Arm extended fall FS

Using an extra pillow under my head and shoulders seems to get my shoulders at an angle that gives a bit more relief.

My doc had put me on a sleeping pill, Temazepam which really knocked me out, but the next day I was tripping over my own feet and really tired. So then I was switched to Gabapentin which works and I usually get 5-6 hours quality sleep and if I am really lucky it can extend to 8 hours.

Like you I am taking lots of supplements that a enzymes that promote breakdown of fibrin. The supplements seem to be helping along with stretches/exercises to promote the breakdown of adhesions. Even having had the OAT procedure done there are still some adhesions that have to be freed up. The morning stretches are the worst and I really have to push through the pain to get s full stretch.

I find the weather also gas an impact. On dull gloomy days the pain is worst whilst in bright sunny days the pain is less. I realize it’s not just psychological but barometric also can influence things as with any arthritic condition.

I also use a product called Livrelief Pain which seems to penetrate into the joint moreso than topical heat rubs and helps to take the edge off the pain.

It’s a horrible condition, but I look at the pain I had three weeks ago and compared to that the pain I gave now makes me glad I have improved past getting very little sleep.

The pain will get better, keep exercising. As I was told with doing exercises, pain is your friend, it shows you are exercising to your limits.  It does get better.

As I mentioned is a past post this was my second time with FS the first hit both shoulders, but wasn’t as bad as this time and it got better completely in 9 months. I think continuing playing golf was what helped.

I picked up on you saying you fell on your extended right arm. 10 years ago I did the same thing and dislocated that shoulder. It was a painful recovery and I was resigned to having a remaining weakness in that shoulder.

One morning five years ago I woke up with a frozen right shoulder. Long story short, it is not 'frozen' anymore, but movement is very painful and it wakes me most nights. I find some relief from propping pillows to form a hollow for my shoulder - not quite sitting up, not quite lying down. Although I wake up, I usually sit one the edge of the bed, have a bit of a stretch and let everything drop into place (if that makes sense) and go back to sleep quite quickly.

I did notice you are taking calcium - not sure why, you should get enough from a good diet. If you must take it, make sure you are taking vits D3 and K2 as well, or the calcium will end up in your arteries not you bones!

BTW you had an MRI that soon, crikey where are you? It took a year to get an assessment and I was told I would be referred to a surgeon who would then 'probably' order an MRI. The waiting list was one year, that was two years ago and I have another one to go! In some respects you are VERY lucky!

My case is similar to yours but instead of falling on an extended arm I grabbed myself from tripping up a stair case and somehow managed to tear my left labrum back in October 2017. Since the holidays were coming and I had a lot going on I tried to ignore my shoulder pain and take care of it by laying off of it and icing it here and there.  January came and I could no longer wash my hair, put on a coat or reach back to grab my seat belt. It was then that I went for help, got x-rays and MRI and started Physical Therapy.  I tried the over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs but none helped so through research learned about some of the natural remedies that you mentioned in your post. I brought these to the attention of my Ortho who said yes they can help equally if not more so than the over the counter drugs but also suggested to make sure I was getting enough Vitamin C but from real food like oranges and avoiding juice due to the high sugar intake.  I'm not diabetic or going through any type of thyroid issue that would have caused my FS but just to be sure I have reduced my sugar intake as part of trying to control the inflammation. Coffee is also an inflammatory so I cut that down to 1 cup a day instead of 2.  I am in my 9th week of Physical Therapy and can get close to 100% full range of motion with the assistance of my physical therapist manipulating me but even so the pain is still there. It is odd to me after reading the stages of FS that I can reach my seat belt, put my bra on, blow dry my hair and although the pain has dulled it's still there. The first thing I would offer is that no matter what stage your in, if you are actively using your affected shoulder all day to stretch or do everyday tasks or are working take a few minutes (10-20) to ice it before bedtime. I find that ice reduces some of the inflammation and I can at least then fall asleep before the pain kicks in later. I agree with the many posts that recommend using a pillow to rest your arm on but in addition I had to change my regular pillow to more of a neck roll so that I can align my neck and spine the correct way while lying on my back to avoid other impingement. When I did this for a week or so I miraculously found that sometimes my shoulder would externally rotate by itself at night and I would wake up finding my arm relaxed with my hand lying right next to my head. I consider myself lucky as I am now at the point that I can sleep on either my affected side or my good side but having the extra pillow to move from one side to another during the night gives me a resting place when I need it. I hope everything works out for you. It's a frustrating long hall but keep at it. How long it takes I think depends on the extent of the condition. Some of it maybe just following the program that is given to you. Like I said it's so far been 9 weeks of going to PT 2-3 days a week for me, about 2 hours of stretching daily and I'm currently strength training like you which I have also incorporated into my PT off days. Sounds like your doing well after just a few weeks of PT so try not to put a time on it and thank your shoulder everyday for getting better. 

I have frozen shoulder in both arms and suffered for 4 months before the doctor diagnosed what it was and that was at my suggestion.  I have since seen a physio therapist this week and he confirmed the diagnosis.  He told me there were 3 stages, starting off with the very painful stage, the intermediate stage which was slight improvement in movement and the third stage which he said I was now in.  He carried out some exercises with him restraining my movements and me pushing as far as I could before the pain set in.  He told me to carry on doing all the things I would normally do and to stop when the pain started but not to stop when it just felt uncomfortable and slightly painful.  Like pushing the boundaries slowly every day.  He told me it usually takes at least eighteen months to gradually get better and there is no known reason for it to start.  As for sleeping without pain, that is something I am still experiencing although not so severe.  I don't think the way you lie is the same for everyone, I am twisting and turning all night trying to get into a comfortable position and that only lasts for a short time before I have to move again differently.  Sitting upright in a reclining chair during the day seems to be the best for me.  I can't remember laying in bed without pain it seems ages ago that I had a good nights sleep.