I had the middle joint of my right index finger replaced
Was very stiff for 6 weeks then with physio and hand exercises and different splints the bending of finger is 90 degrees... completely normal and no pain, still swollen but it's from inflammed ligament
I was ready to chop my finger off before surgery from the pain
Hope this helps, I did a lot of my stretches in a sink of warm water

Thank you for the feedback. I wasn't properly prepared for this surgery. I'm married but basically live alone. My husband works 6 days a week leaving the house at 6.30 am and not coming home until almost bedtime. I've been struggling with trying to take care of a house with a dog and two cats. Enough of that! I think I'm expecting too much too soon concerning the healing process of this surgery. Cindy Shumate, I hate to hear about all you've endured. I hope there is something that can be done to make things better. Cindy Dudar, your story gives me hope. Thanks girls

I will be having joint replacement in my middle joint of my middle finger on my right hand next year. I have had trigger surgeries on both hands in the past as well as carpal tunnel releases. My middle joints are the ones mostly affected in my hands. RA has a tendency to extend the recovery time of any hand surgery a little longer, because we tend to swell a lot more. Do what your doctor and therapists say! I have persevered and have done what they suggested and I'm very thankful. I have full motion in both of my hands now, with the exception of the middle joint on my right hand.

I had my first joint replacement in my left thumb in 2015, about a year later I started having pain in both thumbs. I was sent to a new doctor and after going and seeing this doctor he took some x-rays and in the left thumb the hardware that was in it was detached and it was just floating around in my in that area of my thumb. The x-ray showed that both thumbs needed to have surgery. the right thumb joint closest to the wrist was pretty much powder due to the severe RA, and remember the left and had already been done but the hardware was not attached anymore. So they removed the hardware in the left thumb and replace it with ligaments from my arm rolled it and formed a joint with it. They did one hand at a time,, after the right hand I had a little bit of a break and then everything was healed up which took a good while and I started having problems with my right hand again well it all came unattached so they had to go in and do what they call chinch up to re-adjust it back in place. I could go on and on and on about my surgeries on my joints but I won’t I’ll stop there I’ve had five surgeries on my thumbs and the right one is jacked up again. I feel ya I sure hope you get better soon and I so sorry I’m babbling so much i’m just happy to have other people to talk to you about this that I understand. 🤗🤗

Seems like for a few of us.... surgery is our only option to deal with pain and deformity
Good luck to all of us...we are true warriors in this difficult battle with RA