FROZEN SHOULDER SHOULD I BE OFF WORK
Posted , 86 users are following.
I have had frozen shoulder for about 4 months now, diagnosed by GP and phsiotherapist. Shoulder and arm painful and aching all time even with painkillers. movement very limited. I knocked shoulder today when walking through a doorway and the agony lasted 2 minutes. Also happened when my dog was in my way and I had to move suddenly. I never experienced pain like that before. can't sleep etc and can't tie my hair up for work (wake my kids up to do it for me) washing hair one handed just about coping. Finding work and driving very difficult. keep thinking about going off sick, but surely can't stay of sick for months on end. Can't decided what to do about work. I am a home help and need to be able to shower, folk and help them dress etc. (could do with the help myself)..... fed up!
ps physio and steroid injection no help
7 likes, 229 replies
Lesley998
Posted
I suffered for ages (two male GP's dismissed the idea of it being hormonal) before being diagnosed with menopausal adhesive capsulitis by a Nurse Practitioner who researched the subject for her thesis.This is also sometimes known as menopausal tendonitis/arthritis. After a month of being on conjugated estrogen (Prempak C) it is like someone has 'oiled' my shoulder. I felt like I had completely seized up and my bicep and shoulder muscle were like concrete. I am now able to do gentle exercises to free the adhesion, and can now lift my arm (impossible for months) to wash and dry my hair/shave under arms etc. Estrogen is the WD40 of the body, and without it, in some women the soft connective tissue goes hard and brittle. Not all women suffer from joint/connective tissue problems in menopause,. but interesting it is usually the ladies who were a bit smug, because they got got to 50/55 ish with no real symptoms or hot flushes - then bam, being hit like a ton of bricks with frozen shoulder.
HRT is not for everyone, but AC was ruining my life. Given that the prognosis for recovery can be up to seven years ...I decided the risk was worth it.
Google menopausal frozen shoulder/menopausal tendonitis/arthritis and go and see your GP ladies!!
Lisakathryn
Posted
Rjsgirl Lisakathryn
Posted
I truly understand the pain you are in. I hate to even look at a bed and not to mention all the pillows I have bought just to find some kind of position for my neck. Believe it or not, I am laying on a small sandwich bag half filled with ice and wrapped in a rag. I do not have the pain when I move my legs. This was affecting down in my knees and legs and going down into the palm of my hands. This has really been miserable until now. I have frozen shoulder in both arms and I am 65 years old but felt 100. So at night I use the ice and can at least get longer cat naps. I do hope this little bit may be of some help. Pain pills are a joke and would much rather go this way along with the pendulum exercise. Cannot do the other ones yet but baby steps and one day at a time. God bless you in your journeys to recovery.
Pat
leya_xlll Lisakathryn
Posted
Hoping FSS is just a memory, Leya
Midsept
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Midsept
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Solo
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Alleyjames
Posted
Suddenly I felt something give in my back and a sharp pain.
It was no too bad but began to build to extreme. So I went into emergency pain management mode-
Double the tramadol, then add panadol, hey that rhymes.
Add a heat pack the usje my electric massage device.
Nothinf wa helping much, then the muscels in my shoulder startd spasming so badly I yelled out loud each time.
Every movement was agony and if it had been on y ldft sid e I would have presumed heart attack and called an ambulance.
Hours later I got some sleep then woke to find e erythi ng just as bad.
Somehow I got dressed, wishingI had smaller boobs so I did not have
le to put a bra on lol
Walked or rather oozed into the docs office and waited half an hour regularly yelling inpain then crying, something I rarely do.
Two nurses were very sympathetic so that was nice
I did think I had broken a rib but was diagnosed with inflamed rib cartlidge which in turn flared the nerves and muscles
Darn cup of tea?
So off to the physio, a charming young lady who told me that she understood because she had crohns disease and also how whe had a special interest in rib problems as they are so hard to treat , great mate
So shoulder strapped double tablets 50mg of prednisone daily....much rest, no choice really.
Ho hum sneak attack by a cuppa
On the brighter side, after much thought I bought a tablet, typing this on it, I am thrilled with it as it is so much lighter and easier ti use than a computer.
I sit it on a tray on my lap which is especially for computers and has a soft base which adjusts to you shape so comfy.Well the fingers don,t want to work so by for now
Lisakathryn
Posted
I tried amitryptiline but it made me feel like I was on another planet so can't really take it :-(
Back to the doctors again today so will see what he suggests now...... Won't be expecting too much though......
Helen40
Posted
Best wishes
Solo
Posted
Helen40
Posted
Hoping everone reading manages to find the right physio and treatment plan
lyndalondon
Posted
I wrote in about four months ago at my lowest ebb - I was pretty depressed about my situation. I am on my second frozen shoulder. The first was my left arm and took two years to get back to normal but it was largely untreated apart from anti inflammation and painkillers. When my right shoulder became frozen it was much much worse as I am right handed and my job involves a lot of typing. I tried acupuncture then physio - Acupuncture had no effect and physio made me much worse as it seemed to inflame my shoulder/arm even more. I was then referred to a specialist who treated sports injuries - he was brilliant - he listened,understood and aministered a cortizone injection which I didn't feel at all and the pain began to subside straight away - My mobility hasn't improved radically and I think it will be a slow process to get back to Normal.
In the last eight months I have had eight days off work which I took off when I simply couldn't type any more. I was able to concentrated on Doctors Physio/Specialist appointments to improve my condition.
My work place were okay about this time off and paid me but there has been no support or sympathy from my management. They offered me hands free for typing e-mails but have not updated the software so I can use it. I don't think any one who hasn't had this understands the terrible pain it causes and the side affects like lack of sleep and how out of it heavy pain killers can make you feel.
I am glad i was able to find this forum as it was a comfort to know there were others out there who were having similar experiences and I wasn't alone.
Has anyone had to take a protracted period off work or had a sympathetic attitude from their company?
Was anyone offered help to work?
Lynda London
Solo
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Daphnemargaret
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