Rheumatoid Arthritis and hand surgery, anyone had surgery?

I have had successful surgical release of trigger finger on 3 fingers. And I take infusions of Remicade every six weeks.

TY, thats great. Was it just you fingers or wrist also? What was your recovery time? My son and his wife are expecting baby#3 in November and I had a 70th bday party in the works November 15th. I was wondering should I wait till
end of November. Or if I'll be good if I did the surgery now?

Humira is expensive. My doctor started me on infusions . It is covered by my supplemental. I am not on an advantage plan, that could complicate things.
I am on SIMPONI ARIA. After a month it is already working. See if that is an option for you. Stopping the pain, stops the damage. The only ever hand surgery I had was for a trigger finger. That was 20 years ago at the beginning of my RA. It was a very simple surgery. Also exercise has saved my life. It has kept me strong. For the joints it is Use It Or Lose It.

I had my left hand and elbow done 8/14/25 doing pretty well. My right one same surgery is on 9/11/25
I may not get the strength back but the pain just about gone.

What surgery are you going for? I have a completely messed up joint on my first finger right hand, also RA, and I'm right handed, but the surgeon who saw it last week has refused to do a joint replacement on the grounds that it still has far too much angle of bend in it and can be used, and a joint replacement won't necessarily improve anything and may make it worse.

Cubical release elbow, carpal tunnel on hand, try to scrape out arthritis

Hi, I am on Simponi now, Remicade before that, a total of 10 years every 8 weeks infusion. Medicare pays for this because I have RN's and get it IV in an infusion center. My rheumatologist orders it. I have been limited to I.V. meds because of Medicare payment. But I'm doing well!

I have RA, Sjogrens and Hashimoto's. Also, connective tissue disease or something on the Ehlers Danlos spectrum. As long as I learn how to cope, I'm okay with an "or something' diagnosis!

6 years ago I had thumb stabilization surgery on my L hand. My ligaments are like old rubber bands! I have a pin to stabilize my thumb. It became strong over time. Next month I'll have my R thumb done. They tell me now they use screws not pins. I don't want another surgery but have had to wear a thumb brace for over a year. It will be good to have 2 thumbs soon!

Hi! I have a LONG history of forearm/wrist/(L) thumb surgeries. My first was in 2012 - I had severe pain in my right wrist, which I guessed was caused by a trip and fall. When I was young I never had surgery or pain and played basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis, and rugby in college. Not one issue. I went to a dr in 2011 for my pain and after X-rays and scans doc discovered I had a TFCC tear - triangular fibrocartilage complex - and was told I needed surgery because my ulna was longer than it should be. In 2012 had ulnar shortening with a plate and 8 screws in my right outer forearm. Was great for a little while, but I’m right handed and kept hitting my arm on things like the washer and dryer when loading clothes and the pain was awful. Not to mention the vibration pain from hitting a golf or tennis ball, or trying to lift my young kids. Six months later doc removed the plate and screws, and, again, felt ok for a while. About a year later, had a proximal row carpectomy (same R hand) because the cartilage above those bones was gone. Just gone! I’ll fast forward a little - it IS a long history - ended up having fusion on my right wrist because all the cartilage was just like disintegrating. Plate and 12 screws that doc said wouldn’t have to come out … a few years later it all had to be taken out. 🙂
Then I had a screw put in my lowest L thumb joint because it had no cartilage, also had ulnar shortening on my L arm, then had to go to the Suave Kapandji surgery on both wrists because of ongoing and increased pain. Also had a tendon cut on purpose and a bone removed around my L thumb because of continued problems. I’ll also add that I had MANY cortisone injections for pain in between every surgery. I’ll add a couple of final x-rays because they have caused me to have to retire from a job I love (23 yrs of teaching) before I was ready. 🙁 it wasn’t until right before my last 2 surgeries that I was diagnosed with hEDS.
I am lucky enough to have been referred to a dr at UVA who has been fantastic. He did my last few surgeries and is an amazing doctor and surgeon. He is highly knowledgeable about all things hands and wrists AND EDS.
If you can get a referral to (or already see) someone at a major health and research facility, I really recommend it.
Sorry for such a long post, but with a total 9 surgeries and at least 13 procedures, I wanted to give background on why I am even commenting. I wish you and anyone facing any kind of surgery the absolute best of everything.