Frozen shoulder manipulation with fibromyalgia
Posted , 5 users are following.
My complication is I have fibromyalgia which in the past has flared so badly at physical therapy, for any injury, I've had to stop. I've told the PT people about my fibromyalgia but they don't seem to understand the consequences that repetition of an exercise just makes the problem worse. For instance in a normal situation I can only type on the computer for fifteen minutes several times a day or my wrists get too sore to do it at all and it takes a week of resting the joint and usually a compression splint to resolve. My doctor seems to think it won't be of any consequence. I don't have a rheumatologist I can ask about this. Has anyone else had this procedure with fibromyalgia as a consideration?
I am very concerned about my recovery PT.
1 like, 17 replies
hope4cure kim2222
Posted
You would benefit by seeing a rhumey. They have a much better process for treating joint and fibro issues.
Rest and splints is important as you can attest to by knowing what's important to your body for treatment.
Your rhumey will come up with a helpful Plan to better manage your pain.
kim2222
Posted
Unfortunately my insurance won't pay for me to see a rheumatologist. I'm in the US. It's been scheduled for a month and happens next week. I don't know if I can change it now. I'll ask. Thanks for the shove to get me going about it.
cynthia93831 kim2222
Posted
I'm so sorry to hear about your fibromyalgia issue. Depending upon what stage your FS is in, the PT will not work. Looking back on my last 9 months, PT was okay during the freezing stage. Then I went into the frozen stage and PT was only making it worse. Causing much pain and inflamming the joints. If you are in the frozen stage, resting the joints is the best treatment, with lots of ice several times a day and gentle stretches. I also started having a massage once a week during the frozen stage and i'm still going now I'm in the thawing stage. Massages are so important to work those pressure points. Find a good one and it will be the best money you can spend.
alison41082 cynthia93831
Posted
Cynthia so you have lived 9 months so far with frozen shoulder? Why did u decide not to do mua and release surgery? How much longer do they think you will be? Are you able to move externally yet? Trying to decide to have the surgery or not but I'm afraid it will just set me back I'm only 31/2 months in? Did it get a lot easier once it reached the frozen period?
kim2222 alison41082
Posted
The freezing part of the sudden pinch that makes you cry out disappears once you are frozen but the pain then becomes an always ache and pain when used too much. I can't sleep due to pain when lying on my back. Luckily my right shoulder has healed to the point I can lay on it most of the time. My right arm was thawing as my left arm was freezing. I'm kinda glad they are happening at the same time, rather than having to start all over with the second shoulder a year from now. The muscles in my neck and upper arm are extremely sore so I'm hoping the PT will help that as well.
I'm having manipulation procedure done on Tuesday. I am absolutely dreading PT. I've read good and bad about it so the result seems very individualized reaction. I've talked to my MD and he just says, no pain, no gain. I however do not believe in that policy. Pain yes, tears and crying, no.i guess I'll find out Tuesday. I'm sure glad my other shoulder healed after one shot and exercising at home.
monique_93857 kim2222
Posted
kim2222 monique_93857
Posted
No, I've never had that. Do you have fibro? Could it be from that? I do sometimes feel my arm is really warm after it's been on ice.
i had my procedure done and I can lift my arm over my head again!,The pain was much less than I thought but well, the on the first day at I pumped full of meds.. After an extremely painful night - due to the fact they didn't send me home with a prescription for pain I meds. I slept in the recliner last night since I couldn't stand the pressure of laying flat. Today is much better pain-wise after upping my usual at home pain meds.
This morning I did my first set of 3X daily exercises and within a few moves into the first set, my arm really relaxed again. So far PT and better pain management has my arm still loose and hurting less than I thought it would. Tomorrow is day 3 so we'll see what that brings.
alison41082 kim2222
Posted
Oh Kim I'm glad to hear it went well mine is on November 30th I'm terrified! Hope it stays loose for you and gets you out of this horrific condition!
kim2222 alison41082
Posted
Another day after my manipulation and I am amazed at how much ROM I have now. The PT isn't that bad but boy is it important to do them three times a day. If you skip even one the muscles tighten up again, fast.
My only pain problem was the first and second nights. Because of my fibro, the pain meds issue didn't get sorted out and by the time they do, the worst of the pain will be over. Make sure any extra pain meds they give you don't conflict with what you already take. (I regularly take muscle relaxant, anti-inflammatory and pain meds.) Just taking my usual amount didn't compensate for the extra pain. Since it hadn't been worked out, I took a second muscle relaxant the first night of pain and that helped some, but by the time for my next PT and still no pain issue resolved, I doubled my regular pain meds and that worked great but then I had the side effects of taking the big dose of that. I can't drive until I get back to my usual doses.
overall, I'm very pleased that it hasn't been as bad as I thought. I don't know if PT will continue so easily. . .
alison41082 kim2222
Posted
kim2222 alison41082
Posted
Hi Alison,
I'm doing great! My daily PT ended Friday so I was on my own Sat - Mon. I only averaged two PT workouts own each day but they went fine. The rest of my body is on overload so I've spent almost all of the last three days in bed to trying to recoup from reoccurring pain in another part of my anatomy. Laying flat is the only way I can keep that pain under control until I can get another cortisone injection in my tailbone.
But my ability to reach is way beyond my expectations. There is some pain but it's no big deal considering how bad it was before the manipulation. I'm very glad I did this. I'm still worried about how I'll be in a month doing in the other parts of my body due to the fibromyalgia. Do you have fibro too?
Thanks for for checking in on me!
kim
alison41082 kim2222
Posted
Kim, no I don't have fibromyalgia as far as I know? Is there a test for that? Anyway my neck and back are very painful and my disks in back and neck show degenerative stuff going on! The back dr believes that most of my back and neck pain stem from my shoulder so I'm hoping once I do the surgery it will all get better! Glad to hear you are doing good my surgery is nov 30th
kim2222
Posted
Well, it's been about a month of physical therapy. It helped me gain 100% range of motion again. New problem is once I started strengthing exercises my shoulder flamed up (not frozen again, I still have my 100% ROM). It's back to being so sore I've had to go back to just doing the stretches. This is the problem I always face with physical therapy - it always ends up with pain management. PT recommended I go back for another cortisone shot if it's not better by the end of next week. That's when my PT insurance ends. Meanwhile I'm icing after exercise and using heat in between. I'm back to not being able to sleep because of the pain. Back to doubling up on pain meds which I really hate to do but I'm not able to function at all without pain. It's all so frustrating. The MUA was the greatest solution to get my arm moving again.
How are you doing Allison?
alison41082 kim2222
Posted
Kim thanks for asking! I went to armenia on a habitat build despite having very little use of my right arm! Well the job ended up being all concrete work and somehow I am on the last day of trip about to head home in the morning! My range really hasn't change as soon as I lift my arm at all it moves as one piece! The whole shoulder moves and yes is very painful! I thought after surviving this trip I would opt out of the mua which is scheduled for nov 30th but I really don't see any way around it at this point! My MRI did show something wrong from initial surgery but they arnt saying much about that except they will open me up and try to see what's going on! I am so bummed to go back to surgery but really it will have been 6 months with no rom and I'm kinda over it! Very depressing! Glad to hear you have rom back but sucks about pain level I'm definatly dreading it!
kim2222 alison41082
Posted
My pain level has to do with my fibromyalgia. Normally things wouldn't be so hard complicated. I just went to fast once I started the strengthening exercises too fast.
I don't understand what's going on with you. You had surgery but are now doing MUA or more surgery? Sound like your shoulder is frozen if it's all moving at once. That's the way mine was until the MUA. I'm not sure of your circumstances but is sure sounds like the MUA would be the first step. My dr. Recommended surgery if the MUA didn't work because of not being sure frozen shoulder was my only problem. Since it worked I don't see the need for surgery at this point. MUA isn't at all invasive and I would think it's a better option.
there is no test for fibromyalgia. It's diagnosed by ruling out other diseases. Google it!
How come Rome you can't opt out of the surgery if you want to? Are you in the US or Britain or somewhere else?
I hope you are feeling better about your options.
Kim
alison41082 kim2222
Posted
Kim, I got fs after a surgery in June for a bunch of shoulder issues torn labrum, bicep, bone spurs ect! About 2 weeks after surgery is when I got frozen shoulder! It's was horrific! I finally have reached the frozen stage of FS where the pain level drops! My rom has not improved though and my surgeon wants to do mua along with capsular release surgery then they will also take a peek at the labrum repair to see what is showing on MRI! I think the original decision was just to do mua unless it was too stuck then they would do the capsular release but now they plan to do both since they want to see the labrum repair anyway! I am just bummed to go back through with any surgery after finally reaching this frozen stage but I do think I should elect it so they can confirm all is well with my labrum repair and hopefully shorten up my FS recovery! I'm just scared to death after the pain of the last 5 months to start back in pain! Wish the reports after mua that i read were a little more incouraging! But hopefully a couple months after mua I'll be back to reasonable pain! Nov 30th is my new scheduled surgery):