Frozen Shoulder HELL

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Hi,I am quite a few months into this hell called frozen shoulder and my physio recommended a forum to see if i can get any tips or ideas from anyone else that has been through it.

i started getting pain in December, started physio in Feb, got MRI in March, saw shoulder consultant in April and got first steroid injection.Have another injection booked for May and then consultant said it would be surgery then if injection doesn't work.

i am really struggling with the constant pain and lack of range of movement.putting on a bra trying to put my hair in a ponytail or put on clothes in general have all become major daily trials. the sleep deprivation has me on edge- i reckon i get 3 hours sleep on a good night. no pain meds help and my mood is abismal i just feel miserable.

any thoughts ideas or just letting me know its not just me thats all alone in this hell would be appreciated

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  • Edited

    i totally understand .... i had treated my arm with heat gel wraps , sling to hold the arm and helped to take the pressure and pain just from the weight of the arm. who knew a arm was so heavy. keep your shoulder bend where the fist is near the heart when in a sling close to the chest. its so darn painful and it just gets worse as time goes by if not rested and not used at all for even brushing your teeth. it needs to be still long enough for it to heal. if not there is the risk of more damage . it's what works for you to stay comfortable during treatment and rest. heat is awsome and anti inflam meds and just to break the pain cycle a week of pain meds to help healing and sleep is a must. no PT zero none...4-5 weeks max. then slowly start to exercise and move the arm. if it hurts stop. it takes time a patience for this to heal. i wish there was a easier way but time and rest equals healing .

    i went along the same lines of treatment as you did and cortisone , or steroid shots , they do not heal the shoulder. its just a exercise by the surgeon to see if swelling is causing the damage and pain ... the real cause is bone and soft tissue damage that takes time to heal. sending good healing vibes your way.

    • Posted

      Thank you for your reply Barbara,i have been alternating between heat + ice packs.My consultant said he has seen a huge increase in frozen shoulders due to the covid vaccinations being administered incorrectly- which is pretty scary

    • Posted

      consultant said on my MRI scan the capsule instead of being 1cm thick was 5cm and very inflammed. i dont remember doing anything....like some people fall or feel it happening but i don't have a cause as such.He just mentioned that he has seen a lot more cases of FS due to vaccines, i have read up on it a bit and there are a lot of documented cases.....not sure if its the case for me- he said its worth getting blood test as people with diabetes or thyroid issues are more prone to FS.

    • Edited

      hi piper

      see people do care.

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      lol you are now 5mm thick capsule. thats tight.

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      Harley street overseer i am under explained it this way.

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      your capsule is like a silk shirt or blouse for you lot. that thin and that flexible. that is a standard capsule.

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      you now have a wax jacket as a capsule. thick and bulky. and scared . to me that made sense.

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      i had a full 360 capsule removal. no more capsule no more FS. next day my shoulder had movement like new born 100% full movement.

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      down side is i had to spend the next 8 weeks constant movement fay and night. even with the use of a continuous passive motion machine. then for the next 3 months stretching every 4 hours. 10 moves 10 times.

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      it worked. please please try try not to go down this line unless you are forced down it.

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      mine was a work place injury. the company will pay in the end. .

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      Michelle aimed at you 18 days till operation. paid me money. got me immobiliser ready set up.

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      colin

    • Posted

      you sound like you have been through so much with shoulder....

      seriously how have you not lost your mind with the pain??

    • Edited

      lol

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      be happy !!!!!

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      yes i am use to being in ache now. its me normal.

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      with 18 days to go i have had to finish building our home. we started 8 years ago. i have taken 2 weeks off for the last job. the front drive. i have nextweek left to do and in front.

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      my right frozen joint aches to pieces. my now damaged left shoulder tendon to the bicep hurts like hell.

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      i have laid there all week aching of a night even with strong pain medication.

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      stay strong and positive and happy ish lol

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      colin

    • Edited

      Colin, I love that analogy of the silk shirt/wax jacket. Really helps to understand what you're struggling against and where all the discomfort is coming from.

    • Edited

      good huh

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      lol

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      morning michelle

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      this is for piper as well and you M

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      have you started to get a clicky neck yet. the capsule linked to the rotator cuff indirectly links all the muscles .

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      my work actions had me suffer with stiff neck. shoulders. shoulder blades they were like a train wreck. so knotted up. its what they call referred aches / pain

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      i had a friday sport physio to iron out all the aches ( with her elbows ) and just relax the area in general.

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      every time i had an injection / hydrodilatation i had a sport massage to loosen the area and calm and relax the muscle area

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      then she set the area in sport tape to assist posture. which is very important when doing stretches. correct posture better the stretch. better the stretch more movement gained

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      colin you part time vampire ( awake all night )

    • Edited

      well Michelle

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      x-ray day any inkling of problems or was it ooooohh well will pass it on.

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      colin

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      ps 9 days and counting lol

    • Edited

      ey up Colin!

      Thanks for remembering and checking in, it's more than I get from my family!!

      xray was all fine, no signs of arthritis so that was good. I don't know if it's just me but it all seems very txt book at these consultations.

      Basically, he wants me to have an ultrasound. I told him about the crunching and grinding and that I'd also started to experience similar symptoms in my left shoulder. He never even examined that one 🤷

      He said he wants to have a look at the tendons.

      He then talked about some cortisone injections, and if they don't work, possible keyhole surgery.

      I don't feel like I got any answers, only a plan of action.

      Maybe my expectations are to high Colin?

      I told him that I continue to push on with the exercise and that my ROM has improved as a result. It's like they don't hear you?

      Not long for you now, sounds like you're physically and mentally ready for this 💪

    • Posted

      lol. see i did remember

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      yup they don't listen to you. may have well stood in the corner and talk to the wall.

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      i had the same when the second shoulder fell apart.

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      had the same x-ray on me joint they done an AP1 and AP2 to check the humeral head for arthritis. mine was clear as well.

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      ho please not your tendon as well.

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      yes 8 days and counting. sized up the immobiliser last night and wore it for 6 hours. it was actually uber comfortable and i even forgot i had it on !!.

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      colin

    • Edited

      Hi Michelle

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      again lol. yup ready all set up. i have a gym in what was the garage ( wife got a bigger car).

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      i have all the therabands and weights starting from .25 of a kilo lol.

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      surgery not bothered with. when you ache so much you don't care. its the post op physio- or lack of it what i am worried about. one slip up and i could ruin all the work.

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      last time i had to depend on doctor google when they removed the shoulder and away the capsule. that time i had to move the shoulder full range from waking up all the time.

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      this is a different kettle of fish. its a netflix recovery lol.

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      on a very big plus at least i cannot get a frozen shoulder while immobilised this time. its all gone yay.

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      on the click and grind part . are you finding you are more clicky around the neck area ??.

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      colin

    • Edited

      Hi!

      PLEASE pardon any rudeness by what I'm going to say, but I'm only suggesting this because we don't disclose our ages on this forum... BUT - I am in that category where I don't have any other underlying health conditions, I'm a super healthy competitive athlete - nor did I have any surgery or major injuries- the main issue that doctors don't even bring up at all is that this is REALLY common in women who are perimenopausal or in menopause, due to the drop in estrogen. Type 'frozen shoulder menopause' into a search engine and you'll see how common it is! This is my case 100%, and finally figuring this out was a HUGE 'aha' moment for me. I had, a few days ago, under anesthesia, a nerve block and 'shoulder manipulation' by an orthopedist (no saline injection or actual surgery) to break up the adhesions. I have some ROM back, but it's going to take a lot of PT to continue the healing process. I can at least put my hair in a ponytail again, and I can now at least sleep at night. My big concern is that this may happen again.... Good luck with your healing!!

    • Edited

      Hi , i am menopausal age too but my consultant thinks it happened to me due to the covid vaccination being unfortunately injected incorrectly.

      wishing well with your PT get ROM back asap

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