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Is anyone happy they had shoulder surgery?

Posted , 15 users are following.

victoria13635
victoria13635

I've been diagnosed with impingement of my shoulder. I also have a hooked acromion.  PT helped some but not the arc or when I have to push or lift with my right arm. Those actions hurt but not horribly. I was given the steriod injection a week ago. It has eased the pain, but not taken it away totally. My sister said that shoulder surgery is extremely painful and that no one has recovered completely, that they all still have pain to some degree. I know my next step is surgery to decompress that area but after talking to her, I'm wondering if it would be better to just live with my pain.

thanks for your views and advice

Victoria

0 likes, 45 replies

45 Replies

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  • victoria13635
    victoria13635

    Posted

    I saw the surgeon yesterday. No improvement, really and a little more loss or ROM. MRI is scheduled for Monday. He did not mention surgery. He told me he wanted them to look at the rotator cuff and muscle (deltoid I assume) but the order reads "Rule out impingement"  I guess I'll tell the person what he said, also. I also confirmed that the hook on my acromion is bone growth/thickening. I called it a spur, he said similar but they didn't call it that. I see the Dr again next Friday.

  • kathy26463
    kathy26463 victoria13635

    Posted

    I am scheduled for decompression surgery in June, I will keep you informed of progress.
    • victoria13635
      victoria13635 kathy26463

      Posted

      Thank you. What are your symptoms/diagnosis? How did they decide to do surgery?
  • tg16
    tg16 victoria13635

    Posted

    I began having pain when I ran about 3 years ago I got progressively worse to where I would stop me in my tracks. I had a Family Practice doctor who kept wanting to prescribe anti inflammatory meds for over a year.  I finally said i wanted a referral.  After x-rays and mri, I had rotator cuff surgery on 3/15.  I took the prescribed Percocet before the nerve block wore off and again in the morning when I woke up.  After than I haven’t taken anything but alleve.  Pain has not been bad and I can say that I definitely don’t regret it so far.  When I can run again I’ll know how successful it was.  For the record, I’m 63 so I’m hoping the one tendon that was torn heals back onto the bone.   The surgeon also told me he found arthritis and shaved it too.  

    I wish you the best in your journey and experienc with this.  Trust me it is an experience a lengthy healing journey.  

    • mia98887
      mia98887 tg16

      Posted

      I’m a 59 yr old female, very active & been a hairstylist so I’ve used my arms/shoulders in business for 40 years. And  I can honestly say this-

      This Blog has given me insight and hope.  I am now 11 weeks post op.. and still have pain daily !

      2 Extra Str Tylenol and 3 Advil help a little but nothing takes the pain away completely!

      The non stop ache is there ALL

      THE TIME!!!

      Jacuzzi helps, PT feels wonderful after!

      However..

      I’ve had various  Friends that have had this surgery, one woman said she had “nonstop pain for 12 months“ another guy had the physical therapist actually re-tear it and he had to have it done again at six months. Another woman told me that her pain lasted for over a year and it was the worst surgery she’s ever had. I think it depends on the body type, it depends on the type of tear and it also depends on male versus female. Womens structure is very different than a man... they have more muscles to hold everything together! I am very thin and have small tendons and small shoulders. Therefore the pain was horrendous the first 2 weeks with me crying all the time!

      Opioids didn’t do anything but make me sick

      and constipated. Rolling on a lacrosse ball to

      loosen the muscles helps, but nothing takes the  pain away completely. So if anybody tells you there’s no pain, go with your gut ...it’s an invasive surgery that affects tendons and nerves in your arm, shoulder, and neck. There is pain and a lot of it. 

    • bill49757
      bill49757 mia98887

      Posted

      I have a surgery scheduled for June 13th. Your comments scare the hell out of me, but i am between a rock and a hard place. I cant go on without surgery as the pain and lack of arm use is also unbearable. 
    • mia98887
      mia98887 bill49757

      Posted

      I think it’s worth it Bill!  I now can sleep

      And the healing just takes time. I was in so much pain prior this is definitely a good choice for me! You will be fine!

    • grammie48
      grammie48 bill49757

      Posted

      It's worth  it Bill.   For me, I had pain the first couple of days that required medication.  After that it is a dull ache, except for certain motions I  forget I shouldn't do.  ouch!    Now everyday there is more and more I can  do without pain.  I am 9 weeks post surgery.  Your shoulder will never get better without surgery, so you just have to resign yourself and get it done.  You  will be better before you know it.  Yup, it's a long road, but at the end of that road is a pain free shoulder.  I had surgery on my left 15 years ago and can do anything without pain.  My right is in the process of healing, but I have no doubt  I will  have the same outcome.  My best advice....do  what the surgeon and physical therapist say.  Take is easy for a while, invest some time in your recovery and you will be on that road to a successful recovery.   Good luck...let  us know  how  you are doing.

  • tg16
    tg16 victoria13635

    Posted

    I think there’s something to be said for preparing for surgery (prehabilitation).  I’ve always been a fast healer but my doctor tells me my fitness level has a lot to do with it.   For the record, so to speak, I’m small boned and thin with narrow shoulders but I am very fit.  

    I would suggest a pre surgery program of mental and physical preparation.  I also sugggest exercising as much as the doctor allows post surgery.  I began walking (no running) before going to bed right after the surgery.  I am still doing this.  After two weeks I was told I could get on a stationary bike that had a recumbent seat.  I do this 3 days a week along with weight training (no weights on the repaired arm).  Getting on a stationary bike was hard but I made myself do it.  I’m not allowed to walk on a treadmill because of the danger of falling.  

    What I’m saying is there are ways to prepare that help.   Also, people tend to think the only workouts to do are the physical therapy.  Exercising the other parts of your body are beneficial and probably explain a lot about why I haven’t had a bad pain experience.  

    • victoria13635
      victoria13635 tg16

      Posted

      Thank you. The pain isn't unbearable, it's just annoying that it hurts to do my normal things

    • tg16
      tg16 victoria13635

      Posted

      I can relate to that.  It is annoying and as time goes by it seems that each time I can add something back to normal day to day life, I have to deal with the discomfort that comes with it.  I was completely released from the sling yesterday at my 6 week follow up but couldn’t get through the night without putting it back on. The pain had woke me up after I turned the wrong way.  The worse is I can’t manage plates or bowls with my left hand and such as they weigh too much.  
    • victoria13635
      victoria13635 tg16

      Posted

      Yes, putting away the plates, especially for me, hurts. Partly it's the angle of that cupboard, I think but I do know about weight issues. I hope you recover soon.

  • linda56860
    linda56860 victoria13635

    Edited

    I had a shoulder ball, but not socket, OP last december, after a few weeks of physio, I started to develop a lump which was very painful. It was a hematoma which was a collection of old blood which was drained off. Since then the pain has greatly increased to the point of going through to my shoulder blade in my back, so I feel I am in more pain than before surgery, I have been told to carry on with physio but it is excrutiating painful, am I the only one?

  • colin1964
    colin1964 victoria13635

    Posted

    hi victoria and others

    been mostly on the frozen shoulder chat. just got over that x 2 shoulders.

    now have a bone spur and torn tendon on the dominant shoulder. down for surgery when C19 is finally beaten.

    i am a carpenter and do heavy manual work. how long are you in a sling for post op and what the recovery like for some one in my trade.

    can you lot out there give me some realistic ideas please.

    and some good advice and wisdom

    colin

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