Have you been diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel?

There are many on the site dx w/carpal tunnel. Some had that as their first dx and followed with surgery only to find out it was cidp. Try the search engine on the top, there are several threads about it I am sure.
Best wishes.
Dawn Kevies mom

I was diagnosed with carpal Tunnel and even had surgery. I did not realize at the time what was going on with me. I was actually in a relapse. I figured that out by reading the post on here and doing other research on GBS. I did not realize I could relapse until I did. After the surgery my relapse worsened greatly.

I think it is doctors who do not understand the GBS/CDIP that dx’s fibromyalgia and Carpal Tunnel…..because the symptoms appear to be the same. Not that we actually have it.

Interesting question. I have been having symptoms of carpal tunnel over the past several months that are worsening and I assume that is what it is. My thinking was that perhaps the nerves are weakened from the GBS that I had last May.
How did you determine you were in a relapse rather than had carpal tunnel?

I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel during the follow up after the GBS diagnosis. It had never bothered me before and I was convinced it was related to the GBS. Did not do any surgery for it.
Recently had brain surgery for Chiari Malformation…which presents with so many similar symptoms as GBS, that we missed if for 4 years.
Guess what…no more issues in the wrists and hands immediately following the Chiari surgery. Hmmmmm

During my last visit to the horrible neuro, he did say I had carpel tunnel in both wrists. Even though I have has a predespostion for it with all the typing I have done all my life, I believe it was worsened by the nerve damage from GBS. I do not plan to have any surgery and just deal with very weak hands.

I don’t do much typing at all and was diagnosed with carpal tunnel in both wrists after GBS. My neurologist told me it was most likely residuals, since both my hands were partially paralyzed, and that surgery would not help. I wear supports when the pain is bad and wake up most mornings with my hands totally numb. It takes me a minute to get them to move. I am quite sure it is a residual. Jeff

After I was diagnosed with CIDP I was later diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel. However, the Neurologist said it was really the CIDP and surgery wouldn’t do anything. He said something about Carpal Tunnel doesn’t effect all the fingers and all mine were a effected. Long story short – still have the problem, but with the IVIg it hasn’t been getting any worse. So…

My husband was initially diagnosed with carpal tunnel and was told he had two impingments in his right arm. He had surgery, and deteriorated drastically after with severe wasting and loss of use of the rt. hand. Later was told he had CIDP and did not ever have carpal tunnel. Diagnosis of CIDP was made at a neuromuscular disease unit versus a private neurologist who misdiagnosed him. The application and interpretation of the EMG and nerve conduction testing is best done by a specialized unit versus private neuro. in most cases from what I have read.
Laurel

Dear Friends:

I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome about two years after GBS onset. They went through every test they could think of to differentiate between GBS residuals and Carpal Tunnel and it appeared I had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for real. The day before scheduled surgery, I met with the neurosurgeon who was as old as dirt, and therefore had seen a thing or two in his time. He said that he wasted a great deal of time and effort working with a dozen or so people who have had GBS and he was of the opinion that surgery for Carpal Tunnel was almost always a waste of time for people who had GBS.

This is what he said he discovered. People who have had GBS change the position in which they sleep and when people with GBS sleep, they fold their wrists inward at a pretty sharp angle and then lock the wrists into that position for the entire night. On top of the that, many people than roll onto their wrists and put even more pressure onto the wrists. This pinches the nerves which causes swelling and inflammation which is a pretty good imitation of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. The neurosurgeon gave me wrist braces which wouldn’t let me lock my wrists at night and within a week the Carpel Tunnel went away and within the week I broke the wrist habit and didn’t need the wrist braces afterwards.

Well, what does that mean for you? I’m not sure. You very well may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but I would really look into the way you are sleeping and explore whether using wrist braces for a week or two might make everything better.

Lee

Simply because it gives some docs an ‘out’ they shouldn’t use.
I had a distinct cause/effect carpal tunnel onset FIVE years before getting the CIDP. So when I got the neuropathies I KNEW this was something very, very different.
What makes my own life more confusing, and for all my doctors as well? Is that I have since been diagnosed with cancer and am now on a Cancer post treatment that can also cause symptoms of Carpal Tunnel as well! So many people have had surgeries that were unnecessary because of the medications. Once you stop the cancer- treatment meds? Carpal symptoms go away!
We all have to be super aware of any other medications we are on! The primary side effects doctors are usually informed about? But the subtler less common effects, especially when one is on a slew of medications can cause as many problems as they are supposed to help. Read in detail about your prescribing information for all of your medications! I had/have found many dangerous combinations as a resultl of those ‘less common’ effect issues. You need to be very well read about these meds so you can cite where the doc can find the key info that mite just help you! It has helped me a great deal and I’ve cut meds ‘consumed’ in half. Without detriment. Do keep this aspect in mind in all your choices.

I too have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel, severe in one hand and moderate in the other. I do not do any repetitive types of work so it seemed weird to me that I would have this diagnosis. I had been seeing the neuro as a result of GBS residuals 25 years after onset of GBS. I firmly believe they are related. I did not have the surgery and choose to do the exercises, wear splints when my hands bother me and I seem to be doing okay. I had heard that many people with GBS who had had the surgery found no relief from it, so I have choosen to avoid that option.

I believe a lot of doctors are too quick to use the knife when they have no other answer to the problem. Kind of like diagnosing “Hysteria” when they don’t recognize the symptoms of GBS.

Jim

Ghostbear:

Glad to see you back on the boards. I really enjoyed hearing from you back in the old days. I hope to see you around in the future.

Lee

I had GBS many years ago (1963). I can’t exactly remember when carpal tunnel started but I tolerated it, so-to-speak, for approximately 15 years before I finally had the surgery on my right wrist. That was the end of the problem there. The left wrist had always been a much less painful situation. That has never been done and it is actually a lot better. That may have to do with the fact of what my activities are now, as a retired person, compared to what they were when I worked, although I was not in any job that required repetitive movement, other than I drove my car a lot and it bothered me then. Through all of that, it never occurred to me that it could be connected to GBS and the neurologist I had, who looked after me in 1963, never suggested it either. Interesting!

Maureen