
Best, Erin, Team Member.
