Having more problems after shoulder surgery to remove bone spurs.
Posted , 4 users are following.
On January 10 of this year, I had surgery to remove bone spurs from my left shoulder blade and collar bone that were going down into the muscle and nerves. Since the surgery, the shoulder blade in back hurts worse than ever and the area between the shoulder and elbow hurts all the time. Not only that but my hand goes numb at times and my arm twitches all the time. If all that wasn't bad enough, I have lost even more range of motion that I had lost before the surgery and nothing that I have done to try to regain it has worked. And so far the Orthopedic doctor that did the surgery has no idea what's wrong or going on and has basically given up on trying to figure it out and has sent me to a neurologist who has ran a couple of tests but just wants to push pills on me for it which I don't want (and he can't find out what's wrong either). Does anyone have any ideas of what could be wrong? And by the way, I can't sleep on that side anymore either because of the pain.
0 likes, 6 replies
Susan1942 rhonda82239
Posted
I feel so much for you. I had surgery on 8th April Had a tear in my rotator cuff but it was too ragged to repair Had debrinement bursectomy and a bit shaved off the bone to make more space.
Unfortunately it has not been successful and like you I am in a great deal of pain I had a lot of physio Had some cortisone injection 2 months ago Now I saw the Surgeon last week and it's back to.physio Like you I am despairing They could do a patch but he says it could fail.
Are you icing it Have you had physio I had hydrotherapy as well but like you pain is my main problem.
I am not able to lie on my right side either. This is the problem side. I don't know what to say to you other than maybe ask for another opinion. I am depressed as I am sure you are All I can say is just keep plugging away at whoever you can. I do feel for you
Sue
rhonda82239 Susan1942
Posted
The shots didn't work for me. All they did was to make my arm feel like it was on fire for about a week or so. And I have had physical therapy which didn't work either.
?As for icing it, the cold just makes it feel a lot worse than it already does. But I do go to the pool and do my own type of therapy in the water trying to regain some range of motion, which helps for a little while but then it goes right back to the way it was before I got in the pool.
?The pain isn't my only or main problem with this arm now, the twitching is REALLY bad. And on top of it all this is my left arm and I am left handed so writing is very difficult now.
?And all this is from what the doctor did by just removing 2 bone spurs from my shoulder. I am considering looking for a different doctor to take a look at my records and see if there wasn't more that he did to mess it up and what could be done to correct things.
suzysash rhonda82239
Posted
Hi Rhonda,
I have just read your posting,and you have my sympathy.I have read so many posts on here that have been heartbreaking.I fractured my shoulder as a result of a fall December 2014. I was treated conservatively meaning physiotherapy weekly. I was in such pain and my ROM hardly improved.I had an Mri in February 2015 and never saw a consultant for 7 weeks after that, and that was because i managed to get an earlier appointment.
Once the consultant saw how little range of movement i had ,and the physio saying i was in to much pain to continue with physio,he finally sent me to see a shoulder specialist.Five months later i had a hemi arthroplasty .
I continued with physio,and got nowhere the damage had been done by waiting so long for surgery in the first place.I had further surgery 9 months later because of complications.The operation was not successful,and as a result of torn irreparable rotator cuffs i have no further improvement in ROM. In fact i am semi disabled. I cannot lift that arm at all,and i am in constant pain. Also because i have only got the use of my left arm i have impingement and have had steroid injections with that shoulder also. I am still under the hospital and now have been offered another operation a Reverse shoulder Replacement. The operation is bigger than the last two put together .No guarantee of success and even though i am a positive person,who knows every operation can have side effects.After having two operations in 9 months , and with the long post op recovery period ,i have decided no more.
I will probably end up attending the pain clinic.
I am sure with the right expertise you will improve.I don't want to frighten you or anybody reading this but please if you are not happy with the way things are for you.Take my advise and get a 2nd opinion with the best shoulder specialist you can find.With some research you will find somebody who specializes in shoulder surgery. I don't know if you live in the UK. but there are Clinics that specialize in shoulders in London and surrounding area's.
Good luck,and sort this out asap,the longer you leave it the worse it will be.
rhonda82239 suzysash
Posted
I am so sorry for what you are going through with your shoulder. I wish you the best with it.
?I am in the United States. And starting tomorrow will be looking for another doctor for a second opinion. I have actually been dealing with shoulder pain for almost 5 years, but it wasn't until the end of 2015 when the finally found the bone spurs and scheduled the surgery to remove them. And in those 5 years I had lost some of the range of motion, but nothing like I have lost since the surgery.
?Good luck to you too Suzysash.
Susan1942 rhonda82239
Posted
My Sister had a repair to her rotator cuff about 4 years ago with 100% success Her other shoulder required repair also but she had put it off because of the recovery period no driving etc. She has now 2 weeks ago had a reverse shoulder replacement and all is going well so far Hopefully it will be successful. Maybe it is just luck or maybe it is that we are all different I fell as though the tear I had has extended with this great surge of pain I am now sitting with a hot water bottle on it Cold or heat and medication combination are all that I can do for now I am hoping that I may be able to find a better answer to the problem.
jupiterkaren rhonda82239
Posted
Husband has similar problem. Pain sharp stabbing constant after a c cleanout surgery, with bone spurs shaved. His surgeon dismissed him and said he was fine. Horrible situation. Still in pain, winged scapula now, constant pain, fingers numb can't use pen, 3 ortho s, 2 neuros, 3 physical therapy sessions later, oh, 2 shots one into neck one into shoulder with no relief, 1 neck Dr (still taking that route) no answers. Devastating situation here. Sorry to hear what you are going through. We are going to new group with records and pictures hoping they will find out what's going on. Please keep posting your journey to share info. Looking into Parsonage Turner syndrome. Someone at hospital said they knew someone who had infected bone after surgery, but white blood count fine, ruled it but. I wish he never got the surgery. Nightmare.