frozen shoulder not sleeping

Hi,

Just one question to the ones that already had a frozen shoulder in the past. How did you feel when your shoulder started thawing???Did you have any pain, did it feel numb, how exactly did it feel?

Hi after I had a cortisone injection and a weekly physio the pain started to ease. It takes a long time and you feel as though it's never going to improve. I am now able to use the arm and able to do my bra strap up! I go swimming twice a week and though the arm aches for a while after it is helping with the mobility. There is at the moment always some discomfort but I think it's just time that's going to improve this. I feel for anyone out there that has this because people don't realise what an incredibly painful and debilitating condition this is.

Hello there,

I have been diagnosed with a frozen shoulder, 5 weeks in. my symptoms are similar to those on this forum, being worse at night. The consequence of this was being a zombie at work! hard to operate after a few weeks bad sleep. My question to you all is - did anyone have time off work? My doctor has signed me off for 2 weeks - and I am utterly relieved! I do desk work and it was so painful sitting there all day (even following work station rules of moving regularly etc. Didn't really help). My manager is totally unsympathetic, annoyed that I am going to take the time off and has made rude comments, insinuating that I am being a wimp. She suggested I should all just take the painkilllers and soldier on. I have been on Naproxon & co-codamol for 3 weeks anyhow and it merely takes the edge off.

What experiences have you had? Time off work? Supportive company (this is a charity) ?

cheers,

Oh Chalkyhill,

I have just returned to work after 4 months off with this horrible condition! I soldiered on at work for as long as I could, even with my prescribed meds - codeine, paracetamol, naproxen, omeprazole, gabapentin, and amitriptyline . . . yes, a lot! And still I was in agony, drop to my knees pain where everything blacked out. No-one understands this condition other than those of us who suffer from it. I do a desk job too but found typing almost impossible and most days was trying to do this on-handed. Even now I am back to work, just this past week, on reduced hours, I feel resentment from colleagues - I think they imagine I've had a whale of a time being off work when the truth is I have wallowed in self-pity on my sofa, in agonising pain, unable to concentrate on anything much and just wanting to chop off my poorly arm with an axe. You are NOT being a wimp. I would not with this pain on my worst enemy however if we could will it to 'someone' just for a week or two, they'd sharp realise just how debilitating it is.

The best support I have found is from a Facebook group called frozen shoulder friends. You will find many people just like you and it really helps, knowing you are not alone.

It will get better on it's own, so I am told, but I am so glad I had surgery and though I still have a long road ahead, I am in a much better place now, pain wise.

As a sufferer of 6 months + not sleeping,struggling to eat and dress myself. One thing I found helps is not taking no for an answer from your doctor. I have had X-ray,ultra sound,and MRI and now a forthcoming operation for encapsulalation all in 6 months. Myself and my wife more or less bullied them into doing something

About it, we were not prepared to sit and wait until it went. After talking to a close friend In The health service she recommended to us the louder you shout the quicker you get sorted.(metaphorically speaking) I had 3

appointments in one week to sort the pain out.

The quiet ones get no where

Keep pushing your doctor to do something about it, don't give in,. It worked for me.

Good luck.

Thanks to everyone for their posts. I googled 'comfortable sleeping position, frozen shoulder' at 1am while I was in excruciating pain after having not a bad day and was relieved to find that I wasn't losing my mind. I have 2 things to share that have worked for me since reading your posts. Use a bolster along your spine when you are lying down. Part of the problem I think is that when you lie down your should blade jams forward compressing the joint. If you put a bolster (a rolled up towel, or a cylindrical pillow or yoga cushion) along your spine from your neck down past your shoulder blades you can allow your shoulder a little room to fall back. Just be careful to support your neck and low back if it is a really hard bolster. Also, use a scarf to tie back your shoulders. Loop it around your shoulders, neck and back and tie tightly. You will feel pain in your arm pit as it puts pressure on the subscapularis muscle and pectoralis. Loosen it as needed. If you can stand to breathe through the pain and focus on letting these muscles relax for 5 minutes or so you should start to see some relief. I went from needing to do this 3 times a day to once. Also, go to a massage therapy supply store. Buy yourself a Theracane and a trigger point chart and start treating those nasty trigger points that aggrevate the whole situation and cause referral pain running down your arm. This is also a great place to buy a REAL hearting pad that provides moist heat, not those thin, plastic ones that dehydrate the tissue. Good luck to everyone, I can't wait to get rid of this awful condition!!!!!

Hi, have you tried any night time treatment such as amitriptyline to help you sleep? I was waking up in pain and struggling to go back to sleep. I find this medication helps me go back to sleep if I do wake and they help me to relax. I only take one x 25mg a night and feel less tired the next day. The only downsides are you cannot drink alcohol and the bitter taste and constant dry mouth. My GP said to drink 3 litres a day to help as I'm getting sore throats too.

I have a shoulder problem too so understand you completely.

Hi, at night i felt during sleep i felt my shoulder is completely frozen, i couldn't move it at all for few minutes but there was no pain.... same happens some times to my leg....... Can any body suggest what is that, do i need to visit the doctor please?

Hi all

I have had a steroid injection today.  my shoulder and upper back seem to be in spasm now.  Is that normal?

Hello to everyone who is suffering from frozen shoulder. I too have this. Firstly my left arm in 2006 which I suffered for 18 months before giving in to a cortisone injection. This was extremely painful but am I glad I did. After two days I could lift my arm. The pain had gone and I could use my arm properly. It was wonderful. I only needed one injection. This arm was well and truly frozen. I could do nothing with it and at night it throbbed and the pain was awful. Since then I have been very careful with my shoulders. However I now have it in my right shoulder! This is a little different. Not so frozen, it's about 2/3 frozen. Still painful but I can use the arm. I was seeing a physio but he has advised I have the injection (Arrgh) and after a few weeks if the pain subsides he will gently manipulate the shoulder. I have had an x-Ray to rule out arthritis or impingement. I am praying that the injection will have the same effect as the other one I had. Sleeping is the worse for me. I haven't had a nights sleep since this developed which is approx 3 months. Early days yet! One word of advice that was given to me by the consultant. When in the front seat of a car never stretch your arm to the back seat ie to reach for a bag etc. He said it is a common cause of frozen shoulder. Of course after 9 years I thought I had got away with another bout and got a little over confident - I kept stretching back I give my little dog a treat! I hope this has helped somebody. Also my consultant advised to rest the arm so as not to cause any damage. Just to use it gently. I know my physio would not make me exercise it while it is very painful. Good luck.

I truly hate this condition, both for myself and anyone else with it.  I am an MRI tech and I have seen what this does to people.  Now a fellow sufferer, I don't really look forward to it at all.  I came on this site to see what the future holds.  I am finding out that all the symptoms are not all that mystifying and it never goes away.  I am currently in therapy, praying that it helps.  Taking meds at night, due to the nature of my work I cannot take them during the day.  During a tearful PT session today I did learn the pillow under the arm and elbow trick to relieve some pressure in order to attempt sleep.  Now the trick will be to fall asleep lying on my back. ugh!!!

I'm relieved to know that I'm not alone in suffering with this condition. I've been witless with pain for the past few months. 

Hello,

I'm so sorry to see that someone else is suffering

like I am. I just got diagnosed with this a week ago.

It's impossible to do more than cat nap. I'm in a recliner so that I won't rollover on my shoulder. The Pain is so exhausting. Is there anything that makes

This tolerable? There has to be something. The cortisone shot has helped as much as it's going to

So I'm waiting for suggestions. Pain meds don't have an effect on me. I never was one that could stomach the nsaids without getting stomach issues. My Orthopedic Dr. Says in another 10 days

I'll get physical therapy started if I can handle it. Will I be able to sleep?

Dorene