Is anyone happy they had shoulder surgery?
Posted , 15 users are following.
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
Guest victoria13635
Posted
I am happy with my shoulder surgery to this point. My surgery was back in March. I got it done the day before they put a freeze on elective surgeries because of the coronavirus. I had a subacromial decompression on my left shoulder. I also had a painful impingment that started leading to tears in the rotator cuff tendons. I had small tears in the subscapulairs tendon, supraspinatus tendon, and anterior labrum. All of those tears where small enough to only get debridement. The MRI did not show the labrum tear or the subscapularis tears. I have been in rehab protocol since the week after the surgery. My range of motion has improved each week. The pain is more of a sore feeling and I am only allowed to lift no more than 5 lbs. The pain from the decompression is gone, it lasted for a couple of weeks. So, if that is the only thing you need to be done, you might not experience pain for a long period of time. Everyone responds to things differently of course. I hope that info helps you some.
colin1964 Guest
Posted
hi michael
colin here. i have posted a lot on frozen shoulder and now find myself on here. i have worn out my good shoulder. which has now become the bad one. i am due for an operation but had it put back due to C19.
like you i have decompression, bone spur and MRI shows a partial tear to the supraspinatus . consultant advised operation. due to the constant pain i cannot wait!!.
a couple of questions for you if i may.
how long was you in a sling for and what type has worked better for you
did you try ice pump for the pain or was it not that bad.
how is the recovery as i am a carpenter and its very phisical.
how long before you could drive.
colin
Guest colin1964
Posted
Hi Colin,
I was in my sling for approximately 5 weeks. I did use an ice pump and I still do after PT sessions. The ice machine is pretty cool. There is a big winged shaped wrap and it goes around the shoulder and upper arm using Velcro straps. The machine it's self looks like a cooler. I had to fill half of it with water and added ice. I used a couple of frozen water bottles. The wrap connects to the machine via a rubber hose. The recovery for me has been going really well so far. Shoulder is still sore and I can only lift no more than 5 lbs right now (per the doctor).I work in IT, so I don't really have any physically intense labor. I was able to return to work a week after the surgery. I was able to drive after 5 weeks, once I was out of the sling.
Michael
colin1964 Guest
Posted
Hi Michael
thanks for the prompt reply. i am trying to find out post op as much as possible.
i was gutted when they cancelled the operations. but it was proper to do so. i begged the consultant for a cancellation or a fail to show slot but i just missed it.
you were lucky to get in right at the end. hope it did not mess up the PT afterwards.
i actually thought i had a second frozen shoulder when this kicked off. same kind of start up pain. i even paid private in january to have a hydro dilation of the joint. but post injection i knew it was different and wrong and i have slowly slid into a constant very nasty ache 24/7.with constant zapping of the joint when i move sudden in my job.
all everyone heres is me moaning to myself with the dull ache all day.
did you have any tricks up your sleeve when waiting for the operation.
at the moment i have to soak in the bath each evening with the pain as i still work 5 days a week.
would the cold pack be more benificial rather than hot bath. i read cold for pain post op !!.
did it take long to fix was you allowed out the same day
what kind of sling did they supply as i was
looking at a better type thats more comfy
colin
colin1964 Guest
Posted
sorry to pick on you. on the whole scheme of things in your opinion would using the chill pump pre operation to ease the ache work.
as you said it great post op. i just hate constantly taking pain killers. been prescribed up to 4000mg paracetamol/ codeine a day plus anti inflam naproxen. also got it sports taped as well to help.
quite a mess really lol . with a frozen l/h side as well. i think i have just worn the tendon into a tear due to the frozen l/h side.
the right hand side needs some attension and is feeling left out.
colin
Guest colin1964
Posted
Sorry, I have been off of here for few days. I think using the chill pump over pain killers would be good to use over pain killers. I hate pain killers too. They are extremely addictive. I used naproxen and ibuprofen before the surgery. After surgery, they prescribed me percocet. I used a couple and flushed them down the drain. Before surgery I did ice frequently after PT and other activities that aggravated it.
colin1964 Guest
Posted
thank you Michael
info is most welcome . i will invest in a chill pump next week its been banging. just taking pain relief to go to bed it lasts till about 4am. this pain is far more annoying than a frozen shoulder and a constant.
i have been trying the opposite ( steaming hot baths to bring blood flow back)
i did have an email from hospital apologising for the delay ( whats a bad arm compared to c19). really should not have even wrote the email we all know the score
PLEASE KEEP ME UPDATED ON HOW YOU ARE GOING.
and if anyone else can share some pain tips please post it really does help people.and answer questions they have
stay safe people and if you can put your bad shoulder in furlough until .lol.
colin
colin1964 Guest
Posted
hi michael
how is your repair going to date. i finally got the operation. kind of the same as you. yup been a bit sore now post 4 weeks. surgeon kind a dump me after stitch out at 3 weeks. now discarded the sling. he was not interested in putting me up for rehab. just sent me on my way. trying to make up me own rehab protocol.
wanted me back at work at 4 weeks. cannot lift squat at the moment but ( that pain has now gone at last ). its just the repair ache and muscles have gone into spasm.
while sedated he could not raise my arm up properly to do the operation as it is also frozen. which will hamper ROM in getting better.
but the pain cloud has lifted from above and wife has the old colin back.
how is your rehab are you in track and happy with the outcome.
colin
OF66955 victoria13635
Edited
Your sister is wrong. Let me first say that. For one thing, you don't have a tear, and a compressed tendon over time has a great risk of tearing from the constant pressure/impingement. All you need is to have your acromion shaved, which releases the trapped tissue. Easy peasy. What you don't want is to go through rotator cuff tear repair. YOUR surgery should only take 2 months to heal (from what I've read), a tear takes a year. And yeah, it's painful, but not as painful as living with the tear, and the fact that your range of motion is nil when you do have this tear. Your sister is even wrong about healing after rotator cuff surgery. There are a ton of factors that indicate how well you will heal, and how you will heal, and how long it takes. I won't go into them now because ALL YOU HAVE is an impingement. That is the easiest thing to have repaired in the scheme of things. You will heal back to normal, I can almost guarantee that. Even tear repairs have a very high success, and I know of a few people (at least 6, I am in the physical fitness industry) who have zero pain and total success. They are all doing Yoga, Pilates, lifting weights and living a pain free life. So no, your sister is not right. Don't let anyone scare you with their opinions. She has not had the surgery herself, I am assuming, so really there is no way for her to know anything. I'm healing just fine with my surgery. I'm pleased, my surgeon is pleased, and there is no doubt in my mind that I will see full recovery in my year of healing, EVEN WITH my setbacks (which we all have). Trust me, an impingement can lead to a tear. You don't want that. Handle this now while you have the chance, while the healing is quick and the surgery is easy. You will be thankful. I would believe someone who has had the surgery over someone who has not any day. And I say this from experience. BTW, I am SO pleased with the healing of my rotator cuff tear that I intend to get the other shoulder done as well. Right now it's just a minor impingement. I will not make the mistake of waiting for it to turn into a repair. THAT surgery is going to be a cakewalk after this.
karen46658 victoria13635
Posted
hi, i had sub acromial decompression surgery in feb 2019. its very painful afterwards for several months. its really debilitating initially but slowly but surely it gets better. physio is really important. full recovery for me took9-12 months. it was worth it. its likely i will need my other shoulder doing later.
lori26704 victoria13635
Posted
Hi. I had an MRI read today by my Physiatrist and he referred me to an Orthopedic Surgeon. He said there was definite signs of tendinosis ( not just tendonitis) and a small labrum tear in/on rotator cuff. Any insight from anyone about this?
OF66955 victoria13635
Edited
i hope things went well for you!