FROZEN SHOULDER SHOULD I BE OFF WORK

Hi; I'm new here and have been diagnosed with FS on both sides since 2007. The pain is so bad that I am

now sleeping in a recliner as I can't lay on my side.Even the recliner at times is painful so will walk around

multiple times every night. I've been through the cortisone shots many times, PT, pain medications, even

decided myself to just go with it. Now I am in pain no matter what I do along with losing feeling from the

shoulders down to my hands. The surgeon that I am currently seeing has suggested that I have both FS

operated on at once. This surgeon feels that I shouldn't do them separately. Not sure what the healing

process/time is with this, not the type of clothing that I will need to do afterwards. Any suggestions/help

with this I would greatly appreciate. I see my surgeon after I have another MRI on Wednesday. This way he

can see & go over with me what will need to be done before going into the O.R. In a way I am ready as I am

in such pain that I want this to go away.

Finally!! Someone who knows how much pain I'm in! It's been great reading these blogs. I have had my frozen shoulder for about 8 months, starting from very little pain to where it is now - debilitating! As you know, the nights are the worst with very little sleep. I am a hairdresser that works for myself full time, so having my arms in the air all day is very difficult and painful. When I bump my arm the pain is the worst I have ever felt in my life - I am on the floor screaming! To you people who have to put up with this for years, I don't know how you're doing it! Which leads me to ask the question - why haven't you had surgery?? I've had two cortisone injections (one hyrdro) which did nothing, and physio which made it worse! I have been to my specialist and have told him I need him to do something as I'm at the end of my tether. I had three options.. 1. Do nothing, which he said can take several years to come good - no thanks! 2. Manipulation under anesthetic, or 3. An arthroscope to cut away all of the capsual and free my shoulder. I'm going for the arthroscope in four weeks and it can't come quick enough! I'm so depressed over this and don't have the will to do anything. Has anyone had surgery and did it work?

Hi so sorry your in all this agony , i am an aromatherapist , and had to stop doing massage becuase I ended up with frozen shoulder , brought on by repetetive strain , i do still do some massage but not as much , i know when to stop , i went to an osteopath and had physio as well i paid privately because what was on offer via nhs , was not good ! , it did the trick and it hurt like hell , but it worked , i know you may not have considered this but you may have to think about changing the way you work , or what you do ?

Try acupuncture , you may get this on the nhs , research alternative therapies , and treatments , including vitamin therapy , look at your diet too .

dont stop exercising , swim if you can , not a hundred lengths back stroke , if you can do a length of gentle breast stroke , or just moving your arm in the water , a jacuzzi would also be beneficial if you have access to one

Try a really good supportive arm sling with padding round the neck for when the pain is really bad , just taking the weight off your shoulder will help and also try a traingular cushion this may help support your back and neck and may even help you to find a more comforatble sleeping position as you will not have weight on your shoulder joint . Alternating heat and cold packs may also help as this stimulates the circulation to the affected area . . Acknowledge the pain , and be positive , your body can help to heal itself from this but you have to find the best way to do it , and its hard ! , you can sustantially help this condition without injections and surgery Research the internet , and read up all you can on the condition . . All the best for your recovery

Hi Helen,

Thanks for all of your advice.. I'm glad your shoulder is better now. I have tried nearly everything you have mentioned except for the acupuncture and swimming. Because I work for myself and full time, I need this resolved ASAP as I can't afford to take any time off work. That's why I'm having the operation in four weeks - I can't take the pain any longer and need this resolved. I hope I'm doing the right thing and can only follow the advice of my specialist. I'll let you know how it goes...

Hi Helen,

im so interested in how your operation will go.

My first frozen shoulder took 3 years to heal, I was following all the specialists advice, hard exercise, pushing through the pain etc. It didn't solve anything.

Now I'm doing more natural things but my job is suffering....using my arm without pushing through the pain seems to be the most successful and doesn't cause me sleepless night however doing my job behind a computer and not using my arm causes pain, stiffness, steepness nights but I also can't skip work (everytime I do it causes me and my family losses...let us know! I would operate today if somebody told me it takes the misery away....

Hi Debbie, it's me Angela having the operation not Debbie.. Yes I'll let you guys know how it goes, there's no way I could have put up with this for three years! I don't know how you're still sane! Is there a reason you haven't had surgery? I'm in Australia so am having to pay around $1000 even though I have private cover, but hopefully it will be worth it. It looks like physio doesn't really do much for people with a frozen shoulder from what I've read on here.. It made mine worse. 25 days to go and hopefully ill be on the mend..:0)

Hello Angela.

The reason I didn't have surgery is because any doctor I've visited claimed that it could make matters worse, that's why I really would like to know if it helps you! As I would have surgery straight away no matter what cost if I thought or you convinced me it would help!

I've stopped going to doctors and physiotherapist as they, until now made matters worse. I can now work on computers as much as I need and than I pay the price! But I learned 2 things 4 hours doing computer work means at least one hour of sweeping, digging, making circular cleaning motions (kitchen, yard, terrace whatever. Can also be washing clothes or swimming) if I skip all of that I'll suffer.

I also discovered that my husband, daughter, son, friend can give me great relief by putting one hand on my shoulder while the other holds my elbow and turns it in ever bigger circles (without hitting the real 'PAIN' level). Sometimes a little painful and scary but after that hours of movement and a complete night of sleep! If you can convince that surgery helps Ill be the next one! The first shoulder took 3 years but this one is already doing much better after a few months although I would really prefer a much faster solution!

I suspect that I have this condition. It started about 3 months ago with a mildly irritating ache on the outside of my upper right arm. It has got steadily worse ( aggravated and possibly caused by the lifting and carrying I do at work as well as standing on a till for hours at a time with no break in my opinion!)

Have seen GP on numerous occasions and been prescribed naproxen and now co-codamol. I signed myself off work a week ago as the pain and lack of sleep was unbearable. Today I can barely move my right arm. I am booked in for US scan at 6pm today. I had to wait for my daughter to help me out of my pj's and bathing with one arm was a new one!

I feel grumpy, tired, and the pain is excrutiating.

I have a sick note for 2 weeks and dread having to be off for long as we would really struggle on ssp- the complication is we have 4 horses, dogs, cats and chickens and cannot bear the thought of not being able to ride or do my animals myself. Luckily my dear husband and daughter have the same interests so will do whatever they can.

My question is has anyone requested the manipulation under GA at this stage? I don't have months to just wait and see.... I need to be able to muck out stables come winter and preferably not be divorced for being a grumpy c*w in the meantime!

I have never had pain like this! Childbirth hurt but it wasn't for months on end!

Is there a link to RSI and frozen shoulder? It only started when we went to one delivery a week instead of 2, we don't have a goods lift so all stock has to be carried upstairs to the warehouse by hand, at the same time a lot of staff lost hours which means I am stood on a till from 9 to12 minimum-and more most days.

trista1. There is a link between perimenopause/menopause, the subsequent sudden drop in oestrogen, and sudden onset frozen shoulder in women of a certain age! Oestrogen is the WD40 of the body and keeps our connective tissue supple. Sudden decline can trigger what is known as menopausal tendonitis, usuallystarts as aches and pains in the arm and elbow, pain in the bicep tendon and progresses to full frozen shoulder quite quickly. I started my bicep pain in July last year, was in complete agony and unable to move armat Christmas and regained almost 100 percent movement by April. Still have twinges but consider myself more or less recovered. Had it in both shoulders to some extent but left was worse. I tried HRT and it helped but I could not stay on it due to migraines - and in any case, once you HAVE FS nothing will 'cure it' it will always follow a typical progression but it is self limiting and will resolve eventually.

Hi thanks for that. USS showed considerable area of calcification on the tendon running across the shoulder- I had to try to put my hand on my hip which was excrutiating but I actually feel quite relieved that the scan showed a problem because at least if there is a recognisable issue there may be a recognisable resolution as well! I am only 43 so hope I am not menopausal quite yet!

Back again! It turns out calcific tendinitis causes FS as a side effect. Great.

Hi Debbie,

That's a bit of a worry that your doctor told you surgery would make it worse! Eek! My specialist seemed quite confident that the surgery will work so I hope he's right. Two weeks today is my operation so will keep you posted.. I can't wait, I'm in agony! People that don't have this have no idea of the pain we are going through, and you don't like to whinge all the time, they don't want to hear it.

And Lesley, what you say makes a lot of sense. I'm 46 and am in peri menopause, so I'm sure that is a big factor.

Trista sorry for your diagnosis, this condition is unbearable at times and that's why I've decided to have a capsular release operation. I've had mine for about 8 months and can't stand it any more.