I was hoping to get some advice/input from my fellow abstractors.  I started to have a lot of thumb pain/wrist pain starting last December.  I finally forced myself to go to the doctor a few months ago.  I thought it was carpal tunnel syndrome.

My family doctor said she thought I might have Tendinitis of my thumb joint and sent me to a hand specialists, just in case.

I had to wait about two months before they could see me, but I finally got in last Wednesday.  They took x-rays of my hands/thumbs and the joint at the base of the thumb, connecting it to the hand it not sitting in the socket.  Apparently the ligament that holds them in place is stretched or tore.  (both hands)  The ligament itself cannot be repaired.  (or so this doctor has informed me) So my options are:

1.  Let the bone rub against bone, live with the pain and get arthritis and have surgery to replace the joint after it is destroyed later in life or
2.  Have a surgery now that takes a tendon from my forearm and replace the ligament, with 2 months to moderate recovery. I could only do one hand at a time.

My point being - does anyone else have this problem?  I know some of it is from lifting the very old heavy books which put a huge strain on the thumbs.  I wear a brace now, but I wasn't very careful before.

Any input?  Sorry not really the usual topic, but I am pretty sure (and my doctor thinks) it is from the repetitive strain from searching.  By the way I am not even 30 yet!

Thanks!