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Frozen shoulder diagnosis after seeing 3 consultants

Posted , 6 users are following.

ellen10426
ellen10426

So,  I joined this discussion because I've had shoulder pain for 2 years.  I'm really active, but am struggling to do any exercise the now due to shoulder pain.  I saw my GP three times about it who just kept telling me it was a rotator cuff injury, and kept giving me physio.  After 3 rounds of physio, whom I saw privately, she told me it wasn't getting better it was getting worse, so said I needed to be referred.  I got referred privately, after getting an MRI first.  The consultant told me after examining me for 5 minutes it was 'just tendinitis' and said I needed a steroid injection, and he'd see me again in 5 weeks cause he was on holiday. I got no relief.  After a week the pain was worse.  I asked to be seen sooner, and was going to see someone else, but he saw me two weeks later, then he said it was like Frozen shoulder but he wasn't certain.  He then said he thought it was carpal tunnel (!!) and injected my wrist and this made my hand & arm go numb for about 6 hours, and while the pain was still there it was manageable.  So I reluctantly agreed to carpal tunnel surgery because I was desperate.  Well needless to say this hasn't helped at all, I asked to be seen again, but he wouldn't see me before 4 weeks, so I went to his colleague and got no where, he wanted to do another injection & told me physio would make it go away!  In desperation I went to a third consultant who confidently said it was frozen shoulder, and after hearing the length of time it had been going on for, said surgery was my best option.  So now I'm waiting for this, but feel totally lost because of everything.  

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • karen25221
    karen25221 ellen10426

    Posted

    Well youve more or less mirrored me except for carpel tunnel bit, i saw a rheumatologist as i had issues with finger joints but the pain was worse in my shoulder she told me it was Rotator cuff impingement/tendonitis/ disease ? the disease bit. So was injected with cortisone made no difference. she referred me to physio and gradually got worse over 6 weeks i got referred back to my GP who then referred me for an Ultrasound which showed nothing due to lack of movement. The Gp then got said results and said he was referring me to orthopaedics where i got triaged twice ? saw someone who got most stroppy with me because i couldnt get my arm where he wanted me to put it. he injected it said my arm would feel funny fora little bit but lt left me stranded on the roadside. I then complained to my local MP because of treatment and the time next thing i get sn appointment through the post to see a surgeon. where i was examined properly he referred me for hydrodilation which was unsucessful. Ive just had a Sub acromial decompression and capsular release im now 4 weeks post op things are better give it a bit longer jm sure it will be back to normal. i was fairly active and have put on so much weight because i kept getting zingers when i bsnged it or it was knocked ir moved suddenly i couldnt sleep i was like a zombie many a time i thought about seeing my GP to hsve mybatm amputated and used to sit and cry og a night time just with pain msny a night ive nearly gone to A+E because the pain was making me sick or nauseaous
    • ellen10426
      ellen10426 karen25221

      Posted

      We are a lot alike then, because I felt like they thought it was all in my head.  They wanted to send me to a pain management clinic, & get me to try gambepentin, which I refused.  I also felt second consultant was getting stroppy with me, and at this point I'd not even been given a diagnosis.  I also had an ultrasound, which showed nothing, a second MRI of neck, shoulder & clavicle, again showing nothing.  It's been really depressing.  I'm sorry to hear you've had as much trouble as I have had, but I'm starting to feel better knowing that surgery should help.
    • karen25221
      karen25221 ellen10426

      Posted

      ive just been for my post op review.All good they are pleased with movement im on no pain relief but its achey the surgeon said it was still inflammed lotts and lots of scar tissue and they had to take some bone away. So after 2 years of being miserable getting their at last.
  • slibby
    slibby ellen10426

    Posted

    I'm so sorry Ellen, fortunately I was diagnosed quickly once I finally went to physio. This FS stuff sucks so much. I just cannot believe they don't know more and can do more when so many people suffer from this. It's mind-blowing. My thoughts are with you.
    • ellen10426
      ellen10426 slibby

      Posted

      It is horrible.  The kicker is, the first consultant I saw is apparently doing research into frozen shoulder, and yet he never diagnosed me.  :-( I pray for pain free days for all of us, that is for certain.
    • karen25221
      karen25221 ellen10426

      Posted

      i went up 2 dress sizes in a month on Gabapentin horrible drug i was on it for Trigeminal Neuralgia. For my shoulder i had Tramadol with oral morphine for night yes away with fairies however i cant stand feeling sick i cant tolerate tramadol so i had 5mls of oral.morphine and paracetamol and it did help alot insteadcof 2 hours sleep i got 4 I took 2.5 in thevmorning regular paracetamol during the day and it was ok . Hope you get sorted soon x
  • tina61247
    tina61247 ellen10426

    Posted

    Hi Ellen so sorry you're going through what you're going through. It's really hot really hard to be in chronic pain every day especially when you feel like you've been dropped in a place where nobody's even helping you just one question I want to ask you do you have burning and that I am like a feeling that your hand is on fire let me know just curious if you this happening to 
    • ellen10426
      ellen10426 tina61247

      Posted

      I don't get a burning pain in my hand, but I do get weird sensations in some of my fingers.  And the third consultant who diagnosed me said that was common.
  • tina61247
    tina61247 ellen10426

    Posted

     Ellen keep going to doctors and doctors try to find the best doctors that there are until you find the answers that's all I can tell you. Sorry you're going through this it is extremely frustrating. And I think  One of the most difficult things is that we can look like we are perfectly fine and we are in so much pain and people can say some really well-meaning but hurtful things like all just push through it or I don't know I've heard 1 million so just keep plugging away 
    • ellen10426
      ellen10426 tina61247

      Posted

      Thank you for that.  I am glad I kept going.  I believe the third consultant is going to be the right one.  But yeah.  They make you feel like there's nothing wrong with you, it's in your head, and it'll all be ok eventually.  I really hope someone someday can sort this problem out so that people don't have to suffer.
    • karen25221
      karen25221 ellen10426

      Posted

      Oh definately dont give up are you in the UK.I think with this they are too quick to jump ti the conclusion that it will sort itself, not always the case yiu can have 3 cortisone injections in a year they have to be 2-3 months apart they can danage the joint my GP was of the opinion ive hsd 2 another wont make any difference. persevere keep going cry tell them your not sleeping its keeping you awake you stuggle to function. because of pain and sleep but dont give up took me two years xxx
  • FSconversations
    FSconversations ellen10426

    Posted

    It seems common for our pinky & ring fingers to fall asleep/go numb because that's the ulnar nerve (same as when we hit our funny bone). I told people that that 'funny bone' immediate pain is what I was experiencing with FS.

    My thinking in all this is to be as intentionally natural as possible, so to reduce the fingers/hand from falling asleep & waking me up, I would try to keep my arm more straight at night & supported by pillows. The 'chicken wing' position of my arm tucked up safely was the inevitable default position, but lengthening my arm when possible helped. (Anyone notice how their FS arm is shorter than the other?! This, and the annoying numbing, is why I would make myself lengthen it as tolerated. It also helps to slowly stretch your neck up and turned away from the FS side.) I'm still thawing, but my arms are the same length again. Have hope, fellow FS peeps! Liane

    • Maddie64
      Maddie64 FSconversations

      Posted

      I've had the exact same problem as you with the FZ and pinky and ring finger numbess. All the orthos tell me it's two problems one in the shoulder and one in the neck. I started taking MSM herbal supplement last week and literally feel like it saved me, no more of the constant nagging pain. I would cry to my husband that I just wish the doctor could admit me and put me in a coma until this FZ resolved. Not interested in surgery or shots or getting hooked on pain pills. I've done about 6 months of online research and FZ does resolve itself but the time is 15 months to 3 years. since taking the MSM I no longer have the funny bone pain or the numbness going down into my fingers. It's so weird. The inflammation is resolving and I think I will soon be able to do exercises slowly. I think the doctors are all too quick to offer invasive treatments and surgery for quick fixes but we need to listen to our body and allow it to heal itself.
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