Doc wants to cut my wrist open 4-6 week recovery time. "Overuse" injury... Anyone ever have to deal with this type of injury before?

Is this the same as carpal tunnel? If so, been there. Had left hand done and a month later right hand. It took about 12 weeks for total healing (8 weeks from 2nd surgery). Not real fun.
I may need a surgery next on my elbow for tendon issues. Overuse injury also. Dr says this one may have a permanent loss of use of at least 20%. Love getting old......

I have de Quervain's tenosynovitis. I had my arm injured on the job in '07 and it never really got fully better after physical therapy and the like. The thing that helped me the most was laser therapy, but i can't afford to really do that. Also, an anti-inflammatory herb called Inflazyme worked wonders, but, like laser therapy, I can't afford to do that all the time either.

http://www.natratech.com/Products/InflaZyme.htm

I'm scared of surgery, but I've recently met an attorney (who is also a doctor) who had it. He has a tiny L shaped scar on his hand that was hard to see until he pointed it out. He said he's feeling 100% better after surgery, like it was never injured.

He said that's the case with most surgeries, they are usually completely successful. This gives me a lot of hope, and I probably will go through with it.

Have you visited with a massage therapist yet?

Nope! ruptured the tendon sheath last week and appears to be getting better!