Brian-
Mine are self-fused (or "melted" in the words of my RD).  I can do most
everything (drive, type, etc.).  Years ago I'd had surgery on both to
re-attach tendons.  Jan O'

we have someone here who has had one wrist fused and the other replaced -
twice, as she got a bit overactive with #1.  At the moment she is in the
midst of moving across the US, from the Boston area to the SF area so is MIA
at the moment.  She has talked a lot about it in the past though.  You might
try searching Google Groups for wrist fusion on alt.support.arthritis   Look
especially for replies from Duckie.

I'll send her an email to look in on this thread when she gets a chance, but
it may be a while before she sees email again.

Ive had one fused and one rebuilt but suspect after 5 years it will
have to be fused in another year. The adjustment is fast. It is
remarkable how quickly we can adapt to just about anything. Just make
sure you do your PT religously and build up those small external
muscles in the forearm.
johnie

mine are "auto-fused." i can bend them a little forward, but not at all
backward. i have to say fusing really helped with the pain! the main
issue for me is that, anything you do that involves bending the wrist
back is impossible. any exercise, yoga etc where you put your palms on
the floor is literally impossible. getting up off the floor, i use my
fists.

by the way, they wanted to surgically fuse my wrists, but i put it off
and they fused on their own, saving me the surgery. don't know if
that's the wisest course of action, tho.  :-)

good luck,

diane

Brian -- got a heads up from Nann. I have had one surgically fused and
the other replaced twice. [lost the first replacement swing dancing --
hehehe].  I have a titanium bar in my left wrist and it is stronger
than my right. It has full range of ummm palm up and palm down twisting
but that only come with OT and perserverence. It will not bend up and
down and if you are a waiter, you will no longer be able to carry a
tray raised above your head with one hand. Of course, if you are in
need of the surgery, you should find that image painful to even think
about. :)
As a woman, I was no longer able to reach an inserted tampon  [sorry
for the graphic talk] but that should not be your problem. :) However,
you will need help wiping you bottom. Now, you say you are having both
done at once??  I would not recommend that as you will be really
helpless for 6 weeks or so and more like three months for full recovery
if my faulty memory serves me [it has been awhile]. You won't be able
to pull your pants up and down, wipe your bottom, fix a meal, get a
drink, scratch an itch, as long as those casts are on. After you get a
bit more mobile, you will still need help.
Actually I wouldn't recommend having both fused if you can help it. I
like my independence. Maybe your surgeon has a way to leave one not
fused absolutely straight??
A surgically fused wrist has absolutely NO movement up and down. A self
fused wrist may only have a few degrees but those few degrees of
movement may mean that you can handle personal hygenine without a need
for a tool.
Good artical I scanned for content here but the tool is different
http://www.dynamic-living.com/news-bathroom-independence.htm
Here is the one I have
http://www.beabletodo.com/Detail.bok?no=37
Wow the price has gone up by 10 since I bought mine.
What else do you need to know?  Don't email me at that addy. I never
read that account as it gets all the spam from usernet. Just ask and
Nann or someone will pass along the questions.
Duckie

I had partial fusions in both wrists. Within a year of each surgery, they
both fused totally. I've been very happy with the results. There are many
things I can't do, but I compensate well. Here's a short list: push ups (who
wants to anyway! LOL), throw a baseball correctly to my children, lean back
on my hands while sitting on the floor, hold my children on my hip (because
the wrist doesn't bend, I can't get a good grip on them). Like I said, it's
really not bad. I learned new ways pretty easily. One more thing, I can't do
some signs (I'm a speech pathologist and use signing in my work).

One major negative is that because your wrist has no give, if you fall all
of your weight will go to your finger bones both in the palm and in the
actual digits. It can increae your chance of tendon/ligament damage. I had
this happen once, falling on ice. I thought I broke the wrist and hand. The
hand surgeon said I probably would never break the wrists because they are
so strong from the fusions.

Oh, I also had severe ulnar deviations so they cut off the tips of the
ulners to realign them. That helped significantly with alleviating pain. The
surgery itself was a breeze (1/2 hour - day surgery). With one, I was in a
splint. The other was in a cast. Not sure why the difference. I had
temporary pins both times, but since it was only a partial fusion, I'm not
sure if that would be the same. The pain after the surgery was pretty
intense for 3-4 days and I'm pretty good with pain. I mostly slept the whole
time - with the help of vicodin. Once everything healed, there was no more
pain (I should say after I stopped physical therapy). It was a big relief.

If you have any more questions, feel free to post or email privately...

alison

I refused having the left wrist fused (necrosis).....loss of range of
motion

Bonnie