FROZEN SHOULDER SHOULD I BE OFF WORK

Well 7 months in & I'm able to sleep the night without several cushions to support my arm & to try to prevent moving, which always woke me due to the pain. Still having Physio & taking Amitrptyline, Naproxen &  Omeprazole. Back at work after 4 months off, NHS are so bad at looking after their own but despite the lack of understanding I know what hell this has been & you guys on here are the medicine that keeps me going Psychologically. I cannot move my arm to do up a bra but have regained a lot of movement forwards & to the side. I actually feel there is light at the end of the Tunnel. Glad I didn't have any more injections & pleased I may be able to avoid surgery. I really think this condition just needs time, Meds & understanding. I feel for the new sufferers on here, but just keep telling yourself things will improve, if anyone has a problem with it, it's exactly that- their problem, tell them to Google it if they need to know just how painful it is & what sleep deprivation does to you.

My GP decided I had Rotator cuff Syndrome due to the other issues I have, thank goodness he was & is supportive ( he had a Rotator cuff injury so understands the pain etc)

I have just had this diagnosis 

basicly the condition afects my left arm but at the back of the shoulder so it is called something else 

the doc said its frozen shoulder in laymens terms

I work in a store room lifting heavy objects for the best part of the day ,

I informed my employer who has suggested light duties doing computer work 

but after 10 mins even with the painkillers I was still having shooting pains ect

how long does this last ?

stressed 

confused 

frustrated 

tired 

feeling less of man ( typical I supose )

do most people sign off work , dont think I can afford to 

an anyone advise  

Thank you for every person posting on this frozen shoulder thread. Each word calms me down! I have suffered from agonizing shoulder pain, now four years. It can get better by itself, but it also can get far worse.

also please excuse my typing, my shoulder is my dominant hand and is glued to my side whilst I'm in bed at 4am. 

My shoulder started hurting lifting weights at the gym. 

Just medium kind of pain, then into stiffness and not be able to use it. I complained to my doctor, but I feel they just sluffed me off, thinking was just normal pain from the gym.they called it DOMS ( delayed onset muscle soreness) . 

Continuley got worse, people thought I was attention seeking, hyping up the pain, because I didn't want to work out. Emotionally I started becoming depressed, week by week, month by month.

my ROM was limited, pain was at 7 ( from 1-10) I still could comb my hair, but watching every move, you know what I mean. 

Fast forward two more years, after just walking on eggshells with it.

Then the Big Bang to my shoulder happened, I helped a stranger who was having a seizure on the side of a road, helped her up, and knew I ruined my own life- by doing so. Yes, I helped save her, but, dear lord I put myself in despair and pain. Never complained before, about that, except for here! 

I have never experienced this excruciating pain, ever in all the years I've had this . Now my arm is glued to my side, I refuse to get back on pain meds ( full time) being through the years pain doctors , almost try to over control you here in the USA. For instance , if you don't get this or that injection, we lower your pills, or, pushing me to get a pain pump surgically placed into my spine. No thank you. 

Plus I want to be alert, do deal with these doctors! And, my own life! 

So, I went holistic, but some nights ( like tonight) I took a quarter pain pill, unless I'd be screaming and scaring my family, lol.

what has helped me: 

Ice - but not for 20 minutes, more like an hour . Make sure you have a towel under the ice. Ice can burn your skin.

staying mentally busy : do what keeps your mind busy, read, play games, whatever you do. 

Stretching : very light stretching but continual, throughout the day.

neoprene shoulder sling totally helped me. It makes your shoulder stay put, without those painful oops nerve pain moments. You can buy on eBay for less than ten dollars.

i sometimes strap the ice into the sling, walk around. That's luxury to me.

pillows! Get like six pillows, not just one. One for under your arm, shoulder, neck, each side. Etc. plus it makes you feel spoiled while your completely miserable.

hot baths help , make you relaxed, but didn't help me for pain.

i go to see a new doctor tommorow. I have low expectations to be honest.

i think most Drs just don't know our struggle. I even had one say, " oh, you can move slightly it's not frozen" crazy cra cra. Then the ortho the same week tells me I need surgery. Wick! Whacky! So, I'm sticking to Dr. Farther Time. 

Prayers help too. I'm not even religious, but becoming after this fight.

also added, when your feeling good don't life anything! Like milk, laundry detergent anything! Trust me. 

Thank you for everyone's comments, you all helped me get back to sleep.

love n light

Sarsh 

 

You need to protect that shoulder.  There are certain movements that are not good for FS.  Reaching straight out, lifting.  You have to learn to move slower and no sudden movements.  I know exactly the pain you are talking about. I'm a believer in the MSM supplement.  I also read Turmeric and lemon juice with honey and cinnamon in the morning is good too for inflamation.  Make sure you ice EVERY DAY for at least 30 minutes.  Its a very slow process.  I'm in my 8th month and finally seeing some change.  Very little, but some.

Hi Sue,

I have had FS for almost a year now. I have not been able to work. My 4 sterroid and one round of oral sterroids really did nothing for me either. Nor did the 5 months of physical therapy. 

My Ortho says there isn't much they can do, it's  a waiting game. Oh, he also said that you should not do any PT while in the painful stage, you could make it worse. (Which in my case was true, but I have Diabetes, so my FS is a little different.)

I have had frozen shoulder since june i do physical therapy and have not improved i also have had injection and no relief and been on several muscle relaxer i hope you get better soon the dr will not let me return to work until my rom bettef

Hi Sue g

What a dilemma, I am in a similar situation, in that I had to give up work and be signed off.  I live in the countryside, and drive to work as a administrator for a small charity.  Whilst I love my job, I could no longer continue to drive due to safety and painful restrictions, I was putting myself in dreadful pain trying to drive with changing gears and trying to steer.  At work I was in constant pain as I work at a computer all day and am required to do some lifting and moving of light boxes, which proved impossible.  My employer hasn't exactly been sympathetic in fact I feel hounded, I have been referred to an orthopaedic specialist in August 2016 having suffered with a frozen shoulder since April this year, but managing until 31st October when I could no longer drive.  I finally got an appointment at the end of October and was told that I needed to have a manipulation of my shoulder under anaesthetic, at last I thought a solution!  Oh but I have been waiting to have the procedure now since then, but no date in sight, as I also have a blood clotting disorder which means I have to be treated in a hospital that has haematology cover.  So now in limbo land, I have frozen shoulders in the past due to being a nurse and midwife 20 years ago and the lifting techniques I was told to employ.  However, you can't put a price on your health, and I appreciate where you are coming from as I am now on half pay which won't pay the bills, and I am told that I am about to lose my job, I asked myself could I honestly go back to work and try to work doped up with pain killers and sleep deprived and the honest answer is NO!  You can always get another job, but you can't put your body through torture and risk doing further damage to your shoulder, just to keep your employer happy.  What about your family, I am lucky my children are older, and yes they have limited sympathy for my predicament, my husband is a legend putting up with my constant whacking him with my beanbag softie cushion when he accidentally rolls over and knocks my arm.  Sleep is a thing of my long lost imagination, as soon as I have somehow drifted off there is a sharp excruciating reminder of my shoulder, and I will wiggle my fingers because I know that unless I do that first I will not be able to move my arm without the pain making me physically sick!  I have had steroid injections in the past that have worked but unfortunately on this occasion did nothing to ease the pain in fact seemed to make it worse.  I was also a bit of a gym bunny with a personal trainer before my shoulder decided to put a stop to this.  I was also trying to lose the 3 stone i had put on due to high course of steroids due to a lung condition 2 years ago.  I have also seen the physio but all she could offer was ultrasound but shoulder is too painful to move.  

I haven't been able to go to the gym but keep up my membership just in case a miracle happens.  

I wish you all the best with your recovery and hope your shoulder gets better soon.  Tips to try, get a neck cushion thingy filled with tiny beads that can also be adjusted to be a bollster cushion, you can lay your arm on that at night and it does help!  Cold and hot compressed sometimes help, as does running a hot shower over your shoulder in the morning or before doing exercises.  Can't lie back in the bath as shoulder prevents this.  I get my daughter to help do my hair, she is a qualified hair dresser, but is not always around to help.  Trying to do my bra strap up is a contortionist nightmare, and I tend to try not to wear one as it hurts my shoulder.  Hang on in there, and it is nice to know that the support offered on here is so genuine and nobody judges you.  Regarding your job, citizens advice are there to hear your problems relating to your employment.  I'm sure your patients wouldn't want you to suffer, and hurt yourself more by continuing to work, but that is your decision to make.

Best Wishes xx

 

I've had it too and it is VERY painful. Couldn't even put a t-shirt on without wincing in pain (and when I say wincing, I mean it takes your breath away.) Tablet painkillers helped a little bit but not much. Went to the doctor's after 2 months of putting up with it and he referred me to a physiotherapist. Had a number of sessions where she assessed me and worked the shoulder a little. Didn't really seem to help. Then, on the fourth session (maybe after 4 months of having the condition) she absolutely worked my shoulders "to the max!". (Now that REALLY hurt.) For the next few days I could barely move my right arm and then I woke up on day 4 and, miraculously, it was 80% improved (in terms of pain and extra movement). Couldn't believe it. Went back for another session the next week, she worked it again (to the max again but it didn't hurt as much!) and after that I was cured.

Stick with the physio, it works.

I've got both of my shoulders frozen with movement upto my halfway up my head. It started last September when I picked my big dog up out of the bath because he wouldn't jump out. It led to a lower back pain then a week later I woke to very painful shoulders, back, neck and legs. Still hobbling around and taking codeine, naproxen and omaprizoleg. Sort of got used to not having movement in arms but annoying as can't do hair etc and bending down for things hurts my back and legs. I find swimming helps. I'm just hoping it goes soon so I can get back to normal.