1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder and ssdi

Posted , 3 users are following.

briantb
briantb

I had a complete shoulder replacement 5 months ago, right at the beginning doc said I may never work again, I'm 57 years old

On a post open Dr visit my dr. Said it again which motivated me even more to get better but after 12 weeks of physical therapy my frozen shoulder is not getting any better, I can still barely lift my arm and it's my dominant arm, last Dr appt, he said he is afraid of trying manipulation because my bones are soft and he is worried about breaking my arm, he said if these last 4 week's of pt don't work I would need to think about retirement. ...

Is anyone here receiving ssdi for frozen shoulder. .?

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

Next
  • beverly52803
    beverly52803 briantb

    Posted

    Some questions: What type of work do you do that a bad shoulder would keep you from being able to work? Were you experiencing the frozen shoulder before the replacement? By soft bones I assume you mean you have osteoporosis? Was that diagnosed before the surgery?

    I have never had replacement surgery, but have had 2 frozen shoulders (each arm). The first one lasted 3 years.  1st doctor wanted to do surgery, 2nd doctor said it was possible to just let it "thaw" rather than go through the expense and painful PT to break the stuff which causes the immobility and reforms after the surgery anyway.

    The other shoulder was much less severe and occured years later. I had acupuncture to try to keep it from escalating, but it may just have been a milder case. If you feel the doctor is not giving you explicit enough info I would go back and insist that you understand exactly what is happening. Ask for literature if she/he has any.

    Not sure what SSDI has to do with your problem unless it limits the amount of care you can get.

    If you have osteoporosis there are diets, exercises and medications you can do to help strengthen your bones.

    It has been many years since this happened to me. Treatments may have changed since then, but that was my experience.  Also, people's experiences with it are different. It's a strange problem. The 1st and more severe  was my dominant arm. I was left with muscular neck and back problems from my body having been distorted for 3 years. Tried everything possible to ease it over 12 years, but nothing worked until I had a series of acupuncture treatment. All the issues went away. Unfortunately acupuncture is expensive and typically out of pocket. Best of luck to you.  It can be a bewildering and painful problem.

  • briantb
    briantb

    Posted

    I'm a machinist , alot of push pull and lifting over 25lbs, plus on feet over 8 hrs

    Yea I have a lot of questions to ask my doctor, I take it he's calling me disabled, who can just retire at 57, not me ...

    I had the humeral ball replaced in my dominant shoulder, can't drive, alot of pain thru out the day , very limited motion, hurts to write this on my phone. ..never had frozen shoulder before this, and I don't even know if it's really frozen shoulder, I don't recall doctor ever verifying that, my pt said possible adhesive capsulitis

    Doc told me after the surgery that my bones were soft. Possibly why I get kidney stones every few years, always calcium build up but no one could figure out why... I was 15 yrs old the 1st time I got kideny stones ...lost count after that over the last 40 years

    Anyway I realize I need to get answer's at my next Dr visit. ...and my onset of diabetes is not helping either ..

    • beverly52803
      beverly52803 briantb

      Posted

      Wow, you have a lot going on. I'm sure you've been given dietary advice re the diabetes. That & exercise are important though it sounds as if you've been active at your job.

      My problems came about when I was about 50. Hormones control our lives more than we know.

      Sounds like you'll have to take it one step at a time. Do as much research as you can. This site is good for communicating with others rather than feeling it's only you with a bizarre problem.  I've learned things here that no doctor ever told me. Also check out alternative and holistic treatments. Again, acupuncture can be good for relieving pain and relaxing you. Some health insurance will  cover a treatment or two.

  • briantb
    briantb

    Posted

    I will post what answer's I get from the Dr, my appt is the 26th

    Yea I had my yearly blood tests with my primary dr. just before my accident, dirt bike accident, shattered the ball on my right humorous and broke my left wrist, wrist is healed up, just a little weak yet,

    I just heard that I have diabetes , in a follow up with my primary , he put me on metaformin. ..

    • beverly52803
      beverly52803 briantb

      Posted

      And sent you to a dietician...? Or at least spoke to you himself about controlling diabetes through diet?
    • briantb
      briantb beverly52803

      Posted

      Nope, none of that but I have been looking online for help with diet..
    • beverly52803
      beverly52803 briantb

      Posted

      Wow. I think I would consider finding another doctor. Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the US. What you eat can in some cases cause diabetes and also reverse it.  If your insurance covers it I'd see a dietician. If not,  I'm sure you can get the hang of the diet through reading. Basically refined carbs and sugar are your enemy. You want to keep your blood sugar at a consistent level. 

  • April456
    April456 briantb

    Posted

     I have had my FS since 8/2015 and I still have the FS.  I applied for SSDI and was denied. The whole process took a year with SSDI to deny me.  I would suggest an attourney. Maybe you will have better luck than I did.  (Be careful with any aggressive physical therapy, it made my shoulder worse.  We all seem to react to treatment differently with treatments though, just be careful.)  I wish you the best of luck with SSDI and your shoulder. 
  • briantb
    briantb

    Posted

    Since my post here I have continued pt with no results. .

    Last Friday I had a 2nd opinion with the top physical therapist, he says I don't have frozen shoulder at all and that it looks more consistent with a rotator cuff injury so he sent that to my doctor. ...today I had my dr appointment and he is sending me to a shoulder specialist to see about how to move forward, sounds like another shoulder surgery could be in the works as my shoulder is pretty much useless right now ....

    • beverly52803
      beverly52803 briantb

      Posted

      Brian, you sure are not getting away easy, are you? I'm wondering how you could have torn the rotator cuff and the surgeon not discovering it when you had your replacement. Maybe it isn't obvious in a bloody setting? Could you have torn it after the surgery?

      Has no one suggested an MRI? When I had my FS the first orthopedic guy immediately suggested surgery based only on looking at me fully clothed and saying "lift your arm" which of course I could not do.

      My second opinion orthopedist scheduled me for an MRI which I was concerned about insurance covering. He said they would much rather pay for that than very expensive surgery. I believe the MRI was to detect any problems other than frozen shoulder (like rotator cuff ). Anyway, I went with the 2nd doctor's recommendation which was to let it run its course.

      Also, when I saw PT';s they would check for rotator cuff tears by having me move in different ways and them pressing on several areas. Have anyone checked for a tear like that?

      I have no experience with a tear, but know other who have had it. They had to keep their arm immobile with a foam square between their body and arm while it healed. Assume they had PT.

      Wish you the best. Let us know the latest diagnosis.

  • briantb
    briantb

    Posted

    Well, I found out yesterday that I'm his first full shoulder replacement patient , so I feel the need to work with him... and we couldn't get an MRI because of all the steel in there would distort the images....the specialist actually walked him through the surgery and work's in the same dr. Office, he refered me to see him in 2 weeks and get a 2nd opinion .....anyways I'm going along with it now and hope I can get some use out of it.....can't get any worse

  • beverly52803
    beverly52803 briantb

    Posted

    Sorry. Did you ask if the tear would have been obvious during the operation or if it something they do/do not look for when operating (seeing as they are in there)?
  • briantb
    briantb

    Posted

    Seen the specialist and he is going to perform another surgery and try to fix the damaged muscles, he did say it's not uncommon to have muscle tears during the shoulder replacement, so hopefully this fixes me up. ..I'm staying positive and hope to heal by summer

    Hope all of you with frozen shoulder get thru it ok

    • beverly52803
      beverly52803 briantb

      Posted

      I admire your attitude. When you say the specialist is going to perform this surgery I'm hoping you don't mean the first doctor who operated on you. Doctors learn and improve with experience like everyone else. It's always good to look up doctors online to see just much experience they have doing a particular operation. If you can't find out that way, ask the doctor outright. Always best not to assume. When a doctor friend told me they learn laser surgery by practicing on grapefruit that really stuck in my mind!

      Have you looked here on Patient to see if there's anyone who has had the type of surgery you now require? 

      Best of luck!

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.