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Frozen Shoulder, Gutted!!

Posted , 7 users are following.

shelley46
shelley46

Hi everyone, my names Shelley, after thinking I had just pulled a muscle really badly during an heavy shift, waiting for it to get better, I saw the Physios today and now realise it's not as simple as that. Frozen Shoulder it is... Brilliant!!

You all know how painful it is and restricting. I'm 46 and work working the NHS on the bank shift system as an Auxiliary Nurse. So I don't have a contract, I'm in dreadful pain, I worked a night shift last night unable to do the majority of the work, it's mainly stroke or dementia patients I work with, so lots of manual handling involved. I can't even do my bloody apron up!

I'm a single parent and have just got my head above water after years of struggling! I feel a fraud because I can't do my job properly Plus I'm now constantly putting extra strain on my Good arm

Do I sign off work? Really don't know what to do because this sounds like it's going to take a considerable amount of time to recover, if at all.

Felling worried!

0 likes, 21 replies

21 Replies

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  • karen25221
    karen25221 shelley46

    Posted

    Yes i got told their is no treatment it goes through stages and takes 18 months to 2 yrs well i dont have 18 months to 2 years. They injected the shoulder joint it has reduced the pain a little but still hurts if i bang it knock it lean on it the only thing i has stopped really is the constant ache but i still get the stabbing pains and reseicted movement but what annoyed me is inhad a ultra sound scan and they said itvwas inconclusive as i couldnt get my arm. into a position it eas too painful now because of this inhave frozen shoulder despite 2 other doctors saying its rotator cuff i give up im.getting no where fast ive had enough ive been like this for 17 months and my other shoulder is going and thats a trait one goe other follows
    • shelley46
      shelley46 karen25221

      Posted

      Oh God, please don't say the other one goes too!

      It's so underated! I how yours improves real quick, 17 months is a long time to be in such discomfort x hugs, well as much as I can lol

    • alison44235
      alison44235 karen25221

      Posted

      There is treatment. I had hydrodilation, brilliant. I had to go privately after 5  months of dreadful pain. After procedure I had 5 weeks without pain and the physio got it moving again to 90%.
  • Tiffany123
    Tiffany123 shelley46

    Posted

    I suffered with mine for 8 months before I finally had surgery yesterday.  A friend of mine went to physical therapy with hers and got hers straightened out without surgery.  You might could try that first.
    • shelley46
      shelley46 Tiffany123

      Posted

      I do hope your surgery went OK and is successful. I saw the Physios today which have given me some excersises to do. I think I'll just have to see how work goes, I'd is unbearable then I'll have no alternative but to rethink things, Do let me know if the surgery has made a considerable difference x
    • Tiffany123
      Tiffany123 shelley46

      Posted

      I will keep you posted on the recovery.  I too was worried about the time off and still laying my bills.  I put it off until after Christmas and will have to get back to work quickly.  I just had it yesterday so we will see.
  • claire50742
    claire50742 shelley46

    Posted

    Shelley, feeling for you I really do! I am in a similar position (I have posted all over this forum to ask questions). I am on my way for a cortisone jab next week. I am willing to try anything, the pain at night can be unbearable. I saw my Dr yesterday and he told me a couple of pointers that seemed to make sense....

    I hate taking meds too often - he prescribed Tramadol - it is an opiate that acts on the nerve receptors - I hate the stuff but it works. I went off it for a while (just one a night) as I am anti drugs, but I paid the price  - the pain was terrible.

    ANYWAY - I digress, yesterday after discussing this with him, he simply said "Claire, take it when you need it, it will get you through the day - don't overdo it - but you need to work" - It made sense to me finally.

    I now take one in the morning and it lasts all day.

    Night time is still hard, I find the lack of sleep unbearable - but positioning pillows etc. Warm baths, Volatren cream, TENS machines etc. THese all help you to get by.

    Try to keep working, the important thing is not to over extend or reach, no resistance work, but gentle movement will kepp the range of motion going and reduce the risk of it freezing too firmly (if you know what I mean).

    Good luck 

     

  • alison44235
    alison44235 shelley46

    Posted

    I had to go privatelyon the end as I was getting no where with the NHS. In fact I had bad advice from them and the physio made it worse. 5 months into my frozen shoulder I had hydrodilation at the Nuffield, brilliant the terrible pain went away for 5 weeeks and in the time the physio got my movement back to 90%. the pain did come back a bit and i still do have it. This has been going on for over a year now, but I am back to doing nearly everything, my only problem now is my M.E. It became 10 times worse after my fall (the fall is how my frozen shoulder started) Good luck
    • claire50742
      claire50742 alison44235

      Posted

      Alison, I have tried everywhere in Australia to get hydrodilation, nobody has heard of it. Are you in the UK? I am finding the whole thing so so so so so frustrating! Nobody can do anything can they? Wrong advice, kooky cures, over priced chiropractors to name just a few!

      Interesting to hear the success you have had....

       

    • maria58274
      maria58274 alison44235

      Posted

      We all know what you are going through and hope you can find some relief soon.  I also put off going to the doctors, as I thought I'd just pulled something and it would eventually get better on it's own.  It didn't and I eventually went to see my GP in September and was diagnosed with a frozen shoulder.  He gave me a bag of painkillers (Naproxen and Co-codamol) the first of which didn't help any more than Ibuprofen, made me feel queasy and had so many potential side-effects, I stopped taking them.  The Co-codamol helped at night but I didn't like taking them every night,

      My doctor suggested physio but the NHS waiting list was 12 weeks.  I was lucky enough to be able to get this sooner via my hubby's BUPA membership.  There does seem to be some disagreement as to the value of physiotherapy too early - some say wait until the thawing stage - but after reading lots of different views, I think keeping things moving but not pushing past the pain barrier is probably best.

      My physio suggested I see a consultant and like Alison above, he recommended Hydrodilatation.  I had mine done on 14th December and am now pretty much pain free - which is such a relief.  There was no instant release of the capsule (which can happen for some people) but with my exercises (gentle stretching done at home) I am gradually getting my movement back.  Over Christmas I was, after a long time, able to put up my hair and las week found I could (slightly awkwardly) do up my bra again.  These sound trivial but are little victories and steps on the road to recovery.

      I understand your reluctance to stop working but you need to be careful you don't make things worse, doing a manual job.  I found even carrying heavy shopping made me worse and also strained my good wrist, relying too much on that arm.  Ask if you can get to see a consultant - hydrodilatation and other options are available on the NHS - and you could take their advice on work. 

      Best of luck, whatever you do.  Let us know how you get on!

    • shelley46
      shelley46 maria58274

      Posted

      Thankyou for your reply, doing up the bra did make me chuckle, know exactly what you mean! Lol

      I'm off to the gp in an hour to get some pain relief, I will go and see Occupational health next week too and see what their advice on work is. X

  • mentalpause
    mentalpause shelley46

    Posted

    Dear Shelley,

    You have my sympathy and empathy. It is a horrible thing to have. As I have learned since joining this forum around 12 months ago, the condition is not the same for everyone. Maybe you've seen my earlier comments so I won't bore you with it all over again.

    However I will say, I saw my Physio last week and he's happy that I am well on the road to recovery. I now have 85 - 90% ROM back and am swimming freestyle again! This time last year I could not lift my arm to swim without agonizing pain. I really found it hard to believe that it would come good again but it has... no more pain, no more pain killers. But still exercising gently in hopes I'll be 100% again..no promises there but I can put up with it now. Best of luck to you.

  • claire50742
    claire50742 shelley46

    Posted

    Well Ihad a cortisone injection yesterday, in the bursa. (Why there and not in the capsule the Dr had no idea nor did I!). He explained that because iths been poorly diagnosed, 7 months on, the scar tissue is going to make ithard to treat. Thanks guys, I wish you had listened to me. Anyway - no change at all at the moment. Pain is the same. I remain cautiously optomistic.

    Claire

    • maria58274
      maria58274 claire50742

      Posted

      The doctor who did my hydrodilatation said the cortisone, that is also included, takes a couple of days to kick in.  It did with me and I am now largely pain free (had mine done 14th December) and getting my movement back slowly.  Hopefully the cortisone will kick in soon and give you some relief.  Good luck!
    • claire50742
      claire50742 maria58274

      Posted

      Yes, it feels better this morning, but I can see why the Dr said it was nuts to inject the bursa rather than the full hydrodilation and cortisone. I may go back in a coupel of weeks and have the full thing like you did. I read your comments in another post I think and that is what gave me the idea - so thank you! Great news for you too!
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