3 weeks ago, I had a Laminectomy on my C 4-5 for years of pain shooting down my left arm, into my index finger and thumb, with a constant burning sensations in my upper bicep. Surgery treated 99% of my former pain but when I woke from the surgery, my right hand was burning and shooting with pain. I immediately began screaming because of the pain and due to the drugs/anesthesia, I was assured that it was nothing and would go away but even though I was allowed to stay in the hospital a few extra days, highly medicated, I still remember the Drs telling me they didnt understand why my right hand was acting this way. One nurse suggested it may have been done by the IV tech, who numbed the right hand prior to inserting an IV, stating the numbing medication wouldnt have allowed me to notice her sticking a nerve in my right hand for the primary IV. Post op, the IV was moved to another location but the hand is so sensitive, simply brushing against it causes extreme pain. 3 weeks later, the pain is still there. Another nurse claimed my hand "may" have fallen during the surgery and was crushed. An Xray was done during my hospital with no broken bones or fractures but other than prescribing Neurontin, nothing else was done and I was sent home to 'see what happens'.
I called today after 3 weeks of misery. Between the recovery process of the Laminectomy, which appears to be sucessful and the fact that I traded off use of my left side to losing my right hand. I explained that I am 1 minute away from calling a lawyer or buying a gun to just get it all over with.
This has sincerely sent me into a deep depression. I cannot use my hand, period. I cannot use a fork to eat. I cannot wipe my self and washing my hands, particularly my right hand, is like sending the hand into a fire-storm from hell. Now, I use my left hand to lather then wash my right hand separately, keeping water from running on it directly, so to keep the hand from hurting. I have, even in the hospital, without the direction of the hospital staff, icing the area. I have a portable TENS unit and use it. I have not been able to go to PT, as they want me to exercise using both hands/arms to stregnthing my muscles and I cannot grasp the bars on the right hand. This defect is only limited to my hand. Not my wrist, arm or upper arm. The nurse who I spoke with today said the Dr did not do a bi-lateral laminectomy, so no one is stepping up to take the blame. I want my hand back. I have severe spinal stenosis thoughout my spine, right down to my L5 S1 and my right hand/arm, has never had any issues. It has been my dominant hand and has carried me through pain and inability to do things. I have put off any surgery to my spine because of horror stories I had heard but I wouldnt have been a horror story if my right hand hadnt been affected. Im very angry and depressed over this issue. After 26 yrs of holiday festivities, this year, we had none. I have two infant grandchildren, who probably wouldnt remember Thanksgiving or Christmas 2012, when Grandma was sick, but I do. My first holidays with my new grandchildren has been killed, along with my spirit. I would have had my holiday tree and lights up by now and I have no desire to do anything holiday related. And, I cant now either. I found this forum and thought I would rant a little and maybe get some information but Im not very educated when it comes to nerves and nerve damage. If anything, I would have expected any nerve damage to have happened at the surgical site, not on a totally unrelated body part. Are there any Physicians who view this web site? Anyone with knowledge they can share, so I can heal this hand before it becomes atrophied? I try to move it, to at least get some movement to the muscles. It hurts like hell but I dont want to lose all ability to use my hand. Suggestions are highly welcomed, please and thank you!

I am no doctor, but there are alot of people on here that maybe able to give you some advice. It sure sounds weird, I would contact the surgeons office everyday, and contact your family doctor. And then call a lawyer, its free to talk with them the first time. I had a triple fusion on my low back, and I woke up with total numbness and severe pain in my left thigh. It lasted a few days after I got home, I called the surgeon who did the sugery and he said it was'nt un common and it should go away soon, he perscribed me some more pain meds to help. He did tell me they have to work around the nerves and any contact with them can cause problems. It went away after 1 or 2 weeks. But when I stand to long or walk to much it comes back, and does'nt go away until I lay down. Maybe they came in contact with a nerve and it may subside. I hope so. Don't lose hope, and don't give up keep bugging them until they will see you. Love them grandbaby's everyday, they are what keep me going.

i to have disc c4thruc7.for some reason it always attack the left side like yours.but now just like you my right side bothers me to just like the left.they decided not!! to do surgery,maybe because it sensitive,and no garuntee results.so they stick me with nerve block injections,pain pills and something called "gabapetin".its like "Lyrica".anyway that why we didnt do surgery on my neck.but that right side will eventually begin to hurt you.it always does,with these c4-c5 stuff.i to had to get a lawyer to convince my doctor that just not my left side hurts but now its the right side to

I am fused C4-7. It was done over two surgeries and after the first I went two years with it broken and causing damage to everything else. That being said what had happened was my body ended up "guarding" the injured parts and I used/over used parts of my body that didn't hurt. I had the surgery and I had no prior problems in my arms or hands other than the shooting pain from the nerve compression. I now have total weakness, grip, and pain like you describe, although not as severe.
I started with a new set of doctors and they have been running me through the mill again trying to figure things out and I now have torn rotator cuffs, and carpel tunnel on both sides. I thought this was an interesting finding as I NEVER had that before and the way the doc told me just today was how I explained it. I trust him because he is my PCP and has no affiliation with the surgeon. He says, and the surgeon and neurologist also agree, that my rotator cuff injuries were more than likely old from the wreck and caused from the high impact and seat belt useage. He said I probably didn't feel the effects of those before because your body minds what hurts worse.
Going on that logic if you were using your right hand to compensate for your left hand, then it may be very possible to have developed severe carpel tunnel syndrome, which can cause your symptoms. You may not have felt it before because of the pain elsewhere and now that is what the primary source of pain is.
I will tell you this, the surgeon is going to distance himself from you as fast as he can now. You need to move quickly to get an EMG (Nerve conductance test) to rule out Carpel tunnel or any other form of nerve compression or damage. Your PCP can refer you out for that. When you get those results you can arm yourself with knowledge and attack it from there and possibly get corrective treatment from the surgeon if indeed it was their fault.
I wish you the best and RANT away that is what this is here for and there are a lot of us in the same sinking ship lol

I take that "gabapetin", which is generic for Neurontin & they bumped up the dose to 300 mgs, three times a day but the side effects are extreme depression with suicidal thoughts!

I cant completely lose my hand! I wouldnt know what to do & nevermind the grandbabies... I wouldnt be able to pick them up or hold their hand. This is aweful.

Im sorry Don. I wish things were better for you too.

I had side effects from the neurontin as well and told the doc about it and he wrote me a script for celexa. I am not taking either one. I am not going to take a drug that requires me to take another drug to curb its side effects. I feel if it has that kind of reaction, then my body doesn't want it!

hello folkd..again.the "gabapetin"im on now is up to 400mg now.plus the new pain pills I take...oh and also "nerve block injection".what a "druggy"i am

anyway I did have that "EMG".from that is how they found all the dics in my neck.you see it started with my shoulder(left side).they did surgery on it.but the pain remain.they thought I was faking.trying to "prolong"the treatment so I can get out of work..that until I had the "emg".then they saw the other damage to my neck.they sent me to a "nuero surgeon".but he decided not to do surgery,but had me see a "pain specialist".and been there ever since.its where im getting all these pills and shots...folks im a wreck .physically and mentally(the pills)