finger surgery - funger still numb, is that normal?

[musiclover]

Hello. This isn't a related condition, but I wanted to ask anyone out there some questions. I had surgery on my right ring finger today. It was an old injury that hadn't healed correctly. Part of it included detaching the tendon from a broken piece of bone and reattaching it. The surgery started at about 2:30 and went on for about 45 minutes. I chose not to go under so they gave me a local anesthesia. I didn't ask what it was but the pharmacist later said maybe a lidocaine shot. I had a few shots to numb it. They had to set the finger backwards at about a 60 degree angle because of the tendon and it is very uncomfortable. My question is, it has now been 6 hours and my finger is still completely numb. The top is peeking through the cast and when i touch it I get no sensation whatsoever. Is that what usually happens? I am worried that because it is at an angle maybe its cutting off circulation or something, but it's hard to tell. Would the shots keep it numb for 6 hours?

[musiclover]

Hi again. I found out it was marcaine in the shots. Boy have they worn off. I asked for tylenol with codeine but it is not even touching this pain in my hand. Is there another IC-friendly pain med? I'm dyin' here!

[ICNDonna]

My advice --- keep it elevated and call your doctor back and ask for something else if the pain still hasn't eased. :grouphug:

Donna

[Cillajane]

I just had some finger surgery myself about 3 weeks ago and they used two I.Vs., one for the "block" and one for the i.v. sedation. My whole hand was numb for 12 hours. My tendon is 5% off from making the finger straight and because this was a dog bite injury I also had a bone spur that was causing nerve pain. I left the 5% deficit alone but the bone spur had to come out. When the surgeon got in there it was a lot bigger than the x-ray showed. Each day is a little better with pain but hand pain can be very intense. Good luck on your surgical repair. Being a typists I had to have some of the damage repaired.

[musiclover]

What did you take for pain? I am in such agony I am sitting here crying. I couldn't sleep until 4 am. I called my doctor and they said they would leave him the message. I feel like I might pass out from pain before then! I don't know if I would do this again had I known.